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St. Luke's Episcopal Church Newsletter
Thoughts and Prayer
Dear Friends,

I'm not sure about you, but I'm finding these weeks of waiting to be impeccably "Adventish." Rob and I have been preparing our home in hopes of a visit from our family. (Complicated by the importance of isolating and distancing while working!)

We never thought our preparations would include tearing out wall board, sealing concrete block, replacing studs, and sheetrocking late at night, but the surprises of home ownership don't outweigh our gratefulness for having a home. In the collect for this coming Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Advent, we pray, "Purify our conscience, Almighty God,by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself..." 

"Find in us a mansion"....If we find ourselves just waiting this season, without renewing or replacing some decaying parts inside of us, then we fall short of making room for the newness of Christ. May the mansion Christ finds in you be a home renewed and filled with love. 

Yours in the faith, Polly+
 
Worship


 Sunday, December 20 is
The Fourth Sunday Of Advent


This Sunday Holy Eucharist is online at 10:15 a.m. Don't forget to pick up your home communion kits at the church. (see information below)

Download the bulletin for this Sunday, December 20 here.
You will find the link to our service on YouTube on our website. 

Join us also online THIS ADVENT on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. for Advent Evening Prayer via our Facebook page. You can find the evening prayer bulletin by clicking here.
Holy Eucharist Communion Kits

While we are unable to gather for the Eucharist during the Advent and Christmas seasons, we invite everyone to join in communion. Here's how: Please come by the church each week to pick up your communion kits.

The kits contain consecrated bread and wine for you and your family to share during our online service. Pick yours up in the church narthex (entryway) from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. starting Wednesday of each week. 

We will also have bulletins for you to pick up, in case you don't have a printer at home.
CHRISTMAS EVE service: December 24th 
New time: 5:00 p.m.

O Come All Ye Faithful! 
We hope you and yours will join your St. Luke's family online for a wonderful Christmas eve mass.  Look for your Order of Service (aka bulletin) in the mail. Our guest trumpet player will be Randy Sharpe. Patricia Kennedy and Melody Reed will offer our music, along with our own wonderful organist, Shirley Rossano. 


 
NEW community event at St. Luke's
St. Luke’s Presents 

"An Advent Journey"
Reflecting on the Nativity of our Lord
through Art and Scripture
 
 The gallery will be OPEN the following dates: 
Friday, Dec. 18th from 12 pm - 3 pm 
Sunday, Dec. 20th from 1 pm - 7 pm
Wednesday, Dec. 23rd from 4 pm - 7pm

Coming Soon!
A virtual reflection will be available so that you can journey with us from home. 

Details will be on the website HERE. 

 
St. Luke’s invites the community to a gallery-style, indoor walking reflection featuring custom artwork telling the Christmas story. View the wonderful work of local artists, including Bill Strain and Sonya Clemons, who have offered their time and talent to depict the story of the Nativity as Luke’s Gospel tells it. 
 
This will be a free, safe, socially distanced walk-through tour, with several open days/times for folks to come, bring their family, and ponder their own preparedness for Christ’s coming.

With paintings, sketches and sculpture, you won’t want to miss this journey through Advent! Look for the announcement on our website and Facebook Page and share this event with your friends. Pick up a few extra postcards in the church office to pass on to friends and neighbors.
Bama Bob reflecting on art and scripture at "An Advent Journey". He hopes you can do the same!
Financial News
Dear St. Luke's,

As the 2020 year comes to a close, St. Luke's is making its budget to plan our ministry for the coming year. We need everyone's help to make this next year fruitful. Those of you who have yet to make a pledge, please know we understand! 2020 has presented so many challenges for families and churches alike, but we press on knowing God is calling us to pray and
worship, proclaim the Gospel, and promote justice,
peace, and love. There is still time to consider prayerfully your pledge to be a part of this ministry. Pledge cards are available online on the Giving tab, and by contacting the office directly by phone or email. 

Year-to-date giving statements were mailed last week. Upon receiving, please look over your statement, and let us know if you have any questions about your giving before the end of this year. And let us know if you didn't receive a statement! 
 
Advent Book Study
Miracle on 10th Street
"...the greatest practitioners of mystical spirituality know that it actually moves us back into the world.” Madeleine L'Engle

Our final book study session of 2020 will be Wednesday, December 23rd at 10 a.m. Come join us for some fun that morning as we look back over our Advent season and sneak a quick little pre-Christmas celebration together online. Wear your best Christmas sweater, vest, or jammies! Make a cup of cocoa, or coffee with Kahlua, and bring your favorite morning pastry. We will sit in front of our Christmas trees or whatever decor we have to celebrate and share our stories. 

Our zoom meeting information is here: AdventBookStudy
Meeting ID: 821 5121 9663
Passcode: 2021
 
Outreach Ministry
A HUGE "THANK YOU". . .
to EVERYONE who gave much needed FOOD relief to community members in need during this crazy year 2020. St. Luke's gave out over 2,700 bags of groceries this year and we could not have done this without all the donations, shoppers, baggers, and hosts. 
Three times Jesus tells Peter, "Feed my sheep," and Peter began the work of the Church. Well done, St. Luke's and friends! Well done. 
Love through Local Christmas Charities


Our 8 adopted families will receive their gifts, food and household essentials in a few days. We have Spiderman, unicorns, learning toys, crafts, books, Bibles, skateboards, Razor scooters, wonderful slippers, comforters, watches, kitchen items, and the list goes on. 

Thanks to all of our shoppers, wrappers, and supporters of this ministry we cheerfully support each Christmas!
 
Diocesan and Sewanee Events

 

Advent & Christmas Virtual Events from our parishes:

  • Advent Recital Series, Church of the Ascension, Montgomery, will be livestreamed each Wednesday in Advent at noon on their website and Facebook

  • A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, St. Simon Peter, Pell City, will be livestreamed on Sunday, December 13, 4 p.m. on Facebook

  • A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Birmingham, will be livestreamed on Thursday, December 17, at 5:30 p.m., as well as Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, at 10:00 a.m. You can watch the broadcast here.

  • Longest Night Liturgy for Loss, St. Thomas, Birmingham, will be offered on December 21 at 7 pm. We will say prayers for renewal and hope, reaching out to God in confidence that the darkness cannot overcome us. For information on how to join the webinar service, please email the office at St. Thomas by December 20.

  • Virtual Lessons and Carols, St. Thomas, Birmingham, will be available on December 24 here.

  • Advent Lessons & Carols, Holy Spirit, Alabaster, broadcasted on Dec. 6 and available on Facebook.

  • Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, St. Matthias, Tuscaloosa, broadcasted on Dec. 6 and available on YouTube.

  • St. Thomas Birmingham offers Podcast Advent Calender available here
Lessons and Carols 
from Sewanee--The University of the South

This year's Festival service of Lessons and Carols is offered virtually. As a gift to all those who love to enter this season with the stories and songs of our Christian tradition, Sewanee has recorded this year's festival.

"May this film be a message of hope for you and your families during this season.
God with us…then.  Now.  Always."

The service can be viewed now by visiting their website.

Click Lessons and Carols for the link
What's Happening at St. Luke's

Pick up your home communion kits in the church narthex (aka entryway) each week WED-SAT between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.


Friday, December 18
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm - The ADVENT Journey. In Bradford Hall and the Church nave. Walking art gallery. (see above for more information)

Sunday, December 20
9:00 am  - Christian Formation - Advent (on Zoom)
10:15 am  - Holy Eucharist (online)
1:00 pm - 7:00 pm - The ADVENT Journey. In Bradford Hall and the Church nave. Walking art gallery. (see above for more information)

Tuesday, December 22
7:00 pm - AA Meeting (Basement)

Wednesday, December 23
10:00 am - Advent Book Study (on Zoom) 
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm - The ADVENT Journey. In Bradford Hall and the Church nave. Walking art gallery. (see above for more information) information)
5:30 pm - Evening Prayer (live on Facebook)

Thursday, December 24
5:00 pm - Christmas Eve Service
 

Our prayer list: 

Our parishioners: Carol, Stan, JP and Emily, Brevy and Kathy Cannon, Bob Brown, Sherry Holland, John Robinson, John Will White, Linda Wangbickler, Bob Word, and our parish loved ones and friends: Mack Cox, Tommy Watts and family, Alan Davis (friend of Ann Moody), Richard Caldwell, Carolyn and Wayne Staton (Tim Haston's mother and step-father), Lannie Bryan (Melody Reed's dad), Mike Porter (Everett Reed's uncle), Jameson Wangbickler (son of Jim and Linda Wangbickler), Charlotte Talley (friend and neighbor of Stan Schmoller), Cherri Baker (friend of Tim Sanders), Ruth Hamer (friend of Joyce Morriss), Julia Brown (friend of Stan Schmoller), Sissy McDowell (Joyce Morriss' niece), Daniel Major (Mark Major's son and family), and Louis (Joyce Morriss' brother and family). 
 

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Sunday, DECEMBER 20


Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 
 
The lectionary readings can be found here: 
 SCRIPTURE READINGS for SUNDAY,  December 20

First Lesson: Isaiah 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Psalm: 89:1-4, 19-26
Second Lesson: Romans 16:25-27
The Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
 
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