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OCTOBER 24, 2007
Sharing information about
THIS WEEK:
- SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2007
3:00 PM. MAKING OF STRAW CHRISTMAS STAR DECORATIONS
- SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2007
8:40 AM. “THE LOFTY VOICES” CHOIR PRACTICE
9:00 AM. MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE
10:00 AM. TRI-CONGREGATION SERVICE: REFORMATION SUNDAY
6:00 PM. LOVE FEAST
LOOKING AHEAD
- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2007
10:00 AM. LADIES BIBLE STUDY GROUP
5:00 PM. WOMEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDY GROUP
7:30 PM. “EVANGELICAL – CATHOLIC”: REFORMATION DAY
- SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2007
3:00 PM. MAKING OF STRAW CHRISTMAS STAR
DECORATIONS
To make new straw star decorations for this year’s Christmas tree for the church, a group of people from our three congregations are gathering on Saturday afternoons at 3 p.m. in the church patio. The group will be meeting until everybody has the feeling that our tree will be really beautiful. Please, bring scissors and/or sharp cutters and thread and needle, and, if you have, straw. Looking forward to hidden talents …
Dagmar (Schloz)
- SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2007
8:40 AM. “THE LOFTY VOICES” CHOIR PRACTICE
9:00 AM. MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE
TWENTY SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Suggested Scripture Readings for Personal Preparation:
Jeremiah 14: 7 – 10, 19 – 22; Psalm 84: 1 – 6
2 Timothy 4: 6 – 8, 16 – 18; Luke 18: 9 – 14
Flowers: Charlotte Fellenberger-Guerrero
German Speaking Congregation
Greeter/Usher:
Readers: Tom Edwards and Dot Ensminger
Music: Sarah Araque
Worship Leader: Bruce Rydbeck
Sermon: Cherith Rydbeck
Refreshments: “Jennifer’s Tastes™”
10:00 AM. TRI-CONGREGATION SERVICE
REFORMATION SUNDAY
This Sunday, October 28, at 10:00 a.m., there will be a tri-congregation service in celebration of Reformation Sunday. Over the years, the three congregations which make up The Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ecuador - Spanish, German and our English speaking Advent – St. Nicholas Congregation - have celebrated together certain Sundays which have particular importance to the church.
One of these Sundays is Reformation Sunday. The other Sundays on which all three congregations gather together are the First Sunday of Advent – anniversary of The Advent Church – the Tri-Congregation Annual Meeting in February or March, and the Day of Pentecost.
Because Advent - St. Nicholas is presently and has historically been an active member of the tri-congregation church body and because the tri-congregation services offer an opportunity for joining together in worship and fellowship with our sister German and Spanish speaking congregations, we are all very warmly invited and encouraged to attend the tri-congregation celebration of Reformation Sunday, following the regular English speaking service at 9:00 a.m.
Although the service is principally in Spanish, the tri-congregation services are prepared in such a way that each of the three linguistic groups is recognized and their participation honored. This Sunday’s service will offer us all an opportunity to join in celebrating a tri-lingual baptism!
WELCOME!
6:00 PM. LOVE FEAST
Love Feast is a time to do as Jesus did. I know and practice it in the Church of the Brethren tradition where we typically hold it twice a year, once on Maundy Thursday when Jesus really did have the last supper and once in the fall which frequently coincides with World Communion Sunday. Different churches do Love Feast in different orders, but there are essentially four components (I´m going to describe them in the order I typically do them in).
The first is a time of examination and reflection on the scripture about leaving your sacrifice at the altar and first going to any brother (or sister) to mend any wrongs or ask forgiveness.
The second is a fellowship meal. The meal is simple with bread, fruit, cheese and/or sop (a ground beef with bread thing that lots of people love, but I very much dislike...even more so after I became a vegetarian). During the meal conversation can center around remembering past love feasts or communions or baptism or questions about one´s faith. Sometimes the meal is in the dark, sometimes not. Sometimes the meal is in silence, other times there is completely trivial conversation about what you did last weekend or Christmas/Thanksgiving plans.
The third is feetwashing/footwashing (we can never agree which it is). We get up from the meal and sit in a circle. One circle is for men, the other for women, and occasionally there is a mixed or family circle. First one person gets up, ties a towel around their waist and washes the feet of the person next to them. They hug. Then, the person with clean feet washes the next person´s feet. This continues until everyone has washed someone´s feet and everyone´s feet have been washed (unless someone doesn´t want to participate then they don´t have to...for older men and women, they can also do handwashing, well, really anyone who wants could do handwashing instead of footwashing.)
The fourth is communion. We return to the tables where we had the meal and take communion.
The entire service is full of song and scripture. We sing hymns throughout all of the footwashing. And, anyone is welcome to come and participate in as little or as much as he/she feels comfortable, although it is asked that only those in communion with Christ (as they define it) partake of communion.
I know you asked for a short description, but well, I really love Love Feast and get a little carried away in describing it. It´s the only time I know of where there is such a physical act of doing what Jesus did and both becoming Jesus for another by washing their feet and letting another be Jesus for you.
Peace and grace,
Anna Grady
LOOKING AHEAD
- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2007
10:00 AM. LADIES BIBLE STUDY GROUP
The Ladies' Bible Study group (English-speaking) will gather again on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. (to noon). We are a group of women who seek to draw closer to God by studying his word. We are using John Stott's study guide on "The Sermon on the Mount". For further details and directions for getting to our gathering venues, please contact Sarah Groman by telephone 2454611 or email sarahgroman57@gmail.com or Cherith Rydbeck 2464308.
5:00 PM. WOMEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDY GROUP
he Women’s Evening Bible Study group will meet again on Wednesday, October 31 at Sarah Araque’s home at 5 PM. Sarah’s home address is Río Coca 2326 y Avda. Amazonas.
We are studying A Conspiracy of Goodness, Contemporary Images of Christian Mission, by Donald Messer. Everyone is welcome!!
For more information you may contact Sarah at (H) 2244-935 : 2442-202 saraque@cotopaxi.k12.ec or Sandra at (H) 2521-083 edwards@rdyec.net .
7:30 PM. “EVANGELICAL – CATHOLIC”
REFORMATION DAY
At 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 31, in celebration of Reformation Day, Dr. Rüdiger Schloz, Pastor of our sister German speaking congregation, will speak in Spanish on the subject of the differences between the Evangelical and the Catholic. This activity will be held at the church and all are very warmly welcomed.
ACADEMIA COTOPAXI “TONATO EDUCATION FUND”
On Monday, October 1, 2007, Academia Cotopaxi messenger and driver Patricio Tonato was shot to death on his way to work in a tragic, senseless road rage incident in Quito. The fact that such things are virtually unheard of here does not change the fact that Patricio’s wife and 8-year-old son have been left devastated by the loss of their caring husband and father.
Patricio was well-known to Cotopaxi staff and was always pleasant and supportive of those around him. Everyone at the school is shocked and dismayed at this tragedy, and we feel it very important that his family be supported in this difficult time.
While the life and accident insurance policies provided as employment benefits are covering funeral and initial support costs, there are longer-term concerns related to his son’s education that also need to be addressed. With this in mind, the school has established an Education Fund to, hopefully, provide for his high school education – a ten year commitment. Should the money last, and should he go on the university, the fund would then continue on to support those costs. At the end of his education, Marlon would then receive the balance.
Contributions will be pooled into a single fund and invested along with AC reserves to assure the maximum safe return possible, and the annual interest, plus that portion of the principle needed to cover the year’s costs, will be used each year. Those who contribute to the establishment of the fund may request a statement of its annual activity at the close of each fiscal year
Anyone who would like to contribute to the fund may send their donations to Academia Cotopaxi, attention: Mauricio Mera. Checks should be payable to Academia Cotopaxi, with the memo note “Tonato Education Fund” made on the check. Contributions may be made at the school in the Cashier’s Office, or by mail to Academia Cotopaxi, Casilla 17-11-1610, Quito, Ecuador.
IN PRAYER …
Please let either Geoff (Reeson 2446-189 : gmmasn@andeangate.com) or Sandra (Edwards 2521-083 : edwards@rdyec.net) have the prayer needs that you may like to have included in this community prayer list, as well as any news which will help with updates or advise us to no longer include certain individuals.
Thank You.
For our Church Family, that God direct and guide us in our service to the English-speaking community of Quito, and the wider Ecuadorian community we are immersed in.
For our Children’s Sunday School ministries, and all who teach and learn, and grow together in them.
For our Transition Commission, in it’s discerning of how best to meet the pastoral needs of our changing congregation.
For the Illinois South Conference of the United Church of Christ, celebrating all that the continuing Ecuador Partnership is.
For all who suffer devastation as a result of natural disasters, that God grant them strength, wisdom, and support in their struggles to overcome their situations.
For Amy and Luca, Matteo and Francesca (Robertson-Renda), that God direct and guide them in their settling in Honduras.
For Anneka (Mollie Knox’s and husband Cristian’s little daughter), that she may have a complete recovery following reconstructive surgery on her fingers.
For Betsy (Phil Groman's sister), as she continues to recover from her hip surgery, that God would uphold her, guide her and protect her in the weeks to come.
For Christopher (Groman), in thanks for the powerful work that God is doing in his life, that he continue to experience God's presence and grace, and that he may accept whatever it takes to live a better life.
For Dorothy (Onisko – Michelle Fried’s mother), asking that her leg permit her enough mobility to be able to continue to live at home.
For Fanny (Bautista), in her struggle with ALS, that she be upheld in her changing conditions.
For Michael and Yhome (Heneise – Neisazonuo), that God direct and guide them as they relocate in the US.
For Michael (Larsen, Sarah Araque’s nephew), on military tour in Iraq, that God’s care be over him and his wife and small children.
For Nancy’s (Fullilove) Dad, as he faces his changing conditions in his retirement home.
For Paula (Heinz – Amy Robertson’s aunt), who has an advanced brain tumor.
For Todd (Clarke, Sarah Araque’s nephew), that God’s healing hand be on him as he undergoes treatment for the dissolving of blood clots.
For those of our church family who are working through trying personal and family situations, that they may know that peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
For the Tonato family, that God may have husband Patricio in the peace of eternal rest and comfort and uphold his wife and 8 year old son.
For all who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of God, that they may find and be found by God.
For all inmates who are working through the uncertainties of their imprisonment.
For the ministry of the Alcoholics Anonymous group that meets in this church.
For the ministry of the “Grupo APASHA” (HIV+ affected persons support group).
For the Tri-Congregation Church Council (Consejo Directivo) of “The Advent” Evangelical Lutheran Church, that God direct and guide it in its leadership ministry and in its preparations for the celebrating of the 50th anniversary of the church in 2008.
For the Central Diocese of the Episcopal Church of Ecuador, as it discerns God’s purposes and seeks God’s direction for it.
For Bishop Wilfrido Ramos and his ministry as Diocesan Bishop of the Central Diocese of the Episcopal Church of Ecuador.
For the Venezuelan Anglican Episcopal Church and its Bishop, the Right Reverend Orlando J. Guerrero, in its ministries to the Venezuelan people.
For all small church congregations throughout the world, in their efforts to satisfactorily provide for their pastoral needs.
IN CLOSING …
My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Psalm 84:2 (NRSV)
DO HAVE A BLESSED REST OF THE WEEK!