Sunday, December 5, Second Sunday of Advent
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Sunday, December 5 is the Second Sunday of Advent. Find the readings here. Worship booklet here: Late Autumn & Advent Sundays
Please join us at St. John's Church for one of two in-person services at 8:00 am and 10:30 am. We will try to stream the service live on our Facebook page. If you follow us on Facebook and are logged in around 9am, you should be able to see it. Also, the service will be posted on our Youtube channel by the early afternoon. You can also see last week's service here.
If you want to join the Zoom coffee hour at 12:30, please email the Parish Administrator for the information.
ADVENT LESSONS AND CAROLS, Sunday, December 12, 5 pm. We will be using a shortened form of our L&C based on the Great O-Antiphons of Advent. We may be able to include the choral piece commissioned from Dr. Michael Sitton … he has finished it and is sending it in the next several days!
Advent and Christmas Offerings:
Sunday, December 12: Order for Worship in the Evening. 5 pm.
Choral and organ music for the season.
Friday, December 24: Christmas Eve services at 5 and 8:30 pm.
Sunday, December 26: Sunday after Christmas, 9 am.
Tips for a Christ-Friendly Christmas (from Rockport’s 2020 Earth Day Committee). We can celebrate the birth of Christ without adding to Earth-burdening consumption practices. To reduce waste and increase joy this Christmas season, check out two resources from Rockport’s 2020 Earth Day Committee can help: “Greening Your Holidays” gives ways to reduce your environmental impact and “Earth Friendlier Gifts” gives suggestions of how to find and give more sustainable (and more appreciated) gifts. Here are two ideas to get you started:
Hand-made gifts are the best (Buy hand-made or make it yourself, even food!)
Give treasure. Pass on a favorite book, plant start, or antique. Check estate sales, flea markets, and resale shops (Saint John’s own Thrift Shop) for unique finds.
Grace Center Coming to St. John’s for the Winter: Grace Center will start using St. John’s parish hall on Sundays from 12-4 beginning next Sunday, Dec. 5th. Please welcome guests who may join us for coffee hour, or they may stay in the Thompson Room until coffee hour is over.
Action Lunches: Because St. John’s will be hosting the Grace Center on Sundays from December-March, with lunches provided by the Open Door, the Action Lunch makers will be on hiatus for the next 4 months. Thanks to all for your faith work, and enjoy the break!
TOYS FOR KIDS: Requests are now on the tree in the parish hall. Take a bell or bells and add some wrapping paper and tape (optional). Please return gifts by December 13. Thank you.
Christmas Flower Memorials: Now is the time to sign up for Christmas flowers. There are envelopes in the pews and in the office. Please return your names by December 13. Thank you.
Pledge Cards: Please bring in or mail in your pledge card, if you have not already done so. Thanks for your generous support of St. John’s!
Open Door Donations: Claudette Chmura reminds us to reconnect with the Open Door food pantry by bringing in food donations: By bringing items to Saint John’s, we can continue to support this important ministry. Don’t worry about what to bring, as long as it has not expired. Diapers, baby wipes, and other miscellaneous items are also welcome. Thank you for helping to continue our community outreach.
Forum Time: Let’s Chat! Today (Sunday) between services (9:15 to 10:15), come to have a conversation with Pastor Lise. Who are you? What is your spiritual hunger? How has Covid changed you/the church? All are welcome!
Contacting Pastor Lise: Pastor Lise (aka Lise) can be reached at lise@stjohnsgloucester.org. She has a church cell phone of 351-217-9209. Please use these to contact her.
Updated Covid Instructions: Masks are required for all indoor activities, and we are to keep distanced (>=6 ft) from other households. Please wear your mask over both mouth and nose.
Music Notes: Sunday's Anthem is a lovely setting of the medieval tune “Orientis partibus,” with words by Carol McClure. The text and musical setting have an almost medieval dance-like effect. The text explores many of the themes of the Advent season.
Sunday's organ music is based on the final hymn 67 “Comfort, comfort now my people.” The music was written to a metrical setting of Psalm 42 (thus the title of the tune) by the Claude Goudimel. The words are from the Lutheran tradition and were wed to this tune in the early 17th century. It made its first appearance in Hymns 3 and later into the present Hymnal 1982. New to us, yet very familiar to European churches (but not in Britain!), its inclusion brings us close to other denominations who have enjoyed it use.