May the peace and joy of the Christ Child be yours! In this season of the incarnation we are reminded that when God became human flesh, God raised the dignity of our created bodies and declared us worthy of the divine. We who serve the suffering are constantly aware that we serve the very body of Christ, and that we ourselves are called to be the face, hands, eyes, and presence of Christ to them.
Empowered by the God who became one of us, Stauros U.S.A. is an organization on the move, reaching out in ever-new ways to minister to those who suffer and those who care for them.

Our upcoming activities include:

1. Lenten mission in Mount Vernon, Iowa January 30 – February 3.
2. “An Evening of Compassion and Healing”, a live concert by Marty Haugen and Gary Daigle on February 8 at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
3. Taize prayer at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii in Chicago February 13.
4. Workshop on helping children grieve at the Los Angeles Congress in Los Angeles, California February 21.
5. Lenten mission in Anamosa, Iowa March 27-31
6. Workshop for religious formation students at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, April 8.
7. Training session for ministers of care in Niles, Illinois, April 13.
8. Taizé prayer at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii in Chicago May 14.
9. Benefit concert by Symphony II (the orchestra of the Lyric Opera) in Evanston, Illinois on May 30.
10. One-week Summer Institute courses at the Catholic Theological Union June 13-18 and June 21-25.

As you can see, our calendar is full, reflecting a variety of ways to help those who suffer find meaning, hope and peace. Please join is in one or more of the following ways:

• If you would like tickets to the concert, call me a 773-752-5732.
• Attend Taizé prayer, one of our missions, or a class or training session.
• Give a monetary gift to Stauros to support the work we do.
• Renew your subscription to Stauros Notebook.
• Offer your ideas for programs, workshops, concerts, or healing events we can sponsor.
• Most importantly, pray. Pray for me as executive director. Pray for all those who volunteer their time and efforts to Stauros. Pray for the suffering people we touch. Pray for the continued guidance of the Spirit.

I look forward with excitement to the coming year. Despite the pain, suffering, and oppression in the world, our God will always have the final word and that word will be life not death.

Amy Florian, executive director