It’s a bit of a cliché, but a useful one in this season: we need invitations to slow down and take a breath! Each of us needs this invitation in different ways, and we probably each know a person who might need to hear that invitation from you. So here are a few meaningful invitations for the coming weeks.
Have you heard a sermon recently that you think a friend would find meaningful (or just want to share about how awesome John Goodell is at the piano)? Our weekly podcast is now available on all major podcast platforms! So go to Spotify, or Apple Podcasts/iTunes, or Google Podcasts, and search for “Reflections from St. Clare’s Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor” and subscribe. (You can also continue to find it on our website at https://saintclareschurch.org/podcast ) Listen and share!
Do you know someone who is grieving or just in need of a peaceful hour this season? Quiet Christmas (6:30 pm on Thursday, December 15) is a contemplative service that allows us to mark the Christmas season in a way in a way that is particularly approachable for people experiencing grief or just in need of a time apart from the busy-ness of the season. Through music, poetry, and candle-lighting, we’ll make space to feel the peace of Christ’s presence in the midst of the heaviness and stress that this season can carry.
Do you know a family who would like to be a part of a fun and welcoming Christmas service? Our Christmas Eve Pageant (4pm on Christmas Eve) will be interactive, short, and followed by hot chocolate. Weather permitting, it will be outside around a campfire like last year! Kids can just show up on Christmas Eve, grab a costume, and be a part of acting out the story. If someone has a flair for drama and would like a speaking part, they can show up at 5pm on Thursday, December 22 and get a role during our very short rehearsal, and enjoy some pizza afterward.
We all need welcoming places to find meaning, peace, and joy in this time in the world. Give yourself a moment to breathe and connect this month, and if someone comes to mind who needs the same thing, pass the invitation to join you along.
With care,
Anne