VINE AND BRANCHES

The monthly e-newsletter of Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries

November-December 2003 - Volume 2, Nos. 11-12

Welcome to Rachel’s Vineyard https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/.

Our national toll-free hotline is (877) HOPE-4-ME.

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Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries holds weekend retreats for emotional and spiritual healing after abortion. Our national office is supported as a project of American Life League

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Publisher: Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries
Editor: Leslie Graves
Associate Editor: Catherine McHugh
Comments and questions: Theresa Burke mailto:tburke@net-thing.net or
Leslie Graves mailto:lbgraves@aol.com

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Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, Being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You must also be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

*James 5:7-8

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SPECIAL ADVENT ISSUE

1. Advent greetings from Rachel’s Vineyard

2. Short news and notes

3. Retreats in January

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ADVENT GREETINGS FROM RACHEL’S VINEYARD

By Leslie Graves

In Advent, we wait for Our Savior.

Patience is an underrated and underpracticed virtue. Most of us have moments of impatience.

Recently, I stood impatiently in line at my favorite coffee bar. A family of four was in front of me. They were unfamiliar with the coffee bar’s menu and took (I thought at the time) f-o-r-e-v-e-r to discuss the alternatives and give their order.

It can also be difficult to wait for Jesus. The angel appears to the shepherds on the hills outside of Bethlehem and announces, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." We are asked to wait both joyfully and patiently for Christ, for that glory of His that "will be."

Can we believe in this, the promise that encourages our souls to trust in the possibility that our Heavenly Father will melt our hearts, sustain us, lift us up, give us courage and pull us into His merciful arms?

This Advent, I think also of the patience that Jesus must have as He waits for us. On a wall in my childhood church was fastened a well-known picture of Jesus. I looked at it often since it was visible over the shoulder of the minister when he gave his sermon. The picture shows Jesus knocking on the wooden door of a cottage. His face is lit up with anticipation as he waits there.

It wasn’t until years later, seeing the picture again as an adult, that I realized there was no handle on the door. Jesus has to wait for the person inside to open it up and let him in.

Many times, post-abortive men and women really don’t believe that Jesus yearns to enter our abode and rest there with us, to inhabit our suffering with us, and finally to be with us as His grace transforms our suffering.

But Jesus waits for all of us. He taps gently on the door. He whispers to our weary hearts. He waits in joyful hope, in the Advent of his salvation, for each of us to know that when the angel sang of "the good news of great joy that will be for all the people", the angel sang to us.

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SHORT NEWS AND NOTES

"A DOOR TO HOPE" AVAILABLE NOW

"A Door to Hope: Recovery from post-abortion trauma" is a powerful 60-minute video.

Sharon Soderlund, the Respect Life coordinator for the Archdiocese of Minneapolis, said, "Each person who was interviewed did a fantastic job, and the camera work, sound, editing, etc., were tight. What a huge difference ‘A Door to Hope’ will make in reaching all the women who have suffered so long in isolation, feeling hopeless and unforgiven."

Prices for "A Door to Hope" are as follows:

One tape: $20 each plus 5.00 for shipping and handling. 2-5 tapes: $18 each plus 8.00 (total for the order) for shipping and handling.

6-25 tapes: $15 each plus 10.00 (total for the order) for shipping and handling.

To order a copy, send a check made out to "A Message of Peace," to A Message of Peace, c/o Lorrie, 340 Prussian Lane, Wayne, PA 19087.

For larger orders, please email katie@nti4.com.

RACHEL’S VINEYARD MUGS AVAILABLE

We have brand new Rachel’s Vineyard coffee/tea mugs that you can give as Christmas presents to friends, neighbors, retreat team members and co-workers at your job. The mug is a teal color with gold printing. It reads:

From Grief To Grace
Ask Me About
Rachel’s Vineyard
www.rachelsvineyard.org

On the other side of the mug is the Rachel’s Vineyard cross and dove logo.

For 1-5 mugs, the price is $9.00 each, which includes shipping and handling. For quantities of 6-10 mugs, the price is $8.50 each (includes shipping and handling).

For quantities of 10-20 mugs, the price is $7.00 each (includes shipping and handling).

To order, send a check with requested number of mugs to Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries, 743 Roy Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406.

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RETREATS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY

January 2-4, 2004–Fort Worth, Texas
Contact: Betsy Kopor (817) 923-4757

January 9-11, 2004–Cullman, Alabama
Contact: Contact: Susan Wood (205) 566-6736 or (205) 957-1155

January 16-18, 2004–Linden, New Jersey
Contact: Michelle Krystofik (732) 388-8211

January 16–18, 2004–Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Contact: Susan Lepak (405) 721-5651, ext. 107

January 16-18, 2004–Youngstown, Ohio
Contact: Brenda Dama (330) 519-8838

Contact: Br. Vit Fiala (330) 799-1888
January 16–18, 2004–North Providence, Rhode Island

Local host: Rachel Vineyard Retreats of Southern New England

Contact: Gail Picard (401) 941-4357
Contact: Sheila Kuzmic (401) 348-8874

January 23-25, 2004–Kansas City, Missouri
Contact: Kathleen Ames-Oliver (785) 760-0617

January 23-25, 2004–Fairfield County, Connecticut
Contact: Clarissa Cincotta (203) 372-4301, ext. 314

January 30-February 1, 2004–Richardton, North Dakota
Contact: Carol Kling(605) 374-5639

January 30-February 1, 2004–Fresno, California
Contact: Jennifer Butcher (559) 277-9771

NOTE: You may also call our national toll-free hotline at 1-877-HOPE-4-ME for information about the retreat, and about schedules and dates. The full schedule is available online https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/retreats.htm.

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He will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.

*Isaiah 25:7-8

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Comments about Vine & Branches may be directed to the editor, Leslie Graves mailto:lbgraves@aol.com.

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Visit Rachel’s Vineyard https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/ on the web.

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Rachel’s Vineyard is a project of American Life League