The Call
December, 2025
A Message from the Rector
Dear Friends in Christ,
As we enter the season of Advent, the Church invites us into a rhythm that runs counter to the pace of the world around us. While December often fills up with busyness and expectations, Advent gently calls us to slow down, to breathe, and to make room in our hearts for the Lord who is coming. It is a season of watching and waiting, of holy expectation, and of learning once again to pay attention to the presence of God in our midst.
Advent reminds us that Christ comes to us in more than one way. We look for his return in glory at the last day, when he will set all things right and draw the whole creation into the fullness of his kingdom. But we also prepare to meet him anew in the quiet humility of Bethlehem, where the eternal Word becomes flesh for our salvation. Holding these two truths together, Christ the judge and Christ the child, shapes us into people of hope. The one we will one day meet as a judge is the same one who first came among us in tenderness and vulnerability. His judgment is rooted in the same love that led him to share our humanity, to enter our world as an infant, and to give himself completely for our sake. When we remember that the judge is also the child of Bethlehem, we can face the future not with fear, but with confidence in his mercy and his desire to redeem and restore all things.
My prayer for each of us this Advent is simple: that in the midst of our busy lives, we may find moments of stillness, practice watchfulness, and open our hearts to the transforming grace of God. May this season draw us closer to the One who comes to save, renew, and guide us into the light of his love.
With every blessing,
Fr. David
2026 Stewardship Campaign- It’s not too Late!
By now, you should have received a mailing from the Stewardship Committee. This link includes the letter from the mailing as well as a link to a Narrative Budget explaining the importance of each item, comparisons between the 2025 and 2026 budget amounts with explanations for changes.
Our pledge ingathering was Sunday, November 23, but you may also mail your card to the church, put it in the collection at any time, or use this link to submit your pledge on-line.
Thanks to your generosity, we hit our stewardship goal for 2026 last Sunday!
Your vestry met on Sunday, November 9, in person.
Steve, Karen Hauswald and Fr. David reported on the events at Diocesan Convention. Fr. David has been elected a delegate to General Convention in 2027 and he is also now serving a two-year term as the Dean of the Central Deanery.
There are light bulbs in the parking lot that need to be replaced and must be done by professionals due to their height. It is especially important to get the work done by Christmas so the lot is well-lit for visitors as well as our regular members. The work will cost between $4,000-$7,000 and the bulbs will be replaced with LEDs, which should require less-frequent replacements.-This work was completed last week!
We will have a Christmas Pageant on December 21 in place of the sermon.
The vestry agreed to renew the agreement with KC for Refugees, allowing them to use the basement of the church house.
Scott Laurent will lead a centering prayer workshop before Lent.
Poinsettias will be delivered on December 22.
Fr. David and Zach will be hosting the next vestry meeting at their home on Sunday, December 14.
Minutes from the September 23 meeting are at this link.
Formation Opportunity
Fr. David has begun an Advent series on the Nicene Creed titled, “For Us and for Our Salvation”. This class will be presented in a hybrid format both in person and online at 7 PM on Wednesdays. It’s not too late to join us on December 3, 10 and 17. For those coming in person a light soup supper will be offered at 6:30.
Give, and You Shall Receive, from the IRS
The recent tax changes include a potential benefit for people who don’t itemize their deductions (currently 90% of taxpayers) and thus haven’t been able to get any tax breaks when they donate to charity. Starting with the 2026 tax year, those who take the standard deduction can also deduct up to $1,000 in charitable contributions for Singles ($2,000 for Married filing Jointly) in addition to the Standard Deduction.
And don’t forget two other ways to save on taxes through charitable donations which have been around for a few years: If you’re 70.5 or older you can make a donation directly from your IRA to a qualified charity (called a Qualified Charitable Distribution) without incurring taxes and without it increasing your Adjusted Gross income. If you’re 73 and making Required Minimum Distributions, any portion of your RMD which is donated directly to a qualified charity is also not taxed and does not add to your Adjusted Gross Income. St. Mary Magdalene does have a brokerage account to receive these donations.
As always, if you have questions about how this affects your individual situation, please consult a tax accountant.
Dates to Remember in December and Beyond
Saturday, December 6: Christmas crafts with Santa.
Friday, December 19: God and Guinness.
Sunday, December 21: Children’s Pageant at 10:30 AM Service. Vespers at 4:30 PM.
Wednesday, December 24: Holy Eucharist, 7 PM.
Thursday, December 25: Holy Eucharist, 10:30 AM.
Sunday, January 11: Church Annual Meeting after the service.
You can view the current version of our Calendar any time at this link – or by Selecting “Calendar” from the drop-down menu under News and Events at the top of our web page.
You can also pick up a printed copy in the Narthex.
The New Spirit is published every two weeks. Read the latest issue here.
Women‘s Book Club
The Christmas luncheon in December will be Monday, December 15 at noon.
The January meeting will be at the home of Susan Petrakos (13204 Jefferson Ct., Kansas City, MO) at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, January 5th. We will discuss The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. All women are welcome to attend. Please come anytime you see a book you would like to discuss. Dessert is always served.
December 19
Join your friends at St. Mary Magdalene on Friday, December 19 at 6 p.m. for our monthly God & Guinness Night at Conroy’s, 12924 State Line Road in Leawood.
Single Mom KC needs clothing for women and full-size toiletries. They can be left in the bin marked for SingleMom KC in the narthex.
KC for Refugees Needs Household Items
A few years ago we opened up the basement of the House of Grace to KC for Refugees, an organization that provides support for newly-arrived refugees from war-torn countries. They’re in need of all the basic necessities. Here’s their most recent communication:
We need your help! Our Welcome Closet is nearly out of all supplies! We need lots of help to replenish our storehouse for the refugees arriving weekly to the KC Metro area!
Needed donations include: Towels, blankets, small kitchen appliances (rice cookers, electric tea pots, pressure cookers, etc), dishes, silverware, pots and pans (the bigger the better), diapers, sheets (twin and queen size) and hygiene and cleaning kits, diapers, maxi pads, socks and underwear for children and adults.
Our Amazon wishlist is available for easy donation! All items purchased are delivered to a KC for Refugees volunteer who delivers to our Welcome Closet.
Or donations are always welcome in person! All donations should be new, or very gently used with lots of life left in them. They can be dropped off at the lower level of the House of Grace on Thursdays from 9-11am, or brought to church.
Thank you so much for your help! We cannot do this great work without your help and support!!!
Heart-n-Hand Ministries
Heart-N-Hand Ministries, right here in Belton, serves the homeless as well as others just needing a hand up. At their website, www.heartnhand.org, there is always a current list of donated items they are seeking.
Heart-N-Hand would also appreciate volunteers to assist in their Thrift Store, Monday-Saturday; the store hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For for more information, please contact Alexis Butterfield, Executive Director, at 816-322-1133 or 417-551-2470. Her e-mail is alexisjbutterfield@gmail.com.
Here’s the latest list of items they need most. Donations can be left in the Narthex.
Canned meals like Chili, Ravioli, Spaghetti-O’s, stew (pop top preferred)
Pancake Mix Eggs
Pork & beans Crackers
Refried beans Ready to eat Soup
Spaghetti sauce White rice
Boxed mashed potatoes Baking goods: Flour, Sugar, cooking oil
Peanut Butter Grape Jelly
Canned chicken, ham, or pork Canned fruit
Condiments Powdered milk
Fresh produce Meat ( ground beef, ground turkey)
Lunch meats Cheese
Juice Dressing
Baby wipes Dish soap
Toilet paper Paper towels
Household cleaning products Shampoo and conditioner
Tampons and pads Kleenex
Here is a link to items you can order from Amazon
Help Save Lives with Your Donation!
The need for blood products never stops! Please donate if you can.
Our next drive will be on Thursday, January 22 from 2 to 6 PM.
