Thoughts to Ponder...a heart bursting with love and gratitude.
Yes, dear friends, it is my heart that is bursting with love and gratitude as we come to another Wednesday "Good News." The last ten days have been quite a whirlwind, in our family and in the life of St. Barnabas.
Ten days ago, Jim and I made a quick (as in 2 1/2 days) roundtrip to Daytona Beach, Florida to honor Jim's aunt and uncle in a combined Celebration of Life. Married 68 years, Uncle Bob died on September 9; Aunt Sis died on October 10. Not people of a proclaimed Christian faith, their love and care for one another and for the greater world is something to admire and for which to give thanks. The world is better because of them.
Then as we made our way to the "official" end of our Stewardship Campaign for this year, people's (YOUR!) generosity and gratitude just kept pouring in. Pledge after pledge arrived each day, by mail, online or a card simply being brought in. While there are some phone calls to make to ensure everyone has had the chance to be a part of supporting our life and ministry in what promises to be a very exciting year, we already know we have "hit" an all time high in pledges...over $203,000! St. Barnabas will be able to do great things, with God and one another, in the coming year.
Finally, there is the grand celebration of All Saints Sunday just a few days ago. So many of you have commented how very special the service was: the honoring of our loved ones while we welcomed the newest members through the waters of Holy Baptism; the splendid music; the breathtakingly beautiful floral arrangements; the laughter; the tears; the just all around good feeling to be alive.
All this, in the midst of bitter political campaigns, in some receiving unsettling medical news, in others simply trying to find the strength to get out of bed and put one foot in front of the other for one more day.
The warp and weft of life; the good and the bad; the down and the up. We all know life is not one blemish free experience. Yet we get to choose how we will greet and live each day: as an Eeyore, expecting the worst (and looking for the worst!) or as a cockeyed optimist, expecting (and looking for) the goodness of God no matter what. We do have a choice. My choice is to be the latter, and in doing that, I discover my heart is bursting with love and gratitude. As we prepare to begin a new liturgical year in just a few weeks, I encourage you to choose to live your life optimistically, allowing love and gratitude to be your guides. Who knows? It just might be your best year yet!
It has been said "We should not believe in some kind of survival or immortality or just "life after death" - but resurrection, an utterly new creation, new transformation into Love that is promised as something that can happen in this world and is God's final chapter for all of history. That is why a true Christian must be an optimist. In fact, if you are not an optimist, you haven't got it yet." (Richard Rohr, Yes, and...)
Thank you. Be an optimist, a grateful, loving optimist.
Blessings on this lovely day and let's stay in touch,
Betty+
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Odds and Ends:
Have you checked out our other two FaceBook pages? The Soup Kitchen at St. Barnabas posts daily with inspirational messages, the latest information where meals can be gotten, and now that cold weather is here, the cold shelters (day and night) in our area. Check it out and pass on to someone this may help. (Thanks to parishioner/Soup Kitchen Board member Sharon Hunt for maintaining this page. And Yes, an Instagram account is also in the works.)
Our other FaceBook page is Friends of the Soup Kitchen at St. Barnabas and is geared to those who wish to know more about us and hopefully support our ministry with financial donations and/or volunteering. Check this page out also and pass on to someone who might be interested. (Thanks to Soup Kitchen Board member Melanie Johnson for creating and maintaining this page.)
Did you know that all of our various meetings are open meetings? Check out the schedule each week and see if there is a ministry God is calling you to consider. This week, we have Contemplative Prayer, Bible Study, Bell Choir, Choir rehearsal and Soup Kitchen Board. Come and see!
  Another great Sunday is on the horizon! This coming Sunday, we will have the pleasure and honor of blessing two new sets of vestments for use in our Eucharistic worship. The new blue Advent vestments will be used for the first time on Advent 1, November 27; the new green vestments will be used this Sunday! Come and rejoice in the loveliness of these gifts.
Our Fall Bible Study on "Miracles" continues tomorrow, Thursday, November 10 at 12 noon in the Treadwell Room. We will discuss 2 resurrection miracles of Jesus: the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44) and the raising of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17). Please read in preparation for our class discussion.
 Come a little early this Sunday and enjoy a rousing bell choir Prelude.
Enjoy the photos on our Instagram account of All Saints Sunday. Follow us and stay up to date with St. Barnabas!
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The Holidays are coming...and lots will be happening at St. Barnabas. Please get out your calendar now, mark the dates and be sure to tell a friend!
NOT one but TWO holiday concerts at St. Barnabas!
- On Saturday, December 10 at 7 p.m. The 36th Annual Community Christmas Cantata Choir will present this year’s concert, “Born Is the King: It’s Christmas” created by Luke Gambill and Sue C. Smith. The choir supplements the story with the addition of songs from other sources. The program, music with narration in a blend of contemporary and traditional styles, is about one hour long. Our 60 participants (five-part choir, narrator, piano, synthesizer, guitar, electric bass, clarinet, flute and percussion) come from more than a dozen communities and a variety of faith traditions, several counties and two states! The performance will be interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) for the hard of hearing. There is no admission fee, but a free will offering will be received to benefit YCAP (Yamhill Community Action Partnership) www.CantataChoir.org
- On Sunday, December 18 at 5 p.m., the St. Barnabas Choir will be joined by the Dayton Community Renaissance Choir for our annual Lessons and Carols. There is no admission fee, but a free will offering will be received to benefit the Soup Kitchen at St. Barnabas.
And on Sunday mornings, beginning Advent II, (December 4), you are invited to come early to church and give yourself the gift of quiet meditation. Beginning at 9:15 a.m., we will have a presentation of Advent works of art accompanied by lovely orthodox musical recordings. The lights will be dimmed and all talking encouraged to take place outside the Nave, so that in this busy season of activity, we can pause and reflect on the true meaning of Advent. Please note: Because of copyright laws, we will not be able to broadcast this offering; our regular broadcast will begin at 9:27 as usual.
 And we aren't done yet! On Sunday, December 4 and 11, everyone is invited to stay after church as long as they can, to help make "fleece, no tie" blankets to be given to those who just might need a warm cuddly wrap around. No experience is needed; no minimum or maximum age. And who knows? On a cold, December morning, we might just have some delicious hot soup to share. Plan now to give to others a symbol of the warmth of the season.
And yes, we will participate in the annual Salvation Army's drive for Christmas gifts. Watch for more information after Thanksgiving.
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Thank you's to...
- Linda Benson, Lyn Giammanco, our Choir, Alan Muench and our three brass instrumentalists who made the All Saints Sunday music so wonderful!
- Susan Huffman who has now scrubbed all the side walls in the Nave and then to Pete Granger, Bob Mathers, and Gene Menke who applied new varnish. The whole place looks so much brighter!
- Altar Guild members who set up for the lovely All Saints Sunday service.
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Schedule for November 9 - November 16
Soup Kitchen serves dine-in, sit down meals Monday through Friday, 4-6 p.m.
Wednesday, November 9: Office hours, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Thursday, November 10: Office hours, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- 10 a.m. Contemplative Prayer
- 12 noon Bible Study: "Miracles" (Treadwell Room)
- 6:00 p.m. Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner
- 7:15 p.m. Bell Choir rehearsal
Friday, November 11: Office hours, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 12:
Sunday, November 13
- 9:30 a.m. Worship with special blessing and dedication of the new Vestments
- Coffee Hour
- Adult Forum: What would make your Advent really special?
- Choir rehearsal
- AA, 7 p.m. (Parish Hall)
Monday, November 14: Office closed
- 6 p.m. Soup Kitchen Board
- 7 p.m. NA (Parish Hall)
Tuesday, November 15: Office hours, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Wednesday, November 16: Office hours, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Please note: The Church office will be closed the entire week of Thanksgiving, November 21-25.
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Here are some links that you might find interesting:
- Join the St. Barnabas "Parish Talk" group here
- With the once every three years General Convention happening this summer, stay informed of what is taking place by checking in here at the Episcopal News Service...or joining their email list.
- The Episcopal Cafe here offers timely and interesting articles about our church. Join their email list and enjoy.
- The St. Barnabas website is up...and "bare bones. Please review and send your thoughts/ideas/comments to Laurie.
- The Episcopal Diocese of Oregon
- The Episcopal Church in the USA
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In case of emergency, please contact the Interim Rector 503 472 5831 (church), 202 207 5463 (cell) or at rector@stbmac.org.
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The Vestry (Parish Leadership)
Interim Rector/Presider: The Reverend Betty S. McWhorter
Senior Warden: JacE Macy
Junior Warden: Susan Huffman
Clerk: Tara Rich
Treasurer: Nan Cramer
Other members: John Cramer, Katrina Jones, Budd Kass, Matt Meador
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St. Barnabas Episcopal Church
822 SW Second Street
PO Box 539
McMinnville OR 97128
503 472 5831
admin@stbmac.org
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The great feast day of All Saints Sunday this past Sunday was over the top wonderful! Thanks to one and all who helped to make it so and to all those who showed up to celebrate with the saints of God. You can enjoy 10 photos here on 
