November 2016 St. Clarian monthly newsletter

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Dear Ones,

As you read this, we approach wonderful and beautiful All Saints Sunday, then at long last, the relief of election day. I hope you will consider joining us to pray at any moments convenient for you between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., and Jessie and I will conduct a Eucharist at noon, with prayers for the nation, and a service of healing and hope to close at 7 p.m., with the laying on of hands. On All Saints Sunday we celebrate the communion of all faithful people in all times and places. On the Tuesday following, we exercise the great ritual of democracy in the U.S.

I am very mindful of how stressful this election has been for all Americans. Several weeks ago I posted this on Facebook: In 1860 three candidates ran in an election fraught with the possibility of national dissolution and civil war. from where I sit, the 2016 election seems more emotionally wearing on all Americans, but I pray hope and believe that we shall overcome all threats to due process and constitutional government, and even find some positive transformation out of our travail. we are experiencing an exhausting and truly historic election cycle. God bless America. keep hope alive. be nice to people of differing political persuasions who are experiencing stress just like you, but out of other perceptual narratives. only kindness and honesty can help people to change and heal and grow. but silence in the face of exaggerated contempt or meanness just empowers crazy and aggression. step up and look up.

For me, being a citizen is inseparable from how I view the world and act in the world as a person of faith. Our nation has problems and challenges, and also the gifts and the means to rise to the occasions. Recently a dozen or so St Clarians attended a lecture by Dr. Beverley Tatum, a well known scholar and beloved alumnus of the University of Michigan, who wrote, among other books, Why Are All the Black Children Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? She warned us that her talk would be depressing, as she worked on a revised edition of the above title for its twentieth anniversary, as so little has changed for the better since then. The biggest driver of re-segregation is the devastating loss of earning power among African-Americans, and their higher unemployment rate, since 1997. This leads to less integrated schools, and more neighborhoods that are isolated and lack diversity. During the same time period the poverty rate has increased among Americans of European majority descent from 3 to 11%.

I bring this up because I believe, as both a rational citizen and a person of faith, that many of our nation’s bigger problems will not move well toward God’s light until it is easier for the bottom half of our nation’s people to earn a decent living, with all the options that opens up about where you live, and how you see yourself, and how your children see themselves. I pray that after the election, real change that leverages the prospect of good economic possibilities for those below the median will come to pass, and I invite you to pray and speak and act to promote well-being for all.

So this has been a stressful election cycle, born of stress in the lives of poorer Americans. Yet if we are fortunate, educated, and our median household income is $56,000 or more, the national average, we have not been subject to the same kinds of stresses as those who come to our Food Pantry each week. I also pray that to those to whom much is given, as Jesus said, we will rise to what God expects of us. We should pray and reflect and resolve to live lives that show generosity and patience and compassion of spirit, giving, and self-chosen vulnerability in the name of the one who we follow as Christians.

In Christ’s love,

NEWS AND EVENTS

OASIS HYMN SING: Oasis was founded 16 years ago to welcome, affirm, and support people who are Transgender, Bisexual, Lesbian, and Gay (TBLG) and their families and friends who are seeking acceptance in the broader Christian community and striving to live out their commitment to Christ in their daily lives. We support congregations striving to become more inclusive. We work for the day when our society will respect the dignity of every human being. On Saturday, November 5, Oasis will celebrate its 16th anniversary with a sung Evensong at 7 p.m. at St. Clare's, followed by refreshments and a hymn sing led by the Rev. Julia Huttar Bailey at 7:30 p.m. During this time we will take up a free will offering to support the ongoing work of Oasis.

RESPONDING TO THIS ELECTION WITH PRAYERS FOR HEALING AND HOPE: There’s no question this election has taken its toll on our nation. We are more divided and fearful. We are filled with anger and hate in unprecedented ways. It seems so much is riding on this election. As Christians we’re called to maintain our faith and trust that God will be with us and present to everyone throughout this entire election process.

In response to the divisiveness and fear of this election cycle, St. Clare’s will be holding a vigil of healing and hope for our nation on Tuesday, November 8. You’re invited to sign up for hour-long increments of prayer in our chapel between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to keep vigil over our nation as we make this important choice. Sign up at www.saintclareschurch.org/vigil. We’ll have two opportunities for worship throughout the day: One at noon (a service of Holy Eucharist in the chapel) and one at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary. Please direct any questions to James or Jessie.

In addition, we will be distributing small “prayer packets” on Sunday, November 6. You can pray these prayers on your own at home, work, or school, or you can hand them out to friends, family members, and co-workers to offer them a glimpse of God’s grace. Do you have a prayer for our nation and this election that you’d like to share with the community? Send it to Jessie (Jessie@saintclareschurch.org) or James (james@saintclareschurch.org) by Friday, November 4, so we can include it in this ministry.

RACIAL INJUSTICE: LET'S BE PART OF THE SOLUTION! Join members of St. Clare’s on Sunday, November 13, at 2 p.m. as we attend a film hosted by the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ). This film, White Like Me: Race, Racism, and White Privilege in America is part of their Safely Learning and Safely Talking about Race and Racism Film Series. A discussion narrated by La’Ron Williams will follow. Based on the work of acclaimed anti-racist educator and author Tim Wise, the film explores race and racism in the U.S. through the lens of whiteness and white privilege. In a stunning reassessment of the American ideal of meritocracy and claims that we’ve entered a post-racial society, Wise offers a fascinating look back at the race-based white entitlement programs that built the American middle class, and argues that our failure as a society to come to terms with this legacy of white privilege continues to perpetuate racial inequality and race-driven political resentments today. Location: Ypsilanti District Library, Whittaker Rd Branch, 5577 Whittaker Rd, Community Meeting Room. Contact Xan Morgan (xan@saintclareschurch.org) for more information.

GOD'S CALL FOR RACIAL JUSTICE: Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want. (Amos 5:24, The Message)
Digging deeper into God’s call for racial justice, we’re going to spend time together doing some groundwork this year. On November 15 we have our next Tasty Tuesday Together dinner. As we’re finishing up with dinner (around 6:30), we’ll continue our exploration of what it is God wants, “justice—oceans of it.” We will have an experience together that will help us identify privilege. We believe that this experience is an important step in our life as a church working towards “fairness, rivers of it.” Children will be invited to a time of exploration with Xan. Questions? Connect with folks from our Racial Reconciliation Working Group working on the gathering: Christine Modey, Lindsay Stetson, Donna Anuskiewicz, James Rhodenhiser, and Xan Morgan.

SIGN UP SUNDAYS: Our Sunday worship includes many volunteers and we'd like to sign you up to fill some of those slots at the 9:00 and 10:30 services. You can sign up at church on Sundays, November 13 and 20, for Sundays in December, January, and February. On-line sign up will be available starting Monday, November 14, at www.saintclareschurch.org/SundayServantSignUp. We hope you'll consider being involved with these important ministries. Training and further guidance is always available, so don't hold back if you haven't signed up before.

EREV THANKSGIVING: One of our joint celebrations with Temple Beth Emeth is the Erev Thanksgiving Service, this year at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23. The church’s and temple’s choirs will sing together, James will preach, and we will thank God for all we’ve been given. Bring a small plate of finger food for the Oneg (reception) after the service. No pork or shellfish please.

NOMINATIONS: If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else to serve on Vestry, as a Diocesan Convention Delegate, as St. Clare's representative to Genesis, or on the Endowment Fund Board, please speak with one of the Nominating Committee: Rachid Hatem, Gail Jungbluth, Laurie Kantner, James Rhodenhiser, Victoria Walters.

SUPPORT ST. CLARE’S CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS WITH YOUR REGULAR AND HOLIDAY SHOPPING: How it works: Use ScripNow! to purchase egift cards which you can send via email as gifts to others, or to yourself to use for regular purchases all year round. St. Clare’s earns a percentage of your purchase, which varies depending on the retailer. If you have any questions, contact Xan (xan@saintclareschurch.org). Visit www.saintclareschurch.org/scrip for all the detail.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER: Check out our beautiful new dropbox for prayer requests! It's made from so many different woods: wormy chestnut, cherry, padauk, oak, purpleheart, and walnut. The St. Clare’s Intercessory Prayer Team welcomes prayer requests through our new dropbox (you'll find it on the table near the entrance to the church on Sunday mornings) and through our email: prayergrouprequests@saintclareschurch.org. If you, your family, or someone you know needs the healing power of prayer, please contact us. We honor your privacy and will keep your requests confidential. Your request will be part of our daily prayer.

TASTY TUESDAY TOGETHER: Mark your calendars for Tasty Tuesday Together! Once a month we gather for a community-wide meal on a Tuesday evening. We’ll have homecooked meals by Christine Modey and Adam Lowen some months, and other months the meal will be catered. Dinner is served from 5:30 to 7 p.m. There will be vegan and gluten-free options each month. The suggested donation to cover the cost of the dinner is $8/person and $5/child (12 and under).

November 15 | January 17 | February 28 | March 21 | April 25 | May 16 | June 20

ADVENT

WHAT IS ADVENT? The season of Advent begins on Sunday, November 27. There are 4 Sundays in Advent, and the time is observed as a period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. This section of the newsletter gives details about St. Clare’s Advent events and traditions:

Our Intergenerational Advent Workshop on Sunday, November 27
A fundraising sale of Advent Greens which benefits our youth ministry
The Altar Guild’s Annual Advent Sale
An Advent service of Lessons and Carols at the 10:30 service on the Third Sunday of Advent (December 11)
A Christmas Eve midday service and lunch for the home- and/or food-insecure community

PREPARE YE THE WAY--Annual Advent Workshop for kids and adults! Please join us as we prepare for the coming of Jesus! On Sunday, November 27, from 5 to 7 p.m., we will gather in the social hall for a pasta dinner, Advent devotions, and a time of preparation for this season of waiting for Jesus’ arrival. We will have a variety of crafts and activities to help prepare your hearts and homes for Advent. Teens and adults, if you’d like to help by supervising one of the crafts, please let us know. For more information, connect with Xan (xan@saintclareschurch.org).

ADVENT GREENS: Start thinking about decorating your home for Advent and Christmas! St. Clare’s youth group will sell roping and 16-inch and 32-inch wreaths in boxwood, mixed greens, and balsam. During Advent, you’ll be able to order your roping and wreaths on St. Clare’s website OR in person following Sunday services. Watch for more details!

ALTAR GUILD ADVENT/CHRISTMAS SALE: Looking to do a little early Christmas shopping? The annual Altar Guild Advent Sale will begin on November 20 and continue on December 4 and 11, in the Reception Area after all Sunday services. We will offer a variety of traditional and contemporary Advent and Christmas items, including our famous Bean Soup, Advent Calendars, and candles for your wreaths. Please stop, take a look, and help support our ministry here at St. Clare's.

LESSONS & CAROLS: Join us at the 10:30 service on Sunday, December 11, the third Sunday of Advent, for our annual service of Lessons & Carols. Be moved by diverse music from across the ages, and enjoy hymns and carols sure to lift your spirits as we prepare for Christmas.

CHRISTMAS EVE COMMUNITY LUNCH AND WORSHIP: This Christmas Eve, St. Clare's will again offer a Christmas Eve service and a festive holiday luncheon to reach out to those who have been or are experiencing homelessness or food challenges. The luncheon will be at noon in the social hall, with the worship service to follow in the sanctuary at 1 p.m. At the luncheon, we will present each of the guests with a small Christmas gift. To sponsor a gift package and the meal, please indicate "Homelessness Gift" on your check or envelope. A suggested donation of $20 will cover the cost of the meal and the gift for one guest. To volunteer (host, usher, drive, decorate, provide or prepare food, clean up), please contact Rachid Hatem (rachidh482@gmail.com), Wendy Hatem (wendylandes@hotmail.com), or Christine Modey (chrismodey@yahoo.com). Further details will follow. Families are welcome to volunteer with their children!

MINISTRY TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

MILESTONES OF FAITH: The children and teens of St. Clare’s are on a journey, a journey of faith. We are excited to be on this journey with the kids and parents of St. Clare’s. Through this initiative, Milestones of Faith, we will be celebrating faith experiences along the journey. With each new milestone we have a celebration here at church and encourage families to honor and recognize these milestones at home.

This idea of celebrating faith milestones is nothing new. God often directed the people to build up stones to remind them of God's place in their lives. Upon crossing into the Promised Land, God spoke to the people:"Take twelve smooth stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan...and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight. ....when your children ask in time to come, "What do those stones mean to you?" then you shall tell them..."

Kids are given boxes. These Faith Journey boxes are a symbol of the presence of God in this place and in your homes, much like the Ark of the Covenant was to the children of Israel on their faith journeys. God has called every Christian to pass on faith from milestone to milestone and generation to generation. The Faith Journey Box will be filled with symbols, memorabilia, and rich stories of God’s faithfulness along the journey.

Milestone of Faith: Worshiping Together for 4-year-olds through Kindergarteners and their parents is on Sunday, November 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. Dinner and childcare for siblings will be provided.
Milestone of Faith: Exploring God’s Word for 2- & 3-year-olds and their parents is on Sunday, January 8, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided.
Milestone of Faith: Responding to our Baptism for 1st & 2nd graders and their parents is on Sunday, February 12, from 4 to 6 p.m. Dinner and childcare will be provided.
Milestone of Faith: Made in the Image of God for 5th and 6th graders is on four Sundays, March 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 11:45 to 1:45. Parents of 5th and 6th graders will gather at the same time for a guided discussion. Lunch will be provided.
Milestone of Faith: Acting for Justice for 3rd & 4th graders is on Sunday, April 30, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided for the kids. Mark your calendar for our Sunday of Service which will be part of the milestone on Sunday, May 7.

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT AND REHEARSAL: All kids in 5th grade and younger are invited to join us as we celebrate Jesus’ birth through a drama representation at the 4 p.m. service on Christmas Eve. We will have two rehearsals for kids who have requested speaking lines: on Saturday, December 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. and on Tuesday, December 20, from 5 to 6 p.m. Young children and children who have not requested a speaking line will join in at 3 p.m. on the day of the pageant. Please go online to www.saintclareschurch.org/pageant to sign up your kid(s). We are also looking for adults who are willing to help in a variety of ways--costumes, snacks, and supervision. Please indicate your availability to help when registering your kids. Questions? Contact Xan Morgan (xan@saintclareschurch.org) or John Goodell (john@saintclareschurch.org).

MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH MINISTRY

MILESTONES OF FAITH: SERVING WITH HANDS AND HEARTS What does it mean to be servant-hearted at an age when people are chemically and biologically wired to be self-centered? How can we live as servants who know ourselves to be made in the image of God? As we grow to understand ourselves, we seek to grow in service to others and to God. Join us on December 3 for our Advent overnight where we’ll dive deeply into this service Milestone of Faith. This overnight will also be held with the high school youth group, but we’ll separate into different groups for much of the evening. Questions? Ask Jessie Gutgsell.

NEW BEGINNINGS: Middle schoolers are also invited to mark their calendars for the Spring New Beginnings retreat. It will be held March 17-19, 2017 (location TBD). This is a fabulous opportunity for fun, spiritual growth, and fellowship. More information to come on this in the next few months.

HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH MINISTRY

MILESTONES OF FAITH: LEADING WITH SERVANT HEARTS As we worship with joy, grow in faith, and act for justice, we are called by God into different ministries. As the hymn says, “Our ministries are different, our purpose is the same: to touch the lives of others by God’s surprising grace.” Discovering your own ministry and moving into servant leadership in that role is an exciting step in becoming a faithful adult. We’ll explore these topics of servant leadership at our Advent overnight on December 3. This overnight will also be held with the middle school youth group, but we’ll separate into different groups for much of the evening. Questions? Ask Jessie Gutgsell.

PILGRIMAGE UPDATE: We had a successful first pilgrimage planning meeting in September, and now Dana, Matt, and I are hard at work researching our potential pilgrimage locations. The final options include (but aren’t limited to) Yosemite National Park, the Mexico-California border, the Boundary Waters, South Dakota Badlands, and more! The deadline to sign-up for the pilgrimage is November 20 so we can begin planning and fundraising for the event.

HAPPENING, November 18-20, St. Stephen's, Wyandotte: Happening is more than a Youth Event. It’s an experience. You’ll find yourself telling your friends, family, and complete strangers of the things that happened at Happening! Happening is a retreat program for high school youth used throughout the Episcopal Church. We do everything from praying to playing, and from singing to sleeping. There are talks, small groups, free time and fun. We come together to praise God in an amazing environment, and hope you will join us this year too! Happening begins on Friday, November 18, at 6 p.m., and continues through Sunday, November 20, at 5:30 p.m. Happening is for students in 9th -12th grades. Cost is $50 (scholarships available).

SAVE THE DATES - YOUTH EDITION
December 3 – Advent Overnight
December 17 – Parents' Night Out
January 21 – Parents' Night Out & Youth Overnight (no High School Youth Group on the 22nd)
February 4 – Chili Cook-Off & Auction (no High School Youth Group on the 5th)
February 18 – Youth Overnight (no High School Youth Group on the 19th)
March 4 – 30-Hour Famine / Youth Overnight (no High School Youth Group on the 5th)
March 17-19 – New Beginnings (for 6th to 8th graders)

YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
Our Young Adult ministry at St. Clare’s continues this month with more opportunities for fellowship, service, and devotion. All adults aged 18-40 and their friends are invited to participate in this ministry. We gather twice monthly: once for social fellowship time, and once for a time of dedicated study and devotion. Questions? Ask Jessie Gutgsell.

Friday, November 11 at 6:30 p.m. – Bowling and Dinner
We'll have lanes reserved at Bel-Mark Lanes (3530 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor), shoes available, and various dinner options. Cost for the event will be $10 per person, which will cover everything (unless you decide to purchase alcohol at the lanes). Please let Jessie know if cost is prohibitive for you and we can help out. We need to have at least 12 people attend in order to get the discounted rate, so please let Jessie know if you can make it.
Wednesday, November 30 at 6:30 p.m. – Dinner and Taize Service at church
Saturday, December 10 at 6:30 p.m. – Details TBD

OUTREACH

ROTATING SHELTER: During the week of November 21 to 28, we will host 15 to 25 homeless men overnight at St. Clare's, providing them with a warm and welcoming place to have a hot meal and sleep. This is a joint effort of St. Clare's, Temple Beth Emeth, and Blue Ocean Faith. Over 100 volunteers are needed to make this happen. Visit www.saintclareschurch.org/rotating-shelter for more details about the week and to volunteer for one of many tasks.

REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT UPDATE: St. Clare’s continues to work with Jewish Family Services (JFS) in their effort to resettle refugees. Last July, we worked with our sister congregations, Temple Beth Emeth and Blue Ocean Faith, to hold a very successful drive. We were able to provide a year’s worth of household supplies for five families and over $6000 of financial support. Thanks ALL! Here is what's happening now.

WELCOME TEAMS: Jewish Family Services expects to resettle more than 300 refugees between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. (This may change based on the outcome of the presidential election.) Several congregations and some businesses are forming Welcome Teams to assist in the work of resettling the new families and preparing them for life in the U.S. Following the training, an individual can choose from 15 volunteer tasks. JFS will set up a SignUp Genius and trained individuals (or groups of individuals) will volunteer. Please let us know if you would like to join our Welcome Team and we will help you connect with the folks at JFS for training.

FURNITURE ON THE GO: JFS has limited storage and cannot hold furniture and lamps. They have asked us to continue with Furniture on the Go. The refugee families especially need mattresses, small sofas, and kitchen tables with chairs. If you have furniture to donate please contact us to be added to the list. Furniture on the Go works like this:
Parishioners identify gently used furniture and lamps that they want to donate and determine the last day (quit date) they are willing to hold onto the item(s).
We enter the donor's contact information, the type of furniture, and quit date into a Google doc that is shared with the Welcome Team Leaders at TBE, BOF and a JFS caseworker,
As a refugee family arrives, the JFS caseworker calls the donor and arranges for the pick up.

FUNDRAISER: On Sunday afternoon, December 11, JFS is holding a fundraiser for the resettlement effort. The Festival of Lights will be held in our sanctuary and features lots of music--especially choral numbers performed by the congregations working with JFS. A reception will follow. Ticket prices are expected to be $20 each.

DONATION DRIVE: We expect to host another drive to support JFS in their effort to resettle refugees during the summer of 2017. Like this year, we will collect household items, gift cards and gifts of money.

Peace~
Kay Wilson and Dan Barry (wilsonbarry614@gmail.com)

FELLOWSHIP AND GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

REVEALING FAITH: You may have noticed a new section in our weekly email lately. This new contribution is called Revealing Faith. It’s an opportunity for St. Clarians to connect with one another and God throughout the week. James and Jessie invite anyone to share a poem, a prayer, an image, or another short reflection on how they see God and their faith in the world (contributions should be kept to a maximum of 150 words). Revealing Faith will appear in each weekly email and contributions may also be publicized on our Facebook page. Send all contributions to Jessie (Jessie@Saintclareschurch.org) or James (James@Saintclareschurch.org).

FOOD FOR THE SOUL: November brings two opportunities on Thursdays (November 3 & 17) to join us for our mid-day worship in the sanctuary at noon, followed by a catered lunch in rooms 7/8. The long-standing Bible Study, which is open to all, continues to meet from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Adult Lounge. RSVP to www.saintclareschurch.org/foodforthesoul by the Tuesday prior. Suggested donation is $7/person to cover the cost of the food.

RACIAL JUSTICE OPPORTUNITIES: Many of us are outraged by the racial injustice we see in America today, and we want to do something to correct the wrongs we hear about every day. Visit our website at www.saintclareschurch.org/justice for some opportunities to learn more about issues of race and social justice and to identify steps we can take to bridge the divides and right the wrongs.

A VISION OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
(adopted September 21, 2005; re-affirmed by St. Clare's Stewardship Commission on October 5, 2016; re-affirmed by St. Clare's Vestry on October 19, 2016)

GENEROSITY IN ALL FORMS: We as leaders at St. Clare’s Episcopal Church hope to encourage others wherever they are on their faith journey to grow in generosity in all forms. We believe we are called to be a congregation living our mission, committed spiritually and materially in faithfulness to God. It is important that as leaders we set a positive example in accepting the challenge of fiscal stewardship.

OUR GOAL---FOR GOD'S WORKS IN THE CHURCH AND ELSEWHERE: As members of this faith community, we can establish our personal commitment in our minds, in our hearts, and in our action. We often are urged to give of our time, talent, and treasure, yet many have come to accept this call as an “either or” choice. To make our gift a meaningful sacrifice, it is our goal that every vestry member and other leaders who feel so led will make a stewardship pledge of at least 5% of their income to St. Clare’s, and embrace the goal of the Episcopal Church of moving toward the tithe as the minimum goal for our giving to all God’s works in the church and elsewhere.

ACCEPT GOD'S CHALLENGE: Sacrificial giving, proportional giving, practicing the tithe -- these are all ideals open to interpretation. And each individual needs to come to their own understanding of how God is leading them toward generosity at St. Clare’s and elsewhere in the world. We do not know the financial circumstances of each member, and our intent is not to dictate financial standards for our congregation. Rather, our intent is to accept God’s challenge in the teachings of the Gospel to make our stewardship pledge a meaningful sacrifice to promote justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God in all that we do. We commit ourselves to the challenge of growing in generosity, and invite others to discover its blessing.

St. Clare's Vestry: Rachid Hatem (Senior Warden), Laurie Kantner (Junior Warden), Thom Bales, Phil Christman, Pamela Emenheiser, Judie Erb, Susan Evett, Gail Jungbluth, Andy Koha, Peter Millar, Matt Pinsky, Kevin Watson

PARISH COMMUNITY

MARY POPPINS: Come see Emmanuel and Kevin Morgan in Mary Poppins! To catch both Morgans choose one of the following shows at The Encore in Dexter: December 3 at 3 and 8 p.m, December 9 at 8 p.m., December 11 at 3 p.m., December 17 at 3 and 8 p.m., and December 22 at 7 p.m. You can buy tickets at www.theencoretheatre.org/tickets.

WHY FIGHT IT?

a poem by Bill Teepen
Can a legal and available substance be harmful??
Why fight it?
Is Soda a safe drink or a gateway drug?
Why fight it?
Is Soda “cool” to use or another reason to abuse?
Why fight it?
Can a substance you would choose instead of food be healthy?
Why fight it?
Because my freedom is worth more than soda!
That is why I fight it!
How much is my freedom worth?
That is why I fight it!
Because clean living is worth more than soda!
That is why I fight it!
To be (Depressed) or not to be (depressed)
That is why I fight it!
How much is my sobriety worth?
That is why I fight it!
Am I, Bill Teepen “cool” or is it the substance I use?
That is why I fight it!

Special note: On 11/20/2016, I will be 4 years free of carbonated drinks, unlike other addictions, unless you use soda with other drinks (such as alcohol) there is no help. I was drinking 3 gallons a day when I stopped. I had to make the hardest choice of my life to give up soda for good or risk sobriety. So I gave up carbonated drinks. My depression (major) left me and so great healing in my mental health.

HEAR YE, YEAR YE!

The St. Clarian is published monthly. Contributions are welcomed; send by e-mail (to the editor at editor@saintclareschurch.org), U.S. mail, or drop off at the church office. The deadline for inclusion is the 15th of the month.

Have you remembered St. Clare's in your will?

Visit the Church Calendar online at www.saintclareschurch.org/calendar.

In the event of a pastoral emergency, please contact James Rhodenhiser or Jessie Gutgsell.
If you would like us to share personal support requests with the parish, please tell us, and any “where,” “when,” and “how” information. If you are hospitalized or want prayer, please contact the church office.