Weekly Announcements
In chronological order: Walker events & meetings (all at the church unless noted otherwise)
& Public Events organized by others that will be held at Walker.
Mystic Messiah
Third Sunday in Advent Celebration
December 13, 2015
Greetings by Margo McCreary, Jan Werness & Janet Court
Communal Singing led by Wayne Bailey
Communal Reading: Our mission is to nurture spirituality, build caring community & work courageously for peace with justice and mercy.
Invocation
Santa Lucia Ceremony
“Halleluia!” autoharp solo by Tony Wentersdorf
Lighting the Advent Wreath by Kent Eklund & Willow Cordes-Eklund
Reader: “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of this servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name'” (Luke 1:46-49).
Reader: Today we remember Mary, innocent and powerful, sacred and scared, worried and waiting as the Savior of all grows in her womb. She sings boldly when she might be meek; she bears her role in history with the confidence of a warrior; she is the beginning of a mighty revolution as the proud are brought down and the lowly lifted up.
People: Today we give thanks for the Marys among us, who step out of the roles society has planned; unintended pioneers determined to do as God asks; fearless and fearfully stepping out in faith, and beckoning us to do the same.
Reader: On this third Sunday of Advent, we light this candle as a symbol of Mary, mother of God, bearer of the Way. (Light two purple candles and one rose candle.)
“And the Glory of the Lord!” by the Walker Singers
Welcome, Announcements and Offering
Mystic Messiah by Mary Parker
Comfort Ye, My People
Every Valley Shall Be Exalted
Sermon
Behold, and See If There Be Any Sorrow
Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage Together?
Thus Saith GOD, I Will Shake
For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover the Earth
Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind Be Opened
He Shall Feed His Flock
Behold, A Young Woman Shall Conceive
O Thou, That Tellest Good Tidings to Us!
Closing Circle with “Angels We Have Heard on High!” & Bread & Juice brought by Bonita Blumenauer
Hospitality Time: Thanks for Treats brought by Cheryl & Lonnie
Walker Cookbook Sale: Sun, Dec 13 after celebration. $10 each or 5 for $46. Buy some for Christmas presents!
Autoharp Jam: Sun, Dec 13, 1 to 3 pm. FFI Tony Wentersdorf
Community Meal: Tues, Dec 15. Meal 5:30 to 6:45 coordinated by the Kitchen Cabinet.
Solstice Celebration-Klezmer Music for Meditation: Fri, Dec 18, 7:30 pm. During the darkest time of the year, people of all faiths contemplate earth’s cycles and the rebirth of the sun.
For hundreds of years mystical Yiddish music played on violin, mandolin, hammered dulcimer, and bass has been a deep source of spirituality and a way of quieting the mind. Please join Eisner’s Klezmorim for an evening of music, meditation, friendship, and refreshments. Free will donation FFI: eisnersklezmorim.com
Walker Winter Solstice: Sat, Dec 19. Gather at 4:30, Candle ritual to bless the returning light of the sun from 5 to 6 pm. Then if you wish join a Walker group going to the 7 pm “Between the Worlds”
Walker Group Going to “Between the Worlds”: Sat, Dec 19, 7 pm performance at Heart of the Beast Theater. Bonita purchased 23 group rate tickets so you can purchase a $ 15 ticket from her. Let her know if you want a ticket. You can pay that night if you want. RSVP to Bonita
Initiates: Sun, Dec 20, 8:15 to 10:15 am in the conference room. FFI Lou Tofte
Blue Christmas Service: Mon, Dec 21, 7 pm
Community Meal & Ukelele Yuletide Ball: Tues, Dec 22.
Meal 5:30 to 6:45 coordinated by Walter.
Ukelele Yuletide Ball from 6:30 pm to ?. The Holiday is coming. Not the Solstice. Not Hanukah. Not Christmas. Not New Years. I’m speaking of course of the Ukulele Yuletide Ball, a feast day that this year falls just a couple hours after the earth turns back towards the sun and just as Walter has served us yet another luscious Tuesday Meal. Dancing? Check. Singing? Check. Santa Claus? Check. Elvis? Check Mate. This may be the only Solstice ritual you need. And this year featuring a whole new set of musicians as well as the Fireroast Mountain Boys. All free. In fact we’re giving you dinner if you come early. FFI David West
Christmas Eve, Thurs, Dec 24
Walker Celebration at 4 pm followed by a potluck
Simpson Celebration at 8 pm
Women’s Potluck Brunch: Sat, Dec 26, 9:30 am at Kristine Smith’s home, 2536 29th Av S. FFI Kristine
Men’s Group Potluck Brunch: Sat, Dec 26, 9:30 am at a home. FFI Howard Kranz
Bluegrass Music Jam: Mon, Dec 28, 7 to 9 pm. FFI Roy Vanderwerf
Community Meal: Tues, Dec 29, Meal 5:30 to 6:45 coordinated by Walter.
Walker Kitchen Cleaning: Sat Jan 2, 9:30am – 1pm. Help clean and organize kitchen shelves, equipment and inventory. Many hands make light work! Lunch provided. Contact Sarah Elizabeth 612 386-4517
Other Announcements
Amoke Kubat Meet and Greet: Friday, Dec 11, 5:30 to 7 pm at the Art Shoppe in the Midtown Global Market.
Amoke will read from her book Missing Mama. Amoke is the African American woman who spoke briefly at our Sunday Celebration and who was in our Art Fair. The Art Shoppe is a collective of artists including Tara Innmon and Kip Shane. (Jennifer is going, contact her if you want to join her.)
Jim McCreary will be playing in two free Holiday Concerts:
Canon Choir of Brass Concert: Thurs, Dec 10, 7 pm at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, 1669 Arcade Street, St. Paul, (just west of Lake Phalen),
Blue Waters Brass Concert with the St. Timothy Choir: Sat, Dec 12, 2 pm at 2:00 PM at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, 1465 Victoria Street North, St. Paul, (just north of Como Lake)
Janet Skidmore will be performing in:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang December 5-20 at Minnetonka Theatre. Tickets $15 – $23. FFI minnetonkatheatre.com, or 952-401-5898.
Holiday Pageant at Open Eye at the preview performance Dec. 10 (tickets half price!) on the evenings of Dec. 16, 20, possibly Dec. 22. FFI www.openeyetheatre.org
Becky Hanson is collecting donations for refugees for the International Institute of Minnesota. Bring your donations to her front porch, FFI Becky
International Institute of Minnesota. 1694 Como Avenue (just west of Snelling & Como) St. Paul, MN 55108
Drop off times: 8:45am – 5pm Monday-Friday
Minnesota is one of the states accepting Syrian refugees. There are refugees (from all over the world) on their way to MN as we speak! The International Institute of Minnesota is helping to coordinate their arrival and gathering items that will make it a tiny bit easier. Here’s what they need:
Baby Items: New Diapers & Wipes, gently used & laundered Baby clothes
Winter Clothing: Coats Boots Gloves, Hats, Scarves
Household Items: Dishes, Glassware, Silverware, Tea kettles, New Garbage cans, Garbage bags, Gently used laundered Bed linens, Blankets, Towels & Dish towels, Vacuums Laundry baskets
School Supplies: Pencils Calculators Pens Notebooks Folders Crayons Backpacks
Other Items: Maps of Mpls, St Paul Gift Cards (only to Cub Foods, Target, Goodwill) Bus Cards
What can we do?
As we hear the hateful discourse towards Muslims from Donald Trump and his supporters we want to do something. Here is a copy of a Facebook post by Sofia Ali-Khan an American Muslim woman who gives suggestions to non-Muslim allies for what we can do as we go about our daily lives. You can click on this link to get to the Facebook post and share it: Sofia Ali-Khan
Facebook post by Sofia Ali-Khan
Dear Non-Muslim Allies,
I am writing to you because it has gotten just that bad. I have found myself telling too many people about the advice given to me years ago by the late composer Herbert Brun, a German Jew who fled Germany at the age of 15: “be sure that your passport is in order.” It’s not enough to laugh at Donald Trump anymore. The rhetoric about Muslims has gotten so nasty, and is everywhere, on every channel, every newsfeed. It is clearly fueling daily events of targeted violence, vandalism, vigilante harassment, discrimination. I want you to know that it has gotten bad enough that my family and I talk about what to keep on hand if we need to leave quickly, and where we should go, maybe if the election goes the wrong way, or if folks get stirred up enough to be dangerous before the election. When things seem less scary, we talk about a five or a ten year plan to go somewhere where cops don’t carry guns and hate speech isn’t allowed on network television. And if you don’t already know this about me, I want you to know that I was born in this country. I have lived my whole life in this country. I have spent my entire adult life working to help the poor, the disabled and the dispossessed access the legal system in this country. And I want you to know that I am devoutly and proudly Muslim.
I am writing this in response to a non Muslim friend’s question about what she can do. Because there is much that can be done in solidarity:
If you see a Muslim or someone who might be identified as Muslim being harassed, stop, say something, intervene, call for help.
If you ride public transportation, sit next to the hijabi woman and say asalam ‘alaykum (That means ‘peace to you.’). Don’t worry about mispronouncing it; she won’t care. Just say “peace” if you like. She’ll smile; smile back. If you feel like it, start a conversation. If you don’t, sit there and make sure no one harasses her.
If you have a Muslim work colleague, check in. Tell them that the news is horrifying and you want them to know you’re there for them.
If you have neighbors who are Muslim, keep an eye out for them. If you’re walking your kids home from the bus stop, invite their kids to walk with you.
Talk to your kids. They’re picking up on the anti-Muslim message. Make sure they know how you feel and talk to them about what they can do when they see bullying or hear hate speech at school.
Call out hate speech when you hear it—if it incites hatred or violence against a specified group, call it out: in your living room, at work, with friends, in public. It is most important that you do this among folks who may not know a Muslim.
Set up a “learn about Islam” forum at your book club, school, congregation, dinner club. Call your state CAIR organization, interfaith group or local mosque and see if there is someone who has speaking experience and could come and answer questions about Islam and American Muslims for your group. They won’t be offended. They will want the opportunity to do something to dispel the nastiness.
Write Op Eds and articles saying how deplorable the anti-Muslim rhetoric has gotten and voice your support for Muslim Americans in whatever way you can.
Call your state and local representatives, let them know that you are concerned about hate speech against your Muslim friends and neighbors in politics and the media, that it is unacceptable and you want them to call it out whenever they hear it, on your behalf.
Out yourself as someone who won’t stand for Islamophobia, or will stand with Muslims—there is an awful lot of hate filling the airways, and there are an awful lot of people with access to the media and/or authority stirring the pot about Muslims. Please help fill that space with support instead. Post, write, use your profile picture or blog to voice your support.
Ask me anything. Really. Engage the Muslims in your life. Make sure you really feel comfortable standing for and with your Muslim friends, neighbors, coworkers.
I can tell you that in addition to the very real threat to their civil and human rights that Muslims are facing, we are dealing with a tremendous amount of anxiety. While we, many of us, rely on our faith to stay strong, we are human. This is not an easy time. What you do will mean everything to the Muslim Americans around you. Thank you for reading and bless you in your efforts. Share freely.
On-going Groups & Events FFI office@walkerchurch.org
Sunday Celebration & Children’s Sunday 10:30 am every Sunday.
Sunday Meditation Group 8:45 to 10 am every Sunday
Monday Morning Coffee Gatherings10 am at Lake Street Coffee, 3223 East Lake St.
Walker Singers rehearse Tuesdays 7 to 8 pm.
Community Meals Tuesdays 5:30 to 6:45 pm.
Women’s Potluck Brunch is held the 4th Saturday of each month at 9:30 am at someone’s home.
Men’s Group Potluck Brunch is held the 2nd Saturday of each month at 9:30 in the conference room & the 4th Saturday of each month at someone’s home.
Initiates meet the 3rd Sunday of each month 8:15 to 10:15 am in the conference room.
Autoharp Jams are held the 2nd Sunday of each month 1 to 3 pm.
Hoop Twin Cities meets Wednesdays 7 to 8 pm. Hoola hooping for all ages, free.
Rosen Movement meets Wednesdays 9 am to 10 am in the sanctuary.
Sarah Dagg Massage is usually scheduled for 2 to 4 days each month.
Bluegrass Music Jams are held the last Monday of each month 7 to 9 pm.
