Daily Scripture Readings; bookofcommonprayer.net/daily_office.php
See the different options. There is full morning and evening prayer. There is also the option of the readings only. There is also an app for receiving the daily readings by email, or on a mobile device
Sunday Scripture Readings: bookofcommonprayer.net/lectionary.php
Set it for 1979 Contemporary, and the Bible version used in Church is Revised Standard Version
Decorate the Church for Christmas
Saturday December 19: 9:00 a.m.
The Altar Guild will lead a group of volunteers of all ages to prepare the Church for Christmas. Everyone is invited to help, and we do need people to come out. We need help with hanging the decorations, as well as setting up and decorating the Christmas trees in the front of the Church. The Church decorating is always fun and it’s great to have children and young people help as well. So everyone in the parish is invited to come and help. It only takes a couple of hours, and together we’ll make the Church look magnificent.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent Sunday December 21:
10:15 a.m. Advent Lessons and Carols with the Holy Eucharist.
We conclude Advent with our Liturgy of Lessons and Carols. The Liturgy of the Word contains the stories of Creation and the Fall, and the Advent Prophecies from Catechesis of the Good Shepherd; the Star, the Light, the City, the Mother and the Names, followed by the Annunciation Gospel from St. Luke. Between the readings we will sing hymns reflecting what we’ve heard. This is always a powerful way to close Advent and make us ready for Christmas.
Emmaus Road: For Advent: Watch for the Light Mondays 7:00 p.m.
The Emmaus Road Group will conclude its reading of selections from the anthology Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas. This anthology contains short selections from across the entire Christian Tradition and focuses on themes connected to Advent and Christmas. Everyone is welcome to participate. You can join us for the conversation on Monday evenings. You can also read along as the selections will be on the Food For Thought table each Sunday in Advent. Consider making this part of your Advent observance.
Emmaus Road will take a break for the Christmas Season and return after Epiphany. At that time we will resume our reading of Marylynn Robinson’s The Givenness of Things.
Christmas Flowers and Decorations for the Church
Thank you to everyone who made contributions to the Christmas Flowers and Decorations for the Church. The Christmas Flowers will go into the Church on Wednesday December 23. That’s so, according to our Florist, Sherrie at the Flower Box, they will be truly fresh for Christmas Eve.
If you did not put a check in the envelope on the poster, please make it out to Church of the Angels and mark it CHRISTMAS FLOWERS and put it in the Offering Plate.
There is still an opportunity to give Poinsettias for the Church. If you want to donate toward Poinsettias either in memory or as a thank offering, the cost in $10.00. If you want the memory or thank offering acknowledged in the Christmas bulletins, please email it to the Church by Friday, December 18
Outreach: Mission Giving
Christmas Books for Suubi School in Uganda
It’s Advent, 2015 and the Outreach Committee is preparing a Christmas tree of ornaments
and book suggestions to help you and your family gift the “baby” and “middle” class of 3 and 4 year olds at Suubi School in Uganda. These younger children need to be taught book care and skills which will be taught to the teachers before they get the books. We suggest going as a family to a local, independent bookstore such as “Once Upon a Time” in Montrose, “Vroman’s” in Pasadena or “San Marino Toy and Book Shoppe” in San Marino to choose your favorite board books.
Besides board books, the greatest need at this time is to build classrooms for the elementary students. The school had to send the children home a month early, in November, because the rain was coming in to the classrooms and the children were getting drenched. Suubi has poured a foundation, but they still need funds to finish the school in time for classes to begin the first of February. $15.00 will buy a needed bag of cement, $100.00 can pay for more cement or a door, $500 will pay for several desks and chairs. The need goes on – from $15 to $5,000.00 for a classroom, or any amount God puts on your heart. If you are not going shopping with children, we would like to suggest a monetary contribution for 2015. You can makes checks to Church of the Angels and mark them “Global Hands of Hope” in the memo line. Put the check in an envelope and bring it to church for Christmas Eve. You can also go online to www.GlobalHandsofhope.org and make a donation on line using PayPal or just send a tax deductible check to G.H.O.H. 1210 Hillcrest Normal, IL 61761. It would be nice if you let them know that you are a parishioner at Church of the Angels.
The children at Suubi are incredibly grateful for your love and prayers, books and donations. You can be assured that you are making a difference in the life of a child!
Annual Giving for 2016
We are about 2/3 of the way toward finishing the Annual Giving drive for 2015. A follow up letter has gone out. Please return your Annual Giving Pledge Cards to the Church as soon as possible. If you have not pledged before, as Bill Woods said to us when we began Annual Giving, “Please join with us.” A parish of our size depends on everyone’s participation. If you have questions please speak to Fr. Bob, or the Parish Wardens, Jim Gruettner and Kris Hillary, or our Parish Treasurer, Leigh Torgerson.
Swimmin’ Pools….Movie Stars
For the film shoot this week, they are turning COA into a Renaissance theater. Thank you to Tim Down for working with the film company to get an agreement that benefits us and them.