Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are this week’s announcements, along with a reminder of our snow procedures. Please pay particular attention to the following:
• The Other Wise Man performance, tomorrow night! see below
• St. Nicholas Celebration ~ No Family Service
• Festive Advent Evensong and Pot-Luck Supper ~ this Sunday
• Stewardship Pledge Cards
+ + + + + + + + +
WORSHIP and MUSIC
St. Nicholas Sunday – Our high school will present a St. Nicholas skit (scripts in hand!) this Sunday, December 7 as part of the 10 am service. All children will go to Sunday School first, and then come into church starting at the Peace. Come and find out why St. Nicholas is an Advent saint, and how he can help us prepare for Christ’s birth.
Celebration: Festive Advent Evensong, December 7, 4 pm to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Mother Vicki’s ordination to the priesthood. The Rev. Anne Bolles-Beaven will be the guest preacher, our choir will be augmented by some friends, clergy from the diocese have been invited, and Alison has written a new hymn for the occasion – a wonderful celebration! It will be followed by a Parish Pot-Luck Supper. Sign-up on the sheet in the Narthex to bring an appetizer, side-dish or dessert. Hope you can come to this festive event!
Christmas Flowers and decorations may be donated in memory of loved ones and/or in thanksgiving for God’s blessings. Flower donation envelopes are in the pews. They need to be returned (along with the names to be included in the Christmas bulletins) by December 15.Thanks!
All God’s Children is our monthly service for special needs kids and their families. December’s service will be on the second week: 12/ 14, at 12 noon. Please extend an invitation to those who might be interested; all are welcome! Contact Mother Vicki with questions.
HELPING HANDS
Advent Theater Production The Other Wise Man, Friday, Dec. 5 @ 7 pm. Tickets are $10 /$5 for kids age 12 and under; all tickets are at the door. This costumed reading by professional actors will take place in the Church. There will be an opportunity to meet and talk with the performers during refreshments following the play. Proceeds will benefit North Porch, which provides emergency supplies to babies and toddlers. We’ll also be collecting jars of baby food for all ages: fruit, veggies and first foods.
Adopt-a-Family – this is our annual program to provide new clothing and household items to a struggling family, as identified by Union County Social Services. There is a board in the Narthex with envelopes containing the needed items. Please take one and return the gifts wrapped and labeled by 12/15. Thank you for helping make this family’s Christmas a little happier.
Ditty Bags – every December we collect travel size toiletries, playing cards, cosmetics, jewelry trinkets, small note pads, etc. to go to the residents of Morris View, the county nursing home. Contributions may be left in the marked box in the Narthex. Questions? Speak to Pru Peterson (see Pru’s Ditty Bag article below!).
STEWARDSHIP
Thank you to everyone who has made a pledge of financial and time & talent support to All Saints’ for 2015. If you have not yet done so and need pledge materials, they are availble on the table in the Narthex. It is important to have everyone on board with God’s mission through this parish as we head into next year.
And a note from the Finance Committee – if you are interested in making a gift of appreciated stock (either as a year-end donation or in fulfillment of your pledge) we are equipped to help you with that. It would be very much appreciated, and be a tax advantage to you. Speak to David Thursfield for details.
FORMATION
Advent and Christmas Mini-Ministries are the way All Saints’ gets ready for our parish worship and celebration of the birth of Our Lord Jesus. There is an info flyer and a sign-up sheet in the Narthex, outlining the different roles, jobs and opportunities for service during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Take a look, and see how you can help. Thanks.
Wednesday Bible Study Group is a great way to make some room for God in your life this Advent season. We meet from 10:15-11:30 am in the Rath House. We are currently reading the Gospel of John. Newcomers to Bible reading are welcomed and encouraged. We’ll provide you with a Bible if you need one. Come and try us out! Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki.
Coffee Hour hosts needed for Sundays after the 10 am service. What do you need to do? Provide sweet and/or savory snacks, juice, hot water for tea, and coffee. Instructions are available and John McGrath can walk you through a demo! Coffee Hour is a wonderful time to meet and greet fellow parishioners and newcomers. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex.
Sunday School Pageant of the Nativity – December 21 at 10 am. All parish children are invited to take part in our annual pageant; shepherds, angels, Magi, Mary and Joseph, birds and animals – there’s a part for everyone! The rehearsal will be Saturday, 12/20 at 9 am in the Church. Please sign-up your child on the sheet in the Narthex so we’ll know they would like to participate.
+ + + + + + + + +
PARISH CALENDAR NEXT WEEK
12/9 Finance Committee 7:30 pm, Rath House
12/10 Bible Study 10:15 am, Rath House
12/11 Holy Eucharist 7:00 am, Church
Junior Choir 5:00 pm, Choir Room
Adult Choir 7:30 pm, Choir Room
And please check the calendar on our website for the full listing of groups and events in our buildings.
+ + + + + + + + +
For All the Saints – December 6, Nicholas, Bishop of Myra ~ c. 342
Very little is known about the life of Nicholas, except that he suffered torture and imprisonment during the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian. It is possible that he was one of the bishops attending the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325.
He was honored as a saint in Constantinople in the sixth century by the Emperor Justinian. His veneration became immensely popular in the West after the supposed removal of his body to Bari, Italy, in the late eleventh century. In England almost 400 churches were dedicated to him.
Nicholas is famed as the traditional patron of seafarers and sailors, and, more especially, of children. As a bearer of gifts to children, his name was brought to America by the Dutch colonists in New York, from whom he is popularly known as Santa Claus. ~ Holy Women, Holy Men
Blessings,
Vicki McGrath+
Here are this week’s announcements, along with a reminder of our snow procedures. Please pay particular attention to the following:
• The Other Wise Man performance, tomorrow night! see below
• St. Nicholas Celebration ~ No Family Service
• Festive Advent Evensong and Pot-Luck Supper ~ this Sunday
• Stewardship Pledge Cards
+ + + + + + + + +
WORSHIP and MUSIC
St. Nicholas Sunday – Our high school will present a St. Nicholas skit (scripts in hand!) this Sunday, December 7 as part of the 10 am service. All children will go to Sunday School first, and then come into church starting at the Peace. Come and find out why St. Nicholas is an Advent saint, and how he can help us prepare for Christ’s birth.
Celebration: Festive Advent Evensong, December 7, 4 pm to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Mother Vicki’s ordination to the priesthood. The Rev. Anne Bolles-Beaven will be the guest preacher, our choir will be augmented by some friends, clergy from the diocese have been invited, and Alison has written a new hymn for the occasion – a wonderful celebration! It will be followed by a Parish Pot-Luck Supper. Sign-up on the sheet in the Narthex to bring an appetizer, side-dish or dessert. Hope you can come to this festive event!
Christmas Flowers and decorations may be donated in memory of loved ones and/or in thanksgiving for God’s blessings. Flower donation envelopes are in the pews. They need to be returned (along with the names to be included in the Christmas bulletins) by December 15.Thanks!
All God’s Children is our monthly service for special needs kids and their families. December’s service will be on the second week: 12/ 14, at 12 noon. Please extend an invitation to those who might be interested; all are welcome! Contact Mother Vicki with questions.
HELPING HANDS
Advent Theater Production The Other Wise Man, Friday, Dec. 5 @ 7 pm. Tickets are $10 /$5 for kids age 12 and under; all tickets are at the door. This costumed reading by professional actors will take place in the Church. There will be an opportunity to meet and talk with the performers during refreshments following the play. Proceeds will benefit North Porch, which provides emergency supplies to babies and toddlers. We’ll also be collecting jars of baby food for all ages: fruit, veggies and first foods.
Adopt-a-Family – this is our annual program to provide new clothing and household items to a struggling family, as identified by Union County Social Services. There is a board in the Narthex with envelopes containing the needed items. Please take one and return the gifts wrapped and labeled by 12/15. Thank you for helping make this family’s Christmas a little happier.
Ditty Bags – every December we collect travel size toiletries, playing cards, cosmetics, jewelry trinkets, small note pads, etc. to go to the residents of Morris View, the county nursing home. Contributions may be left in the marked box in the Narthex. Questions? Speak to Pru Peterson (see Pru’s Ditty Bag article below!).
STEWARDSHIP
Thank you to everyone who has made a pledge of financial and time & talent support to All Saints’ for 2015. If you have not yet done so and need pledge materials, they are availble on the table in the Narthex. It is important to have everyone on board with God’s mission through this parish as we head into next year.
And a note from the Finance Committee – if you are interested in making a gift of appreciated stock (either as a year-end donation or in fulfillment of your pledge) we are equipped to help you with that. It would be very much appreciated, and be a tax advantage to you. Speak to David Thursfield for details.
FORMATION
Advent and Christmas Mini-Ministries are the way All Saints’ gets ready for our parish worship and celebration of the birth of Our Lord Jesus. There is an info flyer and a sign-up sheet in the Narthex, outlining the different roles, jobs and opportunities for service during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Take a look, and see how you can help. Thanks.
Wednesday Bible Study Group is a great way to make some room for God in your life this Advent season. We meet from 10:15-11:30 am in the Rath House. We are currently reading the Gospel of John. Newcomers to Bible reading are welcomed and encouraged. We’ll provide you with a Bible if you need one. Come and try us out! Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki.
Coffee Hour hosts needed for Sundays after the 10 am service. What do you need to do? Provide sweet and/or savory snacks, juice, hot water for tea, and coffee. Instructions are available and John McGrath can walk you through a demo! Coffee Hour is a wonderful time to meet and greet fellow parishioners and newcomers. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex.
Sunday School Pageant of the Nativity – December 21 at 10 am. All parish children are invited to take part in our annual pageant; shepherds, angels, Magi, Mary and Joseph, birds and animals – there’s a part for everyone! The rehearsal will be Saturday, 12/20 at 9 am in the Church. Please sign-up your child on the sheet in the Narthex so we’ll know they would like to participate.
+ + + + + + + + +
PARISH CALENDAR NEXT WEEK
12/9 Finance Committee 7:30 pm, Rath House
12/10 Bible Study 10:15 am, Rath House
12/11 Holy Eucharist 7:00 am, Church
Junior Choir 5:00 pm, Choir Room
Adult Choir 7:30 pm, Choir Room
And please check the calendar on our website for the full listing of groups and events in our buildings.
+ + + + + + + + +
For All the Saints – December 6, Nicholas, Bishop of Myra ~ c. 342
Very little is known about the life of Nicholas, except that he suffered torture and imprisonment during the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian. It is possible that he was one of the bishops attending the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325.
He was honored as a saint in Constantinople in the sixth century by the Emperor Justinian. His veneration became immensely popular in the West after the supposed removal of his body to Bari, Italy, in the late eleventh century. In England almost 400 churches were dedicated to him.
Nicholas is famed as the traditional patron of seafarers and sailors, and, more especially, of children. As a bearer of gifts to children, his name was brought to America by the Dutch colonists in New York, from whom he is popularly known as Santa Claus. ~ Holy Women, Holy Men
Blessings,
Vicki McGrath+
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