December Spire

Lights of Christmas Show; Blue Christmas Service; Children's Pageant

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The Christmas Miracle

Once again we are approaching Christmas. Engaging in a final burst of activity before December 24: shopping to be finished, cookies to be made, homes to be decorated, round after round of holiday parties to enjoy.

And finally we get to the stillness and quiet of Christmas Eve. Of the beautiful manger scene, with Mary looking serene, Joseph looking proud, and the baby fast asleep. Which looks nothing at all like any of the births I ever attended as a nurse-midwife. Each one of those births was beautiful, yes, but also gritty, sweaty, earthy, messy, and painful.

And in the most profound miracle ever—the miracle that is really hard to wrap our minds around—God chose to enter into that grit, sweat, mud, mess, and pain right along with us. God, Creator of the stars of night, found in 7 or so pounds of flesh, vulnerable and helpless. This particular miracle assures us that there is nowhere God will not go to reach us. Assures us that this world, our flesh, is shot through with holiness. Assures us that God is with us now and always. I am well aware that it is difficult sometimes to see that, to know that. But I also know that, if we are looking, God shows up in all sorts of surprising places and forms—even in us.

So this Christmas, I invite you to join us at St. Peter’s for services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. To marvel at the miracle that is God with us. To sing with us:

“For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.

O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King, and peace to us on earth!”

Merry Christmas. And peace, blessings, and joy in this Holy season.

Claire+

Lights of Christmas

5-7 p.m. December 18 through 31

This December, St. Peter's Church will host an outdoor light show called "Lights of Christmas" in the churchyard at the corner of Third and Pine Streets. The free 10-minute show, open to the public, will play each evening from December 18 through December 31. The show will begin at 5 p.m. and will run every 15 minutes through 7 p.m.

We will have a blessing of the lights at the premiere show on Sunday, December 18. The blessing will happen at 4:45 p.m., and the show will begin at 5.

The centerpiece of the show is a telling of the nativity story by parishioner Jen Childs, along with a 6-foot-tall multi-color LED-lit nativity. More than 2,000 LED lights, including 12-foot-tall Christmas trees topped with stars, will twinkle synchronized to “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Joy to the World,” and other familiar carols recorded on the St. Peter’s Church’s E.M. Skinner organ.

We hope that this show will introduce more families, neighbors, and passers-by to St. Peter's Church during the Advent and Christmas seasons, and in the new year.

Blue Christmas Service

7 p.m. Wednesday, December 21

While shop windows and TV commercials relentlessly proclaim that everyone is joyful during the holiday season, for many of us, that is not the case. In fact, this time of year can be particularly difficult for those who are grieving, struggling, or suffering. The world is telling us that we should be happy, that everyone else is happy, and yet we are not feeling it.

Christian faith does not deny the reality of suffering, and does not proclaim cheap joy. And while the birth of the Christ child is something over which to rejoice, we know that his life was marked by suffering and death- that the shadow of the cross was cast over the manger.

So, on the shortest day of the year, December 21 at 7 p.m., St. Peter’s will have a Blue Christmas service. This is a simple service of prayer and reflection, a time to acknowledge our sadness and pain, to remember those we love who have died, and to offer it all to our great sign of hope, the Holy Child of Bethlehem.

Children's Christmas Pageant

Children of all ages (and adults too!) are welcome to join us for a joyful, and slightly unpredictable, rendition of the story of Jesus’ birth. Our annual Children’s Christmas Pageant will be held during the regular 11 a.m. worship service this Sunday. If your children would like to participate, please arrive early to the service (at 9:55 a.m.) to rehearse the show. Children are invited to come dressed as a shepherd, angel, or animal of their choice. If you don’t have a costume, don’t worry! We have plenty of costumes for children to use at the church.

Announcements

Welcome Recent Visitors:

Peter Tobia; Rick & Karen Hoerner; George Mahalik; Katherine & Russell Sullivan ; Amy Lambert; Stephanie Abrahams; Marjorie Spraycar; Jason Phillips & Chad Schleig; Lynn McCormick; Robin Landry

Godspeed to the Schultz family: John, Esther, Vera, Thaddeus and Titus

Congratulations to Laura Nadon & James Cottone who were confirmed on December 4 and Christy Santos who was received.

Christmas Memorials

Please have your memorial to the church office by Monday, December 19 in order to be included in the church bulletin. Remember loved ones and offer special thanks by making a donation to the Music program at Christmas. You can drop a check in the alms basin on Sunday or put in the mail to 313 Pine.

Thank You:

Danielle DeFassio and James Cottone for helping hang lights for our light show
Jill Minick for our new tea kettle
Christy Santos and Margaret and Dick Ullman for hosting house church
Chloe Doyle, Jen Childs, Joe Fanelli, Hannah Poole & Kathleen Stephenson for reading at Lessons and Carols
Dick Ullman for presenting at Sunday@10 on December 11
the Monday morning counters: George Fago, Pat Fusco, Marcia Rogers and Peter Ross

What's Going On

Christmas Services:

5 p.m. Christmas Eve: A family-friendly celebration of the Nativity of our Lord – with Eucharist with carols and choir, and a children’s story in place of a Gospel and sermon.
9 p.m. Christmas Eve: A festive candlelight celebration of the Nativity of our Lord – with sermon, Holy Eucharist, and full choir. The service will begin with carols sung by St. Peter’s Choir and the congregation. The liturgy will begin at 9:30 p.m.
11 a.m. Christmas Day: On Christmas morning we celebrate with a simple joyous service with sermon, Holy Eucharist, and congregational hymn singing.

Coming in January

Mark your calendars for a Hymn Sign and potluck at 12:15 p.m. Sunday, January 22.

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held after the 11 a.m. service on Sunday, January 29.

Upcoming Events

Sunday@10: Exploring Advent Themes in Literature and Poetry
10 a.m. Sunday, December 18

Via Lunch (Forties & Fifties Group)
12:45 p.m. Sunday, December 18

TNT Supper & Scripture
7 p.m. Tuesday, December 20

Blue Christmas Service
7 p.m. Wednesday, December 21

Christmas Eve Service
5 p.m. Saturday, December 24

Christmas Eve Service
9 p.m. Saturday, December 24

Christmas Morning Service
11 a.m. Sunday, December 25

Click here to view our full calendar.

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St. Peter's is a church on a mission: To embody the love of God as Christ's heart, mind, and hands.

Copyright © 2016 St. Peter's Church, All rights reserved.

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