SEASON OF LIGHTS
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| Advent |
FROM THE RECTOR
Christmas Plans are Finalized!
Our plans for Christmas services are finalized except for Christmas Day. I'm still waiting to hear if anyone is interested in attending.
Our Christmas Eve service will be at 4:00 pm on December 24. We plan to decorate the Chancel in much the same way as we normally do, and to broadcast the service on Zoom and Facebook Live from the church. The service will include a celebration of the Holy Eucharist. I will consecrate individually wrapped bread and wine during the service, and all are invited to then come to the church parking lot to receive it.
The individually wrapped communion set (see above picture) includes a small wafer and a sip of wine. We will be in the church parking lot (wearing masks) to give these to you for 45 minutes following the end of the Zoom service. This is an unusual adaption to this unusual time we are experiencing. I hope it will help to make this Christmas feel more like the holy feast and celebration that it is, even though we are unable to gather in person.
Christmas Day: We normally hold a service on Christmas morning at 11:00 that has traditionally preceded the Christmas Dinner hosted by Dinner Bell. It is typically sparsely attended, with even fewer in attendance last year when there was no dinner. I am happy to hold a Zoom/ Facebook Live service Christmas morning, but only if I know that there are people who plan to attend. Please let me know by December 20 if you would attend. This service would not include Communion.
A Service of Lessons and Carols will be held at 10:00 on Sunday, December 27. This service will be much the same as usual, but held via Zoom and Facebook Live.
On January 6, the Day of Epiphany, we will hold a Service of Light. Details will follow later.
Many thanks to Bernice Thompson, Val May, Chris and Carolyn Boldt and Ann Cady for recording all the Christmas carols for these services! The music will be beautiful!
I hope that you will be able to participate in these services, and that they will brighten your Christmas season!
Blessings,
Caroline
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
JOIN US FOR WORSHIP
The 1st Sunday of the month at 9:00 AM
The remaining Sundays at 10:00 AM
This Sunday-December 20th
at 10:00 a.m.
The 4th Sunday of Advent
via Zoom (email RectorSAITV@gmail.com for Zoom information)
READINGS FOR SUNDAY
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
COLLECT OF THE DAY
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
First Lesson 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
In our Hebrew scriptures the enemies of David have been subdued and David turns his thoughts to building a temple to the Lord. Through the prophet Nathan, God declares to David that the construction of an earthly temple is not among the purposes for which God has anointed David. God has chosen David from among the lowly, a mere shepherd boy, and given him victory over his enemies. Now God will make of David a great house, securing the hopes of the people of
The Second Lesson Romans 16:25-27
In words that close his long letter to the community in Rome, Paul reminds the new Christians of the mystery now disclosed to all nations, bringing them to faith and obedience. Although the secret had long been kept in silence, the promise of the eternal God has been revealed and is made known through the prophetic scriptures. Glory to God who enables disciples to stand firm in the good news of Jesus!
The Gospel Luke 1:26-38
Our gospel relates the story of the visit to Mary by an angel: Gabriel tells her that she is to bear Jesus, who will be called the Son of God. This happens during the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elizabeth, a kinswoman of Mary, who will soon give birth to John the Baptist. Mary is assured of God's favor and that this is the work of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of the prophecy to David of an eternal kingdom. The narrative points to the transcendent origin of this child born into history.
Click below to see the readings:
PRAYERS FOR EACH OTHER
One thing we can always do while we stay at home is to pray for each other! We would like to keep our prayer list up to date and publish it each week in the Thursday Memo. Please email Deb at office@standrewsinthevalley.org with any updates.
This Week We Pray for
Health and Wholeness for: Bev Sullivan and grandson, Mary Ireland, Jean DeThomas, Terri Hooper, Martin, John McGowan, Sue Huckman, Steve Thompson, Joan Marshall, Marilyn Cloran, Kitty Lou Booty, Gabriele and Bob Wallace, Dave Appleton, Carolyn Boldt, Angela B., Tom, Carolyn Jarvis, Doug Crapser, Peg Patenaude, Joyce Humphrey,
For those who are homebound: Joyce Gendron, Marge Hagerup, Elizabeth Pease, Brian & Sara Kelley, Elizabeth Wiesner, Judy Grace, Audrey Berry.
For those who have died: David Lewis, John McGowan's first cousin.
For our First Nation people and those in this country who are living in impoverished areas of the Ninth Ward of New Orleans and the inner city areas populated by some of our poorest citizens.
For all those who are on the front lines serving communities during these difficult times.Updating the Prayer List
Please let Deb know if you want to put someone back on the prayer list going forward. Thank you for helping us keep our prayer list up to date.
THINK SPRING! PLANT A SEED
EFM,
or Education for Ministry, currently has a combined New Hampshire/New York
group that meets online weekly. This group was started by Rev. Bill Cruse, and
was initially a New Hampshire group, but due to graduation, the group became
too small for sharing and discussion, thus combining with the New York group
this year. It has been a wonderful process, learning and sharing with new
friends from an area totally different from rural NH. We would love to
keep this group viable looking forward to next Fall.
If
you like meeting new people, sharing your story and your faith with others,
lively discussion about scripture and other authors, praying together, all
from the comfort of your living room, EFM may be for you! If you need more
information, Jen, Carol, Sammie, or Pat would be happy to answer any questions.
On
another note, if you enjoy Compline, and miss it on Friday evening, please
join Carolyn Black, one of our New York friends, who does Compline
every Friday evening at 7:00PM. Here is linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktLGR7kHffE
BISHOP CURRY'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
Joy to the world! The Lord is come: let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.
SAFE CHURCH TRAINING
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Safe Church
Training Call - Monday, January 11, 2021 at 10:00 am
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When
Monday, January 11, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM EST
Add
to Calendar
Where
This is an online event.
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Please note - This email does NOT
indicate your need for safe church training. If you have a question
as to your training status, please contact your safe church minister.
The first safe church zoom training will
be held on Monday, January 11, 2021 at 10:00 am
You will need to complete the required online modules
prior to this training. The current list, which
has been revised, of required online modules for
those completing safe church training for the first time and for those
completing refresher training can be found on our website:
www.nhepiscopal.org/safe-church
under the Universal Training paragraph.
If you need information on how to complete these modules,
please contact your safe church minister. If you have other
questions or need the contact information for your safe church minister,
please contact Lynn Eaton at leaton@nhepiscopal.org.
A list of those requiring safe church training and other
resources and information can be found on our website,
www.nhepiscopal.org/safe-church. | |
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Thank you for your attention to this important ministry.
Sincerely, Lynn Eaton
Episcopal Church of New Hampshire
leaton@nhepiscopal.org
603-224-1914
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No DINNER BELL until further notice.
Thank you for your volunteer
work in this special Outreach program!
COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER
The Food Pantry thanks you for your contributions throughout the year.
Food pantry continues to serve the communities needs
New Hours
Alternating Wednesdays
12-4 pm
Next Food Pantry: December 23rd
Any questions call 603-960-4067
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
On Thy Wondrous Works I Will Meditate
A portion of Psalm 145
Every morning I want to kneel down on
the golden
cloth of the sand and say
some kind of musical thanks for
the world that is happening again—another day—
from the shawl of wind coming out of the
west to the firm green
flesh of the melon lately sliced open
and
eaten, its chill and ample body
flavored with mercy. I want
to be worthy of—what? Glory? Yes, unimaginable glory.
O Lord of melons, of mercy, though I am
not ready, nor worthy, I am climbing toward you.
~ Mary Oliver
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
If you do not see your birthday or anniversary listed, please make sure Deb in the office has an information sheet on file for you.
Birthdays
6 Carolyn Seston
12 Hettie Buck
13 Suzanne Morgan
26 Sarah & Jim Huckman
27 Debra Hoyt
30 Gretchen Behr-Svendsen
Anniversaries
8 Bob & Carolyn Seston
21 Chris & Carolyn Boldt
FROM THE OFFICE
Annual Reports due in January.
PHOTO GALLERY
A SEASON OF LIGHTS
Photos shared by the Adams
SHARE YOUR LIGHTS!
Send to Deb at office@standrewsinthevalley.org
LINKS
