Weekly Update: Jesu, Thou Son of Mary

Jesu, Son of Mary,
Have mercy upon us,
Amen.
Jesu, Son of Mary,
Make peace with us,
Amen.
Oh, with us and for us
Where we shall longest be,
Amen.
Be about the morning of our course,
Be about the closing of our life,
Amen.
Be at the dawning of our life,
And oh! at the dark'ning of our day,
Amen.
Be for us and with us,
Merciful God of all,
Amen.
Consecrate us
Condition and lot,
King of kings,
God of all,
Amen.
Consecrate us
Rights and means.
King of kings,
God of all,
Amen.
Consecrate us
Heart and body,
King of kings,
God of all,
Amen.
Each heart and body,
Each day to yourself,
Each night accordingly,
King of kings,
God of all,
Amen.

- Celtic Prayers, by Alexander Charmichael

And so we have come to the last week of Advent. Some of us are rushing about in attempts to get that last minute shopping completed. Some of us are packing for trips home. Some of us are preparing for the arrival of family and friends. All of this preparation and all of this excitement are part and parcel of Christmas. We should rejoice and be merry!

We at Reconciler have been merry, indeed. There have been so many blessings in this Advent. Our little congregation is growing. We are slowly becoming a fixture at Chase Cafe. Our a cappella hymn singing is a great joy. Our sharing in the liturgy, recognizing gaps that exist between our traditions and worshiping Christ in the midst of them has perhaps been the greatest gift of all. Praise be to God!

Our Christmas worship service will be Saturday, the 25th at 6:00pm at the Community of the Holy Trinity, 6443 N. Bosworth #2, in Chicago. We will pray our way into an Evensong service officiated by Jane Schmoetzer. Refreshments are set to follow (feel free to bring something). And, last but certainly not least, if the weather permits we will go caroling. If we have single digit temperatures, then we will enjoy one another's singing indoors.

There will be no worship service Sunday the 26th. Our Sunday services will resume at the Chase Cafe (7301 N. Sheridan in Chicago) the following Sunday, January 2, 2005 at 6pm. Study time begins at 5:30, so come early if you care to join us.

We encourage you to invite others to come. We are slowly developing materials (postcards, etc.) to let people know where we are, but nothing is more effective than word of mouth in the form of personal invitations to help bring people to worship.

Peace and all good things to you this week. We look forward to seeing you all Christmas day.

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Pastoral Team

The Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler