The Episcopal Church of the Nativity

22405 North Miller Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85255

480.307.9216

March 2013

THE NATIVITY SCENE

Thanks for a Wonderful Easter Celebration!

Early service turnout

Baptism of Jenna Creamer

Many thanks to all the people who made our Easter celebrations so glorious this year! We had 465 people in attendance for our two services a 40% increase over last years attendance! Nativity is grateful for the ministries of so many who made the celebration possible: the choirs and musicians, the hospitality crew, the flower guild and altar guild, all the servers, the ushers, the childrens and youth ministers, and all who worshiped with us!
Late service musicians

April Events at Nativity Putting your Faith into Action is Aprils theme at Nativity. Now that the resurrection has happened, what does it mean for our lives? Compassion Sunday is April 7, when we had a chance to learn about the many opportunities Nativity provides for service to others. If you missed it, please contact Bob Montheard at rjmontheard@aol.com for a full menu of service opportunities. Fiesta De Amigos: this special event on Saturday, April 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. features dinner, a performance by Ballet Folklorico, entertainment, and a silent auction. The event benefits our sister church in Barrio La Laguna, Veracruz, Mexico. Fun for all ages! See page 6. Special Music Concert: On Sunday, April 21 at 4:00 p.m., Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler and Suzanne Rovani, our choir soprano, are offering a special concert at Nativity for members and neighbors. Invite a friend! w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Our New Address

22405 N. Miller Road Scottsdale, Arizona 85255 Telephone: 480-307-9216

T ake a moment to wish a Happy Birthday T o:

Patti Worthington Elizabeth Barrett Elizabeth Stuckey Abby Call Bill Deihl Ryan Bright Patricia Beaird Skyler Chew Colleen Whichello Arman Youseffi Lauren Mettler Jim Blum Kali Higgins Susan Snook Barbara Woodall Jim Davis Art Graf Barbara Worthington 1-Apr 2-Apr 3-Apr 4-Apr 9-Apr 11-Apr 13-Apr 15-Apr 15-Apr 16-Apr 17-Apr 22-Apr 22-Apr 24-Apr 26-Apr 28-Apr 28-Apr 30-Apr

www.TheNativity.net

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist 10:00 a.m. Children's Chapel - available for first half of service 11:00 a.m. Hospitality 11:15 a.m. Christian Education for all ages 5:00 p.m. Senior High Youth Group (Grades 7 - 12)

Every month we list those whose birthdays are being celebrated. If you would like your name added to the list, please contact Mina Rafferty at minarafferty@thenativity.net.

Nativitys Vestry
Senior Warden: Jeff Jameson 480-262-7957 JeffJameson@cox.net Junior Warden: Bill Deihl 480-595-9546 Tricia Beaird Nancy Bleasdale Mike Brown Kara Erickson George Hartz Jane Heist Lani Sambach Claire Smith David Smith bjdeihl@aol.com

Nativity Staff
The. Rev. Susan B. Snook Rector SusanSnook@TheNativity.net Dr. Wayne V. Whitney Pastoral Intern WayneWhitney@TheNativity.net Dr. Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler Director of Music Ministry IlonaKubiaczyk-Adler @TheNativity.net Shelley Byrnes Director of Childrens & Family Ministries ShelleyByrnes@TheNativity.net Casey Goslin Director of Youth Ministries CaseyGoslin@TheNativity.net Art Graf Treasurer Mxgk25a@aol.com Mina Rafferty Parish Administrator MinaRafferty@TheNativity.net

480-699-7893 pbeaird@cox.net 602 421-3631 schoolmarm@att.net

480-342-9423 mbrown@bromatco.com 480 518- 2683 theazericksons@hotmail.com 480-513-3155 gehartz@yahoo.com 480-419-1229 Ljh0cpa@hotmail.com 602-793-2808 wasjrra@cox.net 480-285-7679 csmith@lifetouch.com 480-538-7068 VIDSmith@gmail.com

w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

A n o t e f r o m Pa s t o r S u s a n

Page 3

Transforming lives with the love of God in Jesus Christ

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
With this last instruction, in the Book of Acts, the resurrected Jesus is lifted up into heaven, leaving the disciples to wonder what in the world the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus will mean for their lives to come. It is a mystery they cannot solve on their own. The implications of resurrection are lived out in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the day-to-day life of followers of Jesus who discover that they can do things they never thought possible. The Holy Spirit transforms a ragged, terrified, cowering, persecuted sect into a worldchanging religious movement. Two millennia later, how do we live in the light of the resurrection? Thats the question that the whole Book of Acts addresses. And its just as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago. Because if a new creation began at the moment that Jesus stood and folded up his grave clothes, then that new creation has a ripple effect that reaches us today and that wont stop growing, wider and wider. In the Book of Acts, we see the things that the disciples learn. They learn that no one is excluded from the kingdom of God; that the Body of Christ serves others especially the weakest and neediest; that the old, safe, dependable ways of doing things dont work any more; that they are going to have to look at the world differently than ever before; that they are not only called, but also given the power, to tell the world about what they have experienced in Christ. In a true adventure story, full of shipwrecks, beatings, miracles, jailbreaks, healings, and amazing growth, Acts tells us the story of the first 30 years of the church. That story is our story too. Because all the things the disciples learned about Gods kingdom are still true. And we are called and empowered to tell the news about Jesus, to serve the poorest and neediest, to embrace all in our community with Gods welcoming love, just as the earliest disciples were. If you have any doubts about our calling as Christians, or your calling as a member of the Body of Christ, come join us for worship, Compassion Sunday and service projects, studying the Book of Acts, or any of our ministries at Nativity. Like the earliest disciples of Jesus, we make it our business to transform lives with the love of God in Jesus Christ. In Christ, Susan

Welcome The Honorable Suzanne E. Cohen!

Congratulations to our parishioner and hospitality chair Judge Suzanne E. Cohen, (Third from the left) who was appointed a judge of Arizona's Superior Court. This photo is from Judge Suzanne's Investiture on April 5, with several parishioners who came to cheer her on. From left, Kathy Graf, Art Graf, Suzanne Cohen, Susan Snook, Shannon Sorenson, Mark Dobbins, and Jennie Dobbins. Congratulations, blessings and best wishes to the new judge from your church family!

w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Pa g e 4

A NOTE FROM OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR

Although Easter Day is behind us, we have still quite a few musical treats until the end of the season. I would like to invite you all to three concerts of the Nativity Music Festival that will take place in April and May in our church. There will be something for every one: high quality classical music, energizing gospel music, jazz quartet and interactive musical event for kids with fun activities and great stories. Plan ahead and put the events in your calendar! Invite your friends and families! Below are the details.

Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler

NATIVITY MUSIC FESTIVAL

April 21, Sunday, 4 p.m. Mezzosoprano Suzanne Rovani and organist / pianist Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler will perform Bach, Brahms, Barber, Buxtehude, and Gospel songs. Free admission. May 5, Sunday, 4 p.m. Saxophonist Chris Light will perform one of the most challenging pieces in classical saxophone literature, a concerto by Ingolf Dahl. He will also be joined by his jazz ensemble, the Chris Light Quartet. Free admission. May 12, Sunday 4 p.m. Join the Mill Ave Chamber Players for Story Time With Winds, musical settings of the timeless story of Peter and the Wolf and Aesop's Fables. Tickets can be purchased at www.millavechamberplayers.com. Advanced purchase: $5/child under 18, $10/adult, or $25/family of 4 or more Day of purchase: $7/child under 18, $12/adult, or $30/family of 4 or more

Who is in the choir?

Greetings from the tenor section. The entire tenor section, as a matter of fact! Would anyone like to join me? Welcome, welcome. I began singing in Episcopal Church choirs more than 35 years ago. Being a quick learner, I still do not read music very well, but really enjoy making a joyful noise. Our daughter Sarah and I started singing together at St. Johns in Roanoke, Virginia, and then at All Saints in Phoenix. She now contributes her talent from the congregation in order to be with husband Joey. Thats a good thing! For a little introduction, Jennie and I started our life with Nativity Church about 6 months before we met Susan, and this dream of a new and loving spiritual community was born. I have to say that we have never been involved with anything that just seemed to be totally blessed by God and intended to happen. Along the way wonderful people, mission opportunities, resources, talent and leadership all Tlowed our way. It is an honor every Sunday morning to welcome new members into our family. Nativitys mission is to transform lives through the love of Jesus Christ. That miracle plays out every day in this house and at Gods holy table. Mark Dobbins Senior Warden Emeritus w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Waynes World

Page 5

Are you ready for some Revelation? Yes, thats right; the last book of the Biblethe one that takes all those warm fuzzies you get when you read the stories of Jesus and Gods love and then unceremoniously tosses them all into a burning Tire-pitis the next book we tackle on Bible Study Wednesdays @ 6 p.m. in April. Come and Tind out about the Four Horsemen, the 144,000, the Red Dragon, the Mark of the Beast, the Two Witnesses, the Day of the Lord, the Scrolls, the Seals and the Millennium. We will consider the main interpretive approaches that have been promulgated by scholars trying to make sense of this enigmatic book, even the nutty ones! When I was a kid I remember being so frightened by reading Revelation that I almost didnt want to pick

up the Bible again. If this has happened to you or if you just get annoyed at how some people think they have Revelation all Tigured out, come and learn. Come and Tind out how the message is really very simple and uplifting, so simple that it has become one of the most dominant themes in movie-dom todaythe victory of Good over Evil. Did you know that the Book of Revelation in the original Greek has the worst grammar of any book in the entire New Testament, and that it was probably intentional? Our textbook will be The Book of Revelation for Dummies and it is available at your favorite online bookseller for anywhere from $15 to $20. Just think, in a few short weeks you may Tind yourself the envy of all your friends when you can tell them why the difference between 6 and 7 is more than 1, its everything. Dr. Wayne

ADULT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Power Bible Study Sunday Morning's Power Bible Study continues in March in the Music Classroom with Dr. Wayne from 11:15-12:00. The holy men and women mentioned in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11) are the focus of our study. Come and learn about Moses and the Exodus, Joshua and the walls of Jericho, and Rahab the harlot.

Intro to the New Testament, continued. Pastor Susan leads this introductory exploration of the New Testament on Sundays from 11:20 to noon in the Healing Chapel. Who wrote the Bible and why? What points did they want us to make, and who were they writing to? What was the situation of their world, and of ours? The series picks up again on Sunday, April 14th with a look at the fascinating Book of Acts. Bring your burning questions!

Bible Study Wednesdays Coming in April on Bible Study Wednesdays: The Book of Revelation. The textbook for our study will be "The Book of Revelation for Dummies" by Helyer and Wagner. Get yourself a copy from your favorite bookstore or online book-source. Be ready for this look at probably the most misunderstood and controversial book in the entire Bible. Dr. Wayne will lead this conversation in the Office Classroom starting April 3 from 6:00-7:00. w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Pa g e 6

Upcoming Events and Oppor tunities

FIESTA DE AMIGOS A PARTY WITH AND FOR OUR FRIENDS!

You won't want to miss this fun event benefiting our sister parish, Santa Maria Magdalena & its Center of Hope in Barrio La Laguna, Veracruz, Mexico Learn more about our mission work with the children and families in La Laguna

Saturday, April 13th

5:30pm - 7:30pm at Church of the Nativity

This fun evening will include a delicious Mexican buffet dinner Performance by Ballet Folklorico After-dinner Dancing Silent Auction
The evening is free. The free-will offering will Benefit our Barrio La Laguna mission.

COMING SOON TO NATIVITY THE GREAT NATIVITY YARD SALE

The Fundraising Committee's first big event of the year will be held on Saturday, May 11th from 7AM to 3PM. We're counting on everyone to pitch in re-sellable items so we can maximize the efforts of the day. We'll be collecting small items (things we can carry to the 2nd floor) every Sunday between now and the sale date. Big items (too big for Art Graf to carry upstairs) will be collected the week running up to the date. We'll be rolling out more details as the day approaches. We're also running a naming contest for the event and need your input. The winning entry (chosen by our austere committee of judges) will win a $25 gift card.

w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Upcoming Events and Opportunities SAVE THE DATE! NATIVITYS BLOOD DRIVE
Family, Friends and Neighbors are invited to donate blood and keep Arizonas blood supply strong. Blood cannot be bought or created in a lab. It can only be donated by those of us willing to share our good health with others! Church of the Nativity and United Blood Services are partnering to hold a blood drive Sunday, April 21, 2013. The bloodmobile will be in our parking lot at 22505 N. Miller, Scottsdale, 85255 from 9am-1pm. Make your appointment to Find the hero in you today by visiting www.BloodHero.com sponsor code: ECN or contact Suzanne Cohen @ secohenjd@yahoo.com or 480.586.6625.

Page 7

NEW! On the day of your donation appointment, simply go to https://edhq.unitedbloodservices.org/ to complete the health history questionnaire on the UBS website. The health history must be completed the same day as the donation; it cannot be completed a day or two ahead of time. Once youre done, print the Fast Track Donation Ticket and bring it with you to your donation. Donor eligibility questions? Call 480.675.5497.

WOMENS GROUP MEETING

The Womens Group is pleased to announce that Joyce Ditzler has accepted our invitation to speak at the April 11, meeting at 10:30 am at Nativity. As in the past, lunch at an area restaurant will follow. Joyces presentation is titled Timeless Faith from Abraham to the Present Day. It will center on figures of enormous faith in the Hebrew Bible to the mission of Christ and will touch on the huge contribution of Paul to the spread of Christianity and the persecution of Christians under the Caesars. You will not want to miss this presentation and all that Joyce has to share.

ONES AND TWOS - NEEDS YOU!

Ones and Twos is a social group of adults at Church of the Nativity that meets about once a month. It is open to all members, visitors, and guests. It is a time of getting to know each other in the old-fashioned sense, a time for coming together for delicious food and drink, as well as enjoying the warmth and joy of being with our Church family. It is a welcoming time for all and a perfect opportunity to bring guests! If you would like to host one of the gatherings please call Annie Blum at 480.502.2005. Look for details on the April gathering in next months newsletter.

A note from the Flower Guild

The Nativity flower guild provides the altar flowers each Sunday and also the flowers that adorn our worship space for special holidays and events such as Christmas and Easter. The flowers may be dedicated in thanksgiving for blessings received or in memory of a loved one. There are a few Sundays still available (including Mothers Day on May 12th) for your dedications. Once you have decided which date you prefer, simply write your name on the Flower Chart (located on the wall near the office door) and complete the form provided, and return it to the church office. If you have any questions please contact Kathy Graf at kgraf518@aol.com.

w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Page 8

Faith Formation - infant through sixth grade, BySHELLEY BYRNES, Director of Christian Education

Nativity Scene Jr.

"Congratulations to our newly baptized Sunday School students: Lily, Kaley and Nicky!"

FAMILY TIME
We know children first learn about spirituality and relationship with Christ at home. It is the church's job to support our families in their efforts to teach our children what it is to be Christian. In an effort to offer families a more coordinated way to talk about God and what it means to have a relationship with Jesus, I'd like to invite our parents to come to the first Family Time Sunday on April 21st. While the children are in Sunday School, parents will meet with me to learn more about this program and see if this is something they would like to implement at home. I'm very excited about how this program can help strengthen families as well as the faith in the families!
TIME TO SIGN UP FOR CHAPEL ROCK! Nativity children and teens, it's time to sign up for Chapel Rock summer camp! Our Episcopal summer camp in Prescott has sessions for every age group and interest. Check it out at www.chapelrock.net and click on "Camps"! Scholarships are available from the camp and from Nativity. If you would like to apply for a scholarship to go to camp, contact Pastor Susan for an application at susansnook@thenativity.net.

w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Children and Family Ministries

Page 9

NATIVITYS CHILDREN VISIT THE UMOM CENTER

The Children's Outreach Committee sponsored a wonderful field trip to UMOM New Day Center in Phoenix on Good Friday. 17 children and adults went on a tour to see the beautiful family shelter. The Center has a wellness center, a cafeteria, a computer lab for residents to do job searches or get their GEDs, a child development center for children from infant to 4 years old, A Kids' Den and a Teen Room for afterschool activities as well as three playgrounds and an indoor gymnasium. We learned that the average homeless family moves 5 times a year or every 70 days! Our children were excited at the opportunity to help the families living at the New Day Center. So for Compassion and Mercy Sunday the children's Sunday School classes will be creating some crafts projects for the kids in UMOM child development center to do! It's so inspiring to watch our children get excited about helping others!
A Prayer for All Parents,
Source unknown

Heavenly Father, Make me a better parent Teach me to understand my children, To listen patiently to what they have to say, And to answer all their questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting them, or contradicting them. Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes, Or resort to shame or ridicule if they displease me. Bless me with the bigness to grant them all their reasonable requests, And the courage to deny them privileges that I know will do them harm. Make me fair and just and kind. And t me, O Lord, to be loved and respected and imitated by my children. Amen.

w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Page 10

Nativity Teen Ministries, by Casey Goslin, Director of Youth Ministries We are having a great time as we continue to grow as a community. We are very excited to have teamed up with the local Wyld Life Club (Young Life for Jr High.) Our * rst event with them we met 20 new kids and hung out with a group of incredible leaders who led us in messy games designed to get us interacting with one another. We learned to work together as a group and put our culinary skills to the test when we prepared a Mexican esta for the Sr High. We maybe be young and goofy at times but, we are growing in our faith.

March was a great month for us as we spent a lot of bonding time in cars delivering amingos. Times like these are great for us to connect with each other but when we bonded during the Lent Retreat it really helped us refocus on keeping the main thing the main thing. We were reminded of how much Jesus loves us and what He did for us. We are committed to sharing our story with others and continue to invite friends to share in our Swagger, our condence of who we are but more importantly whose we are.

Summer Camp at Chapel Rock is quickly upon us. Registration has already begun but its not too late to register. The plan is for the current Jr High group, Journey, to attend the week of June 2-8 and the High School Swagger youth to attend Jun 9-15. The cost per youth per week is $375. Scholarships are available by following the guidelines listed below. I am very excited to be able to attend camp with our youth during those rst two weeks. Sign up now at chapelrock.net.

Chapel Rock Scholarship Guidelines Apply directly to Chapel Rock for a scholarship by April 15. You can get an application by emailing CR at info@chapelrock.net or pick one up in the youth room. Notify Pastor Susan by email by April 15 if you are applying for a scholarship, so she knows to follow up. If she doesn't know about your application before April 15, she will award our scholarship funds to other applicants. She will be in touch with Chapel Rock to work out the arrangements for those scholarships that are approved, so she will notify the family if we can give you a scholarship by April 30.
w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

Page 8

Page 7

WHOS THAT KID?

(a new feature highlighting the youth in our community) Gabe Leon is a new member to our youth group. He has a deep understanding of the American Political structure and knows every state representative and their political history. He is an avid reader, radical environmentalist, is uent in Spanglish, and enjoys Jazz music. He joined our youth group when invited by Eleanor to our Super Bowl party and has been active ever since.

Miranda Richards is also new to our youth group. She was invited to come to the Super Bowl party by Gracie and has been very active since. She likes doing charity work, reading, cats, and claims to be a nerd. (Nerd is the new cool, thank you Big Bang Theory) She joined our youth group in hopes of making new friends and being accepted.

We congratulate Jason Francis (below left) on his Baptism Easter Sunday. The Nativity Youth Group, (below right), led by Casey Goslin, proudly presented Jason as his sponsors. Thank you to all who made our Easter Celebration so memorable!

w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t

The Episcopal Church of the Nativity Mailing Address: 22405 North Miller Road Scottsdale, Arizona 85255

www.TheNativity.net Worship Sunday 8:00 & 10:00 a.m.

Fiesta de Amigos A Party with and for our Friends!

Saturday, April 13th

5:30pm - 7:30pm at Church of the Nativity
The evening is free. The free-will offering will Benefit our Barrio La Laguna mission.

This fun evening will include a delicious Mexican buffet dinner, Performance by Ballet Folklorico After-dinner Dancing
w w w. T h e N a t i v i t y. n e t