What’s Happenin’ in December?...

8 – Lake Deanery Advent quiet day

9 – 2-cents-a-meal collection

12 – Vestry meeting, 7:00 p.m.

13 – Mary Margaret Guild, 11:00 a.m.

16 – Heritage Brass Quintet, featuring

Soprano Maria Berg

18 – St. Elizabeth Guild, 12:00 noon

24 – Christmas Eve Services,

7:00 and 11:00 p.m.

24 –Jan. 1 – Office close, Secretary

on vacation

Who’s Cookin’ Breakfast?...

2^nd – Diane Podgorny Group

9^th – Grotto Group

16^th- Clayman Group

23^rd – Youth Group

30^th – Bean’s Girl Scout Group

Hello, We’re Glad to See You!...

A warm welcome to our new Interim Priest, The Reverend Canon David Evans. He comes to us from the Diocese of Western Pennsylvania, and we will be able to meet and welcome him beginning in December.

Calendar Notes…

~ from Editor’s Clip Sheets ~

Twelve Days of Christmas

The song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” reminds us that this season stretches from Christmas Day (the celebration of Jesus’ birth) to January 6 (Epiphany, the day we celebrate the arrival of the magi).

For years, many people assumed that there was symbolism in the items referred to in the song, even perpetuating a story that it originated as a secret way for Roman Catholics to perpetuate the catechism when Catholicism was officially outlawed in England. Various charts have been published, suggesting that the “two turtle doves” meant the Old and New Testaments and the “six geese-a-laying” the six days of creation. However, there is nothing historical to support this theory and, in reality, such tidbits of doctrine would be true for all Christians, not just Roman Catholics.

It seems to be just a fun song celebrating a wonderful season of the church year. For further fun, a group computes the estimated cost each year of purchasing all of the items on the list. In 2006, the bill ran to $18,920.

Go to www.PNCChristmaspriceindex.com for the current price, as well as more interactive information.

Shhh, do you hear it?...

Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.

~ Anonymous ~

If there is someone you love whom you would like to remember with the lovely Christmas flowers displayed during our Christmas Services and beyond, please have their names in to Lois at the church office no later than December 16. This is a firm deadline, unless in case of emergency.

Thank you so much!...

Nick Kozak would like to thank Jay Shippy, Dave Kozak and Brian Van Allen for their help in installing the new outdoor sign which was given by Nick in memory of his wife Gloria.

And we would all like to say “ Thank you!” to Nick for such a generous gift.

A Table Grace…

(You can sing this grace to the tune of “Jingle Bells.” Substitute other things for the words in italics.)

We give thanks, to our God

give thanks every day.

For our food and our friends,

and our family.

We give thanks, to our God,

give thanks every day.

Help us be a blessing to the world

each day. Amen.

Advent Wreaths…

The season of Advent (beginning Dec.1)

is often accompanied by the tradition of the Advent wreath. This circle of evergreens reminds us of God’s presence with us always. The light that increases as we add a candle each week helps to mark the time of waiting, and the Christ candle in the middle of the wreath reminds us that the light of Christ shines at the center of our lives.

Over the years, several traditions have been associated with the candles. The most common schemes are to use either four blue candles (blue symbolizes hope) or three purple and one pink candle.

Purple is a traditional color associated with royalty, reminding us that Jesus came as prince of peace. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent when the scripture texts talk about joy. This is an adaptation of an ancient tradition of connecting pink roses with joy during Lent and Advent.

Many people attach symbolism to the candles themselves, such as peace, love, joy, and hope (sometimes in a different order). The symbolism and the colors, however, are secondary to the idea of the circle of growing light as we prepare for Christmas.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it…

A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes…

and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.

The “W” In Christmas…

~ Author unknown ~

Each December I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations – extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating and even overspending. Yet, still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments and, of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six-year-old. For weeks he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s “Winter Pageant.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there would be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

So, the morning of the dress rehearsal I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as “Christmas,” I didn’t expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment – songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son’s class rose to sing, “Christmas Love,” I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow – as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row – center stage – held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing “C is for Christ mas,” a child would hold up the letter C. Then, “H is for Happy,” and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, “Christmas Love.”

The performance was going smoothly until, suddenly we noticed her – a small quiet girl in the front row, holding the letter “M” upside down; totally unaware her letter “M” appeared as a “W.”

The audience of 1^st through 6^th graders snickered at this little one’s mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her “W.” Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos there was a purpose for our festivities.

For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:

“CHRISTWASLOVE”

And, He still is.

May each of you have a Merry Christmas as you reflect on His Amazing Love for us…

January 2008

What’s Happenin’ in January?...

9 – Vestry Meeting

20- Deadline for Feb. Epistle

Food Pantry collection

Annual Parish Meeting, 11:15 am

22 – Evening Guild, 7:00 p.m.

(any additional items to be posted in

the bulletins on Sundays)

Who’s Cookin’ Breakfast?...

6 – Diane Podgorny Group

13 – Grotto Group

20 – Clayman Group

27 – Youth Group

At the Gate of the Year…

~ Minnie Louise Harkins, included by

Britain’s King George VI in his Christmas,

1939 radio broadcast ~

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year

“Give me a light that I may tread safely

into the unknown.”

And he replied,

“Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!”

So I went forth and finding the Hand of God

Trod gladly into the night.

He led me towards the hills

And the breaking of day in the lone east.

So heart be still!

What need our human life to know

If God hath comprehension?

In all the dizzy strife of things

Both high and low,

God hideth his intention.

Say What?...

The following notice was sent home with some high school students: “Our school’s cross-graded, multi-ethnic, individualized learning program is designed to enhance the concept of an open-ended learning program on the continuum of multi-ethnic, academically-enriched learning, using the identified intellectually-gifted child as the agent of his own learning.”

One parent sent back a note that read,

“I have a university degree, speak two foreign languages and two Indian dialects … but I haven’t the faintest idea what you are talking about.”

Christian, how about your communication of the gospel? Is it so loaded with bubble speak that no one understands what you are saying?

~ from Quotes and Comments ~

Ralph Waldo Emerson said it…

Never lose an opportunity of seeing

anything that is beautiful, for beauty

is God’s handwriting – a wayside

sacrament. Welcome it in every fair

face, in every fair sky, in every flower

and thank God for it as a cup of

blessing.