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January 6 is the day we celebrate the visit of the magi to the Christ child. They bring gifts of myth, frankincense and gold so we assume they were 3 although we don’t know how many or if they were all men. I like to think we are all wise people seeking the Holy One who we find in the child of Bethlehem. I wonder what star we follow? Is it a star like the pole star that leads us to our true home? Or is it some other star of the moment that leads us to blind canyons and dead ends? Twenty one years ago I was ordained a priest after living my ministry as a lay person for much of my life. I am still fascinated by the idea of following stars to find the sacred places of life and relationships. One thing I know is that unless it is dark one cannot see stars. Another is how looking out into the star-filled skies makes me aware of how we are a part of the universe – being created out of the same material as the galaxies – star dust. It is my hope that you will know that you are part of the creation, beloved of your Creator – here in this time and place to be the one without whom life would not be the same. Thanks for all your support over the years along with all the churches I have served in Wyoming. Ann+ PS: If you did not get your Epiphany ornament (as pictured) I will have them for you January 8. Enjoy! Annual Meeting January 22 January 22 following the 9:30 AM service we will have our annual meeting. We will affirm our support for BAC members and hear reports on the budget and our mission projects. Please plan to attend and bring some food to share for our fellowship. Patricia+ More Cleaning Teams Needed As you are probably aware volunteer teams clean the church every two We currently have 5 teams so the duty is every 10 weeks, usually on Saturdays for a couple hours. You can set your own schedule. Please consider if you can sign up for this ministry. Thanks to Dick and Kathy Park, Bill and Ginny Larson, Terri Maragos and Lianne Thompson, Beverly Goertzen and Ann Fontaine, Becky Berg and Carol Jones – our current Cleaning Crew Teams. Contact Ann (reply to this newsletter today!!) Yours for a tidy church! Ann+ Pledge cards and Annual Statements Your 2016 statement is now available in the entryway (narthex). Thanks to Janet Lease for the preparation and distribution. After January 31 statements not picked up will be mailed. Pledge cards for 2017 are ready to be filled out. Please return these as soon as possible so we can plan for the year. Tornado Relief Update From BBQ: The Tornado Relief Committee distributed an application form for home-owners and businesses to document their losses; and mailed to every Manzanita post office box. To date, $25,000 of those Tornado Relief Funds have been disbursed to 12 recipients. We still have funds on hand, with more donations expected to come in. We want everyone who had losses to PLEASE fill out an application (available the on counter at Manzanita News & Espresso, and can be received by email from Lucy Brook (babbles@nehalemtel.net). Deadline for receipt of applications is January 31. Photos of December and the rest of 2016 click here
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Blessings of The Epiphany
weeks. Bathrooms, empty waste baskets, dry mopping floors and dusting are the weekly items. If you have time there are other thing you may want to tune up: window washing, using wood soap on the pews, getting bugs out of sconces, spider webs, whatever you notice.
