1 St. Mary’s News December 2017 Volume 7 Issue 12 AWAITING THE MIRACLE “While they were there, the time came for Mary to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.” Besides the manger part, that could have described the birth of any child of any era. But I think the juxtaposition of angels and shepherds offers us a clue. The thing is, God comes to us not in royal robes but swaddling clothes. We may dress up to receive him at Christmas, and that’s a fine thing, but remember he didn’t come to an Emperor, he came to shabbily dressed shepherds. The birth was announced to the humble, not the mighty. And herein lies the miracle of Christmas: God comes to us not in the public images we seek to project, but in our vulnerability; in our brokenness; in our insecurity; in our weakness. In other words, God comes to us in our very humanity. And God still loves us. That’s the miracle. Because underneath our fancy clothes, resides our true selves. The part of us that may be grieving the first Christmas without a loved one; or mourning a broken relationship; or reeling from a recent medical diagnosis; or fearing for the future. Jesus comes to our shepherd side. The side of ourselves that is not spit and polished but hurting and vulnerable and in desperate need of love. The side of ourselves that is not outwardly put together but inwardly broken. And in that place is hope. Out of the depths, hope is unleashed. Not a things-are-bound-to-start looking-up hope. Not a false hope. Or an overly optimistic hope. But a hope born of God’s love for us even in the midst of tragedy or despair. A hope born Contents 1 Rector’s Message 3 Love One Another 4 Music 5 Birthdays/ Anniversaries
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Volume 7 Issue 12 December 2017 St. Mary’s News · 15-Danielle Hicks, Bill Jordan 16-Lee Brenn, Diane Linindoll 17-Diane Story 19-Sally Cooper, Sue Szczerba 20-Sarah Lynn Jarrett
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St. Mary’s News
December 2017 Volume 7 Issue 12
AWAITING THE MIRACLE
“While they were there, the time came for Mary to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.” Besides the manger part, that could have described the birth of any child of
any era.
But I think the juxtaposition of angels and shepherds offers us a clue. The thing is, God comes to us not in royal robes but swaddling clothes. We may dress up to receive him at Christmas, and that’s a fine thing, but remember he didn’t come to an Emperor, he came to shabbily dressed shepherds. The
birth was announced to the humble, not the mighty.
And herein lies the miracle of Christmas: God comes to us not in the public images we seek to project, but in our vulnerability; in our brokenness; in our insecurity; in our weakness. In other words, God comes to us in our very humanity. And God still
loves us. That’s the miracle.
Because underneath our fancy clothes, resides our true selves. The part of us that may be grieving the first Christmas without a loved one; or mourning a broken relationship; or reeling from a
recent medical diagnosis; or fearing for the future.
Jesus comes to our shepherd side. The side of ourselves that is
not spit and polished but hurting and vulnerable and in desperate need of love. The side of ourselves that is not
outwardly put together but inwardly broken.
And in that place is hope. Out of the depths, hope is unleashed. Not a things-are-bound-to-start looking-up hope. Not a false hope. Or an overly optimistic hope. But a hope born of God’s love for us even in the midst of tragedy or despair. A hope born
Contents
1 Rector’s Message
3 Love One Another
4 Music
5 Birthdays/
Anniversaries
2
of a Savior who came not to a pristine palace among the well-dressed but right into the muck of the stable among the shepherds. A hope born out of the comfort and joy of serving and standing with the marginalized, the lost, and the downtrodden.
And during this Advent, we all wait to witness and experience the trajectory of God’s hope in a broken world. Each week can see more and more of the light shining in the darkness. Each week we see the miraculous residing even in the midst of the mun-dane. And that’s why we remember this otherwise ordinary birth, that is why we wait patiently and silently during Advent to prepare for God to unleash the extraordinary
power of God’s love for all humanity.
Advent is a holy season, and during this time of preparing to receive our Savior I pray we all experience the gift of God’s saving grace; may our hearts overflow with the hope born of our Savior’s love; and may we have a blessed Advent as we prepare for a very
Merry Christmas.
The Rev. Dr. Dewey E. Brown, Jr.
Rector – St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Dade City, FL 33525
www.stmdc.com
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus
for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20, 21
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Good News for Love One Another
The Good News arrived on November 15th in an e-mail from Father Dewey saying that a team has come together to carry on the Love One Another ministry at St. Mary’s. This team effort is
co-chaired by Lee Brenn (food preparation); Davis Henley and Tony Carbone assisting with food preparation, cooking, setup and cleanup. Margie Burns will take on volunteer e-mails and
communications.
The Love One Another ministry at St. Mary’s is strong and with more leaders at the helm can only grow stronger. The volunteers have been very faithful and it is certain they will remain so. Brownie
Bakers – Egg Boiler and Peelers – Servers – and Financial Helpers are all on board. There are those who have made many meals very special with their gifts of celebration and music.
It has been a privilege to work with so many committed volunteers and to serve so many appreciative people. The ministry is very simple; to feed hungry people – hungry for many things –
good food – a kind word – someone to listen to their story – a hug – a blessing – and hungry to hear the good news from folks who live it and share it.
As we are in the midst of organizing our last Love One Another meal we do so with Thanksgiving for all that has taken place over the last eight years and with confidence that this community
outreach is in very capable hands.
Our next Love One Another meal will be served December 10th 2017.
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DECEMBER 2017 MUSIC MINISTRY NOTES
As we enter this Advent Season, and the New Year of the Christian Calendar, I am reflecting back in
amazement of how much living we have done since this time last year. Christmas came and went,
and now it’s on its way again. All of our beautiful worship services, including many celebrations:
Baptisms, weddings, funerals, Epiphany, the Holy Name Monastery Concert, Shrove Tuesday, Ash