From the Rector -Deck the Halls!
Advent, and with it a new church year, began last Sunday. It was with great joy that we began this season with new blue swags hanging from the ceiling in the sanctuary. As many of you know, The Rev. Bill Doggett, who was the Interim Rector, built the apparatus to be able to hang banners and swags. We have continued to use the festive gold swags he created from time to time, but there has remained a wish to create hangings for all the liturgical seasons of the church year – which I am pleased to share we now will!
Last month Cheryl Windsor and I took a field trip to a large fabric store, and with the generosity of a couple of donors, we were able to purchase material to make our Advent blue swags, as well as Pentecost red, and a gorgeous green that will hang for the long green season covering summer and fall. The red can also be used at Christmas to add a pop of color to the liturgical white of the season, and the gold will continue to be used for Easter and other special days.
I would like to publicly thank Cheryl for all her work in creating these adornments – she has given of her expertise and talent, as well as large chunks of her time.
We have such an amazing worship space, with so much light and the awe-inspiring high ceiling. These swathes of fabric are not just beautiful ornamentation, but help us create a holy space year round. I hope as our new year unfolds you will find joy in these hangings!
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Formation
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
Classes in Lower Level every Sunday
Preschool through high school
9:30 – 10:15 a.m.
It’s Advent
With the beginning of Advent here, our Living the Good News curriculum changes from Fall-Year A to Winter-Year B. Our Sunday School children will be able to light a candle on their decorated wreaths each Sunday during Advent until Christmas. The countdown has begun!
Christmas Pageant
We are looking forward to our annual Christmas pageant to be held on December 24th during the 4:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Family Service. All are invited (young and older) to help recreate the very first Christmas, which means congregation participation! There are no rehearsals and no lines to memorize. Yvette Allen will be announcing further details and we will have costume selections available for everyone.
Sunday School needs
As you know, we do lots of crafts and we are so very appreciative of your many donations of art supplies. We are always in need of glue sticks and scotch tape. In addition, each teacher would love to have their own stapler (the type that opens to allow stapling on bulletin board displays).
We give thanks for our amazing Sunday School students
Bible Stories for Preschoolers: Yvette Allen, Sarah Brown
Kindergarten-2nd Grades: Betsy Davis, Jessica Bahorich
3rd – 5th Grades: Karen Phillips
6th – 12th Grades: Joan Fader
Group Activities: Nancy Nanavaty
Children’s Music: Jon Fader
Choir/Music
Hello, all you listeners of music! It’s the most wonderful time of year: warm cookies seem never to stop appearing from the oven, elves are resting on shelves about, and the most riveting of Christmas music plays on speakers everywhere you turn.
But did you know that most of the Christmas songs and hymns wouldn’t be heard the way the we sing them today?
If you think about the history of the church, very little of it actually presides in English-speaking nations. Take the famous hymn “O Come All Ye Faithful” (number 83 in our 1982 Episcopal Hymnal): the tune listed is entitled “Adeste Fideles.” And while first verse seems to fit rather well, the others tend to be a bit awkward, sometimes even making it difficult to know exactly when to sing each word!
This is because the original text for the hymn is based on the Latin text “Adeste Fideles.”
| Adeste, fideles, Laeti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem! Natum videte, Regem angelorum Venite, adoremus! Venite, adoremus! Venite, adoramus Dominum!En grege relicto Humiles ad cunas, Vocati pastores adproperant, Et nos ovanti, Gradu festinemus. Venite, adoremus! Venite, adoremus! Venite, adoramus Dominum! |
O Come All Ye Faithful Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, Born the King of Angels; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing all ye citizens of heaven above. Glory to God, Glory in the highest; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. |
It’s always important to know where our music comes from and where it’s going! Some artists today incorporate different hymns, languages, and cultural elements:
Mariah and Patricia Carey (incorporating the Hallelujah Chorus): https://youtu.be/j25wYtN1EIA
Casting Crowns (incorporating acoustic guitar): https://youtu.be/bcJYW1oN6fw
Bing Crosby (Latin and English): https://youtu.be/VVDkWTpHnW0
Pentatonix (incorporating world musics): https://youtu.be/Mj7Pr42rliI
Christmas is universal. It transverses every inch of the globe, and personally, I love to hear how everyone celebrates the coming of the Lord! As Buddy the Elf claims, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!”
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Christmas Flowers and Music Memorials and Thanksgivings
Don’t forget to complete your form and return it to the parish office or drip it in the offering plate. forms and envelopes are available on the usher’s table in the Narthex. Due by December 18, 2017
Prayer Rotation
Please join the Daughters of the King in praying for each parishioner in rotation during 2017 by taking this notice home and by posting it where it will remind you to pray on a daily basis for the needs and blessings of:
| Mike and Heather Hackworth (Luke, Kendall) Albert and Dianne Hadermann Marilyn Hancock |
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special prayer requests.
