
Please take a look at this week’s announcements, especially:
- Christmas Worship Schedule (at end of e-letter)
- Adopt-a-Family (Outreach)
- 2019 Year-End (Stewardship)
- Christmas Flowers & Music (Worship)
- Greening of the Church (Worship)
25th Ordination Anniversary December 8. Join us to celebrate Mother Vicki’s anniversary at the 10 am service. It will be followed be a pot-luck lunch in the Parish Hall. And St. Nicholas will visit the party. We hope you can be part of the celebration on that day.
Epiphany Soup and Sandwich Lunch & Fruitcake Bake-off, Sunday, January 5 at 11:15 in the Parish Hall. Come share a relaxed meal with your fellow parishioners, pull a Christmas party “cracker,” and join in a Christmas fruitcake bake-off – either as a baker or as a judge! Recipes and directions for the bake-off are on the table in the Narthex. Sign-up sheets for the event are there, also. We’ll need a bit of help: pick up the sandwiches, make a pot of soup, set up the tables, clean up, etc. The cost of the event is $5 per person; $20 maximum per household. Kids under age 3 are free. This is a fun way to close out the holiday season and start the New Year!
WORSHIP
Greening of the Church after the 10 am service on Dec. 22 We’ll have our Coffee Hour in the Narthex. Come and help get the Church ready for our Christmas celebrations!
Family Choir for Christmas Eve 4:30 pm Service - this is an opportunity for kids and adults to sing together on Christmas Eve (and it helps lead our congregation and visitors). Rehearsal for Family Choir is Sunday, 12/22, 11:30 am-12:30 pm in the choir room. On Christmas Eve the Choir should arrive at 3:45 pm to warm up and run through the anthem again. Please RSVP to Alison Siener Brown (Director of Music) at asienerbrown@gmail.com.
Children’s Nativity Presentation – December 15 at the 10 am service.
Christmas Music & Christmas Flowers – envelopes to contribute for flowers and guest musicians at Christmas for Christmas flowers and decorations, or to contribute to Christmas Eve music when we have guest singers and instrumentalists, will be in the pews and on the table in the Narthex on Sunday. Please make sure you include the name(s) of those you would like remembered or for whom you are giving thanks with your gift. We need that information by 12/19. The envelopes can be put in the offering plate, or dropped off at the Parish Office.
Winter Weather – with the snow season coming on, alerts will be sent out via e-mail by 6:30am Sunday and posted on the parish website if snow or ice will cause a cancellation of either the early service or both services. Safety of driving and walking are always our first concern. If all services are cancelled, Mother Vicki will hold a Facebook Live Morning Prayer at 10 am.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Bible Study meets this week, Wed. 12/11 at 10:15 am in the Rath House. We’ll discuss Revelation, Chapter 13. We’re always glad to have new people join us and learn more about the Bible and its connection to our lives. Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki.
OUTREACH
Adopt-a-Family – our Christmas outreach gifts for teens & tweens and a displaced family need to be returned today, as do the kitchen/household items for the “wishing well” for the family. Thank you for your generosity in supporting families in difficulty. Questions? Speak to Jackie Sullivan.
Twelve Baskets Food Pantry provides food for individuals and families in need. The food pantry is available throughout the year by calling the Parish Office. We offer a monthly outreach at the Long Hill Senior Center. If you know someone struggling with food insecurity, please pass the word along to them.
Family Promise Homeless Shelter – our next time to serve at this program for homeless families will be during the week of January 12-19 when they stay at Trinity House in Stirling. We are assigned a night to provide a meal, greeters, and overnight hosting. Please look for more details soon.
STEWARDSHIP
2019 End of Year – as the year comes to a close, please make sure that you are current on fulfilling your pledge. All Saints’ depends on your support, and we are very grateful for it. If you have a question about the status of your pledge or contributions, please be in touch with Barb Barbeau at barbwillow@aol.com. Thank you!
Annual Pledge Campaign for 2020: Building a Joyful Community – We are trying to wrap up our pledge campaign and still have a number of folks we have not heard from. If you need a pledge commitment form, please ask for one. You can even send your pledge in by e-mail, if that is more convenient. Thank you for being part of God’s mission here at All Saints’!
CONVENT CORNER
The Epiphany Party!
Sunday January 5, 2020; 5:00 - 7:00pm, at the Convent
This event is for old and new friends of the Community. Enjoy an evening of music and fellowship with the Sisters. Vespers and Reception of Associates 4pm. Informal Supper and Hymn Sing at 5pm. Come when you can!
PARISH CALENDAR
12/10 Finance Committee Rath House, 7:30 pm
12/11 Bible Study Rath House, 10:15 am
12/12 Holy Eucharist Church, 7:00 am
Junior Choir Choir Room, 5:15 pm
Adult Choir Choir Room, 7:30 pm
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar
CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Way of Love: Prayer
A Prayer for Advent and Christmas
Lord Jesus,
let not our lives be busy inns
that have no room for you or your people.
Rather, let our lives be quiet homes
of prayer and praise
where you may find fit company;
Where the needful cares of life
are wisely ordered and put away,
and wide, sweet spaces kept for you;
Where holy thoughts pass up and down
and fervent longings
watch and wait for your coming. Amen.
~ Adapted from a prayer attributed to Julian of Norwich.
Shared at the Advent Quiet Evening by Fr. Shawn Carty.
Blessings, Vicki+
Christmas Services
Christmas Eve
4:30 pm, Family Eucharist and the Blessing of the Crèche
Children are invited to carry the Nativity figures to the Crèche.
Please gather in the Narthex at 4:25 pm.
10:10 pm, Candlelight Christmas Concert
Adult Choir will present choral music, for your Christmas meditation.
10:30 pm, Festive Holy Eucharist
The traditional “Midnight Mass” with carols, candlelight, violin, and handbells.
Christmas Day
10:00 am, Holy Eucharist with Carols and Blessing of the Christmas Gifts
Bring a gift that you have received to be blessed as a reminder that all the things that delight our hearts are gift from God!
First Sunday after Christmas, December 29th
8:00 am, Holy Eucharist II
10:00 am, Lessons and Carols
Readings and Carols for the Christmas Season.
The Feast of the Epiphany, January 5th
8:00 am, Holy Eucharist II
10:00 am, Procession of the Magi & Holy Eucharist II
Family Service: Children’s homily, birthday and anniversary prayers.