I was looking for some old computer files the other day and I came across a folder of newsletter articles from 2012-14 (before I came to Nativity). I clicked on the one from November 2012, wondering what I might have written about to my congregation that election year. And I found that most of what I wrote then is as true, or more so, as it was then. Take a look:
“It” will be over soon, and I cannot wait. The “it” is Election Day. I wish I were anxious for it to come because I was excited to cast my votes, but the reality is I’m anxious for it to be over because I’m tired of the ad campaigns and the phone calls and the mail and the rhetoric of candidates that seem to find it much easier to proclaim the weaknesses and undesirable attributes of their opponents rather than their own strengths, gifts and political experience. I’m tired of tv ads that seem to run over and over every 8-10 minutes and media that makes mountains out of molehills. I’m tired of wishing that just a fraction of what is being spent on campaigns could be spent to feed hungry children and provide medical care for those who have none.
But at the same time, I know that God is at work through our political system—despite the human bumbling. In John 19:11 Jesus tells the political leader Pilate: “You would have no power over me unless it had been given from above…” God is in control. But we have a role in helping it all come together, too. Paul reminds us in Romans 13:1 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
We are blessed to have the freedom to be a part of our political system and its decision making process. With that blessing comes responsibility. And we need to be careful that we don’t compartmentalize that away from our faith. We enter the polling place and the voting booth not only as citizens of the United States but also as people of faith and as Jesus’ disciples. We continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus in that voting booth. Our votes should represent votes that consider not only what we want for ourselves, but also what is just: just for all humans created in God’s image, especially for those that Jesus entreats us to care for; just for God’s good creation: and just in ways that will bring peace to God’s whole world.
Soon it will be over, this election season. No more ads, no more debates, no more lawn signs. But the choices of the majority will remain. Let’s make them choices of faith. We are blessed. Get out and vote!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor
This year the negative ads are worse from all sides; the media exaggeration and meddling are worse across the spectrum; the division and disrespect in our country are much greater. And we’ve been told that, in fact, due to our Electoral College system, there is the possibility that the choice of the majority may not win. Also, many of you have already cast your votes in early voting. If you have already voted, I hope your faith directed your choices. If you haven’t voted, please do so and please let your faith direct your choices.
I still—12 years after writing it—believe that God is present in and through our political system. I do NOT believe that whichever candidate wins is God’s choice. The winner will be the result of human votes. I DO believe God will be with us no matter who wins and what policies are enacted or rescinded. God will be with us. God will bring us hope. God will call on us to be instruments of peace and love. No matter what. Get out and vote!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor
Nativity will be collaborating with Come Spring Food Pantry in Union to provide Thanksgiving “baskets” to 12 families in western Knox County. The list of needed items is on the sign up table in the narthex at Nativity
Each “basket”(actually a reusable shopping bag) will contain:
12-14 pound turkey
1 disposable turkey roasting pan
2 boxes stuffing
2 jars/cans gravy
1 jar cranberry sauce
4 cans veggies (green beans, corn, peas)
5 lbs of potatoes
1 lb butter
6 eggs
1 muffin or cornbread mix
Dessert - brownie mix, pie crust/canned filling, cake mix/canned frosting
Because we are not all worshipping in person, please speak to Ann Walker in person or by phone, text (860-917-7678) or email (aejmd73@gmail.com)to sign up for contributions. She will let you know what is still needed.
Purchased items may be dropped off at Nativity any time up to Sunday November 24th. The collection box will be in the Narthex by the west door. Perishable items (turkeys, pie crusts, butter) may be placed in one of the freezers/refrigerators in the kitchen. Turkeys dropped off on or after Friday November 22 should be placed in the refrigerator to begin defrosting. Need help with delivery? Call Ann Walker for pick up!
Want to participate but can’t shop/deliver? Send/drop off a check (made out to Nativity with Thanksgiving Baskets in the memo line) to:
Nativity Lutheran Church
179 Old County Rd
Rockport, ME 04856
This money will be used to purchase final items for the baskets on November 24 and any surplus will go to the Come Spring Food Pantry to support their work. To learn more about Come Spring Food Pantry visit comespringfp.org.
Thank you for helping make Thanksgiving special for others!
On October 13 we held a festive worship service to dedicate our new baptismal font, given by Sue Ann Moore in memory of Charles and Margaret Guilkey. The pedestal was built by Pastor Jerry LiaBraaten. We interrupt our progression through the liturgy in this column to share the words he wrote about the font.
OUR NEW BAPTISMAL FONT
When Nativity made plans to build a new sanctuary members were invited to provide their input regarding its design. One of the top three, if not the highest priority, for the new sanctuary that came from that survey was windows. People wanted a light, open, airy space with lots of windows! Then, when the chancel furniture (chairs and side tables) were commissioned for our new worship space the same design criteria were incorporated.
Our new baptismal font pedestal was created with the same criteria in mind: Light. Open. Airy. In addition, it’s made of the same wood, tiger maple, as the chancel chairs and tables. It also mimics their soft curves and thin, sleek lines.
The twelve staves that support the large round upper and lower tables of the font pedestal represent the twelve tribes of Israel--a reminder of our roots in the Judaic faith from which Christianity sprouted and grew. The mini pedestal upon which the baptismal bowl rests has twelve sections to its base. These represent the twelve apostles, the apostolic tradition and in particular, its teachings regarding baptism.
The outward curvature at the top of each of the staves as well as the ascending variation in their height represents baptismal waters splashing out of the bowl. Our Lutheran understanding of baptism is, in a word: Grace! And God’s grace, like water, splashes all over the place. It goes everywhere and gets into everything. It permeates every part of our lives--our understanding of ourselves as children of God, our relationships with each other and the world--all our thoughts, words and actions. In short, it seeps into and through our daily lives no matter where we are or what we are doing. It invites us to see ourselves and others not as we so often do, as broken human beings, but as God sees each of us (like the tiger maple wood of the font pedestal and baptismal bowl) as unique and exquisitely beautiful.
The word ‘baptism’ comes from a Greek word which means “to plunge.” The word ‘font’ comes from the Latin word for fountain which means “source” or “origin.” When we put these two definitions together we see the purpose of baptism is this: To plunge us into our source, into our origin, into God’s grace, or as St. Paul put in the New Testament, “into Christ.” When we do this grace splashes near and far. No wonder Martin Luther encourages us to return to our baptism every day!
Each time we leave worship, our new baptismal font will remain here in our beautiful sanctuary. But we, as people plunged again and again into God’s grace, go out into the world as living, breathing, pulsing baptismal fonts of that very grace.
Submitted by Pastor Jerry LiaBraaten
It’s time for Toys for Tots to get going and Jody the coordinator is trying a new thing this year. You may remember seeing a portable moving storage container in Nativity parking lot late last December. A local company donated its use, and Jody was able to load most of the leftover toys into it for storage at the storage company’s facilities.
The storage container will arrive again in the next week or so and she’ll be able to unload the leftover toys and begin to get organized. As new donations come in she’ll have space in the container for duplicates. If it all works as she hopes, she’ll load this year’s leftovers in and repeat next year.
If you’d like to help with Toys for Tots speak with Pastor or Phil Pratt and we will give you Jody’s contact information so you can be in touch with her to find out what help she might need.
For more information about Toys for Tots, click here
You are welcome to join Pastor Anderson on Tuesdays,
9:30 - 11:00 AM, for casual and spontaneous conversation.
Come and go at whatever time works for you.
Nov 5 - Dot’s, Rt 1, Lincolnville
Nov 12 - No Out of Office Hours
Nov 19 - Hole in the Wall Bagels, 754 Main St, Rockland
Nov 26 - No Out of Office Hours
AIO Continues to expand its services to the people of Knox County. Here are some highlights of the recently concluded fiscal year:
Served 1590 unique households that include 3,775 people, about 9% of Knox County’s population
Collected and distributed over 668,000 pounds of food
Hosted 14,657 market visits, feeding 33,980 family members
Distributed 62,000 Weekend meals for 550 school children, up from 500 last year
Provided 227 households with 35,000 gallons of fuel oil and 300,000 KWH of electricity
Families utilized over 30,000 diapers
In addition, AIO expanded its capacity and services in two major ways:
Funded by grants, AIO has purchased a new van, which makes it possible to makes trips to the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn to pick up food beyond the periodic deliveries Good Shepherd makes to the pantry. Since picking up the new van in late August, AIO has made 10 trips to Auburn and secured more than 35,000 pounds of additional free food. Over time this will amount to 15-20% more food than we usually receive from Good Shepherd.
AIO has also expanded the Weekend Meals program to serve Vinalhaven schools and has expanded the land-based program to serve middle and high schools as well as elementary. In addition, a greater variety of food is now available for students in this program.
Upcoming events provide several opportunities for supporting AIO’s mission to feed people experiencing food insecurity:
Annual Appeal – AIO raises about 1/3 of its budget through its annual appeal, now underway through December. Make a donation by 11/15 and your donation will be matched up to $17,500.
Thanksgiving Boxes
- Donate Turkey dinner fixings – everything from turkeys (15 lb) to pie fillings by 11/15 by dropping off at AIO
- Help prepare the boxes on 11/19 from 9am -1pm.
- Help distribute boxes on 11/21 from 2-6pm.
If you want to volunteer, call AIO (207-596-1043) and speak to Keisha Beal.
Fill the Strand – The 5th annual Fill the Strand event will be held on January 20, 2025. This is a great opportunity to support AIO with a bag of groceries or a donation.
Pies on Parade – This festival returns on March 14-16 after a Covid hiatus. AIO needs volunteers to bake pies and to help plan and organize. Or just buy a ticket and enjoy pies at more than 25 venues.
Ted Long
AIO Board Vice-Chair
3 - Sherry Cobb, Bonnie Hoffman, Dex Pavelich
4 - Marty Taylor, Sharon McCullough
8 - Lynne Taylor
16 - Mimi Moore
21 - Barbara Alberda
23 - Arleigh Huntley
26 - Bob Dawson
28 - Gail Kimmel
Editor's note: Did we miss your birthday? Please email your birthday date to kmusicorama@gmail.com so that we can add you to our monthly salutation.
Sunday, November 3 - All Saints Sunday
Remember to turn your clocks back!
9:00 AM - Choir practice in Sanctuary/Adult education in Meeting Room
10:30 AM - Worship in-person and online
1:30 PM - Hymn Sing at Breakwater Commons. See Kim Murphy if you would like to join in.
Monday, November 4
7:00 PM - Men’s Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting
Tuesday, November 5 - Election Day
Remember to Vote!
9:30 - 11:00 AM - Out of the Office Hours
Dot’s, Rt 1, Lincolnville
Thursday, November 7
8:00 AM - Morning Prayer, via Zoom
3:00 PM - Coastal Family Hospice Volunteers Grief Group for Parents, Meeting Room
Sunday, November 10
9:00 AM - Choir practice in Sanctuary/Adult education in Meeting Room
10:30 AM - Worship in-person and online
Monday, November 11 - Veteran's Day
7:00 PM - Men’s Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting
Tuesday, November 12
No Out of Office Hours
Thursday, November 14
8:00 AM - Morning Prayer, via Zoom
3:00 PM - Coastal Family Hospice Volunteers Grief Group for Parents, Meeting Room
Sunday, November 17
9:00 AM - Choir practice in Sanctuary/Adult education in Meeting Room
10:30 AM - Worship in-person and online
Monday, November 18
7:00 PM - Men’s Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting
Tuesday, November 19
9:30 - 11:00 AM - Out of the Office Hours
Hole in the Wall Bagels, 754 Main St, Rockland
Thursday, November 21
8:00 AM - Morning Prayer, via Zoom
3:00 PM - Coastal Family Hospice Volunteers Grief Group for Parents, Meeting Room
Sunday, November 24 - Christ the King Sunday
9:00 AM - Choir practice in Sanctuary/Adult education in Meeting Room
10:30 AM - Worship in-person and online
12 noon - Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Rockland
Monday, November 25
7:00 PM - Men’s Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting
Tuesday, November 26
No Out of Office Hours
Thursday, November 28 - Happy Thanksgiving!
Note For midweek prayer via zoom - there is a separate Zoom link.
Email Pastor at office@nativityrockport.org if you would like the zoom link. Please also email Pastor if you do not have the Sunday link.
Month of November
Flowers: Annie Appleton (Nov. 3, 17, 24); Sherry Cobb (Nov. 10)
Acolyte: Ann Walker
November 3
Assistant Minister: Ted Long
Reader: Betty Long
Usher: Carol Brazier
Altar Guild: Tina Huntley
November 10
Assistant Minister: Betty Long
Reader: Ted Long
Usher: Tina Huntley
Altar Guild: Carolyn Ramm
November 17
Assistant Minister: Marty Taylor
Reader: Sandy Abate (remote)
Usher: Jennie Dynesius
Altar Guild: Sue Ann MooreNovember 24
Assistant Minister: Carolyn Ramm
Reader: Marty Taylor
Usher: Bruce Cobb
Altar Guild: Carolyn Ramm
Would you like to usher or read scripture during a service? We are looking for more assistants! Email Kim Murphy at kmusicorama@gmail.com if you would like to be added to the schedule.
- Upcoming: The Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen will be hosted by Nativity Lutheran Church on Sunday November 24th. Can you help? See Hans Akselsen if you can assist with the Soup Kitchen on that day!
- The Pastor’s Discretionary Fund: Please remember that an extra $5 or $10 each month may make a huge difference to a family in need! Please indicate any additional donations as "Pastor's Discretionary" when you mail in your monthly offering.
- Don't forget: One simple way to help care for creation is to download the weekly bulletin onto your smart phone or tablet and then bring that device to worship or use it when you zoom at home saving paper and resources. Need help figuring that out? Call Pastor for Android help or Denise Stadler for Apple help.
- Your aluminum pop tabs can help keep families with sick children close to each other and the care and resources they need. Look for the paper bag on the Social Ministry bulletin board in the Narthex. Place your tabs in the bag and take your container home and fill it again! The tabs are donated to the Ronald McDonald House.
A Note from your editor, Kim Murphy
Reminder - send articles and photos by the 20th of each month.
Email kmusicorama@gmail.com
Photos this month: Lynne Taylor, Hans Akselsen, Ann Walker, Elaine Isakson, Jane Monhart, Kim Murphy, Balloon Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash, Aluminum can tabs Photo by Donald Giannatti on Unsplash, Coffee Shop Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash, Internet resources
Nativity Lutheran Church
Sunday Worship (Sept -May) 10:30 AM
Summer Sunday Worship (June - August) 9:30 AM
Email: office@nativityrockport.org
Website: www.nativityrockport.org
Location: 179 Old County Rd, Rockport, ME, United States
Phone: 207-594-4665