Aislinn and Ronan process Advent wreath candles.


Saint Andrew's
in-the-Valley
Thursday MEMO
December 16, 2010


Services for Sunday, December 19th, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, will be at 8 and 10 AM. with coffee hours following both services. We hope you will join us for worship.

Join us for of the Greening of the Church this coming Wednesday! The wonderful Advent carol "People, look East" reminds us, "the time is near of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able. Trim the hearth and set the table. People, look East and sing today: Love the guest is on the way!" The church is the house of this parish family. Come, be part of the family as we prepare together. No special skills are required. On-lookers welcome! Children welcome!
4:00 Creating the sprigs of greens for the ends of the pews
5:30 Simple shared Soup and Salad Supper
6:00 “Greening the Church” with laurel roping, poinsettias, pew sprigs, and candles!
We will close the evening with Compline, a brief service of prayer for the end of the day.


Christmas Flower contributions: We count on your contributions -- made in memory, in thanksgiving, or in honor -- to cover the expenses of the poinsettias and laurel roping that so enhance our Christmas worship. PLEASE use the envelopes that are in the pews, or call or email the church office asap (and definitively by Tuesday) with the details of your offering. Thanks.

Our Traditional Christmas Feast -- rib roast, turkey, ham, and all the fixings! The magnificent meal that we offer at 12:30 on Christmas Day does not come to us by magic. It counts on the participation of many generous people from both within and outside the parish in the form of food prepared at home, money contributions toward specific items, as well as the labors of many -- from set-up to clean-up.
Click here for details of how you can help.
We offer the meal for free to the community, which includes you, as well as many others. The party is always a wonderful mix of people who are grateful to spend a few hours of Christmas Day at such a festive event. Please call the church office to let us know you are coming.

December 24th: Christmas Eve Services of Holy Eucharist will be at 5 PM and 11 PM, each preceded with 15 minutes of carol singing. The 5:00 service will include the setting and blessing of the crèche, which will include the children.


December 25th: Our Christmas Day service will be at 11:30 AM, followed by our traditional Christmas Community Feast at 12:30, to which all (including you!) are welcome. Please call the office to let us know how many of you are coming.


December 26th, the 1st Sunday after Christmas: We will have ONE service only at 9 AM. This will be a quiet, contemplative liturgy with harp music.



And don't forget: Our Bishop is coming!!! On January 2nd, the 2nd Sunday of Christmas, ONE service only at 10 AM. Bishop Gene Robinson will be with us for our biennial parish visit. Please join us as we welcome Kathy Bunker and Marty Cloran who will be received into this branch of Christ's church. Following our worship together, we will greet our bishop and each other with a festive reception, followed by a time of conversation with him. I hope you will make every effort to be at Saint Andrew's for this special event. Spread the word, and encourage friends and family members to join us that day. Bishop Robinson will be retiring at the beginning of 2013, so this may very well be his last official visit with us.

Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A: Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80: 1-7, 16-18, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25.

Food for contemplation on familiar words from Richard, Bishop of Chichester, who died in 1253...
Dear Lord, of thee three things I pray: to see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly.
Look around for God sightings!
Think about where you are giving your heart these days!
Get moving, so that you can follow more nearly!

See you in church!
Blessings in this holy season,
Heidi+