The Magnolian

1 Volume XXXXIII, No. 11 December 2015 The Magnolian Magnolia United Church of Christ where spirit and compassion meet From Pastor I believe in the power of prayer. I imagine this won t come as a big surprise to most of you in fact you probably think that it is a requirement of a pastor! I believe in the power of prayer as an avenue to deepen our relationship with the Big Love many of us call God that is at the heart of creation. I believe in the power of prayer as a way of participating in that Big Love . Prayer is a discipline that builds our compassion and empathy is an act of intentionality, of bringing someone (or a situation) into our minds and hearts and offering it up to the greater wisdom and peace of God that is far beyond anything we could ask or imagine.

2 While of course it is perfectly acceptable in prayer to ask for anything ---sometimes it is helpful to leave words behind and simply picture the person or situation surrounded by Light or Peace or something that resembles Courage. The small group that has been meeting for prayer on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 am these past two years has decided it would be meaningful to increase the bounty of prayer at MUCC by creating a Prayer Chain email ministry instead. We will still gather with anyone that is interested on the first Wednesday of each month, but otherwise, weekly emails will go out to those who sign-up to participate. Pam Wallace has agreed to oversee this new ministry and will coordinate with me in communicating the needed prayers.

3 Those mentioned at Sunday worship will be included and any additional ones that we learn about. If someone wants to be included but wants to remain anonymous, we will be sure to write the request in a way that respects a person s privacy. If you have a prayer request you can email me at or Pam at call the office at 206-283-1788 or call or text my cell phone at 425-361-5343. If you have signed up to participate, we are going to gather after worship on Sunday, December 13th about 11:30 am to have a brief conversation about the purpose and intent of the prayer chain. If you have not signed up but would like to, please contact Pam or I. Life is short, make haste to be kind, be swift to love --- Joy Worship with us in December The Theme for Advent this year is Sacred: The Sound of Silence Nov 29 Sacred Time: Psalm 130: 1-6, Romans 13: 11-14 Dec 6 Sacred People: Luke 1: 26-38.

4 Matthew 1: 18-25 Dec 13 Sacred Space: Luke 1: 39-56 Dec 20 Sacred Knowing: Christmas Choir Sunday Dec 24 Christmas Eve Services at 4 and 10 pm: Sacred Being Dec 27 A simple service of singing and reflection with Joy and Jeremy Past Sermons on Line: Joy s sermons can be found on our web site at In Our While the holiday season is special in many ways, it can also be a time of stress and sadness too. Please remember to be gentle with those you meet, stranger and friend alike, and with yourself as well. The next Prayer Group meeting is Dec 2nd at 9:30 am. A small group gathers with Pastor Joy on the first Wednesday of each month at 9:30 am to lift up prayers for our church community and beyond.

5 Please feel free to notify Joy or the office if you would like something to be included. Faith Formation Opportunities at MUCC The Sacred Season of Advent Begins Sunday, November 29th The Christmas season is a time when the juxtaposition of the sacred and secular feel sometimes blatantly opposed, and sometimes quite blurred. The word sacred points to something dedicated as holy and set apart. This year, we invite you to a spiritual journey of seeing all things pregnant with the possibility of the holy. What could your Advent and Christmas season experience be like if you lived it looking through the kaleidoscope of the sacred? After church on the 29th of November, you are invited to stay after worship and help decorate the parlor tree or hang lights outside.

6 Weekly Bible Study You are always welcome to join the lively conversation as your schedule allows: Tuesday s at NOON for an hour to be in conversation about the scripture readings that will be used for the Sunday to come. Bring a sack lunch if you wish or just come! No Bible Study on Dec 22 or 29. Upcoming All-Church Lenten Book Study to put on your Christmas Wish List: Grounded: Finding God in the World, A Spiritual Revolution by Diana Butler Bass (If you found Joy s sermon intriguing from the 15th of November about what our future might look will find this book very thoughtful, imaginative, and an avenue to help us re-imagine MUCC. We are hoping to get as many of us to read it as we possibly can!)

7 The Ripple Effect (a spiritual practice) Pick up a stone and hold it in the palm of your hand. Feel its weight. Feel how it has been marked and shaped over time. This stone has been on the planet for millions of years. Drop it into the water and watch the ripples that it makes. The stone s action causes the surface of the water to react. Keep watching until the water is still again. Reflect on the ripples your actions have made in your life and in the lives of others. However small you feel, the ripples of your actions go on and on and make a difference in others lives that you cannot imagine or ever know. Remember someone whose actions made ripples in your life.

8 How did those ripples affect your actions and the ripples you sent out? Offer a prayer of gratitude for someone who has created ripples in your life. ~Go Deep, by Doris e. Kizinna Treasurers Report 2015 Pledges Our goal this year, as every year, is to finish 2015 in the BLACK. Currently, however, with a few of our expenses up, and our income (which is mainly from pledges) below what we anticipated, that is looking less likely. So please honor our 2015 pledges, and take this as a friendly reminder to get your 2015 pledge in by the end of the calendar year, if you have not yet done so. Together we can do great things, remembering that God s love enlivens us to be a Christ-inspired, joyous community of faith where spirit and compassion meet.

9 Paul Gibbs, Treasurer MUCC Treasurer 2016 Stewardship Campaign Continues Last week, on Stewardship Sunday we dedicated the pledges we received. To date, we have received 42 pledges, totaling $133,922. These include 27 who have increased their pledge from this year, and two that have not pledged before. This is great news. If you have not yet turned in your pledge card, please do so by Sunday, Dec. 6th to save a phone call. You can turn them in to the church office, or put them in the Sunday morning offering. Thank you for your generous support! The MUCC Giving Tree This year we have the opportunity to give to: -Blaine Kids In Care -Compass Senior Housing -Doney Animal Memorial Clinic Choose a tag (or two or more) from the trees, purchase the item, and bring-ing your gift to church on or before December 15.

10 Thank you for your generosity, Anna, Celeste and Evelyn Alternative Gifts International during Coffee Hour Give the World a Present! Right up until Christmas Eve you can give the world a present through the Alternative Gifts International. Instead of the usual commercial gift, you can give, in honor of your friends, family & the people who perform serves for you, life-giving gifts like trees, medicine, food, farming tools, seeds, livestock, & shelter that empowers people trapped in poverty to help themselves. Come into the office or attend coffee hour after church & receive a catalog of gift choices for the world. Choose from over thirty authentic gifts listed on the form provided.