December Youth Group Update

December is here, and for EYC this means that it is time for the Nativity Christmas Pageant. There is excitement in the air as we have already been planning and rehearsing. For some, this will be their last time to be a part of the Christmas Pageant, and for others this will be their first. But for all, it will be fun and joyful.

One of the great things about the Christmas Pageant is that EYC members can reflect on who they are and who God has called them to be by acting out the story of the Nativity. By acting out this story, our EYC brings parts of themselves to this story of our Lord. More importantly, this Nativity pageant immerses them in the story by pulling them directly into it as they act it out.

Please help us by making sure that the EYC is here the next two Sunday nights so we can practice. And, please pray for the EYC and all of those who are involved in the Christmas Pageant as we work on this joyous event.

December Choir Corner by David Williamson

As we approach the two shortest seasons of the Liturgical Year, I’m reminded of the old saying that Good Friday belongs to the Roman Catholics, Easter belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Christians, but Advent, Christmas, and all the Holy Days dealing with the Incarnation are the domain of us Anglicans. We are militant in refusing to celebrate Christmas without thoroughly preparing ourselves though Advent. Our hymnody embraces and reinforces the dual preparation for both the celebration of the first coming of Jesus and the proclamation of his return in glory. Among the Advent favorites in our hymnal are “Hark, a thrilling voice is sounding,” “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry,” “Prepare the way, O Zion,” ”Sleepers Wake,” “Lo! He comes with clouds descending,” and “O come, O come, Emmanuel.”

The Gloria in Excelsis (the song at the beginning of worship that begins, “Glory to God in the Highest...”) is given up for Advent but will return in our worship on Christmas Eve in the metrical form of “Angels we have heard on high.” This is appropriate since the first lines
of the Gloria in Excelsis comes directly from the angels’ mouths as they announce the birth of Jesus to the shepheards.

During Advent, we will once again sing the Schubert’s Kyrie (“Lord, have mercy upon us...”) and Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy Lord...”) along with Mark Schweitzer’s “St. James’ Christmas Service” setting of the Agnus Dei (“O, Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world...”) to the tune “Greensleeves.” Greensleeves is the tune most are familiar with as the setting of “What Child is This?”

Caroling at Beacon Harbor

Sunday, December 17, all Nativity members are invited to join the youth group in its last trip to Beacon Harbor of the semester. Following 10:30 worship, we'll share lunch at Nativity, and then we will ride out for our monthly gathering. Our activity for December will be caroling with the residents. Let our young people introduce you to the new friends they've made this semester and help them spread some Christmas cheer!

Mission Mississippi

Mission Mississippi will meet for its December prayer breakfast on Thursday, December 7 at 6:45am at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 804 East Park Avenue. Join us for food, fellowship, and prayer as we change Mississippi one relationship at a time.

Filling Potholes and Moving Mountains

In preparation for Sabbatical, I recently acquired a book of daily prayers inspired by our Celtic Christian ancestors.  The book contains the spiritual disciplines of the Northumbrian Community, a group of contemporary Christians in Northern England and beyond, who, though scattered, commit to shared habits of prayer and hospitality.  Periodically, they reconvene near Lindisfarne, a tiny island that has housed Christian communities since the 7th century when the Irish monk Aidan traveled from Iona and opened a monastery.

Traveling together toward family during the Thanksgiving holidays, Giulianna read aloud to me the reflections of our Northumbrian brothers and sisters on Advent, that period of preparation the Church enters into as we await the birth of Jesus at Christmas.  Our preparations for Christmas can be so easily consumed by event-planning, we typically forget the necessities of spiritual preparation.  As you prepare to welcome the Christ-child, I commend to you the words of the Northumbria community: 

It is said that the door to the stable where the Christ-child has been born is very low – and only those who kneel find access.  Being ready for Christmas should mean that our thoughts are focused not just on letters, cards, and presents, but on repentance, humbling, and interior “housecleaning.”  John the Baptist warned his hearers to prepare a way for the Lord – to make a clear and level pathway.  This involves removing any boulders that stand in the way, and filling in any potholes.  The boulders are those things we have done that we should not have done; the potholes are the things we have failed to do which we obviously should have done.  The more as individuals, family, or congregation, we are focused in this way, the less we will be overwhelmed by the commercialization of Christmas.

I intend to take these words to heart this Advent, removing the boulders of mistakes I have made, and filling in the potholes of good works left undone.  Let’s do this work together, so that together, we will be ready to greet the arrival of our Savior.

Peace,
Peter+

Christmas Pageant Rehearsals and Performance

Nativity’s annual Christmas pageant is Sunday, December 9 at 5pm. As we approach the big day, all the components of this tradition are rapidly coming together with final rehearsals. Read on to see which part applies to you and your little ones:

EYC (6th-12th Grade): After our normal 5pm dinner, we will have a dress rehearsal at 5:30pm during our regular youth group time Sunday, December 2. Peter will be present this evening as we put the finishing touches on the program. Sunday, December 9, we will have another run-through at 3pm with an early dinner in between that practice and the performance itself.

Youth Choir (4K-5th Grade): Our young singers are sounding really great, and there are a lot of them this year! They will rehearse with David, Cyndi, and Beverly on December 2nd and 9th following the 10:30 service and lunch. On the evening of the pageant, youth choir should arrive by 4:30pm to get fitted for robes.

Littlest Angels (2-4 years): If your pre-schooler walker is ready to join the heavenly host, you can help them get comfortable with the role by participating in the dress rehearsal at 5:30pm on Sunday, December 2. Parents will help get the kids into costume and then help Julia Harris and Nancy Johnson usher them down the aisle when their cue comes.

Episcopal Church Women: As always, the ladies of Nativity will put on a reception following the performance. If you are bringing cookies or some other snack, please have them to the church by 4:30pm on the 9th.

Jeffrey Lee Cole

Jeffrey Lee Cole, formerly of Greenwood, died peacefully at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018. He was 89 years old. He was visited frequently by friends and family until he finally slipped away after a brief fight with cancer. He professed his firm belief in his savior Jesus Christ and is now with his Lord in paradise.

Jeff Cole was born in Tupelo on Jan. 20, 1929. He was raised in Tupelo until he attended Ole Miss, an institution he loved all his life. After Ole Miss, he farmed for 25 years at Moore’s Lake Plantation in Schlater.

He was a lay reader and vestry member of Greenwood’s Episcopal Church of the Nativity, where he was involved in the church’s prison ministry. He and his wife, Dottie Cole, were among the first members of the South End Zone at Ole Miss, where they enjoyed countless football games until his health prevented him from attending. He was a founding member of the Roadrunners, a dance club at the Greenwood Country Club. He was an avid golfer and tennis player and a member of the Greenwood Supper Club.

Jeff returned to Ole Miss later in life to study art and became a prolific painter. Dozens of his paintings are hanging in numerous houses throughout Jackson and Greenwood. Besides farming, he had a rich and varied career involving numerous jobs, including working for Viking Range and delivering the Northside Sun in his retirement.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Tucker Cole; his children, Lee Cole of Atlanta, Lynn Cole Berman of Greenwood, Libba Cole Shrader of Columbia, South Carolina, and Clay Cole Lapasota of Portsmouth, Virginia; his grandchildren, Taylor Berman of New York, Collin Cole of Atlanta, Betsy Shrader Watts of Charleston, South Carolina, Matt Shrader of Columbia, South Carolina, and Satchel Lapasota of Portsmouth; and a great-grandchild, Lyon Raymond Watts of Charleston, South Carolina. He is also survived by his stepchildren Terrell and Donna Knight of Jackson and their children, Curt, Connell and Lucy Tucker Roberts (David) of Hattiesburg, and their grandchild, Katherine Adelle Roberts of Hattiesburg. Also, stepchildren Virginia (Ginny) Knight and John Wyatt Emmerich of Jackson and their children, John, Lawrence and Ruth.

There will be a service on Friday, Nov. 23, at 4 p.m. at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Jackson. The Rev. CJ Meaders will officiate. Family and friends will gather afterward. 

Jeff’’s body has been donated to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for research. His ashes will be interred at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity columbarium in Greenwood.

Adah Abbott Moses

Adah Abbott Moses, 84, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family after a lengthy illness on Nov. 12, 2018.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity with interment in Odd Fellows Cemetery. Father Peter Gray and the Rev. Glenn Seefeld will officiate. Visitation will be from 9:30 till 11 at the church.

Adah was born on Nov. 2, 1934, to Charles Gay and Elizabeth Brown Abbott in Greenwood, where she resided the majority of her life. She was a graduate of Greenwood High School and attended Mississippi State College for Women. Adah was a kindergarten teacher for many years and spent the last 37 years as office manager of her son Dr. Walter Moses’ medical office.

“Miz Adah,” as she was affectionately known to many friends and patients of her son, was an outgoing, caring person who always had a smile on her face and more than likely put a smile on the faces of those she encountered. She was strong in faith, having a deep love of Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior. Her family meant the world to her and she always looked forward to hosting holiday dinners, being surrounded by them. She was a communicant at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity and also attended Valley Hill United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Moses was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 63 years, Walter C. Moses Sr.; and her son Dr. Walter C. Moses Jr. Survivors include two sons, Charles Abbott Moses (Carla) and Dr. Jeff Moses (Carol); daughter-in-law Beth Moses; sisters Betsy Brown Abbott and Mary Frances Caldwell; eight grandchildren and 12 great- grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Walter C. Moses III, Wilson Moses, Abbott Moses, Charles Moses Jr., Donny Schilling, Roy Schilling, Dr. Kenneth Hines, Dr. Henry Flautt and Dr. Abe Malouf.

The family requests that memorials be made to the Greenwood Cemetery Association, the American Cancer Society, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or a charity of donor’s choice.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.greenwooddeltafh.com. Greenwood Delta Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Episcopal Church Women Fall Meeting

Ladies of Nativity Church, please join us for our ECW Fall Meeting on Wednesday, October 17 at noon! We will provide a light lunch and discuss ECW responsibilities for the year. The Rev. Peter Gray has asked that we concentrate our service to the community on the Growing Families Ministry and also to offer our support to the Pastoral Care Committee and the Funeral Guild. While we are together, we will discuss ideas on how we can best serve our church in these ministries.

If you have other projects or events that you would like the Episcopal Church Women to consider, please let us know so that we can add it to our agenda for the meeting. We look forward to serving our God, our church and our community with you ladies this year.

Please respond by Friday, October 12, 2018
Church office: 662-453-7786 or email: syoung@pak12.com
Dues: $20.00

Halloween Carnival, Chili Cookoff and Honoring Steve Iwanski

Mark your calendars for October 24 at 5:30 pm, and start testing recipes for this great annual event! It’s been a few years since anyone was able to knock Josh Fair off the winner’s pedestal. Maybe this year it will be you! While the adults taste chili and cast their votes, kids from 5th grade on down are treated to a Halloween carnival put on by our 6th-12th grade youth group.

This year’s event will also be an opportunity for us to honor and give thanks for Steve Iwanski, who has served as Nativity’s youth minister for more than four years now. Steve and Sarah aren’t going anywhere, of course, but this season of ministry for Steve is now coming to a close. 

In recent months, Steve has been helping Phillip Parker make the transition as our clergy associate for youth ministry. Join us not only to enjoy fellowship, to compete, but most especially, to show our appreciation to Steve for all that he has meant to us and to our kids these last four years.