Weekly Newsletter November 1, 2023
St. Michael’s Weekly News – November 1, 2023
ROOF FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
We are closing out our fundraising campaign at the end of October. The Vestry decided at its meeting last week to include, in the roof campaign, $23,778 from our previous Building for Ministry fundraising, that was conducted for the Townsend Hall project. The Vestry believes this is an appropriate use of those funds.
This means that we have raised almost $62,000 for our new roofs. Thank you all for this most impressive effort.
Dear People of St. Michaels,
Today, November 1st, is the actual day of All Saints Day, that we usually transfer to a Sunday. We will do so this year, celebrating All Saints Sunday on November 5th of 2023 at our 10:45 a.m. service.
I think this is one of the great strengths of our faith; that we have a set day we can commemorate and celebrate those who have gone before us and know that they are in God’s hands. Life is precious and especially the lives of those whom we have loved and known. We might have a funeral or memorial service for them soon after they die. We might remember that day or the day of their birth or death in the years following, as a way to remember them. But this day, set aside in the Church Year, is a way to remember ALL those who have died; those we might have known well or only in passing. It is also a way for the Church and especially a local congregation, to remember people within our fellowship, who have died in the past year or previous years. We remember their faith and the way they contributed to the life of the Church. We remember the leadership they brought to our local congregation, the way their faith touched us and inspired us and so many others. It is a collective way of acknowledging a wonderful group of people who mean so much to us.
As an important Church day, it has changed over time; it used to be that we reserved All Saints Day for those exceptional, heroic and even sometimes martyred members of the faith, with all others being honored the following day, November 2nd: All Souls Day. That, too, was an ancient practice of the Church; to have this kind of two-fold celebration, but in recent years, it has mostly been brought to focus on the one All Saints Day, whenever it is celebrated. I like how one writer put it: “The conflation of the two emphasizes fits with the Protestant belief that all Christian dead are saints.”; we see this in some of Paul’s writings as well, as he greets the saints in various churches he sends his Epistles.
Take time this day or this Sunday, or both, to remember with joy, thankfulness, fondness and love people in your life and in our congregation who have made a difference in your life. Celebrate the Saints!
In Christ,
Pastor Randy Knutson
Note: this Sunday, Daylight Savings Time ends, so we set our clocks back one hour before we go to bed.
As war wages on, please note the prayer offered by our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry for the Middle East:
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and forever. Amen.
Prayers for the World, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815.
Special Days Coming Up
Sunday, November 5: All Saints Sunday, here at St. Michaels at 10:45 am. As we have in the past, we will read the names of those deceased in our Book of Remembrance that morning in worship. The Book is out on Sundays and in Larsen Hall during the week to allow names to be added.
November Birthdays: Bob Reynolds, Brian Hurley, Georgia Frey, Cathryn Fairlee, Sarah King, Pastor Randy Knutson, John Hurley, Robert Haugh, Rosemary Jewett, Bob Crawford, Richard Nowlin, Cassiti Baroni, Cheri Benson, Sallie McConnell
November Anniversaries: Frank & Beverly Engelhardt
Online Worship Information
This Sunday we will offer in-person worship and at the same time offer the online broadcast of our service at 10:45 am in the ways posted below:
Our Sunday Service will be on St. Michael’s Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/StMikesFtBragg
https://www.facebook.com/StMikesFtBragg/videos
It will also stay there on the Facebook Pages and you can watch it later.
You can also watch it on this YouTube Channel later that day as well.
This is a NEW St. Michaels YouTube Channel and also on our website!
https://www.youtube.com/@st.michaelsepiscopalfortbragg
Website: When you can, check our new website: https://www.stmichaelfb.com/