December 13, The Third Sunday of Advent

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  

Altar Guild:  Advent Tea:  Saturday, December 12, 9:30 a.m.

Kelly Brandt will host a Tea for the members of the Altar Guild at 9:30, Saturday December 12, in the Parish Hall. 

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. 

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level 3

Advent 3

The History of the Kingdom of God: Plan of God

Peoples and People of God

In the Level 3 atrium, we work with many timelines.  A wonderful material we use after introducing the Plan of God is called the History of Kingdom of God: Peoples and People of God. 

The presentation reveals the Plan of God involving His creatures’ cooperation as the world is in a state of journeying toward God’s aim of cosmic communion.  God gave humankind intelligence and the freedom of work for their good and that of their neighbors.  God’s plan involves the appearance of certain beings and disappearance of others, as Creation has not yet reached perfection.  The gifts and contributions of the various peoples do not disappear, however.  Through the exchange of goods, ideas, and sharing becomes the inheritance of all people.

There are two branches of the covenant People of God in history: the first being Israel who were chosen, and the second being Christians who proclaim the message of the resurrection of Jesus.

To Israel, God revealed Himself as the only One and by Covenant, God formed His people.  Jesus is born from womb of the Hebrew people. Through Jesus and through his death and resurrection begins the Christian branch of the People of God. 

The work was introduced as a means of laying the groundwork for ecumenism and interfaith dialog.  It is also meant to nurture respect and appreciation for the various Peoples and their contributions to Creation.

As we meet in the season of gift giving, perhaps there is one or a few you might want to contribute to your loved one/s spiritual inheritance that they may enjoy now.

 Ms. Georgie

Level 4

Fr Bob’s latest Communication with Level 4 Parents

We've been dealing with the late history of Israel and we've come from the beginning of that period with Samuel and have gotten to the Israel's apogee with King Solomon.   We're using the Doubleday Children's Bible to get the gist of the story with me filling in details from the real Bible.  We've been relating all that we're hearing to what they are learning in school and what they're hearing on the news.   It is the never ending story after all.

Last fall I spoke to several of you about wanting to begin an exploration of values surrounding relationships, laying the ground work for talking about love and marriage, with the understanding that it's a long way off, but getting the seeds planted early.

So in the children's Bible they had selections from the Song of Solomon and we read those last week and have begun conversation about relationships.   I asked them to tell me about the ways their parents demonstrate that they care for each other.  What was interesting was they had to think about it some.  Not that they were saying you weren't but that they take it for granted.  I asked them if you had told them how you first met, and I gave them an assignment to ask you, how you came to know that your spouse was the one for you.   I'll see if they remember to ask.

From here, we are going to look at the Marriage Service in the Book of Common Prayer focusing on the Prayers for the Couple.  When I prepare couples for marriage I tell them, that if these prayers express the deepest desires of your hearts, your marriage will be life long and happy, a money back guarantee.  So we're going to look at these things and what they say about how you go about caring for one another.

After we go through that, we'll begin to reflect on what are the personal qualities we need to have in order to do this.  By doing this we'll explore what we want to look for in someone else, and what we would like to be ourselves.  We'll be using a list of character strengths and virtues from a book called by that very same name.  There is a table of things that we will use for discussion.

Beyond that we'll explore how you go about it, thinking about four stances toward life formulated by a theologian named Bernard Lonergan.  (Don't worry we won't be using his name or books, just ideas easy to grasp)  These four stances are:  Be attentive.  Be intelligent, Be Reasonable, Be Responsible.

Be attentive:   Pay attention, or attend to what's out there and you're own experience.  (Like, notice how your parents show they care for each other)

Be intelligent.  That means think about what you are observing and noticing and work to understand what it actually is.

Be reasonable.  That means begin to think about its value.  Be able to ascertain what is good and what is only apparently good.

Be responsible:  That is about deciding what to do on the basis of what you've come to know and what values are involved.

Clearly this will take awhile.  I want to do it when everyone is there.  So if there's a Sunday when someone can't be there, we'll do something else.

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

 At Emmaus Road Monday night Sally Dungan pointed out a strange sound in the kitchen.  We couldn’t find anything, but the next day Fr. Bob explored around the Parish Hall.  Underneath in the crawl space their appears to be some kind of leak from one of the pipes.  This is beyond Fr. Bob’s skill set and pay grade and so this afternoon a plumber will come by to find it and fix it.   It’s never dull.

The Financial Page:  A Film Shoot at Last

For the first time in 30 years, Church of the Angels has not had a commercial film shoot all year long.  All we’ve had are small, student productions.  COA has been in movies for over 70 years.  The longest sequence is from the 1943 film Since You Went Away which starred Claudette Colbert, Shirley Temple, Joseph Cotten, and Lionel Barrymore as the priest.

 Anyway at long last we have a film shoot scheduled for next week.  It will bring in some much needed revenue.  A big debt of gratitude is owed by us all to Tim Down who has tirelessly worked to negotiate a Location Agreement that will benefit both the film company (It’s a small one) and COA. 

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!

Music with the Angels

We have some fun things coming up for Advent

 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.