Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Sunday's readings and verger schedule
Serving on Sunday (Dec 14th)
Old Testament: Doug Jenisch Epistle: Elizabeth Higgins Psalm and Prayers: Judi Shank
Greeter: Barbara Coulter Host: Brennan Chalice: Joyce Mechling, Kate Conner
Announcer: Andrew Pillsbury Counters: Kathy Detzer, Bev Barton
Sunday's readings Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
this week's announcements:
Resource Lists, click lines below:
Resource Contact List for whom to contact with questions or concerns.
Worship Calendar to view the Sunday schedule of celebrants and sermon preachers.
Verger List has Sunday assignments through December.
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Regarding Ferguson:
The Presiding Bishop issued a statement at the end of November on the way forward from Ferguson. This website has a link to that statement along with other resources for continuing the discussion in congregations.
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/talking-about-ferguson-our-congregations
In an effort reminiscent of our Irene experience, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Ferguson has opened their church as a sanctuary for those in need of food, water or medical attention. Consequently, use of their food pantry has escalated from those who are unable to get to work, have lost jobs, etc. They are seeking donations online at The Food Pantry@St. Stephens to support their continuing work.
http://saint-stephens.info/collaboration/our-community-the-vine/food-pantry/
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Headrest and Hartford voters
This Sunday, December 14th, Headrest is asking for Hartford voters to sign a petition allowing headrest to be on the ballot of the town warrant. The deadline for 400 signatures is early January. Please welcome Harrison Drinkwater who will be available with petitions and to provide information. Headrest has offered valuable services to Upper Valley communities, such as its 24/7 crisis hotline,for 43 years now.
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Verger Schedule
Cindy Boehm-Patenaude is working on the new schedule that will start the Sunday after Christmas and go through the end of March. Please let Cindy know if you would like to be added as a reader, host, psalm/prayers, greeter, etc. If you know you will not be in church on certain dates, please let Cindy know that as well so to plan accordingly. We will need several readers on the Sunday after Christmas for our Lessons and Carols service. It would be wonderful if some of our youth would volunteer for that Sunday! Please contact Cindy Boehm-Patenaude at dbcpiccolo@gmail.com
Thank you to those of you who participate in this ministry!
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Christmas Eve Pageant
Pageant plans are underway for the 5pm Christmas Eve service. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the parish hall for those wishing to participate. Visiting grandchildren are welcome. Jane Carroll and Lexi Kremer are the artistic directors this year. A practice date will be announced soon.
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Alternative Gifts
Looking for a gift for that hard to buy for person? Want to purchase a gift that can make a difference in someone's life? Need a last minute idea for a teacher? This Sunday and next Sunday after church our Sunday School youth will once again be selling cards from Episcopal Relief and Development's "Gifts for Life" program. These cards can be purchased and given in someone's name. The card lets the recipient know that a donation had been made to aid families in need around the world. Please stop by the table and check out the cards and consider a donation for an "alternative gift" to give!
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Christmas Eve Potluck
For the past few years, several of us have had potluck dinner at the church between the 5pm and 9pm services on Christmas Eve. Even though there will not be the 9pm service, we will still have the potluck dinner after the 5pm service! If you have any traditional foods you enjoy on Christmas Eve, we would love for you to share them with us. For example, the Patenaude’s will be bringing their traditional “Stone Soup”! Please consider joining us for a wonderful time of food, fellowship and perhaps even some games!
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Knit and Purl Fellowship
We'll meet December 15th at Janie Bell's home. For more information, call Holly at 802-295-9095.
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Advent Readings Discussion Series 12/17
Looking to explore faith a little more this Advent? There will be an Advent discussion this Wednesday to be held in the parish house from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm on 12/17
The program will be facilitated by Pete Lapre and the format will be a loosely-structured discussion of the previous Sunday's Old Testament and Gospel readings---perhaps touching on such 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 and why these readings may have been chosen for inclusion in the common lectionary for Advent.
We will spend 35-40 minutes on each reading and end with Compline. Please come!
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Carol Sing December 20th
Please join in a Carol Sing Saturday, 12/20; exact time and locations will be announced next week. The plan is to have enough people to have two groups with both singing at a few homes. If you would like to join us, please contact Holly or Gary.
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A Note on Advent Worship
In designing worship for the four Sundays of Advent, the planners tried to balance several factors: to offer a more reflective tone for this special season, to add some new texts with images and words to refresh our experience, and to hold enough to the familiar that we can still feel at home.
The season evokes the longings of the heart, reminding us of Israel’s hunger for God’s comfort and justice, the hunger for hope felt by those around Jesus, and our own yearning for a world made whole by God’s vision and reign on earth. Our Advent worship invites us into this experience of hopeful expectation. We gather in quiet, greeting one another with a few hope filled sentences. The cantor will then open our prayer with song as we prepare to light the Advent wreath. Then the service will continue with the Collect of the Day, following our usual form but with some different texts at the Creed (we’ll be using an Affirmation) and the Eucharistic Prayer, where we will be using a prayer from Kenya. Planners hope that these forms will enrich your Advent worship. Diane Root
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St Paul's Listen Community Dinners 2015 Dates:
March 16th, May 11th, July 20th, Aug. 10th, Sept. 21st, Nov. 16th
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Prayer List
All prayers are welcome. To make a prayer request, contact Holly, 802-295-9095.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, December 13
Gnome Making Workshop, 9am-12pm
Monday, December 15
Knit and Purl Fellowship at Janie Bell's home 6:30
Wednesday, December 17
Advent Readings Discussion Series, Parish House 6:30-8pm
Carol Sing, December 20
Singing locally at a few homes
Christmas Eve, December 24th
Christmas Eve Pageant 5pm
Christmas Eve Potluck to follow service
Wednesday, January 28
St. Paul's Caring Ministry Meeting
St Paul's Listen Community Dinners 2015 Dates:
March 16th, May 11th, July 20th, Aug. 10th, Sept. 21st, Nov. 16th