The Nativity Peace Library Team, through the Social Justice Committee, has created a children and youth library of books that focus on Nativity’s core values of welcome and inclusion and to celebrate diversity among God’s people. It is our hope to provide our young people and their families with tools to help them better appreciate the fullness of our history.
To review our collection of books in the Peace Library, click here. (You may want to bookmark this page for future use.)
There are several ways to find a book. You may type a book title into the search bar.
If you don’t have a specific book title in mind, you may search categories listed in blue below the search bar. Once you select a category and click on it, you will be taken to our LibraryThing page with all the books that are associated with that category.
Or you may click on one of the book jacket photos scrolling beneath the categories.
If at any time you want to go to a list of all the books in the Peace Library, click on the tab Books on the same row with NativityPeaceLibrary.
On the second Thursday of each month in Glad Tidings, the Nativity Peace Library Team will write up a review and suggested activities for one of our books. All the reviews will be kept on Nativity website at Nativity Peace Library Book Review.
Please contact Beth Crow at nativitypeacelibrary@gmail.com if you have any questions.
So, faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (James 2:17)
The devastating extreme weather, racial inequity, and pandemic of this past year are interconnected and provide an indication of how we are living on and treating the Earth and its inhabitants, human and nonhuman. The Season of Creation, September 1 through October 4, observed by Christian denominations around the world, is a time to pause and think about how our lifestyles are adversely affecting God’s Creation and how we might through our faith strive to live in a more sustainable way.
The Episcopal Church (TEC) joins in these works. “The Season of Creation, ….is a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation. The Episcopal Church joins this international effort for prayer and action for climate justice and an end to environmental racism and ecological destruction. This year’s theme is A home for all? Renewing the Oikos (home) of God. In celebrating the Season, we are invited to consider anew our ecological, economic, and political ways of living.”1
TEC has provided a list of resources “on loving formation, liberating advocacy for environmental justice, and life-giving conservation and sustainability efforts.”2
Our Diocesan Mission Strategy Goals for Creation Care are also a source of ideas on specific “works” for individuals and congregations, which include, but are not limited to, the following:
Join or form a Creation Care group at your church
Connect Creation Care with church life and God’s plan for salvation
Develop spiritual connections between ecosystems and church
Share your Creation Care success stories with others
Assess the Racial/Social Justice implications of every Creation Care project in which we are engaged
Promote and install solar on churches
Support use of electric vehicles and charging stations
Sequester carbon in soil at home, at church, and in the field
Participate in churchyard workdays
Restore and maintain wildlife habitat at church and at home
Reverse biodiversity decline
Increase food security: Grow a Sustenance Garden
Identify and address local, state, and federal environmental advocacy opportunities
Addressing our ecological problems may appear as a daunting challenge, especially since the designated Season for Creation is for only one month. Look upon this time as one in which you can begin to make changes in the way you are living and then carry out more good works throughout the year. Some of the most needed works like mitigating climate change require drastically lowering emissions. That is beyond what individuals can do, but we can still do our part. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s these little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Nativity’s annual meeting for 2020 was held Sunday December 13 at 12 noon via Zoom. 27 people attended the online meeting where news and status from selected Ministry Teams and Vestry members were presented.
What a treasure we have in the book of Psalms! These eloquent prayers give voice to every aspect of human emotion — joy, praise, devotion, anger, sorrow, hope. During my years as a hospital chaplain, I frequently called upon the psalms for comfort and support. In times of suffering, fear, and loss, the psalms of lament led us from sorrow into hope. Psalm 130, assigned in the lectionary for this coming Sunday, is one of my favorites.
Psalm 130 (De profundis)
Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord, who could stand?
For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.
I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; *
in his word is my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning, *
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, wait for the Lord, *
for with the Lord there is mercy;
With him there is plenteous redemption, *
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.
Does this resonate with you? At this strange, uncomfortable time I somehow feel “in the depths.” We have to do everything differently, isolating ourselves, removed from so much of our comfort zone. If we are to connect, we have to communicate from a distance and grapple with unfamiliar technologies. Fear is all around us. It’s a dark, dreary time.
I really miss the personal interaction that gives my life so much meaning — most of all, the joy of being present with the Nativity family as we gather for worship and fellowship. Facebook and other social media help us stay in touch; but none of these can match the physical presence of being with one another, in communion as the Body of Christ.
As we pray the psalms of lament we join in the honest complaints, tears, and anguish that they express so eloquently and know that the feeling is universal. I am not alone; it’s not just about me. Psalm 130, beginning with a desperate cry from the depths, then turns to hope and trust. “My soul waits for the Lord; in his word is my hope. With him is plenteous redemption. . . .” There is hope. This challenging time will pass. We will once more be able to gather together and celebrate — in God’s time.
My initial connection with Psalm 130 was through music. It was a favorite psalm of Martin Luther, which he turned into a hymn text and tune. In German, the title is Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir; the English translation, with Luther’s tune, is found in our Hymnal 1982, # 151: “From deepest woe I cry to thee; Lord, hear me, I implore thee.” It has inspired many composers, especially J. S. Bach and Felix Mendelssohn, to write organ and choral settings of Luther’s text and melody.
I invite you to join me, first to lament and then to rejoice in that hope, and listen to Mendelssohn’s choral setting of Psalm 130:
Our outreach opportunities with Leesville Elementary School Backpack Program and Windsor Spring Groceries for Senior have been suspended for the time being. Yet we have the desire to help others who are food insecure. As schools have been closed and people have lost their jobs, the need grows daily. After studying the websites of organizations in Raleigh who lead food distribution efforts, financial donations are the most effective way to help right now. If we donate money, it can be used to buy food in bulk stretching the spending power of each donation. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (IFFS) has provided a way we can donate from the safety of our homes.
We now have a “COTN Virtual Food Drive” page on the IFFS website where you can shop and pay for food and IFFS will do the actual purchasing and handling of the commodities. You may visit our drive using the above link and click on the tab “Donate”. If you prefer to mail a check, you may make the check out to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and mail it to:
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle
Att: Development Dept
1001 Blair Drive Suite 120
Raleigh, NC 27603
Call Lillis Ward, 336-529-3133 or Email Lilis Ward for questions.
Acts 20:35 tells us it is better to give than to receive. For about eight months now, when four young grandsons moved in with us last summer, Sharon and I have lived on the receiving side of that Scriptural equation. Realizing we were short on everything, we put out quiet calls for help. We were rapidly embraced with offers of clothing, food, aid and comfort. Help has come from friends, neighbors, family, so many people at Nativity, and people we’ve never met. It has been a truly heartwarming experience, and expanded our appreciation for this beautiful congregation. This past Saturday, a parishioner left bags of grapes and apples, another reminder of the kindness and love that has not stopped flowing our way for many months now.
As humbling as this has been, we have learned so much from this experience. We have enjoyed wonderful meals, received countless donations, and the grandkids met many wonderful people. One of the most challenging aspects of these months has been accepting help, and more so, asking for it. We all believe we can do it ourselves, for however long it takes, by ourselves. Those ideas are ingrained in our good ol’ fashioned Protestant work-ethic DNA, so hard to overcome.
If, at some point, you or your family run out of energy, out of time, out of patience or maybe out of money, don’t despair. In this stressful and volatile environment, it is not unusual. We can also personally vouch for this lesson: There is no shame, no reduction in status, no diminishment of image within our community from asking for help. We did experience an enormous surge of relief and love when we put aside our pride and opened the door for help. If you find yourself walking on the edge of being overwhelmed, or actively sliding down that slope, please reach out. Contact Stephanie, David, a Stephen minister, one of our amazing Vestry members, or any friendly parishioner, and start that conversation. We’re not questioning Paul’s guidance in Acts; we are offering an alternative perspective. Make that call, we are so thankful we did.
Puppy bladders don’t care. They are small, and they don’t care if there is a global pandemic. They don’t care if you have to write an urgent email. They don’t care if you have to make that phone call. Or read the latest news report. They just know that if you don’t take the puppy outside RIGHT.NOW there will be an even more urgent task to attend to.
How are you doing? How are you holding up in the midst of the physical distancing we have been asked to do? I know many of you are sad we can’t gather together for worship until mid-May. I’m sad, too. I know you are grieving that we can’t celebrate Easter together. Me, too.
What’s keeping you sane right now? For me, it is the urgency of taking a puppy outside for a needed walk. It turns out I need those walks just as much as she does. She also wakes up early for that first walk of the morning, and it turns out that my prayer life desperately needed that too.
The other day, we woke up at 6, went for a walk, the sky gradually lightening as the sun arose, and suddenly, the birds began to sing. A great chorus rose up around us, all the birds greeting the new day with their individual song, coming together as a great cloud of witnesses. The puppy’s head came up to listen, and so did mine. And it made me think of the canticle we read for worship on Sunday, Canticle 21, the Te Deum.
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
The glorious company of birds praise you, Oh God. The playful, active puppies with small bladders praise you, Oh God. All creation praises you.
It can be hard to find praise, or blessings, when we are in the midst of sadness, or grief, or lament. We are in the season of Lent, a time to be more somber, more penitent. And yet, we offer our praise every Sunday. Canticle 21 is the suggested canticle to be read during the season of Lent. The wisdom of the Book of Common Prayer knows that even in Lent, even in lament, our hearts desire to praise God.
Listen for the birdsong, friends. Creation reminds us that new life is coming. We won’t be quarantined and socially distant forever. Easter is coming, and we will find ways to celebrate Christ risen from the dead once again.
If you will excuse me, I have to go walk the puppy.
It is that time once again to start building a new affordable home for a deserving family in Wake County.
The Wall building is set for Saturday February 29 at the Habitat facility located at 2615 Westinghouse Boulevard, Raleigh. Last year we had a fantastic group from Nativity working with 6 other parishes to get the walls built and then taken to the job site. We will be working in a different subdivision this year in Garner.
Also, mark your calendars for Saturday April 4!!! This is Nativity Day. We need at least 15 of us to sign up. We will be providing the luncheon feast and we always have a great workday with lots of fellowship.
There are also opportunities for clergy and youth to get involved. Look for updates and more information on our website and in Sunday Tidings. Contact Dave McKinnon or Joe Ward if you have questions.
End of the Year Note from the Executive Director, Michael Anello:
Folks, I am astonished!
I called the Haitian Embassy in DC to schedule a January meeting about our reforestation work. The receptionist on the phone was fun to speak with, and we chatted in Creole.
To explain my eagerness for a meeting, I told her about the trees along the Jacmel Road that CODEP has planted. Sure enough, she has an aunt who lives in Léogâne.
“I know those trees,” she said. “We all know about those trees. You mean that you are the people that planted them? That’s incredible.”
This wasn’t the first time. A few weeks ago, I read in The Haitian Times about a woman who has designed shoes for a Nike program that will raise money to combat poverty in Haiti. Her design builds from the August uprisings. The shoes are the colors of the Haitian flag and AUGUST is painted on the tongue of each shoe.
As an impulse, I called her. Sure enough, she is Haitian-American and her mother comes from Léogâne . “Everyone knows those trees. It is good to learn about CODEP and what they have done.”
Yes, our trees are known far beyond the patches of land that they shade. The Jacmel Road snakes up and over the steep central mountains connecting Léogâne with Jacmel. All along the road are trees. Some are clustered in places like a checkerboard pattern. Elsewhere, they are scattered lightly across valleys providing shade for homes and gardens. One concentrated tract of trees is large enough to be seen from space!
The trees are astonishing. Our story is astonishing. Tell it to everyone you know.
