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's readings and verger schedule
Serving on Sunday (November 30th)
Old Testament: Bruce Lather Epistle: Bev Barton Psalm and Prayers: Joyce Mechling Greeter: Cynthia Keith Host: Wood Chalice: Karen Smith, Jane Carroll
Announcer: Barbara Coulter Counters: Bruce Taylor, Dave Davison
Celebrant: Stew Wood
Sunday's readings Isaiah 40:1-11 2 Peter 3:8-15a
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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Advent Challenge
A challenge has been issued to all parishioners! During the month of advent, leading up to Christmas, please bring in a can of food from each member of your family. Think of the food we can gather!
There was an article last week in the Valley News and an editorial on Tuesday, Dec 2nd, that reported about the extraordinary use of the food shelves in the area and how they are trying to keep up.
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Advent Readings Discussion Series 12/3, 12/10, 12/17
Looking to explore faith a little more this Advent? There will be an Advent discussion series this year to be held in the parish house from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm on the first three Wednesday evenings in December: 12/3, 12/10 and 12/17 (ideally this should be a 4-week series but the fourth Wednesday in Advent is Christmas Eve).
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.
The goal of each meeting would be to spend 35-40 minutes on each reading and end with Compline. There would be no books or required reading as we will be only using the lectionary scripture readings. Please come!
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Celebrate the Season with a Joyful Song! Saturday, Dec 6th 4-5:30pm
Come, families, friends, and neighbors to St. Paul's Church
Celebrate the Season with a Joyful Song! We'll light candles in the dark, sing songs of joy, learn and sing of St. Lucia and St. Nicholas, enjoy cider and cookies, sing favorite carols, and welcome Advent with reverence and festivity.
St. Paul's Parish Hall All ages welcome!
Saturday, December 6th 4-5:30pm (we’ll begin promptly at 4:00!)
Questions? contact Katy Chaffee katy.chaffee@gmail.com or Cynthia Keith cynthia.keith@gmail.com
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Gnome making workshop Saturday, Dec 13th, 9am-12pm
Did you love the felt gnomes you saw at the Bazaar? They were made by our very own Diana Collins, who has offered to teach us how to make them. She says it's not hard! Teens are welcome, but no younger. There is a charge of $15 per person to cover supplies. Pre-Registration is required by Monday, 12/8, for planning purposes. Send check to Jill Fischer at 30 Hough St, Lebanon, NH 03766.
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Knit and Purl Fellowship, Monday, Dec 15th
We'll meet December 15th at Janie Bell's home. For more information, call Holly at 802-295-9095.
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Carol Sing, Saturday Dec 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 6
Celebrate the Season with a Joyful Song! Parish House 4-5:30pm
Wednesday, December 10
Advent Readings Discussion Series, Parish House 6:30-8pm
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
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