WHAT’S HAPPENING
Newsletter - December 2006
Pastor: Rev. Lisa Anthony -Tongan Associate Pastor: Mausia Folau
Please keep in your prayers Marcia, daughter of Lenore and Ed, recovering from surgery & facing cancer. Our Continued Prayers for the Mark McKay, still recovering from surgery.
Youth – Youth – Youth - Youth
Will be meeting on December 5th for a Pizza Party at 6:30 – as we celebrate and prepare for the computer center with an expanded Youth Group!
ALL Youth are invited to our group – bring a friend, relative or acquaintance!
CAROLING PARTY AT THE WILTSE’S HOME
Bring Your Cookies to Share and Your Hearts to Sing with Friendship & Fellowship!
Sunday, December 10th at 7pm
Stella Group Christmas Celebration at Gloria Boyack’s Home
Women in our Congregation are Invited to Celebrate and Share the Season’s Gifts with one another in an exchange of white elephant gifts, an appetizer and dessert potluck as we share our gifts with one another, in the spirit of celebrating gifts with Our New Little Girl from Jambaa Letu Orphanage
Thursday, December 7th at 6:30 pm
Waiting in Advent – With the Excitement of Children!
This Year’s focus for the four weeks of Advent is how we await the Christ Child with all the enthusiasm and wonder of Children. Our worships will feature music and celebration that embrace the spirit of Christmas through the eyes of children.
Christmas Pageant and Carol Sing
Join the youth and children Sunday December 17th for a short re-telling of the Christmas Story by our Young People – and a time for picking our favorite Christmas Songs to Share in Worshipful Enjoyment
Christmas Eve Services Ring throughout the Day
We will have worship at our regular time Christmas Eve Morning to celebrate the last week of advent with the greatest excitement of all – Jesus is coming SOON!
Christmas Eve Service of Songs and Scripture
7 pm Sunday, December 24th we will share a united worship with our Tongan-Speaking Congregation in Christmas Carols and the telling of the Christmas Story
GIVING IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON
Once again we will have name tags on the Christmas Tree for Church of Mary Magdalene’s Christmas wish list. Please take a tag and fulfill the needs and wishes of a homeless woman in need this year, and return the tags and items by Sunday December 10th so the women can receive their items at their annual party December 16th. The women of our congregation are invited to participate & volunteer for Mary’s Celebration on Saturday the 16th at 10 a.m.
An Advent Meditation Favorite of Pastor Lisa by Henri Nouwin:
A Time of Joyful Waiting
We are joyful now because we know that the Lord will come. Our expectation leads to joy and our joy to a desire to give to others. Real joy always wants to share. It belongs to the nature of joy to communicate itself to others and to invite others to take part in the gifts we have received. Advent is a time of joyful waiting and joyful giving … but it is not only a period of joy. It is also a time when those who are lonely feel lonelier that at other times of the year. During this time many people try to commit suicide or are hospitalized with severe depression. Those who have hope feel much joy and desire to give. Those who have no hope feel more depressed than ever and are often thrown back on their lonely selves in despair… Surrounded by a loving supportive community Advent and Christmas seem pure joy. But let me not forget my lonely moments because it does not take much to make that loneliness reappear. If I am able to remember loneliness during joy, I might be able to remember joy during loneliness and be stronger to face it and help others face it… When Jesus was loneliest, he gave the most.
Reminder that we will have our offering baskets up front during service for first Sunday during for OEC.
*** Please Remember to Bring Juice, Cookies and Crackers to Church for Coffee Hour next week!***
All Church Conference and Worship December 20th at 7 pm to Celebrate Last Year’s and Welcome in the New Year’s Work of our Church!
Don’t Miss The Llew Crew at This Year’s Figgy Pudding Carol Sing at the Westlake Center Gwenda & Family Will Sing to Support The Pike Place Market Senior Center with Fun & Joy -- Friday December 1st at 5:30 pm Behind the Carrousel
Looking Forward to January:
Youth Computer Center to Open at Rainier Beach United Methodist Church
Thursday Morning Yoga Fellowship