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.
Serving on Sunday (Dec 20th):
* Greeter: Holly H * Host: Davis * Readers: Barb C, Andrew P
* Psalm & Prayers: Kristin W * Chalice: Pam H, Joan L-S
* Announcements: Rachel M * Counters: Rich K, Dave D
Verger List has Sunday assignments through December
Lessons Appointed for Sunday, Fourth Sunday of Advent
Click HERE for Christmas Service calendar.
Announcements – December 20, 2015
Advent Evening Prayer Daily Mon-Fri 5:30 in the church – Please join us for a quiet, peaceful time of prayer during this busy holiday season and in this time of turmoil in our world.
Advent Discussion Series - Please join us Advent discussion series again this year to be held on the 4 Wednesday evenings in Advent (December 2, 9, 16, and 23) from 6:30 pm - 8 pm in the parish house. The format will be a loosely-structured discussion of the previous Sunday's Old Testament and Gospel readings---touching on topics as historical background, how the readings relate to one another, what we feel in the readings specifically speaks to us, what the readings might mean to us in our greater community, why these readings may have been chosen for inclusion in the common lectionary for Advent. We will be spending 35-40 minutes on each reading and ending with Compline. There would be no books or required reading as we will be only using the lectionary scripture readings. It will be facilitated by Pete Lapre.
Christmas Eve Service help needed! We need your help for the Christmas Eve services, as well as the Sunday after Christmas, for the Lessons and Carols service. For the 5:30pm Christmas Eve service, we need someone for psalm/prayers, and 1 on Chalice bearer. At the 9pm Christmas Eve service, we need 1 on Chalice. For the Lessons and Carols, we need 6 readers. If you are available, would you please contact Cindy Boehm-Patenaude by email (dbcpiccolo@gmail.com) or phone/text at 603-381-3030.
Come join us for the Fifth Annual Christmas Eve Pot Luck! Immediately following the 5:30 service there will be a potluck dinner in the parish hall. Enjoy great food and warm fellowship with your St. Paul's family! No need to sign up, just come, and bring a dish to share, if you are able.
A new verger schedule is in the works. Please consider taking part in this important ministry by becoming a reader, leading the psalm/prayers or being a host. Those who already participate, please let me know if you know of certain dates you won't be here. This schedule will be for January - April. Thank you.
The Warming Shelter at The Haven is open. If you are interested in being part of a Sunday Lunch ministry, simple hot meal of either soup or casserole with bread in our parish hall please contact Jon Chaffee or Diana Collins. Following the meal we would assist our guests to other warm locations in the area.
Annual Meeting Reports due January 13 - Please submit your reports for the Annual Reports to Paula Stevens in electronic format by January 13. Annual Meeting is Saturday, January 23. Thanks, Scott and the Vestry
It is not too late to return your Stewardship Pledge! – Help us plan better for next year by submitting your pledge as soon as possible. Thank you.
Solstice Knit and Purl Retreat – Sat Dec 19th, 10am - 7pm at Parish House --
Susan Pillsbury and Holly Hall are organizing Solstice Retreat. We will serve a soup for lunch and a vegetarian chili for early dinner. Please bring a potluck snack to share. There is Wi-Fi in the building for anyone wanting to bring lap tops or iPads to see craft videos. This is a peaceful time to fill yourself with relaxing comfort as you work on, finish, or start a new craft project. A table will be set up for quilters and sewers. Please spread the word to friends. More the merrier. If you have questions, contact Susan or Holly.
United Valley Interfaith Project
Would you like to be a Five Minute Friend? Do you wish to learn more about Car Title Lending and the negative impact this has on our economic structure and our community? Are you a senior and you wish to share your story with others?
There is more! However, if you are interested in learning more about the United Valley Interfaith Project (UVIP), there is now an internal UVIP Team at St. Paul's Church. The newly formed St. Paul's UVIP Team consists of Sally McFarlin, Eva Moss and Diane Root. Our current campaigns include: Five Minute Friends; Aging with Dignity and Senior Stories; Economic Justice, includes Predatory Lending and Fight for Fifteen. The newly formed St. Paul's UVIP Team plans to work closely with our church community on these campaign issues. We plan to inform you of upcoming events and present, as well as disseminate, material relevant to these campaigns in a timely fashion. Flyers, announcements and oral presentations are essential elements in reaching out to all of you.
We plan to begin these conversations with you, real soon. In January, we are planning an open discussion with our church community and hope you will join us, then. In the meantime, continue to read the United Valley Interfaith Project Bulletin Board, located in the hallway. Sally, Eva and Diane are, also, available to chat with you at any time concerning these issues or any other issue that is important to you. Look forward to sharing, listening and above all caring Sally R McFarlin
Knit and Purl Fellowship- we are not meeting December 21st but will meet next January 4th 6:30 atParish House. We will meet again third week of January, January 18th.
Caring Ministry Meeting- January 17th, 11:45 at the church chapel.
Listen Community Center Dinners - Our next Listen community dinner will be January 18th. We will serve chicken vegetable casserole and brownies for dessert and will prepare enough food to serve one hundred meals. We will need six or more volunteers to help in the kitchen 3:00-6:00 January 18th.
A Service to Celebrate the Life of Suzie Harding is being planned for April 2016.
Ongoing Reminders
Leadership Team Meeting – every Wednesday 9:30-11:30am
Worship Team meets - second Tuesday of the month in the Church Library at 4pm. All are welcome to attend.
Vestry meets - third Tuesday of the month in the Parish House at 6:30pm. All are welcome to attend.
Brookside Nursing Home Church Services – Please join us! - Second Sunday of each month (September through June) 2-2:30pm. Our next service will be December 13th, 2-2:30. We welcome anyone who would like to volunteer with Cindy and Holly.
Knit and Purl Fellowship – first and third Mondays of the month at the Parish House, 6:30pm. In January, we will meet January 4th and 18th.
Listen Community Dinners 2016 – every other month St. Paul's Church serves dinner at the Listen Community Center: January 17, March 21, May 16, July 18, September 19, November 21
Upcoming Events
Please send event and prayer updates to announcements.spc@gmail.com
Monday – Friday – 5:30pm Evening Prayer
Saturday, December 19 – Solstice Knit and Purl Retreat
Thursday, December 24 - 5:30pm - Holy Communion with Christmas pageant
Thursday, December 24 – 9:00pm - Festive Holy Communion with Carols
Friday, December 25 – 10:00am - Christmas day Holy Communion with Carols
Monday, January 4 – 6:30pm Knit and Purl Fellowship
Friday, December 25 – 10:00am - Christmas day Holy Communion with Carols
Sunday, December 27 – 10:00 AM _ Lessons and Carols with Holy Eucharist
Monday, January 4 – 6:30pm Knit and Purl Fellowship
Wednesday, January 6 – 5:30 PM – The Epiphany – Holy Eucharist and hymns
Sunday, January 17th – Caring Team Meeting
Monday, January 18 – Listen Community Dinner
Monday, January 18 – 6:30pm Knit and Purl Fellowship
Saturday, January 23 – Annual Meeting of the parish
Here's who's doing what - Sunday, December 20 – Advent IV
Greeter –Holly H; Host – Dick and Jane D; Old Testament – Barb C; Epistle – Andrew P; Psalm and Prayers – Kristin W; Chalice – Pam H and Joan L-S; Announcements – Rachel M; Counters: Rich K and Dave D
Scott’s Schedule:
Monday, December 21: Office Hours 9-12
Tuesday, December 22: Office Hours 9-12
Thursday, December 24: 5:30 and 9 PM Holy Eucharist
Friday, December 25: Christmas Day 10 AM Holy Eucharist
Saturday, December 26: Sabbath Day