Happy Advent!  Wow, what happened to the last few months?  If you're like me you're still wondering where Halloween and Thanksgiving went.  Weren't we just handing out candy a few weeks ago?  And where did the summer go?  How can it be this cold already?  Where did all the time go? 
 
Watching time race by can be upsetting.  We're addicted to our overloaded schedules that tell us there's no time.  From the time we wake up to the time we go to bed we have to be constantly moving.  Throughout the day we are working, cleaning, emailing, taking care of children, watching television, all to forget that time is passing by us.  We look at the clock only to see how much longer the day will last.
 
For most of the year we live by human time.  But in Advent God's time takes over.  Suddenly a second feels like a minute, a minute like a day...  And if we're paying attention, really listening to the clock inside of us, we feel this change.  People are frantically rushing around us while we are quiet and still. 
 
This slowing of time is one of the many mysteries of Advent.  At first it may seem like God is playing a practical joke.  The secular world tells us there's no time for shopping and celebrating and decorating.  We hear phrases like "Last minute deals", "One-day only sale", and "Buy before it's sold out."  Luckily, God steps in so that we will stop to get ready.  In four weeks a child will be born and we need to be prepared.  If we're too tired from the pre-holiday stresses how can we really celebrate Jesus' birth?  Have you ever tried telling a baby you're too tired?
 
In Advent I like to think about Mary and Joseph waiting for the big day.  I imagine that for them, time was passing too slowly.  Mary is worried about the baby she's carrying in her womb.  Joseph is worried about finding safety for the birth.  With these worries they travel many, many miles to Bethlehem.  There's no comfortable place to stay so they end up waiting in a stall surrounded by animals.  They wait and wait.
 
Whenever I feel rushed I think of this story.  Picturing Mary and Joseph as they wait reminds me to slow down.  I don't have to run around like a chicken with my head cut off.  I don't have to max out my credit cards on fancy gifts.  I don't have to send out hundreds of holiday cards.  The joy and hope of Jesus' birth will happen anyway.
 
Have a blessed holiday season!
 
Sarah Manly

Associate for Multigenerational Ministry 

 

Sadly Ann Sullivan, one of our elected delegates, was not able to attend Diocesan convention this November. As her alternate, it was my pleasure and honor to represent St. Mark's along with Deb Smyth. It was wonderful to have a chance to get to know Deb and Andy a little better, and to enjoy the many entertaining aspects of convention.

 

The theme this year was "In Christ There is No East or West." The theme was tied to our relationship with the Diocese of Jerusalem. Their bishop, the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, was the keynote speaker. He spoke of his diocese's pastoral care ministries, social service institutions and bridge-building efforts between Christians, Muslims and Jews. I also had a chance to attend a presentation by his wife, on the issues women face in the areas covered by the Diocese. Our diocese has resolved to support their efforts, specifically to support building an elders home in Beir Zeit. The Diocese is also planning a mission trip to the Diocese of Jerusalem in June of 2009. What an amazing opportunity that would be! Would anyone like to hear more about it? See me!

 

You can read more about the resolutions that came before the convention on the Diocesan Website. The one that drew the most debate was one devoted to education on the practice of nonviolence. As proposed, it asked the bishops to appoint a focus group to design curricula and plan educational events for the diocese and its congregations "in order to empower all those involved in Christian formation/education to engage in teaching/learning activities related to the spirituality, history and practice of peacemaking and nonviolence in the Christian tradition," and to report back next year.

 

The most passionate objection was not to the principal but to the method. The Rev. Canon Steven Bonsey of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul said, "Those with a passion for the work are already fully empowered by their Baptism and don't need a diocesan committee structure in order to do it, I find it to be a retrograde model of ministry. We need to be learning how to form networks at the grassroots level of people who share a passion for forming communities of practice around ministries." An amended version prevailed, put forward as a compromise by the Rev. Ian Douglas of St. James's Church in Cambridge. It calls for a self-convening "community of practice" focused on peacemaking and nonviolence, also to report back next year.

 

I have been going to convention now for six years, I think. I remember how impressed I was at the first one by all the hugging and greeting and talking that went on among the attendees. It's funny to watch how, over the years, I have become one of the huggers and greeters and talkers. This year I had friends from my EDS community as well as from Deanery events and other Diocesan activities. I invite anyone who's interested to come next year and see how the life of the Diocese changes and grows.

Peace!

Catherine Owens

The Women's Group annual Pot Luck Supper, Yankee Swap and Secret Angel night will be held on Tuesday, December 16t. We will begin our evening at 6:30 with a "Pot Luck Supper", proceed to our White Elephant Yankee Swap and finish off the night finding out who our Secret Angel is. All the women of St. Mark's are welcome. A sign up sheet is in the Narthex for the pot luck.
 
What is a "White Elephant Yankee Swap" you might ask. How many of us have that one new or nearly new item at home that you don't know what to do with, be it because it's ugly and you don't want to display it or it just doesn't go with anything. Now is your chance to rid your home of that unwanted item. All you need to do is wrap it up in a pretty bag or paper, bring it to the White Elephant Yankee Swap and let someone else take it to their house. Imagine the fun and laughter when someone says they actually like it. I'm sure it will be said at least once. It should be a lot of fun and at no additional expense.   
 
If you are unable to attend due to transportation issues, please feel free to contact me and I will make arrangements to have someone pick you up and take you home. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:
 
Linda Kelley at 781-883-8972 or email at ljkelley@rcn.com or
Rosemarie Tieri at 781-272-1558 or email rozeetea@yahoo.com or

Judy Gustafson at 781-229-2688 or email at judester52@comcast.net

OH COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL!!
 
We are planning a Saint Mark's Christmas Carol sing, either on the 14th or the 21st in the afternoon. We are tentatively scheduled to sing at two assisted living facilities on Mall Road, Sunrise and Longmeadow Place. This will be a truly intergenerational activity for St. Mark's, with Youth and Adult Choir members participating, along with any other members of the congregation who would like to join us. We will meet in St. Mark's parking lot and car pool. Stay tuned for further information!
 
Advent and Christmas Eve services
 
The Youth Choir will sing one of our favorite anthems, "Light One Candle" around the Advent wreath as it is lit on Story Sunday, December 7th.  They will sing again for the third Sunday in Advent, and then at the 5pm Christmas Eve service.  They will also cap off our Christmas Caroling by singing their Christmas Eve anthem, "Once on a Quiet Night".  I am very excited to have them play such an important part in our Advent and Christmas celebrations.
 
The Adult Choir will sing during every Sunday in Advent, and then will lead the congregational singing for our 10:30pm Christmas Eve service.  Our Offertory anthem that evening will be "When God's Time Has Ripened" by Alan Fedak, a dramatic and moving work that will highlight our baritone section. 
 
As always, our Advent and Christmas services will be graced by our own talented Bruce Burrell on flute and clarinet.  Trumpter Adam Dohanian, who was with us last year for Christmas Eve, will again join us for our two services.  For Christmas Eve, Bruce will play during our Prelude and Communion, and Adam will play during our hymns and postlude. Come sing your favorite carols with us as we make a joyful noise!
 
We are so fortunate to have so many devoted and hard-working choir members who bring their time and talent to St. Mark's.  I hope you will join me in thanking them for all they do to make our Advent and Christmas seasons so special. 
 
P.S. Please note that because of the holiday, we will not be having the Adult Choir practice on January 1st.  We will resume our regular schedule on January 8, 2009. 

Juliette and I got involved with the youth group when Juliette went to Tracey to see if perhaps we could help with Sunday School. Tracey suggested that we lead youth group. That seemed like a pretty big deal to us and we were thinking about it. I guess Tracey thought we had decided because she announced it in church one Sunday. Everyone applauded, and there we were. We figured it was only one day a month so went ahead with it. For me, it's personally rewarding to develop a trusting relationship with our youth. And, we see it as part of our Stewardship, part of our giving back to God.
 
When I think about the future, I'd like to see St. Mark's grow but still be small enough that we know each other. I hope that our youth group will grow, and that we can have more budget, especially for trips and retreats. I feel like the multigenerational aspect of our mission statement is something we are working toward, but we aren't there yet. Juliette and Sarah and I are the only representatives of our generation, so that's a whole generational component that's missing. I hope that Sarah's relational evangelism project can help. I also want us to make sure that our children and teenagers aren't sectioned off, are truly part of the community. Just having pictures of them in the Narthex is a big step, and Story Sunday is great for bringing in the younger kids.
 
I like Story Sunday myself. Even if Juliette and I didn't come those Sundays because of youth group I'd still want to come. Somehow the sermons on Story Sunday seem to have more of a connection to the community than ordinary Sundays do. Maybe it's because John or Sarah or Catherine are responding a little more, a little more out of their comfort zone. But for me, every Sunday is important. I still have a lot of questions about my own faith, and a lot of times after the service I'm energized, or challenged, or at least thinking. But as the week goes on, work and other things takes over and my faith feels like it fades into the background. Then Sunday comes and the cycle starts over again. I hope that in the future I can find a way to capture that energy, that questioning, and keep it going through the week.  

The dates or the Wednesday Fellowship lunches are as  follows:

 

    December 10th              February 11th          April 8th

 

    January 14th                 March 11th

 

These dates will also be posted at Church each month.

 

If anyone is interested in joining the Outreach Team you would be welcome. You can speak to any of the members at any time regarding this. The members are myself, Sarah Manly, Sue Thompson, Betsy Figenbaum, Emily Howser, Pat Doleman, and Shirley Estrella.

 

- Marge Douglass