Thursday, December 20, 2007

Life @ The Crossing: It's still Advent, and we're still here

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” ... or that’s what the song on the radio is telling me. I hope that’s your experience. I hope you receive all manner of blessing as you get set to travel OR or settle in at home, as you finish exams and papers, as you make or buy those last gifts (anybody need extra glue or glitter? Call me ...). And even if shadows fall during the season of Advent -- for many of us, they do -- then my prayer is that the coming of Christ will herald new life, new birth, new hope for you, those you love, those you know and for the whole creation, (‘cuz we could all use it).

Here’s how we’ll try to share and grow those blessings @ The Crossing THIS THURSDAY and in the coming weeks [TAKE NOTE: NO WORSHIP ON DEC. 27, BUT WE WILL GATHER ON DEC. 20 AND JAN. 3!]

What's Going On @ The Crossing ...
EVERY THURSDAY / Spiritual practice (6pm) & worship (6:30pm): Audrey O'Brien closes off the month with a final Advent reflection on the Good News according to Matthew, and we'll wrap our spiritual practice of finding particular ways of living the Advent Conspiracy -- learn more at www.adventconspiracy.org. It's a movement to "restore the scandal of Christmas by worshiping Jesus through compassion, not consumption." Sounds like just the season needs ...

THURSDAY, 12/20 @ 8:15-9:15pm / A Vision for The Crossing: The Crossing's leadership crew has spent some time discerning the future of our ministry. But YOU'RE part of this ministry, too, so we want to open the circle and hear/share more with the whole Crossing community. Stick around after worship to share your hopes, thoughts, imagination for the future of our funky little Christian community. (need a refresher on the basic mission of The Crossing? see bottom of this email.)

CHRISTMAS EVE AND NEW YEAR’S EVE / Help Our Hungry and Homeless Neighbors: Volunteer at The Cathedral's Monday Lunch Program on Christmas Eve Day (Monday, Dec. 24) or New Year’s Eve Day (Monday, Dec. 31). Prep shift @ 9:30-11:30am; serving shift @ 11:30am-1:30pm. Contact Stephanie Spellers at sspellers@diomass.org or 617.482.4826, x318.

MLK WEEKEND (1/19-1/21) / Young Adult Retreat in Maine: We're co-sponsoring a 20s-30s overnight retreat in Alfred, Maine, on Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend with friends in the Diocese of Maine. If you want to breathe deep, build your spiritual practice toolbox, sink deeper in the the life of Christ as the New Year unfolds, then mark your calendar. Alfred, Maine is 2 hrs N of Boston; retreat runs from 2pm Saturday to 11am Monday. Cost is $90, and there's assistance available. For more info, contact Audrey at obrien.audrey@gmail.com.

PLUGGING INTO MINISTRY @ THE CROSSING: There's room for everybody's gifts in this circle (it's part of what we mean by "radical welcome." This contact list will help you to connect:

And here’s the short story on our vision (the part that’s in the worship sheet every week):
The Crossing is the emerging church worship community at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Boston. We gather to share worship, spiritual practice and community in a place where ancient traditions meet urban culture and real life; to celebrate and catch the Spirit at God’s huge, radically welcoming table; and to follow and be formed by the life-changing, world-changing way of Jesus in our daily lives.

Alright, friends. Keep sharing the Good News. Keep sharing the light of God. And keep open to the coming of Christ.

Grooving and waiting for Jesus,
Rev. Steph

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posted by RevSteph at 3:34 PM 0 Comments