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November 2006 Cross Roads

From the Chapel of the Cross to The Church of the Advocate

Larry Rowan and Barbara Tolin Rowan

We love the Chapel of the Cross and all the things that make it a unique parish, and we thought we would never leave. How did we make the decision to go to the Advocate and what is it about the Advocate that makes it home for us now?

In September 2004 we, like many other people from the three sponsoring parishes, attended the Eucharist celebrating the Advocate's first anniversary. We were struck by something at that liturgy - perhaps an exuberant, heartfelt love of God in a warm and welcoming community.

We spent several months in prayerful reflection as we periodically attended the Sunday Eucharist and supper, finding ourselves more and more drawn to the Advocate. A very important part of our early experience was the warmth of Mary and George Esser, cherished community elders.

Before we knew it we discovered that we were at the Advocate more than at the Chapel of the Cross. After much discussion and prayer, we transferred our membership to the Advocate.

Here are a few of our favorite things about the Advocate:

· Individuals are encouraged to explore their gifts and interests in an accepting and nurturing community.

· After sharing the Eucharist with each other we share supper, and the worship space is transformed into a place for fellowship.

· Everyone, no matter who they are or where they are in their faith journey, is welcomed and accepted.

· The whole congregation is invited to showers, housewarmings, moving days, and other occasions in members' lives.

· No idea is too large or too small for the vicar to consider.

· Through the email news from the vicar we keep informed of significant events in each other's lives.

· We know almost everyone by name and something about almost every member.

· We eat lots of cake.

· Parishioners take seriously the charge to "go forth to love and serve the Lord."

· During Epiphany we are each commissioned to our ministries in the 9-to-5 world.

· At this time in the life of the Advocate, it is obvious that "church" means "people" since our worship space is "Brigadoon-like" - appearing briefly once each week, then disappearing until the next Sunday.

· When the bishop comes, he is not confined to a pulpit when he preaches so he almost dances his sermon.

· Meaningful and moving liturgies are written by talented parishioners for special occasions such as the longest night, winter solstice.

· We often enjoy a good laugh.

· Periodic small groups allow us to get to know each other better and share prayer in the intimacy of each other's homes.

· We are helping make traditions.

· The future is a mystery.

·† All that and more.

Larry and Barbara Rowan share the peace during the Eucharist at the Episcopal Church of the Advocate. Photo by Chip Matteson

The Advocate Needs Advocates!

Terry Milner, Senior Warden, Episcopal Church of the Advocate

Four years ago, the Chapel of the Cross heard a call to mission, and answered by bringing into being a new Christian community called The Episcopal Church of the Advocate. As senior warden of The Advocate, I want to offer my sincere thanks for all you have done, and to issue a plea for your continued prayers and support.

The Advocate truly is a ministry of the Chapel of the Cross. A number of members of the Chapel of the Cross, including members of long standing, left the comfort of a thriving and established parish in 2003 to join our adventure. In our first year, the Chapel of the Cross provided the accounting services of Debby Kulik. You provided a large share of our launching funds, and you continue to support us with a line item in your annual budget.

The continued support of the Chapel of the Cross will be vital for The Advocate. Our goal for the coming year is to make up the difference between budgeted expenses and pledged income, through support from the Diocese, the sponsoring congregations, and the renewed generosity of individuals who have a heart for the work we are doing.

We also need your help in keeping The Advocate visible in the community. We currently have no permanent worship space and no signage, so word of mouth is crucial. When you visit The Advocate (Sundays at 5:00 pm!), we hope you will be moved to go out and help us gather in those who may not have found their way to God's other houses in town, and for whom the Advocate might just be "The Place." Of course, there's no better advocate for the Advocate than our own vicar, Lisa Fischbeck. Please invite Lisa along with you to those community events you regularly attend.

The Advocate has heard Christ's call to do justice, model compassion, and bring people into a transformative relationship with God. We engage with the community in a number of ways. We are known for innovative liturgy and inclusive hospitality. We hope to become a place where young adults on campus and in town may find a spiritual home. We look to the day when we might provide a place for retreat and contemplative prayer in this area. Finally, we've begun long-term discernment about where and when to acquire property.

No matter how we develop, we pray that we will be faithful to the call to mission you heard years ago. We have gathered together many households who have given generously of their time, their talents, and their finances, but to truly become the place we believe we are called to be, we must continue to grow. Where some established parishes have three people for every task, a small startup like ours has three tasks for every person! The grace of God working through the hearts and hands of our members, our clergy, and the sponsoring parishes will be the key to our mission's success. To God and to you, we offer our sincerest thanks for continuing to walk with us on our journey. †

From the Rector

Dear Friends,

Recently The Episcopal Church of the Advocate celebrated its third anniversary! After years of discussion and finally two years of planning, this fourth Episcopal congregation in Orange County was launched in September 2003 with founding members from the three existing parishes as well as some from the community at large. Steadily and slowly, (only weeds grow quickly), the Advocate has been growing in numbers and in impact on the community, e.g., with their strong ministry with Club Nova. It has been thrilling and gratifying to see it continue to flourish and to bear fruit.

It has been a high priority for me that the Chapel of the Cross support the establishment of this new congregation in any way that we can. I am grateful both for those who have been willing to join themselves to this important effort and for our parish's financial commitment during these early years. Given the many resources we have been blessed with, we are called to be generous in helping others sow the seeds of the kingdom. Over the decades our parish has certainly been the beneficiary of the grace and generosity of individuals and congregations in our diocese, and part of our identity and tradition is to continue to let that generosity flow out to others.

I am also discovering that helping to start a new congregation does not just benefit those directly affected by it. Being part of that dynamic also helps us to see our own identity and ministry with new eyes. Having existed here for over 160 years, we can take things for granted. We easily, for example, lose our appreciation of the beautiful worship spaces given to us and made available to us each and every week. When we see others making do with borrowed space for their worship and having to coordinate every week for years its setting up (with all the details involved) and leaving it afterward the way it was found, we are moved to appreciate and give thanks for the work of previous generations in establishing our chapel and our church.

A beginning congregation also helps us see how important each single member is to the flourishing of the whole entity. At the Advocate, the loss of one person who goes off to seminary or of one family who moves away is deeply felt. The responsibilities they fulfilled and the encouragement and energy they brought and the financial support they provided are not easily replaced. Being a much older and sturdier tree with roots more deeply in the ground, we at the Chapel of the Cross are in a much better position to weather any losses or storms. But that does not lessen the importance of each of us to the healthy functioning of the whole. Each member's participation and role is vital. Seeing through the eyes of a fledgling congregation can help us realize that vital truth more deeply.

The great dedication and commitment of the people at the Church of the Advocate ought to energize our own. Their example should help us come to church more regularly, and pray with a depth of gratitude in our hearts, and participate in the ministries available to us with a strong sense of purpose. Whether a new or established congregation, we are all involved together in building up the Church and helping each other to love and worship God and to love and forgive our neighbor.

The Chapel of the Cross is an Episcopal Parish located at 304 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27514.

For more information about the Chapel of the Cross go to www.thechapelofthecross.org or call us at 919-929-2193.

- Stephen †

Vestry Actions

At its meeting on September 21, the vestry:

· Authorized $10,000 to cover incidental expenses related to the feasibility study, these expenditures to be tracked in the Development Fund and the cost figures to be reviewed by the vestry when the incidentals reach and exceed $5,000

· Accepted a bequest from Anita Rucker Cottrell in the amount of $466.67, with $46.67 for projects outside the parish and $420 to the Program Fund

· Heard an update from Vicar Lisa Fischbeck and Senior Warden Terry Milner about the membership and financial history of the Episcopal Church of the Advocate

· Received for consideration a recommendation from the Special Giving Committee for authorization of a new staff position of Development Director

· Elected Joe Ferrell and Hugh Morrison to three-year terms as delegates to Diocesan Convention and elected John McGee as first alternate, Ann Henley as second alternate, Gail Cloud as third alternate, Caren Parker as fourth alternate, Peter DeSaix as fifth alternate, and Carter Kersh as sixth alternate to the 2007 Diocesan Convention

· Approved the nomination of Alice Cotten to the Social Ministry Committee. †

Coming Soon: An All Member Dialogue on Parish Next Steps For Master Plan and Ministry

By Jim Dondero

As noted in the Capital Giving Committee Update in the October issue of Crossroads, a Parish Dialogue on Next Steps for Master Plan and Ministry will begin in November. All members of the Chapel of the Cross will be invited to engage in this dialogue via small group gatherings which will be held at parishioners' homes. Objectives of this dialogue include the following:

· Share with all members the long range plans and vision developed by the Next Step Committee;

· Outline the need for and opportunities associated with greatly enhanced non-liturgical facilities at the Chapel of the Cross;

· Review design concept plans developed by Washington, D.C.-based Hartman-Cox Architects; an

· Provide an opportunity for all members to share their views and ideas on the vision and associated master plan.

Gatherings will be held from November to January. All members will receive an invitation to attend a gathering. With over 20 sessions scheduled, it is hoped the entire parish can participate in the dialogue.

As part of this dialogue, interviews are being conducted with selected vestry members and parish leaders to obtain perspectives on the long range plans.

The findings from the all member dialogue will be reviewed by the Master Plan Steering (succeeding Next Step) and Capital Giving Committees which will modify their plans accordingly and submit a final proposal to the vestry in January 2007. Approval of these proposals will clear the way for the launch of a capital campaign in the first part of the year.

Please support this latest milestone in the Chapel of the Cross long term planning process which was launched in September 2002 with vestry appointment of a committee to develop a master plan for the church for the next 20 years and beyond. Input from all members is very important at this key juncture in our history. Thank you in advance for your participation. †

Terry

From the Vicar of the Episcopal Church of the Advocate

Dear Friends,

The Episcopal Church of the Advocate has emerged from a remarkable confluence of events and circumstances. First, in 1752, the Colonial Legislature established St. Matthew's Parish in Orange County. Then, in 1848, St. Matthew's former rector established the Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill, a mission to serve the Episcopal students and faculty at the University of North Carolina. Then, in 1952, under the leadership of the Rev. David Yates, the Chapel of the Cross established the mission of the Church of the Holy Family. Finally, in 2003, these three thriving parishes, in a thriving region of the country, with three rectors and three vestries with vision and generosity of spirit, came together to launch the Episcopal Church of the Advocate. In a time when many new congregations are born of schism and anger, the Episcopal Church of the Advocate was instead born of the health and vitality and generosity of the three established Episcopal parishes in Orange County. Thanks be to God.

We are grateful for this opportunity to share some reflections about the Church of the Advocate with our "mother church," the Chapel of the Cross. In these pages, you will read about our liturgy, our community engagement, our life and fellowship. You will also read about our growth and development -- and what we need in order to grow and develop some more.

The Advocate is genuinely a mission of the Chapel of the Cross -- sharing a passion for providing a church home where people can come to know the comfort and challenge of God's love within the context of Anglican worship, theology, and spirituality, yet engaging with people in some new and different ways. As with many new congregations, the Advocate is a congregation in which the people are highly engaged in the life of the church. We meet for worship at 5:00 pm on Sundays, experiencing the Sabbath in a profound and restorative way. We do not have land or buildings of our own. Rather, we rent our worship space each week at the Chapel Hill Kehillah, the local synagogue at the corner of Mason Farm and Purefoy roads, and are grateful for that expression of interfaith hospitality. After the liturgy every Sunday, we gather for table fellowship, a hallmark of our life together. The meals are vegetarian -- in order to keep Kosher as our hosts request -- and are always plentiful.

From the start, the Advocate has been a spirited church that embraces core values of compassion, justice, and the transformative power of God in Christ. Many who are drawn to the Advocate enjoy the community's thoughtful and intentional blend of faith, liturgy, and ministry in the world. Each person who comes into the Advocate brings unique gifts to the community, giving us daily experience of St. Paul's metaphor of the Church as a body with many cherished parts.

The Church of the Advocate has grown in depth and breadth over the past three years, thanks in part to the generosity of the Chapel of the Cross and to the connections and people we share. While the Advocate will continue to need financial support for a few more years, we also need visibility, visitors, and improved location to grow to a place of economic independence and continued vitality. It is my hope that the Chapel of the Cross and the Church of the Advocate will continue to view each other as companions in ministry in this corner of God's Kingdom, serving as a light and a witness to God's compassion, justice, and transformative power in individual lives and in the community and world in which we live.

†- Lisa

The Rev. Lisa Fischbeck on the hood of the car that is affectionately referred to as the Vicar-mobile, in front of the Chapel Hill Kehillah. Photo by Chip Matteson

The People of the Advocate

The Episcopal Church of the Advocate was launched in September 2003 with 40 adults and 11 children from 27 households. In these early seasons of our life together, attendance averaged around 45 on a Sunday.

Three years later, in September 2006, the congregation consists of 99 adults and 31 children from 66 households. Attendance is averaging around 80.

Of the 99 adults, 71 are baptized, confirmed communicants "in good standing". Of the 99 adults, 24 were in the launching congregation (others have moved away; one, sadly, has died). Of the 31 children, 9 were in the launching congregation (one has moved away, another has become a canonical adult).

From the start, God has blessed the Advocate with a congregation of diverse ages and stages of life.

Of the 99 adults

· 25 are 16-30 years old

· 34 are 30-49

· 32 are 50-69

· 8 are over 70.

Of the 31 children

· 15 are under 5

·† 16 are 6 to 15.

The people of the Advocate sing happy birthday to George Esser on his 85th birthday in August of 2006. Photo by Chip Matteson

A Brief History of the church of the Advocate

By Sissy Holloman

In 2002, the three Episcopal churches in Orange County, North Carolina - the Chapel of the Cross, the Church of the Holy Family, and St. Matthew's Episcopal Church -- discerned a need to create a new Episcopal church in Orange County. The Rev. Lisa Fischbeck was called to be the Gathering Priest. A small group from the sponsoring parishes formed the original Steering Committee, which met in the homes of Steering Committee members. Another small group met regularly to pray for what was at that stage simply called "the Orange County Mission." During the summer of 2003, the congregation began to form around three events: Evening prayer with singing and a picnic at the home of a St. Matthew's parishioner north of Hillsborough, a hymn sing at the Unity Center for Peace, and our first celebration of the Holy Eucharist at the historic St. Mary's Chapel in Hillsborough.

The Bishop discerned that we should be called the Episcopal Church of the Advocate. "The Advocate" has threefold meaning: 1) Jesus our mediator and advocate before God; 2) the Holy Spirit--the advocate and comforter who works within and among us; and 3) the people of God, called to be advocates for the love and way of God in the world in which we live. The Advocate's launching service was held at the Church of the Holy Family on September 21, 2003, as part of a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Anglican/Episcopal Church in Orange County. The launching congregation consisted of approximately 40 people of all ages made up of households from the Chapel of the Cross, the Church of the Holy Family, and St. Matthew's in Hillsborough, as well as some from other parishes, including St. Philip's and St. Stephen's in Durham, St. Andrew's in Haw River, and St. Bartholomew's in Pittsboro.

The Church of the Advocate worshipped the first year at the Unity Center of Peace in Chapel Hill. The Rev. Kym Lucas was funded by the Diocese to serve as a part-time assisting priest during this period. Services began at 5:00 pm, with a light meal or snacks following the service. Christian Education followed the meal. In January 2004, the Advocate was granted full mission status at the Diocesan Convention in High Point, amid much celebration, and with many representatives of the Advocate in attendance.

In May 2004, the Advocate began to rent full-time office and gathering space in an apartment at Ephesus Place on Ephesus Church Road. In August 2004, due to space constraints at the Unity Church, the Advocate began to worship at the Chapel Hill Kehillah, a Reconstructionist Jewish synagogue. Kym Lucas left to serve as rector at St. Ambrose Church in Raleigh. In the fall of 2005, the Rev. Liz Dowling-Sendor became the Advocate's Priest Associate.

Today the number of people who have joined the congregation since the launching has more than doubled, a wonderful indication of the growth and evolution of the Episcopal Church of the Advocate.

In being part of the birth of the Church of the Advocate, the Chapel of the Cross, together with her partner parishes, has participated in God's process of bringing forth new life to the Church and to the world. For me, as a bishop, the Church of the Advocate embodies the new life that God is calling forth in creation - life lived in harmony with the teachings and in the spirit of Jesus of Nazareth; life lived in communion and relationship with others of all types and stripes; life lived with the God who is the source and sustenance of true life. For that gift, I give God thanks. And I thank you, the Chapel of the Cross.

Daniel and Venicia Emory with Bishop Curry, on his first Episcopal visitation at the Church of the Advocate on June 19, 2005. Photo by Lisa Fischbeck

+Michael

Forming Christians "to love and serve the Lord"

The Rev. Liz Dowling-Sendor

Christian formation permeates every aspect of our life in community at the Advocate, starting most notably with our Sunday liturgy of Holy Eucharist (which includes a healing prayer station during communion). For Christian education, God has blessed us with an abundance of theologically trained members whose knowledge and enthusiasm infuse our Sunday afternoon classes. Our youngest learners gather with Elizabeth Lippincott, graduate of the Vanderbilt Divinity School and mom, for songs, stories, and games. The 6 to 10 year olds meet with Buck Cooper, a graduate student in UNC's School of Education who taught for several years at Immaculata School in Durham. Young people 11 and older meet with Laurea Glusman, a former youth minister who is pursuing a Masters of Divinity at Duke, having completed her Masters in Social Work at UNC.

Meanwhile, the adults gather to explore challenging subjects. This academic year, we are taking a long and absorbing look at two millennia of Church History. We call this series "Act IV," acknowledging that in the "five-act" history of God's actions - Creation, Israel, Jesus, Church, and the End of Time - we are now in the fourth act. As we wrestle with the stories of Christians who have come before us, and as we discover how God has shaped the Church to be what it is today, we engage with Scripture, tradition, one another, and our life together. Some of our topics include, "Emperors and Martyrs: What are we willing to die for?," "Life in Community: "What can we learn from the monks?", and "The Cathedrals: What is our theology of place?"

We extend Christian formation throughout the week by offering weekday celebrations of the Holy Eucharist, prayer requests sent out regularly by email, a healing prayer group, spiritual direction, and weekly contemplative prayer gatherings (Wednesdays from 6:00 to 6:45 pm at Ephesus Place). More occasionally, we enjoy seasonal Sunday-morning prayer retreats and special evening Eucharists that center on such themes as prayers for healing (in Lent), prayers for liberation (in celebration of the July 20 Feast Day of Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Bloomer,

and Elizabeth Cady) and prayers for grieving (the "Longest Night" liturgy in late Advent). In addition, times of fellowship, both informal and formal (including movie nights, community dancing, cookouts, Durham Bulls nights, Carolina Brewery nights), help strengthen our sense of communion with God and with each other in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Advocate also seems to be called to help individuals to discern their vocations. Over the past three years, we have provided Field Education supervision for three Duke Divinity School students (Peter Morris is our current Field Education student) and Internships for those in the ordination process (Sarah Woodard from St. Philip's, Durham, serves as our Diocesan Intern). We have also convened Parish Discernment Groups for Miranda Hassett, Gabe Lamazares, and Roxane Gwyn as they discerned calls to ordained ministry and went on to enter the Diocesan ordination process. In fact, parishioners of the Chapel of the Cross are reaping the benefits of our faithful attention to Christian formation: Gabe is currently serving you as a Diocesan Intern.

Elizabeth Lippincott with her son, Kieran, as he plays the avocado maraca. Chris Ringwalt prays with Rhett Brown and Jana Sartor at the prayer station during the Eucharist.

Photos by Chip Matteson

The Chicken, the Egg, or the Land?

By Tom Fisher

Lots of people ask us, "Where is the Advocate as far as acquiring some land?" Even more people ask us, "Where is the Advocate?" Right now we are one of the least visible churches in the community. We rent worship space at the Chapel Hill Kehillah on Sunday afternoons, so our signs are out there between about 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Sundays. We rent a smaller space for our vicar's office and an occasional chapel on Ephesus Church Road, but we cannot post signs there. We pay $25,000 a year for rent of the Kehillah and the Ephesus Church Road space.

Our vestry designated a work group on Theology and Ministry of Place earlier this year, broadening the scope of an earlier group that had been inquiring about the cost and availability of land. In our discernment process, we have been looking for any viable alternatives to buying land and building an expensive physical plant.

So far, we haven't found a way that would allow us to build a stable faith community without owning a place of our own.

The general sense of our vestry is that we are looking for land just outside Carrboro. One might think plenty of vacant land exists in our vicinity, but we quickly found that much of it is vacant for good reason. Land that empties into the University Lake watershed is under a stringent restriction. Only 5% of this land can have impermeable surface (and yes, impermeable surface includes gravel parking lots), so using two acres for buildings and parking would necessitate the purchase of 40 acres of land in the watershed area. Other areas of land beyond the purview of OWASA are made of orange clay that is not receptive to the septic systems that would be required of a church. So we look toward north Chapel Hill as well.

This brings up our immediate challenge. Given the cost of land, and the fact that available and usable tracts are few and far between, how do we make the leap to purchase a future church site until we have grown to a sizeable congregation and have become financially self-sustaining? Or, how do we become a sizeable and established congregation while we are so hard to find and don't yet have a place of our own? And how do we crack this egg before the land is all gone, or becomes even more expensive?

To that end, the Advocate vestry would certainly welcome the donation of a house for either temporary use or longer-term ownership. A house that could serve as our office and small chapel could save us the $12,000 per year that we are now spending to rent our space on Ephesus Church Road, and would give us a place to put a sign! A gift of five to forty acres of land, or the funds required for us to purchase the same, would be welcome, too.

Lisa vests for the once monthly Wednesday evening Eucharist at Ephesus Place. The apartment serves as an office space and what the Advocate refers to as "the occasional chapel." Meetings and services during the week fill the majority of the use of the space.

Photo by Chip Matteson

The Church of the Advocate-Finance History

From the Advocate files

The new mission started with gifts and pledges from the sponsoring churches and the Diocese, totaling about $225,000 (about $115,000 from the Chapel of the Cross). These funds were to be used to hire a priest and to supplement expenses for the mission over the first three years. From the start, the mission also depended on and received additional generous support from individuals.

Expenditures began in September 2002 with the hiring of the Gathering Priest, the Rev. Lisa G. Fischbeck, and the acquisition of office equipment and furnishings.

The Advocate congregation was launched a year later, in September 2003, and soon thereafter the new congregation pledged toward an operating budget for the first time.

For 2004: 28 pledges totaling $44,960 towards a budget of $137,600.

For 2005: 38 pledges, totaling $63,524 (a 41% increase) towards a budget of $164,600 (including $25,000 in rental of worship space and weekday office and gathering space.

By the end of 2005 the original launching funds were mostly spent. For 2006, new financial commitments were needed. And they came.

For 2006: 52 pledges totaling $98,580 (a 55% increase) towards a budget of $185,000. This jump in pledged income was the result of 18 new pledges and a significant increase in the amount of existing pledges over the previous year.

For 2006 the Advocate also received a pledge of $25,000 from the Diocese of North Carolina and renewed support from the three Sponsoring Congregations totaling $47,000 (including $35,000 from the Chapel of the Cross).

As the Advocate looks to 2007, we expect a smaller percentage increase in pledged income, as several households are moving out of state this fall and many households stretched to come up to the level they did in 2006. None-the-less, we hope for a 25% increase in pledged income - with pledges totaling $125,000.

We hope, once again, to make up the difference between budgeted expenses (approximately $195,000 in 2007) and pledged income (approximately $125,000) through support from the Diocese, the sponsoring congregations, and the renewed generosity of individuals who have a heart for the work we are doing.

Pictured are Sara Woodard, Char Sullivan, Lisa Fischbeck, Janet Yarborough, and Peter Morris.

Photos by Chip Matteson

The Liturgy of the Advocate

By Gabe Lamazares

When you visit a Sunday liturgy at the Church of the Advocate, you might notice a few things that are out of the ordinary. Inspired by models as diverse and innovative as the Monastery of the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, MA, and St. Gregory of Nyssa Church in San Francisco, our Vicar, the Rev. Lisa Fischbeck, and some early Advocate leaders settled on certain themes that would guide the planning and celebration of liturgy to express our character as a progressive, liturgical, inclusive church. Our liturgy is participatory, reverent, in a flexible space, and incorporates diverse strands of liturgical tradition. In an age when many new churches are going high-tech and amplified, the Advocate is, as much as possible, "unplugged," with God's presence made known in simple things and in one another.

To the extent that the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer allow, our liturgies are participatory. The liturgy isn't something we come to watch; it's something we gather to do together as the People of God. Chairs generally face each other or go in a horseshoe around the altar, giving a sense of the people gathered around. The pre-liturgy includes three aspects: 1) the "People's Prelude" or conversations; 2) the Welcome, in which a lay leader from the congregation reminds us, "The word 'liturgy' means the work of the people. Our liturgy today will be what it will be because each of us is here today. So when you sing, sing boldly; when you pray, pray loudly; when you are quiet, be present and aware of God and others around you."; and 3) the Silence, in which we "prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship God together."

éWe further manifest our participatory nature by encouraging solid congregational singing. Our songs come from a variety of sources -- the Hymnal 1982, Lift Every Voice and Sing; Wonder, Love, and Praise; Taiz; early American shape-note singing; and more. Though we have no choir sitting apart from the rest of the congregation, we have a cantor, a lay leader who leads the congregation in song. Sometimes the piano accompaniment on a hymn may drop out entirely in favor of a cappella singing from the congregation. In the discipline of listening and tuning that comes from singing together without accompaniment, we find a resonant symbol of our fellowship with one another in Christ.

Our participation in worship and Christ's presence among us is also made manifest by the processions of cross and Gospel book weaving through the midst of the congregation. For baptisms, we process to the font as a congregation, singing. Palm Sunday and the Easter Vigil provide occasions for even longer processions and help us move from being observers to participants in the sacred story.

With the permission of the Bishop, we make considered use of liturgical texts from Enriching Our Worship or from other Provinces of the Anglican Communion. During Epiphany last year, we used a Eucharistic order from the Church of Kenya to reaffirm the ties of prayer and affection that exist among us globally.

A lot of thought goes into planning the liturgy from Sunday to Sunday and season to season. But we also make room for the personal and the unplanned: singing for birthdays and anniversaries, a small child spontaneously dancing in fairy wings during a commissioning. We cultivate a creative "ordered chaos" that allows unexpected moments of ordinary grace to arise and be welcomed.

Every Sunday liturgy is both ancient and brand-new as we seek to embody our praise of God and communion with God and one another through Christ. We invite you to join us: come and see, come and do, come and be present with us. The liturgy will be different because you are there. †

From left to right from top; Cabe McCall is baptized; Eliza Shepherd sets the hymn board; Angela Garcia-Lamarca plays the Sanctus; Brian and Ezra Sartor check on mom in the sanctuary; Hugo Olaiz processes the Gospel and Venicia Emory touches it; Terry Milner takes the Eucharist from Roxanne Gwynn; Kyle Lombard, Kieran Lippincott, and Matthew Lombard eat cake; Char Sullivan, Jane Humm and Jan Symonds listen to the sermon. Photos by Chip Matteson.

Gabe

The Church of the Advocate's Community Engagement

By Chip Matteson

With an innovative church community comes a unique way to talk about how we think about Outreach. The Episcopal Church of the Advocate calls it Community Engagement.

Rather than thinking of it as "those with" reaching out to "those without" the Advocate has discerned that the spirit becomes present when we think of everyone as children of God gathering together for the benefit of all. We are all created for a purpose, to engage with each other in His name.

When I first moved back home to NC last year, I started attending the Advocate. One of my first encounters with this faith community was an adult education meeting after the Eucharist. The meeting was centered on choosing a focus for the Advocate's community engagement. Three options came to the table. All three were worthwhile causes to engage with but those present voted with hands passionately and overwhelmingly for engaging with Club Nova.

Club Nova, located next to Wendy's in Carrboro, uses a clubhouse model to engage the mentally ill community. They provide structure, activities, jobs and housing. Mental illness, like any other disease, permeates all aspects of our community. It reflects in community issues such as homelessness, the criminal justice system, and health care. Those with mental illness are without community and support in these days. They need our advocacy and our engagement.

At first, engaging with the mentally ill is simple but it's not easy. I have started spending a lot of time at the clubhouse. Those who are clouded with the illness that affects their thoughts and moods challenge your sense of self. It takes time to hone the emotional tools to see the person for the cloud.

The Advocate community has engaged in several ways with the clubhouse. We have had two clubhouse work days; painting, fixing hardware, spackling, and general help with the honey-do list. We also had a social and contra dance thanks to Larry and Barbara Rowan. I have led a photography workshop with the club members, and I participated in a club member's guitar class with twelve other members.

One of my more gratifying experiences came when I engaged with a club member who was in the guitar class. We created a cursory bond of sorts. It was surprisingly easy with his readiness to engage and his constant talking. Perhaps it's part of the cloud that is his struggle.

As we engaged more, I found openings to talk and begin the conversation. By just being present and giving him grief with a smile (my specialty), I felt it was very easy to give him my cell number to call me if he needed to talk. He called later that night to say he was in his group meeting earlier in the day and the group leader said he was doing better and that he was glad that I was around. He said, "Thank you Mr. Chip."

† Community engaged, simple and easy.

For God So Loved the World: Being Thankful for Earth.

Linda B. Rimer, Environmental Stewardship Committee Chair

It's Thanksgiving time again! That distinctly American holiday when we gather with family and friends to . . . eat too much, watch football, and anticipate the "day after" when the big Christmas shopping season officially begins?! Is this what Thanksgiving has become for too many of us?

Just as we traditionally focus on the new life that is associated with the spring, we likewise traditionally focus on the bounty of the earth during the harvest time of the year. What a wonderful time to give praise and thanksgiving to God for his creation, our planet home, and to re-commit ourselves to being good stewards of creation.

In Genesis 1:1-3 we read: At the beginning of God's creating of the heavens and the earth when the earth was wild and waste, darkness over the face of Ocean, rushing-spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters, God said: Let there be light! And there was light." (The Schocken Bible, Volume 1: The Five Books of Moses). *

In the remaining verses of this first chapter of Genesis, we read how God created land and the seas, and plants that "send forth seeds, after their kind, trees that yield fruit" (1:12) and waters that "swarm with a swarm of living beings", and fowl that fly above the earth and "all living beings that crawl about" and "wildlife of the earth after their kind, and the herd-animals after their kind, and all crawling things of the soil after their kind" (1:20, 25). In 1:27, "God created humankind in his image". Finally, in Genesis 1:31, we read "Now God saw all that he had made, and here: it was exceedingly good!"

So from the very beginning, God created and loved all that he had made. God expects us to love and care for his creation as well. Genesis 2:15 tells us that "God took the human and set him in the garden of Eden, to work it and to watch it". Realizing this truth sheds a different light on that most familiar of bible verses, John 3:16: "for God so loved the world that he gave his only son. . ."

In John Gibbs's reflections on John 3:16, we read that, while the Greek word kosmos ("world") sometimes referred only to humanity as a whole, it was also a designation for the cosmic totality (heaven, earth, the sum of all creatures).

God's love covers all humanity, yes! It also covers "all things," the comprehensive world of all creation.

This Thanksgiving, consider spending some time outside in God's creation, both during the day and again at night. Feel the warm rays of the sun in the day and gaze with wonder at the distant stars in the night, breathe deeply of the crisp air, be awed by the colors of the trees against the background of a deep blue sky. Give thanks to God for the earth. Commit to being a good steward of God's creation. Repeat this process every day of the year. †

Criss-Cross Applesauce Meets Cross Ties

By Stacey Richardson

This year Crossties has a new look. Some of our dinner guests have been seen crawling on the floor, making Fruit Loop jewelry, and playing ball games outside wearing glow necklaces.

In case you haven't heard, Crossties is now open to parishioners of all ages, including those primary schoolchildren who now sit "criss-cross applesauce" instead of "Indian style" as we called it when we were kids. Our first dinner in September was a hit, bringing out close to 25 people of all ages for food, fun, and fellowship. David Frazelle offered an opening prayer followed by individual introductions and group conversation. How nice to learn names of familiar faces!!!

Future dinners will follow the same format, with dates staying flexible due to home football games and church events. Our next dinner will be on Saturday, November 11 from 5:30-8:00 pm at the Church. The entree will be provided and guests are invited to bring side-dishes, desserts, and drinks. Homemade pizza will once again be on the kids' menu.

We hope that you'll join us in forming a small community within our larger parish community. Come learn some names, eat great food, and stay tuned for planned discussion topics to be raised at your dinner table. Since we need an accurate head count for food servings and childcare, please RSVP to me, Stacey Richardson at staceyr3@gmail.com. †

Jamie and Emery Campbell sit Criss-Cross applesauce. Photo by Chip Matteson.

November Programs Meetings

† Sundays Weekly

12:30 pm Social Hour, 8:30 pm Compline Choir Rehearsal

Mondays Weekly

7:00 pm Parish Choir Rehearsal

7:00 pm Edge of Adventure

7:30 pm Adult Education

Tuesdays Weekly

8:30 am Mary Harris Bible Study

9:30 am Staff Meeting

3:30 pm Girl Scout Troop 378
5:30 pm Episcopal Campus Ministry

6:30 pm Boy Scout Troop 9

Wednesdays Weekly

4:00 pm Junior Choir Rehearsal

4:00 pm Cantus Choir Rehearsal

5:00 pm Junior Choir Potluck
5:30 pm Centering Prayer

6:30 pm Girl Scout Troop 47
7:30 pm Senior Choir Rehearsal

Wednesday, November 1

Thursday, November 2

Deadline for December/January Cross Roads

2:00 pm Parish Visitors

Friday, November 3

EYC Lock-in

10:00 am Servant Leadership

Saturday, November 4
12:30 pm Reading with a View to Spirituality

† Sunday, November 5

No EYC
10:15 am One World Market

1:00 pm Social Ministry Committee

Monday, November 6

8:30 am Children Family Ministry

7:00 pm Habitat Partnership

7:30 pm Adult Education-Mary

Tuesday, November 7

12:15 pm Bach's Lunch

6:00 pm Personnel Committee

7:30 pm Finance Committee


Wednesday, November 8

5:30 pm Buildings Grounds

Thursday, November 9

5:30 pm Buildings and Grounds Committee

Friday, November 10

Saturday, November 11

5:00 pm Cross Ties Dinner

† Sunday, November 12

5:30 Episcopal Youth Community

Monday, November 13

7:30 pm Adult Education-Mary

Tuesday, November 14

12:15 pm Bach's Lunch

7:30 pm Master Planning


Wednesday, November 15

11:30 am Prayer Chain

Thursday, November 16
 6:00 pm Vestry

7:30 pm Short Story Group

Friday, November 17

10:00 am Servant Leadership

Saturday, November 18

† Sunday, November 19

9:00 am 1st 2nd Worship Class

5:30 Episcopal Youth Community

Monday, November 20
7:00 pm Special Worship with People with Developmental Disabilities

7:30 pm Adult Education-Mary

Tuesday, November 21

4:00 pm Capital Giving

8:00 pm Dobson Dedication III

Wednesday, November 22

Thursday, November 23

Thanksgiving Day

Parish Office Closed

Friday, November 24

Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend

Parish Office Closed

Saturday, November 25

e

† Sunday, November 26

No EYC

Monday, November 27

Tuesday, November 28

5:00 pm Adult Education

6:00 pm Master Planning Committee

7:00 pm Youth Council
7:30 pm Spiritual Life

Wednesday, November 29

7:30 am Men's Breakfast

Thursday, November 30

From the Parish Register

Marriages October 7 Katherine Elizabeth Anderson and Pierre-yves Louis

October 21 Suzanne Michelle Rouse and Edward Coleman Haley, Jr.

Marlin Elizabeth Jordan and Christin Jos Marn

Funerals October 10 Susan Bradshaw Estes

November Service schedule

Wednesday, November 1 (White) All Saints Day

Ecclesiasticus 44:1-10,13-14, Psalm 149, Revelation 7:2-4,9-17, Matthew 5:1-12

8:00 pm Solemn Eucharist: Rite I (Church) The Rev. Michael Hunn

Sunday, November 5 (Green) All Saints Sunday BCP p. 925

Ecclesiasticus 44:1-10,13-14, Psalm 149, Revelation 7:2-4,9-17, Matthew 5:1-12

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Chapel) Ms. Lee

9:00 a.m. Baptism and Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church) Mr. Frazelle

10:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II (Carolina Meadows) Mr. Smith

11:15 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Church) Mr. Frazelle

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II (Chapel) Mr. Frazelle

9:30 pm Sung Compline (Church)

Sunday, November 12 (Green) The Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 27) BCP p. 910

1 Kings 17:8-16, Psalm 146 or 146:4-9, Hebrews 9 24-28, Mark 12:38-44

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Chapel) Ms. Jamieson-Drake

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church) Mr. Elkins-Williams

11:15 am Morning Prayer and Holy Eucharist Rite 1 (Church) Mr. Elkins-Williams

4:00 pm Holy Eucharist Rite I (Carol Woods) Ms. Lee

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II (Chapel) Mr. Elkins-Williams

9:30 pm Sung Compline (Church)

Sunday, November 19 (Green) The Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 28) BCP p 910

Daniel 12:1-4a(5-13), Psalm 16 or 16:5-11, Hebrews 10 31-39, Mark 13:14-23

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Chapel) Mr. Frazelle

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Church) Ms. Lee

11:15 am Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church) Ms. Lee

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II (Chapel) Ms. Lee

9:30 pm Sung Compline (Church)

Thursday, November 23 (White) Thanksgiving Day

Deuteronomy 8:1-3,6-10(17-20), Psalm 65 or 65:9-14, James 1:17-18,21-27, Matthew 6:25-33

10:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Chapel) Dr. Joyner

Sunday, November 26 (White) The Last Sunday after Pentecost, Christ the King (Proper 29) BCP p. 910

Daniel 7:9-14, Psalm 93, Revelation 1:1-8, John 18:33-37 or Mark 11:1-11

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Chapel) Mr. Elkins-Williams

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church) Mr. Frazelle

11:15 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Church) Mr. Frazelle

4:00 pm Holy Eucharist Rite I (Carol Woods) Mr. Elkins-Williams

5:15 pm Baptism and Holy Eucharist Rite II (Chapel) Mr. Frazelle

9:30 pm Sung Compline (Church)

Upcoming Musical Events

Dobson Organ Dedication II-Festive Concert of Music for Organ, Soprano, and Chamber Orchestra

Tuesday, November 21, 8:00 pm

Dr. Susan Moeser, organist

Molly Quinn, soprano

James Ketch, trumpet

Music by G. F. Handel, J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart, and Felix Mendelssohn

An Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols

Sunday, December 17, 9:00 am and 11:15 am
The Senior and Junior Choirs

Bach's Lunch

A Noontime Series of Recitals
Tuesdays - 12:15-12:45 pm

November 7 (Kleuker Organ)

Alexander Anderson

Holy Trinity Luthern Church, Chapel Hill, NC

November 14 (Kleuker Organ)

Dr. Rachel Gragson

Monumental United Methodist Church,

Portsmouth, VA

Adult Education Opportunities-November 2006

Sunday Mornings

10:15-11:00 am

November 5
Saints, Sinners and You
Over the years specific saints, and certainly the general concept of sainthood, have probably touched your life countless times in one context or another. Learn something of the history of the All Saints celebration, canonization, and some stories of ordinary, yet extraordinary people.

November 12

Intergenerational Event
Hunger and Poverty: Globally, Nationally and Locally: Intergenerational Event (see future publicity for children's ages to be included)
"There are now 6.4 billion human beings, fashioned in the image of our Creator. Of these children of God, one in seven of us is hungry. One in seven of us live in urban slums. One in six of us lack clean water to drink. Over one in three of us lack basic sanitation. Nearly half of us live on less than $2 a day." (Excerpt from What Can One Person Do?) Join one of our groups to engage in a project that addresses hunger and poverty at home or abroad. Learn more about the Millennium Development Goals (developed by the UN and endorsed by the Episcopal Church) which, among other goals, aim by 2015 reduce by half the proportion of people who are hungry, and reduce by half those whose income in 1990 amounted to less than one US dollar a day. Sponsored by the Social Ministry Committee.

November 19
Preparing for Advent: The Rev. Tammy Lee
It may be hard to remember amid the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle, but Advent is a penitential season, a time to prepare one's heart and mind for the annual celebration of Christ's birth, not just an opportunity to max out your credit card and lose your equanimity "getting ready" for Christmas. Tammy always has very practical, doable suggestions for keeping our focus where it belongs in this season.

November 26
Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
Gather in the Chapel for a sing along of songs and hymns. Stories about some of the hymns and songs will be offered.

Weekdays

Tuesday Mornings:
September 6 through May, (8:30 - 9:30, parish library)
Mary Harris Bible Study
New members are welcome! The group began years ago reading and discussing the Bible. They are continuing a study of Paul's letters and other New Testament letters: James, Peter, Jude, John, and Hebrews. Group members share in facilitating the weekly study.

Reading with a View To Spirituality
Saturday, November 4, (12:30 - 2:00)
 Read J. Philip Newell's The Book of Creation then join others to discuss how life and faith merge in this book. The group meets quarterly. Bring a bag lunch. Call Raquel Goldberg for additional information, 929-3332.

Evenings

Mondays: November 6, 13, and 20,
(7:30 to 9:00 in the parlor)
Book Study: Mary: The Imagination of Her Heart by The Rev. Penelope Duckworth: Facilitated by The Rev. Martha Hart
This book invites readers to look at Mary in various ways: as prophet, matriarch, theologian, disciple, intercessor, and paradigm presented with contemporary scholarship and reflections from art and literature. The author also touches on the differences between Anglican and Roman Catholic understandings of Mary.

A lectio divina Experience
 Following the pattern of the 2006 Lenten Contemplative Prayer groups, a small group experience will be offered for the season of Advent. The groups will use a way of praying scripture called lectio divina . Groups will meet once a week for the first three weeks of Advent. Six groups are scheduled, but additional ones may be added, if needed. Four groups will meet during the day and two groups in the evening. Five groups will meet at the church and one at Carol Woods Retirement Community. Sign up in the parish office or complete the form below and return to the parish office by November 26.

What is lectio divina ?
 Lectio divina means literally "the divine reading." It is a monastic designation for the meditative reading of the Scriptures. Its elements are those of a spiritual frame of mind, a holy discipline that intuitively and effectively dwells on a biblical text as a means of seeking communion with Christ. One could say that "lectio" is making one's own a small selection, phrase, or word of the Bible, in pursuit of greater faith, hope, and charity. It is simply a prayer over the Scriptures. The monastics of the early and medieval church developed this into a fine art. There are four elements involved:

lectio itself, which means "reading," understood as the careful repetitious recitation of a short text of Scripture;

meditatio or "meditation," an effort to fathom the meaning of the text and make it personally relevant to oneself in Christ;

oration, which means "prayer," taken as a personal response to the text, asking for the grace of the text or moving over it toward union with God;

contemplatio, translated "contemplation", gazing at length on something.

The idea behind this final element is that sometimes, by the infused grace of God, one is raised above meditation to a state of seeing or experiencing the text as mystery and reality; one comes into experiential contact with the One behind and beyond the text. It is an exposure to the divine presence, to God's truth and benevolence. In the three sessions, facilitators will read the scriptures three times at intervals allowing participants to experience each element. At the conclusion, participants who choose, will share their prayer experience.

Advent Prayer Group "lectio divina " Registration Form

Name ________________________________________

Email/phone __________________________________

Check Group Choice _ __ Sunday, 7:30 pm ___Tuesday, 7:30 pm

___Wednesday 9:00 am ___Wednesday 4:15 pm ___Thursday 11:00 am

___at Carol Woods Retirement Center in the home of Sara Hill on Thursdays at 10:00 am

Altar Flowers for Christmas

Offerings of flowers for the altars of the church and chapel are especially appropriate for memorials or thanksgivings at Christmas. If you wish to contribute toward Christmas flowers, please complete this form and bring or mail it to the church office by Monday, December 18 . A check in the amount you wish to contribute should be made payable to: The Chapel of the Cross, memo line Christmas flowers.

Mailing Address: St. Hilda's Altar Guild - Christmas flowers

The Chapel of the Cross

304 East Franklin Street

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Enclosed is my check for $ __________

Please print in ink (full names, no titles):

Memorials____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Thanksgivings_____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

My name, address, and daytime contact number:____________________

_____________________________________________________________

All Aboard again! launching the Gift Ark

Special offering sponsored by social ministries

Martha Schütz, Emma Lo, and Gretchen Jordan

Last year there was an abundance of Noahs among us who successfully helped to fill the ark with two of every animal! So, once again we are calling for all the Noahs to step aboard and bring your spouses and children to help out! We want to fill yet another ark! Let's repeat our success of 2005 for Heifer International, an organization that supplies farm animals to struggling families around the world. Our goal is to try to raise funds for an entire ark, or two each of: cows, oxen, beehives, sheep, water buffalo, goats, camels, llamas, donkeys, trios of ducks, guinea pigs, pigs, rabbits; flocks of geese, and flocks of chicks. Each family who receives livestock from the Gift Ark will pass on one or more of the animal's offspring to other families in need in their community. The Gift Ark can be filled, two by two (or puzzle piece by puzzle piece!), for $5,000. With our connections to Honduras, we are making a special request to Heifer International to have at least some of our animals sent to Honduras!

…Our ark building began on September 10 when an official of Heifer International was with us at the 9:00 service to say thank you for last year's project and encourage us in our second one. On behalf of the parish, our rector received an engraved plaque, now displayed in the dining room along with a large colorful puzzle of Noah's Ark to be assembled over the next several weeks. You may "purchase" as many pieces as you like to fill in the puzzle. Our goal: a finished puzzle and a full Gift Ark for Heifer International-in time to celebrate on November 12 at the intergenerational event on hunger sponsored by the Social Ministry Committee. As each piece is "sold," the donor may fix it into its place in the puzzle. When the full image appears, we'll have completed the puzzle and our goal all together-since an effort this large will need all hands on deck! Remember that you can purchase puzzle pieces and receive an "Honoring You" donation card to send to someone. These make great gifts for Christmas, birthdays, or other special occasions.

You may visit the Heifer International website at http://catalog.heifer.org/giftark.cfm for more details about the Gift Ark. Watch for the Ark display in the parish dining room; it includes information on the Heifer Gift Ark, ark-shaped collection boxes for youths, and the puzzle itself!

How to get our youngest involved? One idea is to honor a good deed each day with coins for children's ark boxes until a family piece(s) can be purchased! (Please feel free to share any other enrichment ideas with Gretchen Jordan, who can also be contacted to arrange advance giving.)

Happy Ark embarkment! †

From the Parish Mailbox

21 September, 2006

Dear Martha (Hart) and Parish Family,

St. Mark's and La Guadalupana join me in sending our gratitude for the boxes of books sent to support our children's reading program. They arrived in good form, and we are excited about resuming the program in our new Community Center, La Casa de San Marcos - St. Mark's House.

The fire has dealt us a severe blow, but we are not down and out. In fact, we are resolved to look ahead and move forward in faith and with God's help.

Thank you all for your loving help.

Blessings, Phil (Byrum, Vicar of St. Mark's

and La Iglesia De La Guadalupana)

Advent Opportunities

Special Worship Services

December 17 Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols at 9:00 and 11:15 am

December 24 Services for the Fourth Sunday of Advent at 7:30 and 10:00 am

Youth led pageants at 3:00 and 5:00 pm

Holy Eucharist at 7:30 pm

The Christ Mass at 11:00 pm

Sunday Adult Education

November 19 Preparing for Advent

with the Rev. Tambria Lee

It may be hard to remember amid the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle, but Advent is a penitential season, a time to prepare one's heart and mind for the annual celebration of Christ's birth, not just an opportunity to max out your credit card and lose your equanimity "getting ready" for Christmas. Tammy always has practical suggestions for keeping our focus where it belongs during this season.

December 3 An Intergenerational Event in the dining room and campus center to create Advent wreaths and Jesse Tree ornaments

December 10 The Annual Advent/Christmas Poetry Gathering with Michael McFee - Bring a favorite seasonal poem to share with others or come and hear from Michael's collection.

Weekday Prayer Groups see registration form (previous page)

Following the pattern of the 2006 Lenten Contemplative Prayer groups, a small group experience will be offered during Advent. The groups will use a way of praying scripture called lectio divina . Groups will meet once a week for the first three weeks of Advent. Six groups will be offered initially, but additional ones may be added. Four groups will meet during the day and two groups in the evening. Sign up in the parish office no later than November 26.

Quiet Day

Saturday, December 2, Camp New Hope

Join the Spiritual Life Committee and the Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams from 9:30 to 2:30 for quiet reflection. Sign up in the parish office.

Caroling to Homebound Parishioners

Sunday, December 10, 3:00 pm - Join other families and parishioners in the dining room to sip some cider and hot chocolate and practice a few carols before dividing into groups to caravan to area nursing homes and parishioners' homes to bring joy into this season.

Children's Pageant

Saturday, December 16, 2:30 pm - All children, preschool and elementary, are encouraged to participate in the pantomime of the Luke 2 narrative on Saturday afternoon in the church. No practice is necessary. You simply arrive early, choose a costume, dress, and find a place in the church. Parents are prompters and the story unfolds in a mystical way! A reception follows in the dining room.

Devotional Resources - available in the dining room

A variety of resources for daily and weekly personal devotions will be on display in the dining room. These include activity resources for children, Advent calendars, family devotional guides to use with Advent wreath lighting rituals, youth guides, adult guides, and Day by Day booklets. All materials are free.

Cross Roads is the monthly newsletter of the Chapel of the Cross. Please e-mail information to submissions@thechapelofthecross.org or submit written information to the parish office. Deadline for the December/January edition is Thursday, November 2, 2006.

Last updated: October 27, 2006

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