Advent/Christmas Eagle - Rector's Rambling for December 14, 2025

     As we continue our way through Advent, we are looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ in glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, and as the weeks of Advent progress we can’t help but focus more sharply on the upcoming celebration of His first coming as an infant in the manger in Bethlehem.

Back in March we celebrated Jesus’ Incarnation when He took human flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, She received the good news from the Archangel Gabriel that this conception would be by the Holy Ghost Himself.  We look with anticipation to the celebration of His birth with great joy!

But we still have some Advent left to go and we look to the state of our souls as if Jesus may return today, or we may go to meet Him through our own bodily death.  Either way we must be prepared!

In this newsletter there is not only the Christmas worship schedule but also the things leading up to it like the Advent Soup Luncheon and Greening of the Church.  The Warm Fuzzy Tree is ready to receive your gifts of hats, gloves, sweaters, and socks (and thank you for your support of the Giving Tree and St. Catherine’s Guild Pantry Sale).

Looking further ahead, God willing, to 2026 we see the celebration of The Epiphany on January 6th, The Annual Parish Meeting on January 25th, The Feast of the Presentation on February 2nd, and on February 15 we welcome Bishop Wendell Gibbs for a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Fr. Kelly’s arrival as Rector of St. John’s. 

Being mindful of First Things First, let us be sure to be in Church this Sunday for worship!  And please invite your friends and neighbors to join us Sundays, Holy Days, and the variety of special events offered here at St. John’s this season and throughout the year.