Holy Week Worship

As the season of Lent draws to a close, Nativity gathers for worship in some of our most distinctive services of the year, all of which are meant to draw us nearer to the holy mysteries of Christ’s death and resurrection. Join your brothers and sisters in Christ this Holy Week and Easter as we pray our way to the empty tomb.

Palm Sunday, April 14 – At both services, our worship recalls Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem by blessing palm branches at both 8 and 10:30 church. 10:30 church begins on the small Howard Street patio and continues with a procession into church. Our gospel for the day is Luke’s account of Jesus’ betrayal, trial, and arrest. Church members should contact the church office if they’d like to read a part in this drama.

Morning Prayer – As we have all Lent, a group of Nativity members will continue to pray together Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:15am.

Holy Wednesday, April 17 – We will gather at 10am for our normal midweek Eucharist, but in lieu of a sermon, we’ll instead take five minutes of silent prayer together.

Maundy Thursday, April 18 – At 5:30pm, our worship recalls the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples and the two gifts he gave the night before he died. First, we recall Jesus’ example of humble service in washing his disciples’ feet. Second, we celebrate the gift of Holy Communion that Jesus gave during this meal. The service concludes with the ornamentation of the church being stripped in advance of Good Friday. Childcare is available during this service, and like previous years, Peter will be assisted by the youth group in putting on this service.

Overnight Prayer Vigil – We recall in our prayers Jesus pleading with his disciples to watch, wait, and pray with him in the Garden as he prepared for his arrest. Beginning at 6:30pm on Thursday night and continuing until 7:15am on Friday morning, individuals or small groups of Nativity members can sign up to pray in the Hamilton foyer near the reserved sacrament. A sign up sheet is available in the office.

Good Friday, April 19 – At noon, our worship recalls the hour at which Jesus was nailed to the cross. Worship includes a reading of St. John’s account of the crucifixion, as well as an opportunity to contem- plate our own rugged cross. On this solemn day, we do not celebrate communion, but this service does include distribution of reserved sacrament. After the service, the rest of the sacrament is consumed, and the church is empty of Christ’s presence until Easter. At 1pm, a service of Stations of the Cross prayer- fully recalls Jesus’ trial, death, and burial. Childcare is available during the noon service.

Easter Sunday, April 21 – Our worship this morning recalls the stunning miracle that makes all the difference in the world and all the difference in our lives. At 6am, our sunrise service begins in the dark- ness and ends in light. We hear extra scripture readings that tell the story of God’s salvation across the centuries, culminating in the empty tomb. At 8 and 10:30am, we hear the good news of women who went to anoint the body of a dead Savior and were astonished to find the living God instead! Baptisms and the renewal of baptismal vows will be a part of this service. Childcare is available at 8 and 10:30 as usual, but not at 6am.

A Note from Peter (March 2019)

The Church has the ability to transform the world. This fact is patently obvious if one looks at the last 2,000 or so years of world history. What may be less obvious is that the Church has been at its most influential when it has been committed to and sustained by regular spiritual practices. Christians taking on habits of retreat, study, and service have transformed the world in the past and can continue to do so in the present.

As I’ve prepared for sabbatical, I’ve been immersing myself in a great deal of early church history. As I’ve read about 1st-3rd century Rome, 5th-8th century Ireland, 6th-8th century Britain, and 13th century Assisi, a very clear pattern has emerged. That is, a small group of committed Christians, bound together by shared spiritual practices, can turn the world on its head. A few examples:

In the year 500, Britain was in chaos. Rome had long since left the island and with it had gone both literacy and most of the Church. Then, in 563 a group of a dozen Irish monks, led by a fellow named Columba, arrived at the tiny island of Iona in western Scotland. There they established a place of prayer, learning, and outreach to the local population. Sustained by common worship and common work, Iona soon began spreading the faith across Scotland and into northern England while also serving as a center of art, study, and diplomacy.

In 597, the year Columba died, a fellow named Augustine arrived in Canterbury, England. He had been sent to spread the faith in that region by Pope Gregory the Great. Both Gregory and Augustine were monks as well; they followed the rule of St. Benedict. Both men were sustained by regular practices of prayer, work, rest, and study – all done in community. When he arrived in England with his fellow monks, the first thing Augustine did was build an Abbey where these practices could find a home. Within 75 years, the Christian faith would have spread across Britain and the learning of British monks would help transform the educational systems of the rest of Europe.

In 1205, a war veteran named Francis enlisted for the second time, still bearing the scars of his last enlistment. While on the way to battle, a vision stopped him in his tracks and he returned home. Thereafter, he began ordering his days around receiving the Eucharist, contemplation, caring for the sick, and living simply. Others quickly flocked to Francis’ company and habits, and before long, these Friars (or brothers) and their female counterparts, the Poor Clares, were turning the Church and the world on their heads, calling them away from their excesses and back to the heart of the Gospel.

Like our ancestors in the faith, we are at our best as Christians when our lives are ordered around worship, study, and charity. We are most effective at transforming the world, when we have devoted our- selves to the habits that transform us.

Next Wednesday, I will stand in front of the congregation and read those familiar words of the Ash Wednesday liturgy: “I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination, and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” Truly, this season of forty days before Easter is our opportunity to recommit to a rule of life – to spiritual habits and practices – that will empower us for ministry just as they did for our ancestors for centuries.

What practices will you take on this Lent? Maybe you’ll recommit to making Sunday worship a priority – both here in Greenwood and wherever you find yourself on Sunday morning. Maybe you’ll recommit to the Bible Challenge, giving up on the idea of catching up, and instead joining us where we are. Maybe you’ll commit to volunteering in a ministry whose mission you believe in. Maybe you’ll join other church members in a discipline of weekday Morning Prayer.

Who knows, perhaps the spiritual practices we take on this Lent can become our way of life far beyond Easter! And with these habits of worship, study, and service sustaining us, who knows? We just might transform the world!

Peace, Peter+

Morning Prayer during Lent

A group of Nativity folk will lead quiet services of Morning Prayer four days per week during Lent. Beginning Thursday, March 7, join them in the choir stalls to hear scripture and pray for the needs of the world each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:15am until Easter. This service will last 20-30 minutes. If you are interested in helping lead, Peter will give an overview of how to do so on March 4 at 4pm

A Note from Peter (May 2018)

The Rev. Peter Gray

Late last month, Steve Iwanski shared with the EYC that his time as Nativity’s youth minister will come to a close in late October. In June, Steve will have served faithfully on the staff of Nativity for four years. During that time, he has built deep relationships, led mission trips, organized parish wide fellowship and Vacation Bible School, carried youth to Diocesan retreats, worshiped with us, helped our kids take leadership in worship, nurtured our older kids' spiritual growth, and played ceaselessly with the little ones in our WeeYC. He has done all this while perfectly balancing warmth, accessibility, and maturity. Steve's ministry among us has truly been a blessing.

When Steve began work as Nativity's youth minister, he was newly married, had just completed his time teaching at J.Z. George High School, and was a part-time bookseller at Turnrow. Four years later, Steve is the manager of Turnrow, the founder of the Greenwood Shakespeare Project, the incoming President of the Greenwood Little Theater, and Sarah and Steve's son Nate will be two in July. To everything there is a time and a season, Ecclesiastes reminds us, and Steve is entering a new season with different opportunities for ministry.

In June, Nativity will welcome the Rev. Phillip Parker, freshly-graduated from the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, as a part-time Priest Associate and Youth Minister at Nativity. Before seminary, Phillip lived in Southaven and worked as an outpatient therapist for youth and families in Tunica through the Region One Mental Health Center. Last summer, he served as the chaplain to the young adult staff at Camp Bratton-Green. The Executive Committee and I interviewed Phillip, and we are excited about his professional background and also his warmth, his kindness, and his commitment to nurturing the spiritual development of our kids.

Phillip and his wife Amanda are the parents of two children: Connor, who will be entering the 9th grade next year, and McKenzie, who will be in the 4th grade. Amanda will be working as a Special Education teacher in Marks, and the family will live in Sumner where Phillip will be the clergy-in-charge for Church of the Advent. This unique arrangement of sharing staff is not totally novel for us, since our churches already share a youth group! Three Sundays per month, Phillip will preach and celebrate in Sumner. One Sunday per month, he will be present at Nativity for both services and the Sunday School hour. This arrangement will allow him the opportunity to worship with our youth group and build relationships with adults and younger children on a regular basis. On those Sundays, lay leaders at Church of the Advent will lead Morning Prayer.

The overlap of Steve and Phillip's time this fall is purposeful. I hope that Steve's continuing presence will help our youth be at ease as they get to know Phillip and build relationships with him. In addition, I hope that Phillip will gain an appreciation of our existing youth programming by shadowing Steve for a bit before he begins designing his own Sunday evening programs.

As you can tell, I am grateful for the excellent ministry Steve has done these past many years, and I am excited about the opportunities that Phillip will bring upon his arrival. If you have questions, please be in touch! In the meantime, hold Steve, Phillip, and our youth in your prayers!

Peter+

Annual Council of the Episcopal Church in Mississippi

January 26-28 the legislative meeting of the Diocese of Mississippi will convene in Southaven for two days to elect new Diocesan leadership, approve a budget, and hear reports on the ministries of the Episcopal Church in Mississippi.

Nativity’s delegation includes Peter, Kathy Whicker, Harris Powers, and Tish Goodman. Going as alternates are Philip Lawes and Katie Jones. Additionally, Ellie Knight is attending Council as the lone Youth Delegate for the entire Delta Convocation. The January edition of The Mississippi Episcopalian will include information on nominees and potential resolutions, so let your representatives know how you think they should vote! On Sunday, January 28, all the clergy of the Diocese will be in Southaven, and Episcopalians from far and wide are invited to attend one huge, statewide Eucharist at 10am at the Landers Center. Jim Barrett will lead Morning Prayer at Nativity that morning.