This Sunday, The Second Sunday of Advent, there
will be one service at 9 am.
There is a service of Morning Prayer on Wednesday
mornings at 9 a.m.
We hope you will join us for worship and
fellowship.
READINGS
FOR SUNDAY
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12
FROM THE INTERIM RECTOR
I’m
always glad to get home from a trip, but I have to admit the transition from
the beach pictured here to the freezing rain and snow in Tamworth on
Tuesday was a bit of a challenge! We had a wonderful time, and it was
glorious to be at the beach – all the good things you can imagine – seafood,
Mexican food, warm weather, beautiful sea and sky. The ten of us, six adults
and four teenagers, came together at the airport in Cancun, made the trek down
the coast to Tulum, and then made a beeline to the beach. I hadn’t seen my
nephews since last Christmas, and both of them had grown at least four inches –
both are now quite a bit taller than I am. Though we didn’t have a traditional
Thanksgiving, we were all grateful to have this time together in such a
gorgeous setting, and the opportunity to reconnect and catch up.
It
didn't feel like Advent in Mexico, where it seemed like summer. Now that I'm
home I'm ready to catch up with the season, and begin to prepare my heart for
the coming of the Christ child. I’ve gone through my collection of Advent
meditations, and picked out an old favorite to read each day. It’s called Night Visions: Searching the Shadows
of Advent and Christmas, by Jan L. Richardson. One of the poems in
particular spoke to me as I browsed through it; I share it in hopes it will
speak to you as well.
Horizon
The season of Advent means there is something on the
horizon the likes of which we have never seen before. It is not possible to
keep it from coming, because it will. That’s just how Advent works. What is
possible is to not see it, to miss it, to turn just as it brushes past you. And
you begin to grasp what it was you missed, like Moses in the cleft of the rock,
watching God’s hindquarters fade in the distance.
So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry.
Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder.
There will be time enough for
running. For rushing. For worrying. For pushing.
For now, stay. Wait.
Something is on the horizon.
Happy Advent!
FROM
THE STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE
(Note: this was to be published last
week and was missed by the editor)
As we celebrated Thanksgiving this past
week, we are mindful of the many blessings in our lives, our faith, our
families, this beautiful country that we live in, and the beauty that surrounds
us in the valley daily. It is also the perfect opportunity for us, on the
Stewardship Committee, to thank all of our St. Andrew's family for your
generous support during this pledge season. Not only will our parish flourish,
we will also continue to share our abundance with others. Hoping you had a
blessed and happy Thanksgiving!
The Stewardship Committee: Lisa Thompson, Gretchen Behr
Svendsen, Patti Rau, Barbara Lord, Pat Adams
CHRISTMAS ALTAR FLOWERS
If
you wish to dedicate Christmas flowers in memory or thanksgiving of a loved one
or friend, there will be slips in the bulletin the next two Sundays or you may
email your request to Deb at office@standrewsinthevalley.org.
To help defray the cost of our Christmas flowers and greens we are asking for
$20 for Christmas altar flowers this year.
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| Preston's 1st reading on the 1st Sunday of Advent. Good job Preston! See more photos from Last Sunday in the Gallery below. |
PLEASE DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!
This
is your head’s up to be thinking about your Annual Reports. Committee chairs should be
pulling together their notes to complete reports for submission to the office. If you have enough information to complete
and send your report it is always appreciated to submit it as early as
possible.
Most
folks have their last year’s report but if you need an electronic copy or hard
copy please let Deb in the office know and she will be happy to provide that
for you. REPORTS ARE DUE JANUARY 13TH!
COMMUNITY
FOOD CENTER
The Food Pantry thanks you for your contributions
throughout the year.
The
monthly item for December is dish
detergent.
DINNER
BELL COOK TEAMS NEEDED
Please consider picking up one
of the many dates in 2017 for Dinner Bell cook team. It really is quite easy and the outreach it
provides is so rewarding and needed. If
you have questions about what it entails, please contact Carol Tubman at
651-8230. There is also a need for a Dinner Bell Coordinator if you are so
inclined, questions may be directed to Carol. Please email Deb at the office if
you can fill any of those dates. Thank you.
Dinner Bell dates that cooks are
needed:
Dec 4, 2016 - Jan
1 ~ Feb 19 ~ Mar 19, 26 - Apr 23 ~ May 7,14, 21, 28 - Jun 4,11,18
CHRISTMAS AT ST. ANDREW'S
Blessings,
See you
in Church!
Photography by:
Chris
Mills
Lisa
Thompson
Debra
Hoyt
1st Sunday of Advent Photo Gallery
 |
| Rev. Nancy Spencer Smith, guest priest |
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| A conversation with Jim Theodore and Gretchen |
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| Tommie Dayton |
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| Nancy and Sammie chat |
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| Betsy and Sue |
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| A book of poetry by Sammie and her sister, Gail in memory of their father Jess Wilson pictured on the cover with Sammie's daughter, Esther |
