A Message from the Rector:
Dear Friends,
In response to sermon prep this week, the words “My soul doth magnify the Lord” from Mary’s Song, the Magnificat, kept running through my head. Several times I asked our cat Jesminder whether the Lord doth magnify HER soul (I’m sure the Lord doth). I posed the question to Chris as we played Scrabble. The words ran like a loop through my head on a drive to Indianapolis.
Bubbling away was the thought that “magnifying the soul” in the beauty and richness of life that is manifest in the small is what Kathleen Norris calls “the Quotidian [everyday, mundane] Mysteries.” This is finding the Holy in the most basic moments of our lives—and thus in the very heartbeat and daily unfolding of life, that is if we are awake and prepared and bold enough to name and claim it. Mary sang her song after a most private and domestic moment—one that many women will recognize from their own experiences–between her and her cousin Elizabeth as they greet each other and talk about their pregnancies.
Friday morning, this tender story from a daily list serve was posted in my email. I had heard this story from Naomi Shihab Nye before, but with the airport scene, making phone calls, messy cookies, and the joy of a shared snack with kids running around, it seemed to me that souls were magnifying the Lord in more quotidian mysteries.
Enjoy.
Jen+
Becoming Agents of Change
Arab-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye recalls a transformative, unexpected occasion of generous acceptance:
Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal … I heard an announcement: “If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately.”
Well—one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there.
An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing loudly. “Help,” said the flight service person. “Talk to her.… We told her the flight was going to be late and she did this.”
I stooped to put my arm around the woman and spoke to her haltingly. “Shu-dow-a, Shu-bid-uck Habibti? Stani schway, Min fadlick, Shu-bit-se-wee?” The minute she heard any words she knew, however poorly used, she stopped crying. She thought the flight had been cancelled entirely. She needed to be in El Paso for major medical treatment.… I said, “No, we’re fine, you’ll get there, just later, who is picking you up? Let’s call him.”
We called her son and I spoke with him in English. I told him I would stay with his mother … and would ride next to her.… She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it. Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and found out of course they had ten shared friends. Then I thought … why not call some Palestinian poets I know and let them chat with her? This all took up about two hours.
She was laughing a lot by then. Telling about her life, patting my knee, answering questions. She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies—little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts—out of her bag—and was offering them to all the women at the gate. To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the mom from California, the lovely woman from Laredo—we were all covered with the same powdered sugar. And smiling. There is no better cookie.
And then the airline broke out free beverages … and two little girls from our flight ran around serving us all apple juice and they were covered with powdered sugar, too. And I noticed my new best friend—by now we were holding hands—had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing, with green furry leaves. Such an old country traveling tradition. Always carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere.
And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and thought, this is the world I want to live in. The shared world. Not a single person in that gate—once the crying of confusion stopped—seemed apprehensive about any other person. They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women, too. This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost.
Naomi Shihab Nye, “Gate A-4,” in Honeybee: Poems & Short Prose (New York: Greenwillow Books, 2008), 162–164. Used with the author’s permission. Posted on the Center for Contemplation and Action daily list serve on December 15, 2023.
Connect With Us
Rector’s Office Drop-In Time
Rev. Jen has set her office drop-in day as Wednesday of each week from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for anyone who would like to stop in and visit. You are always invited to make an appointment for a time convenient for you. Mondays are her Sabbath day. NOTE: Rev. Jen will be out of the office January 2 – January 8, 2024.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve
Sunday Morning In-Person Prayer Service, Sunday, December 24, led by The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oldstone-Moore, 10:15 a.m. Christmas Eve service beginning with festive music at 5:00 p.m. and the worship service at 5:30 p.m.
You can stream the service via St. Andrew’s Facebook Page. Click on this link to view the Live Stream. We will start the Live Stream 5 minutes prior to the start of the service.
Click here for the service booklet for December 24, 5:00 p.m.
The Latest Updates
HELP NEEDED WITH SEVERAL MINISTRIES
Both the Altar Guild and Beyond Homeless Shepherds are in need of persons to help out monthly. If you are able to help out a month or two a year or just want more information, please contact Renee in the church office. We are also in need of Ushers, Lectors, Intercessors, Chalice Bearers, Coffee Hour hosts, Youth Acolytes, 2nd persons in Sunday School room, and The Waters Communion Service helpers.
THIS WEEK’S SHOPPING LIST FOR NON-FOOD PANTRY
Please add body moisturizers (including hand lotions), Fabuloso, Comet, Pine Sol, and shampoo to your shopping list for the NFP. Every little bit helps our budget go farther in helping meet the needs of folks in Putnam County. The next Non-Food Pantry will be Saturday, January 27 from noon – 2:00 p.m. There is a sign-up sheet posted in Hamilton Hall for folks to help with a product pick-up and/or as well as for help on January 27 at the monthly distribution. FYI: Baskets at church are now dedicated for the NFP and not the food pantry.
BELL RINGERS NEEDED
The bell is up and running again. We are in need of older youth and adults who would like to serve as bell ringers. Please let Renee or Rev. Jen know if you are interested and we will see to it that you get the proper training!
EVENING PRAYER
Most weeks, the Tuesday Bible and Book group meet at 4:30 p.m. On these Tuesdays, there is a service of Evening Prayer beginning at 4:00 p.m. Don’t be afraid to join in even if you come late.
BIBLE AND BOOK GROUP, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 4:30 PM
Our Bible study/books group(s) started up again. We are reading “Belonging” by Karoline Lewis. NOTE: This group will not meet December 26 and January 2.
COMMUNION AT THE WATERS, SUNDAY, JANUARY 14
Once a month Sunday services are continuing at The Waters. The next service will be Sunday, January 14 at 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. If you’d like to help with this ministry in any way, please contact Rev. Jen or Renee. All are welcome to attend!
SAVE THE DATE FOR FEBRUARY 21, 2024
The Philadelphia Eleven documentary will be shown at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at Korb Classroom in the Wabash College Fine Arts Building. After the screening Bishop Jennifer will participate in a panel discussion.
FREE DAILY DEVOTIONAL
We have some large print Day by Day daily devotionals in the sanctuary that you are free to take home for your personal devotions–and if we know that people would like copies, we can order the right amount. Many of you may also appreciate the on-line version of Day to Day. Click here.
ON-GOING COVID PROTOCOL
We continue to respond to both our county’s current CDC designation and to the current variant. Masking is optional. Those who serve bread and wine will mask so that anyone who comes to the altar can feel secure. Decisions on COVID policy have moved from the Reconvening Committee to Rev. Jen and the Wardens.
Prayers and Reflections for This Week
We have heard that the daily reflections and scripture readings provided during Lent were appreciated. The meditations are written by persons from Gobin UMC and Beech Grove UMC. They will be in the newsletter each week and go from Wednesday to Tuesday, except for Sunday. Whether you enjoy these every day or as the Spirit moves you, may this resource continue to bring you spiritual food for the journey. Blessings!
Click here to view the readings and accompanying links.
Non-Food Pantry Latest
Saturday, January 27
• Noon to 2:00 p.m.
There will be a distribution in Hamilton Hall and light lunches will be served inside. We are grateful for all those who have worked so hard to obtain supplies for the Non-Food Pantry. Items are having to be purchased from a variety of sources making it much more expensive. Donations to help offset this extra cost will be gratefully accepted! NOTE: For January we can use Body Moisturizer (including hand lotion), Fabuloso, Comet, Pine Sol, and Shampoo.
Top 3 Needed Items
Your prayers are asked for:
Peggy Angleton
The family of Gabrielle Antonidias, friend of Jen+
Haile Bane, grandson of Joanne Haymaker
Beth Benedix, friend to many of us at Saint Andrew’s
Sharon Bone, friend of Emily Knuth
The family of Richard A. Butler, father-in-law of Claudia Butler
Adam Cohen, friend of St. Andrew’s
Mary Ann Crampton, friend of Steve & Kathy Jones
Anita Edenfield, friend of Skip Sutton
Nathan Elson, friend of Michael Knuth
Bob Fatzinger, brother of Barbara Pare
The family of Alan Good, father of Tim Good
Mae Haymaker, granddaughter of Joanne Haymaker
Kimberley Heithaus, niece of Joe & Jenny Heithaus
Lisa Breese Kincaid, daughter of Bob & Mimi Breese
Thad Jones, brother of Steve Jones
Mary Mountz
Tom Mullen, father of Patti Harmless
Marilyn & Leo Nelson, sister & brother-in-law of Joanne Haymaker
Sarah Oldstone, sister-in-law of Jen+
The family of Brian Pohlar, friend of Trudy Selvia and many at St. Andrew’s
Elizabeth & Natalie Sheffler, daughter & granddaughter of Page & Narda Cotton
Gloria Smith
The family of Heidi Stecher, friend of Jen+
Skip Sutton
Karen Swalley, friend of Thom & Gwen Morris
The family of Jerry Taylor, friend of Warren & Connie Macy
Sydnor Thompson, brother of Harriet Moore
Deb Wilder, sister of Connie Macy
The family of Bill Yeazell, friend of Chris Oldstone-Moore
Dwight Ziegler, brother of Stephanie Gurnon
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Holy Family, Fishers: The Rev. Bruce Gray, Rector.
Our companion dioceses: The Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil: The Most Rev. Mauricio Jose Araujo De Andrade, Primate of Brazil and Bishop of Brasilia. The people and Diocese of Haiti and Saint Andre’s in Mithon.
Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Episcopal Church in the Philippines.
Birthdays: Carl Huffman, December 27; Curtis Beck, December 28, Eleanor Knuth, December 28.
Anniversaries: Carl Huffman & Martha Rainbolt, December 28.
Special Events and Services
