Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are the announcements, and links for Sunday’s worship.
Adopt-a-Family – our Christmas outreach through Elizabeth Social Services will be a bit different this year. The greatest need is for gift cards so that the families can buy groceries at Target, Walmart, or ShopRite. They are also asking for small toys for children ages 4-8 (boy or girl). In order to meet Social Services’ distribution schedule all donations need to be delivered to All Saints’ by 12/12. Here are the details: 1) buy a gift card for $25 for Target, Walmart, or ShopRite. Put it in an envelope marked “Gift”; you don’t need to know the person to whom it is going, nor do we have a list to match it to. 2) if you purchase a toy don’t wrap or label it. 3) All gift envelopes and toys need to be dropped off at the Church by 12/12. Please e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com for details. Jackie Sullivan will collect all the donations and transport them to the Social Services office. Thank you for helping with this great need at this very difficult time.
Advent Calendar Posters were mailed home to all families with children. We have extras that are available for anyone who would like them. They are on the table in the Bell Tower of the Church.
Christmas Worship – this year’s Christmas services will be done very differently, due to the pandemic:
All Saints’ Rummage Shoppe – our Shoppe is in its last week of sales. December 11 is the last day. Reserve a 30-minute shopping slot here: https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN. Tell a friend and remember to wear a mask!
Stewardship: New On-Line Giving Portal – The company who processes all our on-line donations and pledge payments, Vanco, has redesigned the donation portal, making it much clearer, simpler, and attractive. You can get to it by clicking the “Giving” button on our home page. Or you can follow this link. https://secure.myvanco.com/YH4J/home
Annual Pledge Campaign – Thank you to everyone who has returned a pledge commitment for 2021. At this point we still have about 40% of our regular pledgers that we haven’t heard from. We know that this has been an exceeding difficult and chaotic year, and we appreciate whatever support you are able to offer to God’s work here at All Saints’.
You may make a pledge either by returning the hard-copy form that was mailed to you or by using the on-line pledge form on our website. http://www.allsaintsmillington.org/giving.html
If you have a question about pledging, or about the status of your current 2020 pledge, please send an e-mail to allstsmill@hotmail.com.
It is your prayer and your pledge of financial support that makes the ministry and mission of All Saints’ happen. We know that we still have some challenging months ahead of us, and so we need everyone to participate. Thank you!
Bible Study this week is on Wed., Dec. 9 at 10:15 am. We are looking at the Old Testament readings for the four Sundays of Advent. This week is Isaiah 40:1-11. To participate in this Zoom class please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.
Parishioner News – Congratulations to All Saints’ parishioner Carol Prasa. She was elected to the Watchung Hills Regional High School Board. Carol was in the first graduating class of WHRHS, and her three children are all alums of the school. Congratulations, Carol!
+ + + + + + +
Sunday Worship – Advent 2, December 6th –10 am
10 am Service of the Word on Zoom, followed by Coffee Hour. The bulletin is on our home page. Please e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com for the Zoom log-in.
Christian Practices: Magnificat
Advent is all about waiting, Perhaps the Gospel figure most associated with Advent waiting is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was told by the angel Gabriel that she would have a child, and that the child would be the Savior of the world and the Son of God. Imagine what that must have been like, to hear that news!
Not only did Mary have to wait nine months for the birth of Jesus, but then she waited for another thirty-three years to see how he turned out, and how God’s purposes unfolded.
When Mary first learned of her pregnancy she traveled to the hill country to stay with her older cousin Elizabeth, who was herself pregnant with the child who would become John the Baptist. There was an immediate spiritual energy between them, and Mary proclaimed the words we call the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). She spoke of the hope of God’s power and faithfulness, even before she knew what Jesus’ life and ministry would be like. She praised God in the midst of her waiting.
The Magnificat is the canticle that we traditionally say at Evening Prayer (or sing at Evensong). In it, we can share in Mary’s waiting and praise – a good place to be in Advent.
The Song of Mary Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth *
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him *
throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; *
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Blessings, Vicki+
Here are the announcements, and links for Sunday’s worship.
- Sunday Worship (scroll all the way down)
- Adopt-a-Family Outreach
- Christmas Worship
- Christmas Music Memorials and Donations
- Advent Posters
- Annual Pledge Campaign
- Rummage Shoppe
- Bible Study
- Parishioner News
Adopt-a-Family – our Christmas outreach through Elizabeth Social Services will be a bit different this year. The greatest need is for gift cards so that the families can buy groceries at Target, Walmart, or ShopRite. They are also asking for small toys for children ages 4-8 (boy or girl). In order to meet Social Services’ distribution schedule all donations need to be delivered to All Saints’ by 12/12. Here are the details: 1) buy a gift card for $25 for Target, Walmart, or ShopRite. Put it in an envelope marked “Gift”; you don’t need to know the person to whom it is going, nor do we have a list to match it to. 2) if you purchase a toy don’t wrap or label it. 3) All gift envelopes and toys need to be dropped off at the Church by 12/12. Please e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com for details. Jackie Sullivan will collect all the donations and transport them to the Social Services office. Thank you for helping with this great need at this very difficult time.
Advent Calendar Posters were mailed home to all families with children. We have extras that are available for anyone who would like them. They are on the table in the Bell Tower of the Church.
Christmas Worship – this year’s Christmas services will be done very differently, due to the pandemic:
- Christmas Eve, 4:00 pm – outdoors in the parking lot. We will have a Christmas tree and congregational candles, read the Christmas Gospel, pray together, and have some pre-recorded Christmas music. The service will be 30 minutes long. Registration for the service is required, and everyone will be socially distanced. The service will be weather-dependent; if it pours rain we will not hold the service.
- Christmas Eve, 6:00 pm or later – A fully produced, pre-recorded service of readings, Christmas carols, virtual anthems, vocal and instrumental soloists, handbells, prayers, and sermon. This will be filmed in All Saints’ and can be watched at home any time on Christmas Eve after 6:00 pm or Christmas Day. Our readers, choirs, and musicians have been hard at work to get this service recorded. Even though we will not be together in-person, we are together in Spirit, and in love for God, for All Saints’, and for one another.
All Saints’ Rummage Shoppe – our Shoppe is in its last week of sales. December 11 is the last day. Reserve a 30-minute shopping slot here: https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN. Tell a friend and remember to wear a mask!
Stewardship: New On-Line Giving Portal – The company who processes all our on-line donations and pledge payments, Vanco, has redesigned the donation portal, making it much clearer, simpler, and attractive. You can get to it by clicking the “Giving” button on our home page. Or you can follow this link. https://secure.myvanco.com/YH4J/home
Annual Pledge Campaign – Thank you to everyone who has returned a pledge commitment for 2021. At this point we still have about 40% of our regular pledgers that we haven’t heard from. We know that this has been an exceeding difficult and chaotic year, and we appreciate whatever support you are able to offer to God’s work here at All Saints’.
You may make a pledge either by returning the hard-copy form that was mailed to you or by using the on-line pledge form on our website. http://www.allsaintsmillington.org/giving.html
If you have a question about pledging, or about the status of your current 2020 pledge, please send an e-mail to allstsmill@hotmail.com.
It is your prayer and your pledge of financial support that makes the ministry and mission of All Saints’ happen. We know that we still have some challenging months ahead of us, and so we need everyone to participate. Thank you!
Bible Study this week is on Wed., Dec. 9 at 10:15 am. We are looking at the Old Testament readings for the four Sundays of Advent. This week is Isaiah 40:1-11. To participate in this Zoom class please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.
Parishioner News – Congratulations to All Saints’ parishioner Carol Prasa. She was elected to the Watchung Hills Regional High School Board. Carol was in the first graduating class of WHRHS, and her three children are all alums of the school. Congratulations, Carol!
+ + + + + + +
Sunday Worship – Advent 2, December 6th –10 am
10 am Service of the Word on Zoom, followed by Coffee Hour. The bulletin is on our home page. Please e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com for the Zoom log-in.
Christian Practices: Magnificat
Advent is all about waiting, Perhaps the Gospel figure most associated with Advent waiting is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was told by the angel Gabriel that she would have a child, and that the child would be the Savior of the world and the Son of God. Imagine what that must have been like, to hear that news!
Not only did Mary have to wait nine months for the birth of Jesus, but then she waited for another thirty-three years to see how he turned out, and how God’s purposes unfolded.
When Mary first learned of her pregnancy she traveled to the hill country to stay with her older cousin Elizabeth, who was herself pregnant with the child who would become John the Baptist. There was an immediate spiritual energy between them, and Mary proclaimed the words we call the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). She spoke of the hope of God’s power and faithfulness, even before she knew what Jesus’ life and ministry would be like. She praised God in the midst of her waiting.
The Magnificat is the canticle that we traditionally say at Evening Prayer (or sing at Evensong). In it, we can share in Mary’s waiting and praise – a good place to be in Advent.
The Song of Mary Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth *
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him *
throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; *
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Blessings, Vicki+
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