From the Rector – St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra
Long before the legends of a round, gift giving fellow named Santa Claus were heard, there was Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Turkey. He was born in the year 280 ce and after his death he became a saint. Today, December 6th is his feast day.
Tradition has it that he was a nobleman who poured out his fortune to care for poor children. One of the many stories told about St. Nicholas is that he knew a family with three daughters who were too poor to marry. One night he tossed a little bag with gold through the window of their home and it landed in the shoe of one of the daughters. He did the same thing the next year. But when he went back the third year the window was closed, and so he climbed on the roof and dropped the bag of gold down the chimney – where it landed in the third daughter’s stocking where it hung by the fire to dry.
From this sprang a practice that many around the world still have today, and one my family enjoys every year. On the evening of December 5th we leave our shoes out in anticipation of St. Nicholas visiting – and magically in the morning we find a tangerine and gold foil wrapped chocolate coins in them.
Other stories tell of ways that Nicholas cared for the poor, going on trips to bring people food staples and small 
gifts. My favorite book about St. Nicholas, A St. Nicholas Story: The Fiercest Little Animal in the Forest, tells one such story whimsically as St. Nicholas recruits a grumpy pine martin to be his helper. He gave gifts in secret whenever possible so that people would know the gifts were from God.
Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam called him Santa Claus, and the true stories about his life became the legends that formed many of our Christmas traditions. His costume and his image have been secularized, but his spirit of love and care for those in need remains. Happy St. Nicholas Day!
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Formation
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
Advent is here! A time of waiting and expectation of God with us. Sunday School 
classes and families gathered to make Advent wreaths as a group activity. There were many creative results using greens, pinecones and ribbons. Families are encouraged to make use of the Advent Wreath Prayers (blue leaflet) when lighting their candles each Sunday during Advent.
And now……we are in the process of preparing for our annual Christmas pageant which will take place during the 4:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service. If you would like your child to participate, please see/contact Yvette Allen for further details. All children are invited.
We are so proud of all our Sunday School students. Please take special note of the weekly service bulletin covers which have been designed by the Kindergarten-2nd Grade class of Betsy Davis.
Yvette Allen – Preschool Bible Stories
Betsy Davis and Jessica Bahorich – Kindergarten-2nd Grades
Natalie DelRegno – 3rd-5th Grades
Joan Fader and Peter Sabonis – Middle-High School
Nancy Nanavaty – 4th Sunday Group Activities
Mara Snyder – Children’s Music
THE GOOD BOOK CLUB – BIBLE STUDY IN EPIPHANY
Join Kristin+ for a weekly Bible study during the season of Epiphany. Along with Episcopalians everywhere, we will participate in The Good Book Club by reading St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. A daily reading schedule will be distributed for everyone to read individually, and then we will meet weekly for reflection and conversation.
This Bible Study will meet the following Mondays from 10:30-11:30 am at the Starbucks on Ridgeville Blvd: 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4.
SIGN UP IN THE NARTHEX and you will receive an informational email from Kristin+ to prepare for the first gathering.
Why Romans?
After diving deep into the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts during the Good Book Club in 2018, we will delve into the Letter to the Romans, written by the Apostle Paul in 56-57 CE. Romans shares Paul’s attempt to explain how this new expression of faith is rooted in Judaism but is available to all of humanity. As Paul writes to the new community of Christians in Rome, he explores the concepts of salvation, the power of God, and grace. Many biblical scholars consider Romans to be Paul’s most important theological treatise. While Romans is not always easy reading, this sixth book of the Bible articulates what it means to be a disciple of Christ and how that translates into daily life—lessons to inform and inspire followers of Christ from the beginning to the 21st century.
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
Office Hours For Laura Week of December 9
Monday through Thursday 10-4.
Outreach Speaker This Sunday!
Carrie Vincent, from Carroll County Social Services, will be visiting with us right after the 10:30 service this Sunday to talk about the foster care program which we are supporting with Angel Tree gifts. Please join us!
Angel Tree Gifts
Please be sure to bring your gifts to church by Sunday, December 16. They will be delivered to Pleasant View and to CCSS on December 17. Thank you so much for your generosity and support!
Assistant Teacher Position Available at St. James’ Nursery School
If you or someone you know would be interested in a position as a classroom assistant working Monday, Wednesday and Friday, beginning January 3, please have them email me (school@stjamesmtairy.org) or call the school at the number below as soon as possible. I am seeking someone with a sincere interest in Early Childhood Education, preferable someone with training and education in the same and prior experience working with young children. Please let me know if you have any questions! Pat, Director 301-829-0014
Christmas Eve luminarias – help needed!
This year we plan to line our front and back walkways with beautiful luminaria bags. We need two teams to assist – one to come early and have everything ready by 4:00 pm on 12/24 – and the second to help bring them all in after the service. If you are available to help in either way please contact Ashley Conlon.
Evensong to celebrate Bishop Chilton Knudsen’s ministry and to bid her farewell, December 16, 5:00 PM, prelude, 4:45 PM, Cathedral of the Incarnation. Clergy: Vest in choir dress by 4:30 PM and process. Church banner procession line up, 4:45 PM. The prelude and service will be streamed live online, the link to the live webcast will be posted to our website homepage, EpiscopalMaryland.org.
Prayer Rotation
Please join the Daughters of the King in praying for each parishioner in rotation during 2018 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:
Gary and Betty Poole (Ben)
David and Sheila Pyatt
David Rak
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special prayer requests.
Reading for the Second Sunday of Advent, December 9, 2018 :
Malachi 3:1-4
Canticle 16
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6
Commemorations for the week of December 9, 2018:
