Friday, December 3, 2023
Dear St. Aidan’s,
Here we are at the beginning of December. We have so many things to look forward to in the life of our church, which is appropriate since Advent is the season in which we re-live the anticipation of the birth of Jesus and our celebration of God’s gift of being with us in a new way through sharing our humanity.
Tomorrow from 10-3 is the Holiday Market—we hope you’ll make some time to come support the artists and craftspeople of our community, as well as to support our youth program through buying some treats from our bake sale and café. Next weekend, we have the All-Ages Christmas Party on Sat., Dec. 9 and the Advent Lessons and Carols service on Sun., Dec. 10. You read more about these events below.
On this Sunday, we begin to observe the Season of Advent as we light the first Advent candle and focus on finding (and being) God’s light in the dark, and on the hope we find in believing in Jesus’ great love for us. During coffee hour, we’ll have a table with a few activities you can take home to help you observe Advent throughout the week, not just on Sundays. And for those looking for a spiritual practice to take on during Advent, I hope you’ll consider reading along with the Advent devotional, Bless the Lives We Actually Have, which you can find at katebowler.com/advent/ (it’s a free PDF download). This devotional works well for individuals, families, or as a group. And if you’d like to join us on Wednesdays from 7-8 p.m. on Zoom, scroll down to the notices for the Zoom link.
Grace and peace,
Becky+
Week of December 3 - NOTICES AT A GLANCE – more details below
AND NOW THE DETAILS:
1. Live Streaming at 10:30 a.m., Order of Service: The service will be livestreamed at the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/91628466455
Meeting ID: 916 2846 6455
Passcode: 548507
Phone: 647-374-4685
To access the Order of Service click here:
2. Our Annual Holiday Market is tomorrow, Sat., Dec. 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.! Come on out and take advantage of the chance to shop for unique arts and crafts, and tasty baked goods for those special people on your Christmas list. And if you have some baked goods you would like to contribute to our café, they'll be gratefully received! Please drop off your baked goods by 9:00 a.m.
3. Advent Reflection Group continues to meet on Zoom for three more Wednesdays (Dec. 6, Dec. 13, Dec. 20) from 7-8 p.m. We will follow the free Advent devotional book, Bless the Advent We Actually Have, found online at katebowler.com/advent/ Link to join the Zoom is in the weekly e-news or you may email priest@staidansinthebeach.com You can connect with the group on Zoom by following this link.
4. Weekly Christmas Pageant rehearsals are continuing each Sunday from 10:00-10:30 a.m. Do you have any white, grey and/or brown adult sweaters that we could borrow for the pageant? Please see Elizabeth.
5. Come Sing With us! The choir of St. Aidan’s is welcoming new voices for our annual Lessons and Carols service. If you’re able to join us on the following dates, please consider singing with us: Sat., Dec. 9, 9-11 a.m. (rehearsal); Sun., Dec. 10, 2:45-5 p.m. (rehearsal and service). Contact Michael for more information at music@staidansinthebeach.com
6. You are invited to an All-Ages Christmas Party on Sat., Dec. 9 from 1-3 p.m. We will share stories, music, crafts and more! Please let Elizabeth know if you are planning on coming.
7. Advent Lessons and Carols Service: All are invited for our Annual Service of Advent Lessons & Carols on Sun., Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. This much beloved tradition is based on the King’s College, Cambridge service of Nine Lessons & Carols. Come be fed by an afternoon of reflective lessons, carol singing, and choral music.
8. To prepare for Christmas, the Altar Guild will be polishing the brass and silver on December 16 at 9:30 a.m. We would like to invite anyone who is interested to join us. Volunteers should meet Altar Guild members at the back of the church—all helpers will be most welcome.
9. Beach Interfaith Outreach: Locations and dates are listed in the Beach Metro News. Tues., Dec. 5, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. is the next lunch here. As part of St. Aidan’s involvement in the Beach Interfaith Outreach Committee over the last 25 years, we support the Grace Pascoe Care Centre at Calvary Baptist Church. Our weekly donations to the basket in the narthex are gratefully received there.
10. Euchre: Join us on Tuesday nights from 7-9 p.m. for a fun and friendly evening of progressive Euchre downstairs in the main hall. Beginners welcome. $5.00 to play. All proceeds go to our community outreach.
11. An archive of sermon manuscripts by Rev. Becky, along with sermons and weekly reflections by Deacon Michael, can be found on our website: https://staidansinthebeach.com/services/pages/sermons-and-reflections
12. Announcements for the Notices: Please submit any announcements for the weekly notices on Wednesdays by 4 p.m.
13. Offerings: Thank you for your support. There are a variety of ways to make your donation: