A Message from the Rector:
One of the challenges of the Christmas season is that with all the excitement of gatherings, gift giving, feasting, and travel, it is hard to remember that in very important ways, the Incarnation is the most ordinary, mundane thing possible: a baby was born. To be sure, the particular aspects of this baby and this birth, particulars we have remembered through Advent, are important and strange and different. But at its core, the Incarnation is about God-with-us as us. One of the most beautiful aspects of Incarnation is that it came about through the one human experience every single person ever born has shared. In a very real way, “this was the moment when nothing happened.”
Friday is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the Feast of the Epiphany, the “bringing to light” of the Child to the world. Epiphany is when we hear about the coming of the magi who discover something precious they could never have dreamed of. Another part of the Epiphany reading is Herod’s jealous, fearful response to this birth, the heartrending Slaughter of the Innocents. In other words, with the coming of Jesus, the world stayed pretty much the same, just the same, in fact, as it is now: beautiful, peaceful, joyful moments; terrible trouble and tragedy.
The question, then, is that if the world has not been changed by this birth, this bringing of the light, how might we have been changed?
Wishing you a week of unexpected wandering into haphazard starlight,
Jen+
BC/AD
This was the moment when Before
Turned into After, and the future’s
Uninvented timekeepers presented arms.
This was the moment when nothing
Happened. Only dull peace
Sprawled boringly over the earth.
This was the moment when even energetic Romans
Could find nothing better to do
Than counting heads in remote provinces.
And this was the moment
When a few farm workers and three
Members of an obscure Persian sect
Walked haphazard by starlight straight
Into the kingdom of heaven.
–U.A. Fanthrope
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. Also, she has chosen Mondays as her Sabbath day. NOTE: No afternoon office hours January 11 due to on-site visit from Church Building Collaborative Partnership.
The Feast of the the Epiphany
The Baptism of the Lord
Sunday Morning In-Person Worship Service, January 8, led by Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oldstone-Moore, 10:15 a.m.
You can connect to the service via Zoom. Click on this link to connect. If you have not used Zoom before, you will be prompted to download Zoom, go ahead and do that. When you enter the meeting you should be able to see and hear others and others can see and hear you. If you come in a little late, please listen for a moment before speaking. In order to see everyone, go to Gallery view (upper right on PCs and upper left for Macintosh). When we get started everyone except the speaker will be muted. If you are reading or playing music, please be sure to unmute yourself.
If you are connecting via telephone dial 301-715-8592 and when prompted enter the Meeting ID: 858 0497 0006 and press #, then enter the password: pray and press # again.
Click here for the service booklet for January 8.
The Latest Updates
THURSDAY POETRY GROUP – 11:30 A.M. IN HAMILTON HALL
This group is meeting to discuss poetry this Thursday. Please bring a sack lunch if you’d like!
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY – 4:30 P.M. IN HAMILTON HALL
Bible Study will be held on Tuesday, January 10. The reading for January 10 is John 1:29-42. You can find the week’s readings at lectionarypage.net.
2023 WALL CALENDARS
Please let the office know if any of you are interested in 2023 wall calendars that show the season and the holy days. If there is interest, we will order what is needed.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The youth are up to some fun. Join them by being an occasional volunteer! Once you have completed your Safe Church training, all you have to do is show up – Macie and Jen+ have everything prepared. The youth come into the sanctuary for the Peace.
COMMUNION AT THE WATERS
Once a month Sunday services have resumed at The Waters. The next service will be this Sunday, January 8 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!
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 28
• Noon to 3:00 p.m.
There will be a drive through distribution and sack lunches will be served. We are very grateful to Kate Berry, Martha Rainbolt, Carl Huffman, Karen Hirt Mannon, and Christiane Wisehart who have worked very hard to obtain supplies for the Non-Food Pantry. Kroger is not able to acquire enough products for us so the items are being purchased from a variety of sources. This is much more expensive. Donations to help offset this extra cost will be gratefully accepted!
Top 3 Needed Items
Your prayers are asked for:
The family of Jack Angleton, brother of Peggy Angleton
Haile Bane, grandson of Joanne Haymaker
Beth Benedix, friend to many of us at Saint Andrew’s
The family of Lee Bird, nephew of Lucy Wieland
The people of Buffalo, New York, Skip Sutton
Douglas Butler, brother-in-law of Claudia Butler
Richard A. Butler, father-in-law of Claudia Butler
The family of Maureen Carkeek
Adam Cohen, friend of St. Andrew’s
Family & friends of Michael Condra
Jim Coffman, friend of St. Andrew’s
The family of Claris Donovan, friend of Jen+
Bernice Emrick, mother of Karen Hirt Mannon
Nancy Ferriani & the family of Bob Ferriani, friends of Warren & Connie Macy
Katie Gleichman, relative of Jim Ensley
Kimberly Heithaus, niece of Joe & Jenny Heithaus
Shandol Hoover, friend of Dave & Sue Murray
Terumi Imai, friend of Jen+
Kaylee, Ryan, and baby
Lisa Breese Kincaid, daughter of Bob & Mimi Breese
The family of Terry Klaus, father of Carrie Klaus
David Lawson, nephew of Peggy Angleton
Grayson Lyons, great nephew of Peggy Angleton
Micah, friend of Sara Nimori & Ross Whitten
Mary Mountz
Tom Mullen, father of Patti Harmless
Bryan Murray & the Murray family
Lucas Murray, grandson of Dave & Sue Murray
Emmanuel Myril, Karen Hirt Mannon’s son-in-law’s father
Sarah Oldstone, sister-in-law of Jen+
Gordon Redden
Mike Schmidt, brother of Renee Hood
Elizabeth & Natalie Sheffler, daughter & granddaughter of Page & Narda Cotton
Gloria Smith
Skip Sutton
Jerry Taylor, friend of Warren & Connie Macy
Sydnor Thompson, brother of Harriet Moore
Diana Van Middlesworth
The family of Sharon Walters, friend of Connie Macy
The family of Verl Wisehart, father of Christiane Wisehart
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St. Peter’s, Lebanon: The Rev. Dr. Matthey Seddon, The Rev. Christopher Beasley.
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 Church of the Province of Myanmar (Burma).
Birthdays: Chris Torrence, January 8; Henry Cox, January 13; Caroline Good, January 13; Suzanne Hassler, January 14.
Anniversaries: None.
THE COMMON CUP, INTINCTION, AND FULL COMMUNION
I would like to discuss our returning to communion by wine via the common cup.
Background: The Diocese of Indianapolis has stated that we may return to full communion (both bread and wine), but that receiving the wine can be by common cup only. Several parishioners have had questions about this. Here’s what I’d like you to know at this point.
- The Vestry voted and approved our new COVID guidelines recommended by the Regathering Committee.
- We might use the words “full communion” to indicate that we are finally back to both bread and wine, but it has ALWAYS been true that taking either one is a complete communion. You do not need both to fully commune.
- The choice is yours, Eucharist by Eucharist. You can decide to let the cup pass because you have a cold; if you are worried about others you can pass; you can wait until we return to intinction. Just cross your arms over your chest—or just shake your head and quietly demur.
Yours in health, restoration, liturgical engagement, and literature review,
Rev. Jen
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