| The | ||||||
| LARENDON | ||||||
| Connection | ||||||
| Late2011December | – Early2012January clarendonhillchurch.org | |||||
| Minister: Karl Gustafson | Sunday Worship | Communion is taken | ||||
| Music Director: John Adams | 9:45 | – Choir Rehearsal | the first Sunday of the | |||
| Sexton: Arnie James | 10:30 | – Worship | month. | Childcare | ||
| Church phone: 617-625-4823 | 11:30 | – Coffee Hour | provided:. let us know | |||
Clarendon Hill welcomes all people to our church:
Young,gayororold straight,
Faithful, or seeking You are welcome to join us on our shared journey. of faith
We are a small but growing congregation seeking
to serve,our God community,and our
world.
Our resources may be,limitedbutour imaginations and desires.Weare not
are constantly seeking ways to serve others and to work for a more just
world.
--Godlovespoetry.com collects blackout poetry made from the Westboro Baptist’ most egregious. press releases
Friends of Sabeel—North America
Voice of the Palestinian Christians
SABEEL'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2011
Envisioning a world where peace with justice reigns
The message of the angel to the shepherds was one of liberation, "Fear not, for I bring you tidings of great joy which will be for all people..." As the company of angels joined the first messenger and gave glory to God, they emphasized the gift of peace and goodwill. The only possibility for peace and goodwill is through work for justice; work that moves the world in a direction away from empire, away from war, and toward God's vision of peace and reconciliation. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem embodies this movement.
Sabeel started the year 2011 in a way that reflected this embodied movement with its 8th international conference. Titled "Challenging Empire: God, Faithfulness, and Resistance" we gathered over 300 participants from around the world to give glory to God, and analyze the situation of empire which makes the realization of peace with justice difficult in Palestine- Israel.
We continued throughout the year to examine the concept and reality of empire through Sabeel's grassroots programs (for the community, women, clergy, and youth). As 2011 approaches its end, we offer the following Christmas message:
The Christmas narrative according to the Gospels paints a realistic picture of the historical contexts in which Jesus was born. The greatest empire the ancient world had known, the Roman Empire, was in complete control. Caesar Augustus stood at the top of the hierarchy. Herod is named as a client king, and the text mentions religious leaders who collaborate with the imperial system. This system created an environment of total domination; many were oppressed and caught up in these damaging societal
structures. Others rejected the system and engaged in occasional uprisings against the Romans; while others retreated into the desert to escape oppression. Into such a milieu, Jesus was born.
The message that the Gospels record about Jesus' birth include words that ordinary people living under occupation and oppression long to hear, "Do not fear! There is good news that
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will give joy to all people, a savior is born!" God has sent a liberator, and he is born in a humble setting. Indeed, liberation will neither come from the king's palace nor from the courts of religious leaders but from among the people. In addition to being a message of comfort, it is a word of invigorating challenge: a strong invitation for each person to take part in and witness to the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God.
This message brings to mind the vision of a world transformed, without war, a world of peace and security. This vision was already articulated by some of the prophets in the Old Testament, a vision of a world without violent conflict in which people change their weapons into farming tools, and instead of bloodshed, a life of peace and security emerges (see Micah 4:1-5; Isaiah 2:2-5; Psalm 46:9-12).
The message of the angels at Jesus' birth and the vision of the prophets about peace, both reflect the accumulated experience of people through the journey of history: wars, violence, and corrupt economic systems fail to achieve an enduring peace.
How long will it be until we learn the lessons of history? How many more Christmas readings of the Gospels will occur before we jump out of our pews and run with the message?
Alas, the peace of empire is achieved by the crushing of the enemy; and it does not endure. The angels were shouting about a different kind of peace. Perhaps it sounded like the shouting of the millions around the world who have taken to the streets from Tahrir Square in Cairo to New York City to Brisbane to say "Khalas! Enough is enough!"?
Though justice, peace, and security for all continue to be elusive, we live in hope and act in confidence. To be sure, peace for the state of Israel will not come through eliminating the Palestinians, denying their political rights, and stripping them of their human dignity and land. Peace will not come by building the separation wall or expanding Israeli-only settlements and bypass roads in Palestine. Peace will come when the government of Israel implements the demands of international law and shows respect for the humanity of the Palestinians.
In a gesture for peace and reconciliation, the Palestinians have recognized the state of Israel and accepted a much smaller share of historic Palestine. It is time for the government of Israel to recognize the people of Palestine and their right to sovereignty and statehood. It is then that people can sit under their vine and fig trees and not be afraid. The message of the angels at the birth of Jesus Christ will be realized and peace on earth can become a possibility.
The challenge of the Christmas message for this year is to envision a world without empire, without war, without nuclear weapons, and without destructive arms. We must envisage a different world where peace is built on justice.
Sabeel wishes all of our friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Sincerely, Naim Ateek Sabeel, Jerusalem 5 December 2011
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What’s Happening at Clarendon Hill
| Guest preachers for January: | ||||
| Katie, studentCole.U.School,willatofBbeTheology,Januarypreaching15 | on Sunday | th. | ||
| Dr.Mark.Burrows,ProfessorS of the History of Christianity at Andover Newton Theological S | chool, | |||
| will be,preachingJanuary22 | on Sunday | nd. He is an ordained, | minister of the United Christ of Christ | |
| and he also,Theologydirects,and ArtstheatprogramAndoverinNewtonWorship | ||||
Annual Meeting
Please join us right after the service on Sunday,January29th(snow5date February meal and. Atthethe annual meeting,hear we will elect officers for the coming year
reports from our committees and the pastor about the activities that have occurred in the past year, discuss ideas,voteforon2012theandupcomingannualconductbudgetotheryearfornecessary
business. Everyone is invited to attend – only members. BringofClarendon Hill are allowed to vote a dish(appetizer,tomain,shareside, dishdish essert),enjoyorbeverage,andsomeletgreat food
your voice be heard!
Per Capita and Initial Envelopes
Offering2012areenvelopesavailablefor.onTheythearetablein at the back of the sanctuary
| numerical. If’tyoucurrentlyorderdon have off | ering,andenvelopeswould,pleaselikecontactset | ||
| Ellen( | ellends@verizon.net) | . The per2012willcapitabe announcedamountforat church and via | |
| email once.(thatThat’s thenumberblue | has been determined | nvelope in the offering envelope | |
set.)The initial(whichoffering,andis helpsyellowenvelopeto coveramountthe cost of printing the)envelopeswillalso,andbe announcedcalculated. shortlyas well
Presbyterian Coffee Project
.
Orders for Equal Exchange coffee,duringandteacoffeeare taken on the first Sunday of each month
hour,for delivery2 on the nd Sunday.Part of the proceeds goes to the hunger and self -development mission projects,USA. of the Presbyterian Church
Questions or need some coffee or tea? Contact Katherine at kath.gustavson@gmail.com
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Adult Education
We are excited to announce that our winter through spring adult education classes will feature a
| guest. .DrMaspeaker | rk.BurrowsS,who is Professor of Christianity at Andover Newton | ||
| Theological,will beSchoolleading us in classes looking at the writings and works of some of the | |||
| poets and. mystics of our tradition | 22nd,which coincides. | ||
| In addition,Rev.Burrows will be preaching on January | with the first class | ||
| We will ,befrommeetingJanuary,after. PleaseoncechurchthroughamarkmonthAprilyour | |||
| calendars,and make an effort to come to every session! | More information below: | ||
Marginal Christianity: Witness to the Gospel For and Against the Church
With.Mark.BurrowsDr,Ph..DS
4th Sundays January – April,2012
This course“marginalwill”theologians,explorethose whothe voicedwitnesstheiroffour
obedienceto God in forms that were often in conflict with established traditions as these developed over.theAt,eachcenturieswewillsession,situatedsample,andtheirinhistoricalwritingscontext
ask what larger and deeper questions they articulated which might have enduring significance for
| us as citizens in.aWequitewilldifferentbegin withworldthe writings of a radical Jew whom we | ||||||
| know simply,examiningasJesustheofwitnessNazarethof several Gnostic texts that emerged | ||||||
| alongside. SubsequentthecanonicalsessionsGospelswill explore a v | ariety“marginalof” what I call | |||||
| voices,those whose radical“wayarticulation” | of what they understood it to mean to follow in the | |||||
| of Jesus was often at odds with what became the authoritative – and“authorized” | – tradition. ’Well | |||||
| read selections from these rebels – poets,mystics and visionaries | – whose“chosenworldoutwereof | |||||
| their,”todesirerecall a line from. Whattheabidingmodern American poet Wallace Stevens | ||||||
| relevance,setdoalongsidetheirdesiresours?haveJoin us as we explore the wisdo | m of these | |||||
| witnesses from the margins. | of the broad religious tradition we have come to call Christianity | |||||
| January22: | Jesus.Religion:vs Love and Power at the Margins | |||||
| February26: | Hadewijch: Poet of the Paradoxes | |||||
| March25: | Meister“OneEckhart:seei | ng,one,oneknowledge” love | ||||
| April22: | Julian“Allof”ofNorwich:God | The | ||||
Got items for the letter? Stories,events,poetry,pictures?
| Send them to newsletter@clarendonhillchurch.org | by January23! |
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And now for something
c o m p l e t e l y d i f f e r e n t …
A ,RabbiSadducee.Afterand a Phariseefew,andflagonsoncewenttheofintoGalileebarLite
talk of the current fate of their favoured sports teams - the Ephesus,the ColossiansEagles Colts and the(somewhat)Ne puzzlingly named hemiah“Niners” - died,thedownconversation naturally turned.Beingtoreligionvery,theycompetitivestarted tryingmento outdo each other to belittle a
new upstart movement surrounding a little-known prophet from Bethlehem who was enjoying somelocal celebrity,to seeat thewhotimecould come up with the most outrageous claim about
him to.put him in his place
Translated,andfromallowingtheoriginalfor littleAramaicartistic license as their speech became
increasingly blurred as the evening progressed and occasionally obscured by the bleating of the passing,thiscamelis thetrafficconversation that was overheard:
•His coming was predicted by a homeless madman with dreadlocks and a sandal fetish who ate locusts and tried to drown people in the river
•He was born in a garden shed
•He was born out of wedlock to a single mother who claimed she was still a virgin
•Even’s boyfriendthe’ knowgirl,exceptwhodidn’ thehimthatfatherit wasn
• His mother, claimed she had talked to aliens which was how she found out she was pregnant
• Even,sheworseclaimed she had been impregnated by an extra terrestrial
• The first people to be told were migrant agrarian workers
•The first people to acknowledge him were not only foreigners but practiced some kind of magic and brought‘gifts’,includinginappropriatesubstancenonchildnotfriendlyapproved by the GDA
•He would,and,hisbecomeironicallyname wouldcarpenterbe invoked by wood workers ever
afterwards when their hammer missed its intended target and located the thumb or finger instead
•He would advocate peaceful non-compliance and civil disobedience
•He would be against the current banking system
| • He would99%butnotactuallyonlyadvocateconsortforwiththethe lowest of the | low,even |
| tax collectors and1%whoprostituteswill haveandhardclaimtimethatmakingitwas in fact the | |
| the grade at the celestial check-out |
• After a kangaroo trial he would eventually be executed on the order of a figurehead puppet governor put in place by the army of occupation
Little.......did they know
(Thanks, Ellen!)for the story
What happens't stay. in Bethlehem doesn
-- the monks at Unvirtuous Abbey
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Church Assignments
※ – Communion Sunday
| Coffee | ||||||||
| DATE | Scripture | Mission | Greeter | Nursery | ||||
| Hour | ||||||||
| 1/1/12※ | Milanesi/ | R.Allen | P.Beran | B. Pickens | V. Donovan | |||
| Kumpa | ||||||||
| 1/8/12 | Augers | S. | L. Cavano | C. Milanesi | Schemer- | |||
| Chambers | horn | |||||||
| 1/15/12 | E. | C. Milanesi | J. Auger | R. Allen | S. Donovan | |||
| Schemer- | ||||||||
| horn | ||||||||
| 1/22/12 | Donovan | H. Rantisi | M. | J. Auger | K. | |||
| Jirmanus | Gustafson | |||||||
| 1/29/12 | POTLUCK | B. Pickens | R. Liberace | V. Donvan | R. Allen | |||
| 2/5/12※ | Pickens | L. Cavano | C. Milanesi | Schemer- | V. Donovan | |||
| horn | ||||||||
| 2/12/12 | Arce/Fish | W. | R. Allen | J. Kumpa | Schemer- | |||
| Chambers | horn | |||||||
| 2/19/12 | Allen/ | S. Donovan | Schemer- | R. | S. Donovan | |||
| Rhoads | horn | |||||||
| Liberace | ||||||||
| 2/26/12 | Herzigs | P. Beran | S. Donovan | L. Cavano | K. | |||
| Gustafson | ||||||||
| 3/4/12※ | Camelio/ | M. | B. Pickens | B. Pickens | R. Allen | |||
| Braga | Jirmanus | |||||||
| 3/11/12 | Santiagos | P. Auger | J. Kumpa | C. Milanesi | V. Donova | n | ||
| 3/18/12 | Gustson/ | E. | A. Camelio | R. Allen | Schemer- | |||
| Cavano | Schemer- | horn | ||||||
| horn | ||||||||
| 3/25/12 | Milanesi/ | D. Santiago | R. | J. Auger | S. Donovan | |||
| Kumpa | Winchester | |||||||
CHURCH ASSIGNMENTS
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO FILL YOUR COMMITMENT, PLEASE DO YOUR BEST TO SWITCH WITH SOMEONE. TO BE ADDED TO THIS LIST, PLEASE CONTACT ELLEN SCHEMERHORN (ELLENDS@VERIZON.NET) OR VAL DONOVAN (MABEL312@AOL.COM).
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Clarendon Hill Coffee Hour Instructions
1.Coffee/Tea – please1potprepareof caffeinated. You maycoffeeset theand one pot of decaf coffee pots,or leaveupbeforebefore.’thesItbesttheserviceend of the service to prepare them
to leave a little before the end of the service to turn the pots on so the coffee is ready when folks come. Thedownstairscoffee. Theisincoffeethedoorfiltersofaretheonfreezerthe counter
| behind where.¾of athecupcoffee. coffeepotsshouldarelocatedgo in each filter | There are | |
| one ,cupeithermeasures,oronin the. Pleasecounterkitchenplugcabinetsone coffee pot in | ||
| to the,andwalltheplugextension. Plug thecordsecondinto thecoffeeotherpotwallin plug | ||
| to the. Makeextensionsurecordyou turn the | extension“On”by flippingcord. tothe switch | |
| The tea pot is usually. Fillon theitwithtable on opposite side of the room from the coffee pot | ||
| fresh,andwater.(Plugplugisiton.)inTurn.thePleaseitfloor,halfonbringbaseboardcream | ||
| and half/orandmilk. Theseforthecancoffee.beMakeplacedsureon the tray with the sugar | ||
| there are clean/orspoonsdairy. forproductfolks to use to stir in their sugar and | ||
2.Please bring some type of cold beverage for those who may not want coffee or tea.Any kind of fruit juice.(Weortendjust.)toThewaterstaycupsisawayfinefor coldfrombeveragessoda
are usually in the. first glass fronted cupboard in the kitchen
| 3. | Place plates and. Extrathecontainerplat | with plastic ware on the table | es,cups,and plastic ware |
| are in the first. cupboard underneath the front counter | |||
| 4. | Feel free to bring. Pleasewhateverbe awareyouthatlikeweforhavecoffeechurchhour | ||
| members,withsopleaseSEVEREdo. notallergiesbring toanythingnuts with nuts | (If you have | ||
| to bring,pleasesomething.)Youmark/bakemaywiththingsmake. nutsto bring or buy them | |||
| If you,pleasebuyitemsnote that those with severe nut allergies will check the labels to be sure | |||
| that they. Ifareyousafemaketo tconsume | hem,’itshelpful. Whentolist the ingredients | ||
| purchasing,please thingsnote,thattheyevenmadeifbetheymadedo innota contain nuts | |||
| facility. thatOur membersprocesseswithnuts nut allergies cannot eat those products that are | |||
| made in facilities that. Aprocessfew things(althoughnutsthatalwaysarenutchecksafethe | |||
| labels,as sometimes):theSmart,Pirateingredients, FoodBootyused to make items change | |||
| Goldfish(Pepperidge.)Sweets,asFarm’mostare,safebuttrickierarenifyou fi | nd,pleaseone | ||
| bring it! Some things(bread),fruit,orthatcrackersarealways popular: hummus and pita | |||
| bagels,cheeseand,creamsalsaand,veggiesandcheesecrackers,cookiescorn, andchipsdip | |||
| pastries,doughnuts,sweet/quick. bread | |||
5. After coffee hour,pleaseisover,washcoffeewiththemakercoffeeitemscupsand any other
items that(spoons,plates,cuttinghavebeenboardsused ,knives,etc.)Dry. ,andthemput them away.(Dish towels.)Pleaseshould(bothwipebeoninoffthethefrontcounterscounter
kitchen and,cupswhereand)andcoldthewipebeveragescoffeedownpotstheareplastic
tablecloths on the food tables. Please sweep. the area around the food tables
6. If you have,feelanyfreequestionsto ask!about anything
| Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church | ||
| 155Powder House Boulevard | ||
| West,MassachusettsSomerville02144 | -1613 | |
| Telephone:617 | -625-4823 | |
| www.clarendonhillchurch.org | ||
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