Bishop Seage Visits Nativity on Oct. 28

Since the earliest days of the Church, the faithful have had folks called “bishops.” They haven’t always worn funny hats, but what they have always done is bind together Christians in different congregations and in diverse parts of the world into one fellowship. It used to be that on Easter, bishops would celebrate Communion, and a little bit of the Body of Christ would be taken from the bishop’s altar and carried out for the inclusion in the Easter communion of all the churches to which he was connected. It was a sign of the Body being bigger than any one locale.

Sunday, October 28, our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Brian Seage will make his biannual visit to Episcopal Church of the Nativity. His presence is a reminder to us in Greenwood that as Christians (and as Episcopalians) the capital-C Church is way bigger than just what happens inside our four walls at Nativity. Bishop Seage spends his weekends traveling across Mississippi, visiting big urban churches and tiny rural ones. As he zigzags about, he reminds us that all of us are connected in ministry, in relationship, and in mission.

Bishop Seage will preach and celebrate at both the 8am and 10:30am services. At 10:30, he will confirm and receive some youths and adults as they make adult affirmations of faith and join the church officially. Some of those being confirmed or received have been here a while, some only a short time. Regardless, taking this step with the bishop present is a way of saying, “In this Episcopal tradition, not just Nativity, I’ve found a home and a place where I can grow in faith.”

Since Bishop Seage will be present at both services, we will welcome him with a large parish breakfast at 9am. If you can help provide hospitality for this event, please contact Frances Knight, who coordinates our Sunday breakfasts. Following breakfast, the kids will dismiss to Sunday School and adult forum will turn our attention to Bible Trivia! Since Halloween interrupts our family night schedule, Bishop Seage will be our guest M.C. for two rounds of trivia as we continue our march toward the Nativity Cup. This week's winner not only wins gift cards, but also will be featured in one of Bishop Seage's signature selfies!

It’s a lot going on and we have a lot to celebrate. Join the celebration!

Peace,
Peter+

Episcopalians Meet to Discuss Healing the Racial Divide

More than 100 Episcopalians from across Mississippi are in Canton, to talk about racial reconciliation. One of the guest speakers is Katrina Browne from Pennsylvania. She produced a documentary about her ancestors in Rhode Island, after discovering they were the largest slave trading family in U.S. history.  Browne says she and members of family retraced the Triangle Trade Slave Route from Rhode Island to Ghana to Cuba and it was life changing. 

"The majority of us have changed our careers as a result and are champions for the idea of reckoning process in this dialogue, so we go to churches, and schools, and community groups and museums and present and help facilitate dialogue," said Browne.

Mississippi Bishop Brian Seage says the nation is facing growing challenges surrounding race.  He points to comments made by actress Roseanne Barr comparing an Obama Administration official to an ape as an example.  

"And for her to say such incredibly vile things that insult a person's humanity the way they did. I found it very shocking," said Seage.

Anita George, a retired educator spearheaded the event. She says they're committed to diving into the issue of race and being open about how they feel.

"We have to step outside of ourselves and look at ourselves. When we do that in community with other people we're more likely to accept where we are the good and the bad," said George. 

Bishop Seage says it will take dialogue and building relationships to foster racial healing.

A Note from Our Stewardship Chair

Friends:

Keeping in mind that Stewardship at Nativity is a year-round Mission, I wanted to advise you of a few timely matters –

First, I thank all communicants who returned a pledge card following Stewardship Sunday. A good number were returned, and I encourage all who have not yet done so that that it is not too late. Cards remain available in the office and in the back of the church, so if you haven’t returned a card, please do so. I would also encourage those who pledge to consider the automatic bank draft feature. Pledges give the Church some measure of certainty in financial planning, but the automatic draft feature really helps with day to day bookkeeping tasks.

Second, if you receive the Mississippi Episcopalian, odds are that you have received a direct appeal from Bishop Seage for a gift to the Diocese. This appeal is to fund Diocesan programs for overseas missions, Episcopal Cursillo, The Gray Center and Camp Bratton-Green, and youth ministry and lay leadership opportunities. Particularly relevant today is the Diocesan Disaster Response and Relief Program, which, along with the collection at Diocesan Council, can provide some measure of relief to our brothers and sisters who are struggling from the effects of the Hattiesburg tornadoes.

Likewise, you probably received a direct appeal from Gray Center for giving. Some goals of these two appeals are common: fostering Lay leadership; youth ministry; and protecting Camp Bratton-Green and our wonderful facilities at Gray Center. We hope to bring Grae Dickson, director of Gray Center, down for a Sunday to discuss all things Gray Center and CBG, and to inform us of recent master plans involving Camp and Gray Center. With the number of children both big and little at Nativity, we really should keep a keen focus on CBG. One of the greatest experiences I have shared with my older sons is attending First Camp with Cindy Saia and the Saia boys. We have more age-eligible children at Nativity for this year than last year, and I look forward to going back.

Last, those who were able to attend the Parish’s Annual Meeting a couple weeks ago were treated to Bob Provine’s rollout of Nativity’s Endowment Fund. This is a giving ministry which will preserve and protect our Church for years to come. I encourage you to consider a commitment to the Endowment. Lindsay and I have done so, however modestly; nevertheless, these gifts will add up quickly, and grow in perpetuity. We have strong leaders as Endowment Trustees and are meeting regularly to make good, sound decisions for the fund.

At the Annual Parish Meeting, Peter reiterated in so many words that 2017 will be a year of giving. I ask that in this year of giving, you give thoughtfully, you give prayerfully, you give cheerfully, and you give faithfully, for yourselves, for each other, and for the needs of the world.

Many Blessings to You,
Harris F. Powers III

Miss. Religious Leaders Denounce Orlando Shooting

Leaders from Mississippi’s Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities as well as those of other faiths gathered in the chapel of Tugaloo College in Jackson, last night, to pray and reflect on Sunday’s shooting.

The shooting at the Orlando gay nightclub killed 49 people and injured 53 others.

Reverend Brian Seage is the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi.

“Our tradition calls for us to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being,” says Seage. “I think one of the ways we can do that is by coming together as one against these horrible, evil attacks that have taken place in our world. It certainly took place Sunday morning.”

The shooter, twenty-nine-year-old Omar Mateen, claimed allegiance with the Islamic-militant group known as ISIS.

Fatih Ozcan is with the Dialogue Institute of Mississippi -- a group dedicated to recognizing religious and spiritual diversity.

“There’s a verse in the Quran saying that killing one person is killing all humanity. People are coming and then killing innocent people and then saying I am acting with this ideology. This is not justifiable in any kind of religion, and I don’t accept this interruption.”

All state and federal flags will remain at half-staff until sundown Friday in memory of those killed during the attack. 

New Episcopal Bishop

It was a bittersweet weekend for Episcopalians, who gathered in Jackson for their annual meeting. Members honored retiring Bishop Duncan Gray, III and installed his successor, Bishop Brian Seage. Gray led the denomination for 15 years. He tackled the challenges of rebuilding six churches destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, prevented the diocese from splitting over the issue of same-sex marriage and promoted racial reconciliation. Through it all, it's the relationships Gray says he'll cherish.

"There are quite a few folks that I have met for the first time and those relationships are spread over 93 churches and half a dozen schools and all of that. I was in two or three churches or schools every week." Said Gray.

Bishop Seage said his goals are to listen to the vision of the members, strengthen smaller churches and support youth programs.

"I'm really here in large part because a youth director years ago took a great interest in making sure that a program existed in the church that I grew up in. I really look forward to working with others to strengthen youth ministry and to make sure that we present Christ in young peoples' lives." Said Seage.

A native of Thousand Oaks, California, Seage has served in Mississippi since 1998.