Planning Prayers of the People for Advent - brief report from 10/6/26 Meeting
Quote from Terri Fishel on October 7, 2026, 2:51 pmAt our Women's Group meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, Judy Stack led the group through " a Lectio Divina reading of the four gospel lessons for the four Sundays in Advent. The purpose of this exercise was to help us focus on preparing Prayers of the People for Advent. As per Lynn's email that went out on Sept. 25:
"Recall that earlier this summer, we had a discussion about bringing more inclusive language into St John’s liturgies. This led to conversations with clergy about how the Women’s Group could provide input, and the season of Advent was specifically mentioned as an opportunity for us to contribute.
Thus, the Women ’s Group has been asked to prepare the Prayers of the People for Advent, and also to help select the Alternative Collects for the four Sundays. We are asking any of you who would like to participate in the prayer preparation to let us know — this will involve writing one set of prayers for the four Sundays — and also selecting the Collects from a set of already-approved Alternative Collects for those Sundays. In addition, the idea to honor Mary of Nazareth during Advent took hold, and four preachers have been identified to preach the four Sundays of Advent: Erin Weber-Johnson, Marjorie D. Grevious, Rev. Clara Sanders and Deacon Judy DesHarnais. "
The four Bible passages are:
Advent 1 - Mark 13:24-37
Advent 2 - Mark 1: 1-8
Advent 3 - John 1:6-8, 19-28
Luke 1:26-38
Reminder: There will not be a Women's Group meeting the first Tuesday in November because that is Election Day.If you are interested in working on the prayers and/or Collects, please let Lynn know.Also stay tuned for a proposed Advent read that will focus on Mary.Please feel free to add any comments to this post.
At our Women's Group meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, Judy Stack led the group through " a Lectio Divina reading of the four gospel lessons for the four Sundays in Advent. The purpose of this exercise was to help us focus on preparing Prayers of the People for Advent. As per Lynn's email that went out on Sept. 25:
"Recall that earlier this summer, we had a discussion about bringing more inclusive language into St John’s liturgies. This led to conversations with clergy about how the Women’s Group could provide input, and the season of Advent was specifically mentioned as an opportunity for us to contribute.
Thus, the Women ’s Group has been asked to prepare the Prayers of the People for Advent, and also to help select the Alternative Collects for the four Sundays. We are asking any of you who would like to participate in the prayer preparation to let us know — this will involve writing one set of prayers for the four Sundays — and also selecting the Collects from a set of already-approved Alternative Collects for those Sundays. In addition, the idea to honor Mary of Nazareth during Advent took hold, and four preachers have been identified to preach the four Sundays of Advent: Erin Weber-Johnson, Marjorie D. Grevious, Rev. Clara Sanders and Deacon Judy DesHarnais. "
The four Bible passages are:
Advent 1 - Mark 13:24-37
Advent 2 - Mark 1: 1-8
Advent 3 - John 1:6-8, 19-28
Luke 1:26-38
Quote from Terri Fishel on October 8, 2026, 7:16 amWomen’s Group Lectio Divina, Tuesday 10/6, led by Dr. Judy Stack of
the four Gospel readings for Advent, 2026
Notes from our discussionAdvent I, Mark 13:24-37. While much of this passage reads like
Armageddon/Devastation (“the stars will be falling from heaven”, “the
powers in the heavens will be shaken” “beware, keep alert” “keep awake”),
there is a counterbalancing message of Hope. (“My words will not pass
away” [In the beginning was The Word.] “Then they will see ‘the Son of
Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out
the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the
earth to the ends of heaven.” [Image here of the vastness of the cosmos
as seen via the Hubble telescope – and the vastness when filled with the
Son of Man, his angels and his “elect” (believers).
Keep Awake – a message (warning? invitation?) to us as individuals and
as a community. It is The Word that will remain as our foundation.
Those former things that held us/hold us in such terror are going to be
swept away (“the powers in the heavens will be shaken”. This is not the
heaven of God but a lower-level “heaven” for lesser gods and evildoers.)Advent II, Mark1:1-8. John is the messenger, preparing the way for the
Lord. There is HOPE, there is an invitation here too, that our Lord will be
coming.
“John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming” – and what an
appearance he made. “Wild and woolly” “weirdo” “off-the-grid”. And he did
not “say” or “describe”. He proclaimed a “baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins”. And he was trusted, people believed his message.
“people from the whole countryside” and “all the people of Jerusalem”
followed him, to be baptized. But John did not claim to be their Lord, but
rather “The one who is more powerful than I . . . will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit.”Advent III, John 1:6-8,19-28. “There was a man sent from God, whose
name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all
might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to
testify to the light.”
John the author’s poetic introduction of John the Baptist. Note the judicial
language too: “testify”, “witness”. “testimony” John “confessed”. And the
emphasis on the coming “light”.
John the Baptist is challenged, “Who are you?” “Let us have an answer.”
John’s appeal to the people is a challenge to the recognized religious
authorities, but his answer is not of their world. “I am the voice of one
crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord”. His
answer is humble, he is the voice of one crying out.
Another reminder to open our eyes and be alert: “among you stands one
whom you do not know, who [baptizes with the Holy Spirit, from Mark].Advent IV, Luke 1:26-38. The Annunciation, one of the most recognized
and beautiful of Bible passages. A male angel and a teenage girl. He
greets Mary as “favored one” and assures her that “The Lord is with you.”
At the beginning of this short passage Mary is perplexed about what is to
come to her (pregnant by the power of the Most High, this son will take
over the throne of David, and become the Lord of an infinite kingdom). Her
response at the end is one of obedience, acceptance: “let it be with me
according to your word”.We discussed this psychological/spiritual transformation within Mary to
accompany the physical transformation she will experience.
Women’s Group Lectio Divina, Tuesday 10/6, led by Dr. Judy Stack of
the four Gospel readings for Advent, 2026
Notes from our discussion
Advent I, Mark 13:24-37. While much of this passage reads like
Armageddon/Devastation (“the stars will be falling from heaven”, “the
powers in the heavens will be shaken” “beware, keep alert” “keep awake”),
there is a counterbalancing message of Hope. (“My words will not pass
away” [In the beginning was The Word.] “Then they will see ‘the Son of
Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out
the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the
earth to the ends of heaven.” [Image here of the vastness of the cosmos
as seen via the Hubble telescope – and the vastness when filled with the
Son of Man, his angels and his “elect” (believers).
Keep Awake – a message (warning? invitation?) to us as individuals and
as a community. It is The Word that will remain as our foundation.
Those former things that held us/hold us in such terror are going to be
swept away (“the powers in the heavens will be shaken”. This is not the
heaven of God but a lower-level “heaven” for lesser gods and evildoers.)
Advent II, Mark1:1-8. John is the messenger, preparing the way for the
Lord. There is HOPE, there is an invitation here too, that our Lord will be
coming.
“John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming” – and what an
appearance he made. “Wild and woolly” “weirdo” “off-the-grid”. And he did
not “say” or “describe”. He proclaimed a “baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins”. And he was trusted, people believed his message.
“people from the whole countryside” and “all the people of Jerusalem”
followed him, to be baptized. But John did not claim to be their Lord, but
rather “The one who is more powerful than I . . . will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit.”
Advent III, John 1:6-8,19-28. “There was a man sent from God, whose
name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all
might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to
testify to the light.”
John the author’s poetic introduction of John the Baptist. Note the judicial
language too: “testify”, “witness”. “testimony” John “confessed”. And the
emphasis on the coming “light”.
John the Baptist is challenged, “Who are you?” “Let us have an answer.”
John’s appeal to the people is a challenge to the recognized religious
authorities, but his answer is not of their world. “I am the voice of one
crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord”. His
answer is humble, he is the voice of one crying out.
Another reminder to open our eyes and be alert: “among you stands one
whom you do not know, who [baptizes with the Holy Spirit, from Mark].
Advent IV, Luke 1:26-38. The Annunciation, one of the most recognized
and beautiful of Bible passages. A male angel and a teenage girl. He
greets Mary as “favored one” and assures her that “The Lord is with you.”
At the beginning of this short passage Mary is perplexed about what is to
come to her (pregnant by the power of the Most High, this son will take
over the throne of David, and become the Lord of an infinite kingdom). Her
response at the end is one of obedience, acceptance: “let it be with me
according to your word”.
We discussed this psychological/spiritual transformation within Mary to
accompany the physical transformation she will experience.
