FROM ELETHA’S DESK

I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e :

From Eletha’s Desk

Praying with Icons

1-2

3

Annual Meeting Report

Words from Naomi

4, 5

6

Quiet Day

Lenten Healing Service

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8

The Trinity’ Invitation Saying Goodbye

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9

Gifts Exchanges Meal Packing

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11

C h u r c h o f t h e

N a t i v i t y

NATIVITY SCENE M a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 6 V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2

WORSHIP SERVICES

Saturdays

5:00 PM Holy Eucharist

Sundays

7:45 AM Holy Eucharist

9:00 AM Adult Education

10:00 AM Holy Eucharist

with Sunday School

and Nursery Care

(Continued on Page 2)

Lent is about Jesus’ journey to the cross. However, it is also about the disciples

whose lives were changed by a simple invitation, “Follow me.”

For each disciple, the day of their calling must have been memorable, perhaps be-

cause they did something so radical, so unlike what they had ever done before.

They were adults who took their responsibilities seriously. One had no choice back

then. There was no infrastructure – unemployment benefits, disability benefits,

food stamps, heating assistance, etc. - that would carry them over. If disability

struck, the only vocation available was to become a beggar, a beggar who always

had to rely on the generosity of others.

Thus something very powerful must have happened to them. Can you imagine? It

was a simple invitation that said, “Follow me,” that changed their lives drastically!

They left their fishing nets, their families, their family trade, and their friends who

probably thought they had lost their minds. But they hadn’t lost their minds; they

just lost their hearts and spirit and surrendered themselves to God’s desire.

They followed, they listened, they learned and they watched as Jesus brought heal-

ing to the bodies, minds, and spirits to those who wanted to catch a glimpse of

God. They learned about the true nature of God, God’s desire for human beings (to

love one another) and God’s ever inexhaustible source of love, mercy and for-

giveness.

Then that fateful day came when they lost the one that they had grown to love,

grown to trust, and grown to rely on. In their scattered hiding places, stricken with

grief and disillusionment, a consuming question must have found its way into one

of the darkest moments in their lives, “What now?”

Their willingness to change their lives with Jesus’ invitation was their own deci-

sion, but evil in the hearts of some human beings brought a change not of their own

making. This change resulted in a loss, a terrible loss that left their lives feeling

empty. “What now?” Even if they turned back to ‘what was,’ their lives would

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never be the same. It is hard to see a future when in deep grief. Change not of our own making,

not of our own desire, can take a terrible toll on the human spirit. Loss, especially the loss of a

loved one, always brings about changes in our lives, changes that can challenge our faith, our trust

and/or sense of wholeness.

When day had turned to night, the darkness of the nightmare of the day reflected the darkness that

set deep within their hearts. Some of us have been there, done that, but the gift that is ours is that

our faith tells us that the one we love is safe in the presence of God, and what remains is what we

will take with us at the time when our destiny is fulfilled and that is love. We, unlike the disciples,

in the first couple of nights of the loss, know that the resurrection happened. He rose from the

dead and we with him.

But death where is thy sting? It is with the living, those left behind to find once again a sense of

wholeness. Time will allow our wholeness to embrace, encircle, and encompass that piece of us

that can never be filled by any other human being. It is in knowing that the Resurrection hap-

pened that we are able to face the challenging changes that loss brings with hope and trust in

God’s ever unchangeable and unconditional love.

Yes, Alleluia. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed and so shall we and all who we deeply

love. As said in the burial liturgy, “Life has changed – not ended…” and it is all because God

loves us so much that he sent his only begotten Son, who then sent his disciples to share the Good

News with us. Thanks be to God!

So “WHAT NOW?” Knowing what you know, what you believe, as you look upon the cross this

Easter, ask yourself, HOW RADICAL CAN I BE FOR GOD? AMEN

N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2

(Continued from Page 1)

A PRAYER FOR THE TIME OF TRANSITION

Almighty God, Creator of all we are, all we have and all we

can be:

We thank you for the many ways you have protected and in-

spired us

throughout Nativity’s history.

Open our hearts and minds to the guidance of the Holy Spirit

so that,

working together, we will use our gifts to further your mission during

this time of transition;

in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2 P a g e 3

Praying with Icons was the topic of the January Quiet Day. In to-

day’s world of technology, we use icons frequently. We click on

an image, and it opens up to something we want to connect with.

In the Quiet Day, we looked at religious icons, particularly ortho-

dox icons, as a way of opening us up to prayer. Icons tell stories,

like scripture, and a spiritual truth is conveyed through the image.

They become “holy doors” through which we are invited to enter

into prayer and growth in our understanding and experience of

God.

The history of icons is particularly significant as the early icono-

graphers gave us images of the saints, and these images remain

with us today. As we look at the images and the scriptures repre-

sented in the icons, we are invited into the scene, the image, and

the truth of what is being conveyed. During the time of quiet, we

were encouraged to ponder the icons, and to stop, look, and listen.

Stop…What catches your attention? Place yourself in the scene or context. Stay there.

Look…What do you see? Is there a story being told? What is happening? What does it feel like? Be aware

of your senses. What emotions are you feeling? Who or what are you drawn to?

Listen…What might God be saying to you? What might be His invitation to you to hear or experience? What

of God’s truth is being revealed to you?

An interesting example of icons that some of you may have noticed is a very large icon seen briefly in the

nave, but is usually seen in Eletha’s office. This is called Pantocrator, “Ruler of all”. In this image of Jesus,

we note that His hand is in a gesture of a blessing, and He is holding a book of scripture, representing the

Gospel. When looking at the face of Jesus, we see that each side of his face has a subtly difference expres-

sion. One side is more stern, representing judgment; while the other side of the face is softer, representing

mercy. Both judgment and mercy are seen in the face of Jesus.

e are blessed to have a number of icons available to us, particularly with the beautiful Russian Icon Museum

so close to us. I encourage you to be open to something that may be new to you, and to perhaps explore new

ways to learning of God and experiencing His presence through icons.

Sally Kazarian, Refuge Ministry

PRAYING WITH ICONS

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N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY, NORTHBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS

MINUTES OF THE FIFTY-SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING – FEBRUARY 21, 2016

The meeting was called to order by Bruce Reilly, Senior Warden, at 12:15 pm. Bruce opened with our tran-

sition prayer. A short silence was held to remember past members who had passed in previous years. A

quorum was declared with 59 members in attendance.

It was moved, seconded and passed unanimously that all written reports in the Annual Report be accepted as

presented without ministry comments.

Minutes of the 2015 Annual Meeting were moved, seconded and accepted unanimously by the membership.

The 2015 Financial Report was presented by our treasurer, Henry Terwedow. The report was moved, se-

conded and unanimously accepted by the membership.

FINANCIAL REPORT:

The 2016 Financial Report, previously approved by the vestry, was presented to the parish.

Because there is an addition of $19,000 in this budget to cover the cost of the new rector’s search and the

ancillary funds needed to move and install a new rector, a group of parishioners have proposed fundraising

events:

The first fundraiser is schedules for March 19. The Assabet Valley Chamber Singers will present a con-

cert. Coffee and desserts will be served

More suggested fundraisers will be forthcoming

If fundraisers are not successful, a mini-campaign to raise funds will be held

There being no further questions or comments from the floor, a motion was made, seconded and accepted to

approve the coming budget. Motion passed.

Bruce Reilly, our Senior Warden, described our vestry nomination process. The following officers have

agreed to return for another year of service:

Senior Warden: Bruce Reilly (one year)

Junior Warden: Sue Roche (one year)

Treasurer: Henry Terwedow (one year)

Clerk: Lois Macek (one year)

It was moved, seconded and passed that the nominations be closed. The Clerk was instructed to cast one

vote for the slate of nominees for the Executive Committee

Vestry members:

Karen Emery (3 years)

Tony Rea (3 years)

Nancy Kimball (2 years)

Peg Walcott (2 years)

Marjorie Carlson (1 year)

Sheryl Brower (1 year)

It was moved, seconded and passed that the nominations be closed. The Clerk was instructed to cast one

vote for the slate of all nominees.

V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2

N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

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Other elections for CY 2016:

Convention Delegate At Large: Joan Gilchrist

Convention Delegate Vestry: Nancy Kimball

Convention Delegate At Large: Glen Campbell

Convention Delegate Youth: open

Alternate Convention Delegate: Bette Ann Whynot

Alternate Convention Youth Delegate: open

It was moved, seconded and passed that the nominations be closed. The Clerk was instructed to cast one vote

for the slate of nominees for the Convention Delegates

Maureen Desilets said she would look into the matter of a youth delegate for the convention as well as an al-

ternate.

SEARCH COMMITTEE UPDATE:

Mary Frances Rozak, chair of the committee, spoke to the congregation, updating parishioners in general on

the process of the search and how it was proceeding.

First, she thanked the Profile Committee on the long, hard work they expended on preparing the profile and

its reflection of who and what Nativity is. It is to be noted that the Profile Committee was also honored for

their service at the 10:00 am service this morning prior to the annual meeting. This committee has now dis-

banded.

Mary Frances added that the profile has now been put on a national database, as well as the Nativity website.

Canon Rich Simpson will be attending a national transition meeting in March and will present our profile at

that time.

The committee, which has been meeting periodically since July, is now meeting weekly. Jim Baker has spent

time developing possible questions to be asked of a potential rector. The Holy Cow survey that the Profile

Committee used to develop our profile will also be used by the Search Committee to vet potential candidates.

We are looking for a rector to move us forward and build our community.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The following acknowledgements for retiring vestry members were made:

Glen Campbell and all the other hats he continues to wear

Janet Wilcox and all her ministries

Paul Gill for his sustained devotion to Small Groups

With no further business the meeting was adjourned with prayer at 1:10 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Lois F Macek

Clerk of the Vestry

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N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

A Thought about Stewardship “Stewardship is the act of organizing your life so that God can spend you.”

Lynn A. Miller, author

As I ring in the New Year I look back on how God has worked in my life this past year and look ahead

with eager anticipation for all that He has planned for me in 2016. This fall I entered into my second year at

UMass Amherst after switching my major from Environmental Science to Sustainable Food and Farming with

a minor in Sociology the previous semester. I began to reflect on how I was to use my degree to glorify God

and how I could apply what I was learning at university to missions.

One of the biggest changes this year was becoming a growth group/Bible study leader. When first

asked at the beginning of the semester I struggled back and forth on whether I should accept. I wanted to make

sure I was saying “Yes” for the right reasons. Was God calling me to step up or was my ego being flattered by

others viewing me as a good and knowledgeable Christian? Facilitating discussion however helped me to learn

more from my peers than the other way around and it was an emotional semester supporting each other

throughout the trials of the life and school. There is something raw and vulnerable about praying for each oth-

er that just brings people closer. Setting aside time to prepare kept me accountable to spending time with

God’s Word and I saw that I wasn’t just throwing out the phrase “I’ll pray for you” willy-nilly anymore but

was spending time praying for the wonderful women that have become my sisters in Christ. I began to see that

my friendships that were Christ-centered were deeper and more meaningful, while I still have friends who are

not Christian my conversations were them seemed to pale in comparison. For the first time I have a communi-

ty of believers who are keeping me accountable as we live and worship together.

This year I had the privilege to attend Urbana ’15, a missions conference held in St. Louis, Missouri

every three years. For five days I had the opportunity to experience multi-cultural worship, hear from people

who have dedicated their life’s work to Christ, attend seminars, and network with ministry organizations. Alt-

hough the cost was a hurdle I felt this was where I needed to be. Urbana helped me to reflect on how I am liv-

ing out my faith. While at Urbana I decided to apply for a summer job with Youthworks, an organization that

organizes mission trips and Christ-centered programs for youth and families across the United States. I am

looking forward to seeing how God will continue to use me this semester at UMass and hopefully this summer

wherever He plans to send me.

I left Urbana with some great nuggets of truth, some truths that I knew but didn’t really “know”. I real-

ized that while I said I trusted the Lord I hadn’t surrendered all of my worries to Him. Some things were small

enough that I could trust Him with them, but the big ones like how I was going to manage to pay for school

where too big for Him to take and I was holding onto to them with a tight fist. I was driving myself crazy with

worry and letting it consume me and I had had enough. I found myself with the same hesitations when looking

at jobs and missions. Thoughts like, “Okay God, send me where You will, but only to a place where I can

make a decent living, and where I won’t be overwhelmed or persecuted, oh and don’t forget God I get sun-

burns really bad so if You wouldn’t mind only call me to a place where it isn’t too hot.” Who am I to be telling

God what to do and putting limits to His great and mighty power? If I know that He has overcome sin and

death why do I think He can’t overcome something as small as a price tag or the climate? I am excited to see

how I can continue to grow and serve the Lord on campus, trusting in His provision and selfless love.

WORDS FROM NAOMI DESILETS

N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2 P a g e 7

At our February Quiet Day, we contemplated “waiting,”

noting that human beings, particularly for those of us living

in an addictive, overbooked, quickaholic culture, hate to

wait. We spend much of life not living in the moment but

looking ahead for something to change. Have you ever

noticed how often we pray to avoid waiting, for instant and

miraculous healing? Such healing can occur, yet produc-

tive waiting demands surrender and passivity, a willing-

ness to abide in the situation for a while.

God places high value on waiting as one of His greatest

tools. The Bible is full of people having to wait for God’s direction or action, while He says: “Not now. Trust Me:”

Jacob’s 7 plus 7 years waiting to marry Rachel, the 40 years in which Moses’ followers made a circuitous trip that

could have been accomplished in weeks, the 70 years of the Babylonian captivity. God had plans for those long peri-

ods of waiting, always placing greater value on the transformative possibilities of waiting than upon reaching human

goals. If we align ourselves with God’s intention, we look not upon our goal but instead upon what we can become

as we wait.

Our faith so values waiting that we devote two liturgical seasons to it: Advent, when we await the incarnation, God

with us, and Lent when we await His triumph and His offer of new life. We are called to repentance and transfor-

mation during these seasons.

Transformation can be painful because it requires abandoning behaviors, masks and myths that served us well but

no longer work. Letting go of familiar and trusted tools is confusing and frightening. Yet when God wants to change

us, He creates a temporary darkness in which we wait, and, hopefully, transform.

These periods of painful waiting are consistent with God’s creative pattern: the caterpillar who through the process

of metamorphosis, ultimately becomes a butterfly, the bulbs we planted in the fall now lying dormant in the earth,

hibernation, change within a tiny seed. All of these transformative God-created processes involve a cycle of creative

waiting and new birth. God is not in a rush. He takes the time it takes. This is how God works, in the physical world

and with us as spiritual beings.

When we surrender to waiting and become willing for God to move in His own way, in His own time, we move from

waiting for God to act, to simply waiting for God to be God….to do whatever He wills in us. Such freedom!

Jesus went through cycles of transformative waiting. He spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness, preparing for his

earthly ministry, a night of anguish in the garden becoming ready to submit to the cross, and several hours on the

cross when darkness covered the sun as he made his goodbyes to his life as a human. And there was the tomb,

which became the womb from which he rose in victory.

This is God’s plan, as demonstrated in scripture, creation and in the life of Jesus. Seen in this way, those periods of

waiting are invitations for us to be transformed into people who are ready for the next stage in life. Waiting is a gift if

we let it be.

At Nativity we can receive that gift as we wait for a new priest. We have been offered a time in which to look careful-

ly at ourselves as individuals and as a congregation, accepting God’s help to transform. Rightfully understood, this

can be a season not of darkness and dislocation but of freedom, hope and new birth

Lisa Phelps

The Gift of Waiting During our Transition: Quiet Day Meditation

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N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

LENTEN HEALING SERVICE

THE TRINITY'S INVITATION by Lori Blackwell

Child are you listening for me?

Be still and hear my call

I have a glorious plan for you

Though I can promise you’ll stumble and fall

I’ll be right here to steady you

Not once - but every time

And though the path gets bumpy

Remember… It’s not just yours - It’s mine

I’ll walk with you each tender step

Through troubles I’m at your side

You’ll make an awful lot of mistakes

It’s not an easy ride

But you do not travel alone my child

Father, Son, and Spirit - Three

The Nave was bathed in candle light as it was prepared for the Lenten Healing Service on March 2. The

soft meditative music was played on the guitar and sung by Nicole Garcia with selection from Taize. Rev.

Eletha led a time of prayer and scripture reading followed by prayers and anointing for healing at the altar

rail. The Eucharist was then celebrated. The service was quite, gentle and inspirational with the congrega-

tion leaving in silence as the candles were extinguished.

The next Healing Service will be held on Wednesday, March 16 at 7 PM.

V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2

N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

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SAYING GOODBYE TO FR. MICHAEL

On February 28th our parish got together after the 10:00 service to have a

farewell party for our beloved Fr. Michael Cheney. The theme was Chinese.

Chinese food was ordered for over 100 parishioners. Along with other dishes.

It was a feast we will remember for some time. Friends came as far as New

Mexico to surprise Fr. Mike! The hall was filled with over 150 people. Aman-

da Panikian was our mistess of ceremony .Amanda had the room in stitches as

she played word games to compliment our honoree . Erica Swift, the artist she

is, designed a special cake for the occasion. Roses for Dana and chocolates for

the kids ended the time with a money purse for Fr. Michael donated by our loving parishioners. Fr. Michael

gave his little flock at Nativity a inspiring fair well blessing, and our response was a standing ovation and

cheers. Sue roche

The above picture

is the two cakes

designed by Erika

Swift.

V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2

N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

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Is there something about music that resists being bought and sold? This seems like a naïve ques-tion. The buying and selling of music and musicians is woven into our whole way of life. Every pro-fessional musician, or anyone who plays for social or religious occasions, expects to be paid. Salary disputes are legion, and the funding of symphony orchestras is no picnic in the park. Church direc-tors and staff must be paid, musical scores purchased, recordings made, and a huge publishing in-dustry offers countless products. No one can escape the economics of music making. When we oc-casionally see handwritten music, we know we are among amateurs — unless it is a Bach manu-script for sale! I recently came across a forgotten treasure. There, under a stack of magazines, was a box contain-ing my father’s arrangements of Christmas carols and a set of his 6-by-9-inch blue jazz fake books — all the musical notation in his own hand. Those sheets and little books of copied music were far more than things to be quantified or sold for a price. They were signs of an exchange between two living subjects. Suddenly, I was taken back to playing piano in his band years ago, often using his carefully written signatures. For a moment, it was as if he was right there looking over my shoulder at the piano; and I was returning his work to him in some important way — a gift returned even though so many years had passed since his death. This got me pondering how music can resist the forces of commercialization. Despite the fact that we can’t go home to a time when music and musicians were not bought and sold in a cultural econ-omy (was there ever such a time?), here was evidence of something intrinsic about the art of shared music. He had given me a gift as my teacher, and as a loved human being with whom I had played music. I think of an old-fashioned Sunday school orchestra and later a weekend dance band. Why is this so priceless? Sentiment and emotional attachment are obviously involved. Yet, some-thing else was present — a deep connection mediated by the notation sounded again. There is something about performing and listening that is akin to a full gift exchange: When we give and re-spond to a giver, when we play for others and they attend to the performance, we receive — just as in listening to and playing Bach’s Musical Offering. We are given ourselves back. These occasions are filled with generosity and mutuality. To give and to receive in musical sharing awakens a social world of gratuitous relationships — going beyond “counting the cost.” In a complicated world of economic and social/cultural arrangements, we often long for relationships with objects in the world and with other human beings where there are “no strings attached.” Break-ing through the restrictions of what costs what, or what commercial value can be assigned, we dis-cover a space of grace — gratuity. In other words, freedom for joy and beauty and human creativity just because it is, not because of what it’s worth. The 18

th-century New England theologian Jona-

than Edwards called this a “consent to being.” Music, well offered and responded to, opens such a consent. This exchange of gifts, human to human, is at the heart of this. Of course, hearing a great sympho-ny orchestra requires an economy behind the performance. Sustaining a good choir or a chamber group, much less maintaining an organ, is also a matter of money and public value. But the living musical exchange is more a sacrament than a commercial transaction.

GIFTS EXCHANGED (Editor’s Notes)

Glen Campbell found this article interesting and wanted to share it with the parish. We hope you find it en-

joyable reating.

V O L U M E 5 7 , I S S U E 2

N A T I V I T Y S C E N E

P a g e 1 1

All this is a thinly disguised argument in favor of quality amateur (for the love of it) music-making. Yet, it also applies to all the ways music resists the restrictions and external valuations of profes-sionalism and economic structures. I can certainly purchase finely edited versions of the music in those ink-blotted scores I found tucked away; but nothing can replace the gift exchange they repre-sent: a mystery hidden from the jaded eyes of the world. As when friends converse without pre-tense or competition, music can still be the occasion of a deeper communion: the sacrament of sound giving us life beyond buying and selling. DON E. SALIERS, Chaplain, American Guild of Organists Copyright 2016, by the American Guild of Organists. Reproduced by permission of The American Organist Magazine.

MEAL PACKAGING IN WESTBOROUGH

THE OUTREACH MINISTRY participated on February 6, 2016 in a meal packing event at the Good

Shepherd Lutheran Church 183 West Main St, Westborough MA from 1pm to 3pm. 10 - 15 volunteers

were requested, and many of our teens with some adults responded. Last year’s event packaged just over

43,404 meals that were distributed to local food pantries in the Worcester area, and a similar number were

packed this year. Janet Wilcox, the past liaison on the Vestry for Outreach, extended her thank you to all

who participated.

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY

45 Howard Street

Northborough, MA 01532

508-393-3146 (fax) 508-393-0702

We have been called together by God

to be and to make faithful followers

of our Lord Jesus Christ

www.churchofthenativity.org

Check out our weekly News and Notes listing of

announcements and events.

THE NATIVITY SCENE

MARCH/APRIL

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO.52

NORTHBORO, MA

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

MARCH

12 Quiet Day

19 AVM Concert and Dessert

20 Psalm Sunday

26 Egg Hunt at 4:30

26 Easter Family Service

27 Easter Sunday

APRIL

9 Quiet Day

12 Vestry

TBA Town Meeting