The Advent Eagle - Rector's Rambling for December 1st, 2024

     Happy New Church Year!  Although the secular calendar New Year begins January 1, we begin our church year with the First Sunday of Advent, which this year falls on December 1st.  We begin once again the rotation of Church seasons; Advent, Chrsitmastide, Epiphany, Pre-Lent (gesima Sundays), Lent, Easter, Ascensiontide, Pentecost and then back to the long Trinity Season once again.  This year Easter is on April 20th so we will have a longer Epiphany season than last year, and a shorter Trinitytide.

December is busy at St. John’s. Right now the Holiday Bazaar is underway with homemade gifts for sale in support of the ministries of the St. Catherine’s Guild.  In the ministry center the Gift Giving Tree awaits your unwrapped gifts for the children of the Georgia Street Community Collective.  Tags are hanging on the tree as suggested gifts. 

On Saturday, December 7th Women’s Advent Tea will be offered by the Daughters of the King.  All women of the parish are encouraged to invite friends to join us this day. On Sunday, December 8 we have our Garden Tree Lighting where we pray Evening Prayer, sing Carols, and enjoy hot chocolate and treats together.

On Sunday, December 15 we have our triennial Official Diocesan Visit with the Rt. Rev’d Bonnie Perry at the 10 AM Service.  On that day will also be having our annual Cookie Walk, as well as the final day of the Gift Giving Tree.  That Tree then morphs into the Warm Fuzzy Tree collecting hats, mittens, scarves and sweaters.

The 4th Sunday of Advent on December 22 will see our Advent Soup Sunday and the completion of the Church Greening for Christmas that was begun the day before on Saturday the 21st. 

Almost all of those things listed above are on Sunday when you are already here in church for worship (hint hint) so you can participate in all of them!

Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24 we will have our Family Pageant Service at 4 PM, Carol Prelude Service at 8:30 and Festive Candlelit Holy Communion at 9 PM.  Christmas Day Low Mass with Carols is at 11 AM.

Now is the time to start inviting friends, neighbors, and family to join us on Sunday and for Christmas worship as well!  See you in Church.