Author: Church of the Nativity

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Clergy Transition 2023 From the Vestry

October 27 Transition Update

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. … A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. … A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. …A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate[.]

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, NLT

Since Stephanie’s announcement about her answering a call in the Diocese of East Carolina, I have thought of this scripture often. We are all filled with so many mixed emotions, sadness for her leaving and joy about this wonderful opportunity for her. This weekend we will gather one last time with Stephanie as our Rector. We hope you will be able to join us this Sunday, October 29, immediately following the 10:30 am service for a meal in Estill House. We will celebrate her twelve years of ministry at Nativity and share a meal together with much love and laughter.

Please consider signing up through SignUp Genius for Sunday to RSVP and volunteer.

— Beth Crow, Senior Warden

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Clergy Transition 2023 From the Vestry

October 20 Transition Update

Celebrating Rector Stephanie Allen

We will be celebrating the ministry of our wonderful Rector Stephanie Allen on Sunday, October 29 following the 10:30 am service with a pot-luck meal. (Please note there will, of course, be cake!) We are so excited for Stephanie’s next adventure and ask that you hold her and her family in your prayers during her transition process.

Brief Leadership Transition Update

The Vestry had a fruitful meeting this week with the Bishop Sam Rodman and Catherine Massey, the Canon for Transition of the Episcopal Diocese of NC, about a new Rector search. The Diocese will partner with and walk alongside the Vestry during the entire transition process. We also have clergy scheduled through the end of December to give the Vestry time to work with the Diocese to put a transition plan in place. More transition details will be communicated over the coming weeks, but we are encouraged by, excited about and confident in the transition process. The Vestry is trusting in and praying for God’s guidance in this task; and we ask that you hold us and Nativity in your prayers.

Annual Meeting, Sunday, November 12

Nativity’s Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday, November 12, immediately following the 10:30 am service. Agenda items include the leadership transition, Recognition of some stepping down from leadership roles, Nativity’s 2024 Stewardship Campaign and making calls for new Vestry members. We would love to see you there! 

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Community Partners

NCCMI IMPACT Concert I: Mendelssohn and Beyond

by Waltye Rasulala

Welcome the arrival of fall with a free chamber music concert of “Mendelssohn and Beyond”. This Faculty Artist concert from the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute features faculty musicians and members of the NC Symphony. The concert will be held on Sunday, October 29 at 4 pm at Church of the Nativity, and is free and open to the public.

Works by both standard and new composers will be featured, as well as those who have been unfairly neglected historically. A world premiere of “Sandcastled King” for string quartet by NCCMI alumnus Quenton Blache will be performed by Aurora Musicalis. Blache is a composer and cellist currently working in California and has toured internationally with Sphinx Virtuosi. 

Also featured will be quartets by Friedrich Seitz and Felix Mendelssohn.

The IMPACT Series highlights diversity and inclusion, bringing attention to outstanding contemporary and unfairly neglected composers. These concerts are intended for all audiences, who will enjoy these intimate and engaging programs. 

Elizabeth Beilman, Associate Principal Cellist of the North Carolina Symphony, Executive Director of NCCMI, and Adjunct Professor of Cello at NC State University has curating the program.

The concert will also be recorded and streamed on the NCCMI YouTube channel on November 6 at 6 pm. 

Other IMPACT concerts take place to celebrate MLK,Jr. Day (January 15, 2024) and Valentine’s Day (February 11, 2024).

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Clergy Transition 2023 From the Vestry

October 13 Transition Update

Your Vestry met this past Tuesday evening to begin discussing the steps we as a church must take in the days and months before and following Stephanie’s departure. First on the agenda is planning a celebration potluck luncheon on Sunday, October 29, following the 10:30 service. We have created a SignUp Genius for you to let us know how you are willing to help.

Bill Sena and Beth Crow, your Junior and Senior Wardens, will keep you up to date each week in Glad Tidings as to where we are during this transitional period.

If you have any questions, please email Beth. The Vestry wants to be as transparent as possible and will try to answer all of your questions in our Glad Tidings articles.

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Clergy Transition 2023 From the Vestry

A Message From Your Wardens

Dear Members of Church of the Nativity,

By now, most of you will have read Stephanie’s email of yesterday about her having answered a call to work with the Diocese of East Carolina. Though we will miss her and her family, I know we all wish the very best for her as well.

Stephanie will be leaving us in good hands with well functioning ministry teams and an established, highly respected staff who will help Nativity continue to thrive and grow in its ministries. Nativity has been a beacon not just because of the outstanding leadership of Stephanie, but because of its strong lay leadership as well.

Transition and change can be stressful and overwhelming; we need to keep reminding each other that we are not alone in this process. In addition to support from the Diocese and from many talented individuals here at Nativity, we need to first and foremost ask God’s guidance and support. We need to hold Stephanie and her family in our prayers as we also pray for Nativity and all those who will be leading the effort in the search for a new Rector.

As Nativity’s Junior and Senior Wardens, we would like to reassure all of you that the Vestry has already begun conversations as to how we at Nativity will move forward. We will be meeting with Bishop Sam and Catherine Massey from the diocesan office this next week, and will keep the congregation informed during this period of transition. We will learn more about the transition options soon, and all members of the Vestry will be taking names of folks who are offering to help us, which will include helping to plan a farewell celebration for Stephanie as well as forming a search committee.

Beth Crow, Senior Warden
Bill Sena, Junior Warden

Categories
Adult Formation

True Colors Book Study:  Beyond a Binary God: A Theology for Trans* Allies

by Jeremy Clos

Beginning on Wednesday, October 18 we will offer a five-week book study series centered on the Rev. Tara K. Soughers’ new book, Beyond a Binary God: A Theology for Trans* Allies. Each week, we will tackle one of the five chapters in the book, led by Rev. Stephanie Allen, Rev. Phillip Bass, and Helen Moses. The group will meet in Curry Hall Room 202 from 6:30–8 pm each Wednesday. To indicate your interest, please register here to let us know you’ll be coming.  The book is available through most retail outlets including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

All are made in the image and likeness of God. If this is what we believe, then trans people, like all people, reflect something of God, and not just in the ways that they share in common with others, but also in the ways that they are different. They remind us that God is beyond all of our categories, even gender. What does it mean about God and about humans, that there is not a strict gender binary? How can we affirm and include what we have learned about the permeability of boundaries to affirm those whose path does not follow traditional cultural stereotypes, and how might the broadening help us to understand the God who is never two for Christians, but both one and three? What gifts does this broader understanding bring to the church?

Categories
Social Justice

One Wake Cary Town Council Candidates Forum

by Becky Showalter

We Supported Our Neighbors – One Wake Cary Town Council Candidates Forum!

Part of joining One Wake was the idea that faith communities throughout Wake County would support each other with important local issues as they came up.  We did that last Monday!

600 members of ONE Wake institutions and neighborhoods across Cary turned out for a strictly non-partisan assembly with 5 of 9 candidates for Cary Town Council. Together we called on candidates to work with One Wake to address the pending displacement of Chatham Estates mobile home park residents, and small business owners at the adjacent Chatham Square shopping center. ONE Wake leaders also asked candidates whether they would support a number of community-led solutions to support the construction of new affordable housing in town.  All candidates present said YES! and committed to support each community-led solution presented to them during the assembly, and as they are elected, we will meet with them and push them to fulfill these pledges.

This is what loving your neighbor and pushing for their best interests look like.  Keep an eye out for more news from One Wake, and thanks to the Nativity leadership for supporting this important outreach.

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Caring for Creation

Update on Environmental Stewardship at Nativity

by The Rev. Stephanie Allen

We gathered after church on Sunday, September 24 to reflect on what has been done, to hear what is going on in the wider diocese, and to brainstorm what Nativity might do in regards to environmental stewardship going forward. After the discussion, two potential projects emerged that we could begin immediately.

  1. Holding another energy audit. The last energy audit was held about 8 years ago, and there are potentially more things we might do to lower our energy costs and be better stewards.
  2. Creating a tree seedling garden using the same methods as our partners in the Haiti Reforestation Project and giving the trees away. 

Some of the potential project ideas included:

  • Creating a checklist or point system for other churches to use in their creation care and goal to have zero waste.
  • Findings ways to continue to advocate for environmental stewardship and environmental justice.
  • Discussing a second solar panel array.
  • Considering installation of E.V. chargers in the parking lot. Especially given that we have solar energy, this would be both hospitable and low-cost project for members and visitors to the campus who have electric vehicles.
  • Contemplating partnerships with other churches and the Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle group.

Are you interested in helping with the two projects mentioned above? Or would like to take the lead on any of the other projects that were identified? Email The Rev. Stephanie Allen

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Glad Tidings

Update: Not-so-silent Auction

by Beth Crow and Kara Malone

Church of the Nativity’s “Not-So-Silent Auction” and Soiree 

Over the last few years more and more individuals have shared how difficult it is for them to hear most of what goes on during our worship service because of hearing impairments. This new sound system will not only connect with hearing aids of congregants but will also cut down on much of the bulky equipment located throughout the sanctuary.

And so we came up with “Not-So-Silent Auction” and Soiree!

October 7 at 9 am: Individuals can begin bidding online some of the 130 items that have been donated. You can view these items now at 32auctions.com/COTN_Auction.

October 14 at 3 pm: The online bidding will end.  The “Not-So-Silent Auction” and Soiree will begin at 7:00 PM at Church of the Nativity, 8849 Ray Rd. Raleigh, NC 27613.  Any bidders unable to attend the evening can place a proxy bid with the highest bid they are willing to place.

October 14 at 8:15 pm: We will transition to a live auction with an auctioneer for five special items.  

Please sign up if you plan to attend on the Soiree on October 14 at https://bit.ly/CoTNAuctionReg.

We are also seeking individuals to assist with the Soiree and with various tasks involving the auction.  Please click on this link and sign up to be a part of this exciting evening: https://bit.ly/COTNAuctionSignupGenius

If you have any questions, email cotn.auction@gmail.com

Categories
Outreach

Rise Against Hunger 2023

by Rene Garces
photos by Perry Suk

Thank you Nativity for attending our 12th annual Rise Against Hunger (RAH) 10,000 meal-packing event! The Outreach ministry team budgeted $3,000 for the Rise Against Hunger event this year, and our neighbors at North Raleigh Presbyterian Church and their Outreach ministry team supplied another $800, allowing us to set up and pack 10,152 meals in less than 2 hours with 68 volunteers — pretty much split 50/50 from both churches.

RAH is committed to fulfilling the UN’s second Sustainable Development Goal of ending world hunger by the year 2030, which has recently been challenged by the actions of war and climate change heard in the news. RAH’s leader at our event was Ebony, and Ebony indicated our meals would be joining 2 big loads of meals headed to Madagascar and the Philippines. RAH and the Outreach ministry teams at both Church of the Nativity and North Raleigh Presbyterian Church thank you for your support!