Giving Thanks: Perhaps The World Ends Here

Posted on November 22, 2012 by ginny

In case you were listening to NPR’s Thanksgiving Day programming earlier today when this poem was read over the air… Father Manny added it to his weekly newsletter message yesterday, it must be “trending.”

Perhaps the World Ends Here
By Joy Harjo

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.

The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.
At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.
This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.
We have given birth on this table and have prepared our parents for burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.
Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.

“Perhaps the World Ends Here,” from The Woman Who Fell From the Sky, by Joy Harjo 1994

What a gift it is to be invited and share in the meal at the Table of Life and receive the full and living presence of Jesus, our Most Holy Redeemer. We are graced and blessed with life that is divine. Our hearts and souls take flight and we are lifted up. Each time we come forward, extend our hands and say “Amen,” we profess our belief in the gift afforded us; Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice and be glad in what we are given. We have much for which to be grateful.

To the community of St. Nicholas, to all our family and friends, a most joyful and blessed Thanksgiving. May God bless and keep us safe, secure and ever in His grace, care and love.

-Manny

A Visit TO St Nicholas: Assisting Bishop C. Christopher Epting Visits Sunday 02DEC (with CAKE!)

Posted on November 15, 2012 by ginny

To help us celebrate the Feast of St Nicholas, assisting Bishop of Chicago C. Christopher Epting will visit. All are welcome! We’ll even have a special cake from Jarosch Bakery at Coffee Hour after the service.

Reminder: a meeting for all those being confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church is scheduled this Sunday, November 18 following the 10am worship service.

Here is some interesting information about Bishop Epting.

Bishop C. Christopher Epting joined the Diocese of Chicago as assisting bishop in January 2012. He was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Iowa in 1988 and appointed as the Presiding Bishop’s deputy for ecumenical and interfaith relations in 2001. Retiring after nine years as ecumenical officer for The Episcopal Church, Bishop Epting served for two years as the interim dean of Trinity Cathedral in Davenport, Iowa.

Bishop Epting has served on The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council and its National and International Concerns Committee, as liaison from the House of Bishops to the National Episcopal Cursillo Committee, and on the General Convention’s Evangelism Commission. Ecumenically, he has served as president of Ecumenical Ministries of Iowa (the state Council of Churches there) and on the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches and the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches. He was chair of the Episcopal Church’s delegation to the drafting committee of "Called to Common Mission," a document which resulted in full communion between the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He currently serves on the House of Bishops’ Committee on the Religious Life and as bishop visitor for the Community of Celebration and the Community of the Transfiguration.

Bishop Epting is a graduate of Seabury Western Theological Seminary and received a Masters in Sacred Theology from the General Theological Seminary for his work in Spiritual Direction. He resides in Davenport, Iowa with his wife Susanne Watson Epting, who is a deacon in the Episcopal Church.

via Bishop Epting :: Episcopal Diocese of Chicago

The Holy Hour Of Coffee At St Nicholas Needs YOU! Thanks Be To @JaroschBakery

Posted on November 15, 2012 by ginny

Included in this announcement is a special shout-out to the wonderful people at Jarosch Bakery in Elk Grove Village, who provide pastries at low or no cost so that we may provide hospitality to visitors and parishioners. Please follow them at Twitter @JaroschBakery or visit their Facebook page and click “Like!”

Our Holy Hour of Coffee wouldn’t be the same without the good things to eat from Jarosch. But we do need a few good men and women to step up and serve… coffee!

Maybe your ministry/talent is making coffee!? We would like to start a rotation of congregants to make the coffee for the Sunday coffee hour, set up, and clean up after. It is very easy – be at St. Nicholas between 9 and 9:30 am, make coffee, set out the cups, etc., set out the snacks provided by Jarosch, and then clean up after the coffee hour. If it is preferred, we could have one person set up and another clean up. If you are willing to help with this task, please notify Pat or Manny. If enough of you sign up, this task would only be required once every two or three months. Please let us know your thoughts.

via News from St. Nicholas Episcopal Church