Weekly Newsletter November 15, 2023

St. Michael’s Weekly News – November 15, 2023

Dear People of St. Michaels,    

          Happy Thanksgiving! What!! I’m a week early. Well yes, but not really.

This is the last time I can remind you of our Shared Service of Thanksgiving with Trinity Lutheran in their Sanctuary next Tuesday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m.; and it is only six days away! It will be followed by a pie social when we hope Trinity and St. Michaels members will bring pies to share in this time of fellowship after the service.

          This is something our two churches were doing before I came here. It was one of the ongoing ways the two congregations could get together and see if this Shared Ministry idea would work. More than that, it was a chance to give thanks to God for all the ways God has blessed us in the past year.

          Our Shared Bible Study will be finishing a book we have been reading and talking about over the past few weeks: “With Burning Hearts: A Meditation on the Eucharistic Life” by Henri J.M. Nouwen. It has been a deeper dive into the idea of the ‘Eucharist’, which is a newer word both of our denominations have been using for Holy Communion or the Lord’s Table. In greek, it means a Thanksgiving or celebration. Ever since I understood this more celebrative approach to Holy Communion I understood and knew why we should especially, on or around our national day of Thanksgiving, celebrate the Eucharist and have a service like we are having next Tuesday night.

          In this liturgy of Holy Communion or the Eucharist we are giving thanks to God for sending Christ to come into this world. We are remembering and celebrating again and again the very meal Jesus himself instituted. And even within this book we read, the realization of ‘Communion’ is that at this meal, this time together, we are with God but we are also with others, around the table. Certainly there is an individualistic element to this Meal we celebrate, but it is also a celebration that takes place in the fellowship of others. So our Shared Service of Thanksgiving not only celebrates our recognition of Christ being present with us in this meal, in either Lutheran or Episcopal settings, but also our common bond together, as God’s people, as we gather at the table. And like our national holiday, it is in the time together, around food, around a shared meal, that we know and understand what communion and fellowship truly can be.

          It is also appropriate to give Thanks in this time as we contemplate what our gifts for next year, 2024, to St. Michaels can be and we give thanks. If you are like our family, you received your stewardship mailing on Monday, after the Veteran’s Day Holiday. I hope you will read both letters, pray over your chance to pledge and give and then return your pledge card to the office or on a Sunday over the next two weeks. On Sunday, November 26th at our 10:45 a.m. Service, we will bless and dedicate all the Pledge Cards we have received up to that point. As we approach this time of Thanksgiving, it is true we know that we give thanks “Rooted in Abundance” as our theme for this year points out. We respond and move into 2024 drawing on that abundance of God’s love in each other and the world around us.

In Christ,   

Pastor Randy Knutson

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.

Tuesday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m. A Service of Thanksgiving, this year at Trinity Lutheran Church, 620 E. Redwood Avenue here in Fort Bragg. Both of our congregations are invited, along with others, to come to this service of Holy Communion followed by a Pie Social.

St Michael & All Angels Green Team
St Michael's Green Team met recently to work on an action plan for St Michael's to be more energy efficient. The carbon footprint of our Church for the year 2022 was 17.2 metric tons CO2e. This carbon footprint was calculated by entering information about our energy and building usage in 2022 into the carbon calculator provided by the diocese. The Green Team will use this information and the information derived from the August energy audit to help develop a proposed plan for reaching carbon neutrality by 2030. We have a way to go, but remain in line with our mission statement:
Green Team Mission Statement:
As Stewards/Caretakers of God’s Creation - our shared home Earth - it is our responsibility to preserve and protect God’s gift. As part of being good stewards, St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church of Fort Bragg is committed to determine the carbon footprint of our Church buildings and grounds, develop a plan to try to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, and follow through with our plan.
The Green Team of St Michael’s is open to all who are interested in working on this very important project. If interested, contact any Green Team Member. Please join us.
Your St. Michael’s Green Team:
Heather Anderson, Rev Randy Knutson, Robin Knutson, Marcia Waters, Rick Bondor, Renee Jones
Blessings

Sack Lunch Ministry Fundraiser

We have received a generous donation of crocheted goods from our beloved member, Stella Martin. All sales will go to fund the Sack Lunch Ministry program. They are all incredibly beautiful!

We will be selling these items after church and wherever we are able to display them:

12 Christmas trees (about 16” tall), with ornaments of different themes - $20 each

24 ear/head warmer bands - $12 each or 2 for $20

4 shawls - $25-$30 depending on the size

8 afghans - $45-$50 depending on the size

The items will next be displayed:

(1) At Trinity Lutheran after the Shared Ministry Thanksgiving Service (Nov. 21 @ 7 PM)

(2) At St. Michael’s after the Sunday Nov. 26 10:45 service

(3) After the Ecumenical Advent Service at St. Michael’s (Nov. 29 @ 6:30)

You may contact Kathe Charters (707) 357-7759 (text or phone – if phone please leave message) if you would like a private showing. They will also be shown at Trinity Lutheran.

Pledge Statements

Your third quarter pledge statements have been mailed out this week. Please note that I have annotated the statements where contributions have been made to the Capital Roof Campaign.  Servant Keeper has reported these capital contributions as pledges so the calculation of the amount of your pledge remaining as well as the $Goal is overstated.  I have recalculated your remaining pledge and %Goal under the Pledge Summary.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me @ 707 357 1277

Please check to see where you stand on your pledges as we only have 2 months left until the end of the year!

Thanks, Sarah

Treasurer  

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/