December 6, The Second Sunday of Advent
Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 11:48AM 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
Something New This Year:
Advent Poster prepared by the Episcopal Church Publishing Company
This is a wonderful addition to help us really enjoy the season of Advent. The poster gives a reflection or prayer for each day of the Advent Season. They will be available at Church on Sunday.
Emmaus Road: For Advent: Watch for the Light Mondays 7:00 p.m.
As we’ve done for many years, The Emmaus Road Group will read 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.
Christmas Flowers and Decorations for the Church
We will begin taking sign up for donating toward the decorating of the Church for Christmas. People can sign up to decorate for the various flower arrangements.
Entrance Arrangement: $50.00
Window Arrangements $40.00 each. Need 7
Altar Arrangements $50.00 each Need 2
Greenery around the baptistery: $70.00
Poinsettias $10.00 each.
We’ll have some pictures so everyone can see what they are donating.
Along with the Sign Up there will be a place to write your memorial or offering. All those will be acknowledged in the Christmas bulletins.
Das Boot: Working on the “Boat” that is COA’s infrastructure
Fr. Bob replaced the broken garbage disposal in the second sink in the Parish Hall Kitchen. In the immortal words of Rosanne Rosanna Danna, “It’s always somethin’”
The Financial Page
Before going off to Connecticut for the Thanksgiving Holiday, Treasurer Leigh Torgerson entered the contributions from Sunday November 22 into the computer. We’ve made a statement of everyone’s giving through that date. It will go out into the mail on Monday. This is to give everyone a chance to catch up on their 2015 Annual Giving Pledge before the end of the year. With some big expenses coming in December, we really need everyone to bring their giving up to date.
Mistakes were made. It’s easy for errors to creep in during data entry. If there is a mistake on your statement, we’ll fix it. Also the computer has been causing some weirdness on a few people’s statements showing giving from previous years. Leigh is working to figure out the problem and correct it.
Annual Giving for 2016 Thank you to everyone who has sent in their Annual Giving Pledge so far. We’ve got a ways to go. We’ve piggy backed on the statement mailing, including a pledge card. If you’ve sent your pledge in already, you have a nice Church of the Angels bookmark. For those of you yet to pledge, the card is there for your convenience.
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!
From Jim Goltz
Hi Bob:
I miss our meetings and discussions on Monday evenings. I try to post on COA’s Facebook site and really appreciate Amy’s work to keep it current. As planned, we are regular attendees at St. Agnes Episcopal Church in Kyoto and have gotten to know the priest who is from central California and a few parishioners. One aspect of this church’s congregation is it’s transience—many are vacationers or very temporary residents so we see them once and then they are gone.
We had a great time celebrating Thanksgiving on November 22 at Fr. Murray’s home near Lake Biwa. It had quite an international flavor with eight countries represented. Unfortunately, there is no Christmas Eve service. Since only about half of one percent of Japanese are Christian, the holiday isn’t celebrated for it’s religious significance but the Japanese love celebrations so the commercial aspect of the season is alive and well here.
My work is going well and I have regular contact with faculty and students but have done only one lecture so far. We also experienced a small earthquake last week, just a M3.5 but it was centered close to Uji so it felt a bit stronger. It is probably not the last one we’ll feel. We have no plans to travel beyond Kyoto this month but will fly to Sapporo for the Snow Festival in February and hope to visit New Zealand next spring.
I read in the “By Way of Reminder” that Betty Heno died which we were sorry to hear. I hope all is well otherwise.
Best Wishes,
Jim
Music with the Angels
We have some fun things coming up for Advent
Saturday, December 5, 2:30 p.m. -- Red Car Trolley: A vocal quartet that performs an eclectic blend of music ranging from sacred to secular, classical to contemporary, and featuring original compositions by Southern Californian composers.
Sunday December 13, 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. -- Traditional Nicholas/Krampus play
and a new Krampus documentary film for Christmas produced by Al Ridenour. Krampus is the figure who, according to German-speaking Alpine folklore, accompanies St. Nicholas and punishes the bad children on St. Nicholas Day. The folk theater "Nicholas Play" dates back to the 18th century. Following the short play is the U.S. premiere of the documentary, "Krampus, an Austrian Folk Tale." Hannah Jakubowski explores the tradition, craft, family rituals, and riotous parades of contemporary Krampus practice. And don't miss Bay Area artist Kimric Smythe's Krampus-driven Steamcar. Visit the Krampus website for more details. Admission $20.00, advance tickets only: purchase 5 p.m. tickets or 9 p.m. tickets online.
Parishioners can get discounted ($10) tickets for the Dec. 13th Nicholas/Krampus play by signing up in advance. Susan Stanley will have a sign up sheet on the Food For Thought Table starting this Sunday.