Bulletin Date: December 22, 2013 5:00 am
Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A
Christmas Pageant
Priest-in-Charge: The Rev. Catherine D. Hicks
(BCP—Book of Common Prayer, H-Hymnal 1982; S Numbers are the service music found in the front of The Hymnal 1982; WLP-Wonder, Love and Praise)
LEVAS-Lift Every Voice and Sing II)
As you enter this sacred space that has been set aside for time with God, join us in silence as we go to God in prayer.
Prelude Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light Choir
The Ringing of the Bell
Opening Hymn Come, thou long expected Jesus H 66
Welcome
Lighting of the Advent Wreath Advent Song, Verses 1-4 Insert
The Bidding Prayer
The Christmas Pageant—Mary, Mother of God
Introduction
Scene I The Annunciation Luke 1:26-38
The Angel Gabriel (Please stand) H 265
Scene 2 The Visit to Elizabeth Luke 1:39-56
Tell out my soul! (Remain seated) H 438
Scene 3 Mary and Joseph Matthew 1:18-24
Come now and praise the humble saint (Remain seated) H 260
Scene 4 The Journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus Luke 2:1-20
O little town of Bethlehem, Verse 1 Choir
O little town of Bethlehem, Verses 2-5 (Remain seated) H78
While shepherds watched their flocks by night H 84
Scene 5 The visit of the wise men Matthew 2:1-12
Who are these Eastern strangers? Choir
Congregational Prayer
Purify our consciences, Almighty God, and bring us your divine comfort by visiting us every day, so 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 forever. Amen.
Closing Hymn Angels from the realms of glory H 92
Dismissal and Postlude
Announcements
Welcome to St Peter’s! Our hope is that you will find God’s love present with you in this place and that you will return here often.
The Christmas Eve service will be on Tuesday, Dec. 24th at 7pm. The choir has prepared a lovely selection of carols which begin at 6:30pm.
Lessons and Carols will be Sunday, Dec. 29th at 11:00am.
Godly Play takes a break on Dec. 29 and Jan. 5.
The offering plates are in the back of the church for offerings.
Christmas gifts from the ECW are on sale in the back:
- ECW’s St. Peter’s mug ($8.00) with Church scenes.
- St. Peter’s ornament with gold cord for hanging ($15.00).
Why do we have a Christmas pageant every year?
Back in 1223, St Francis of Assisi decided that he wanted to experience the birth of our Lord and Savior for himself. “For once I want to see all this with my own eyes,” St Francis said, and so he arranged with a friend to prepare in a special way for Christmas that year.
Here’s an account in the very words of Brother Thomas de Celano, who was there when it happened and who wrote it down: “The joyful day approached. The Franciscans were called from many communities. The men and women of the neighborhood, as best they could, prepared candles and torches to brighten the night. Finally the Saint of God arrived, found everything prepared, saw it and rejoiced. The crib was made ready, hay was brought, the ox and ass were led to the spot and Greccio became a new Bethlehem. The night was radiant with joy. The crowds drew near and rejoiced in the novelty of the celebration. Their voices resounded from the woods, and the rocky cliff echoed the jubilant outburst. As they sang in the praise of God, the whole night rang with exultation. The Saint of God stood before the crib, overcome with devotion and wondrous joy. A solemn Mass was sung at the crib. The Saint dressed in deacon’s vestments, for a deacon he was [out of humility, St. Francis never became a priest, remaining a deacon all his life]. He sang the Gospel. Then he preached a delightful sermon to the people who stood around him, speaking about the nativity of the poor King and the humble town of Bethlehem.”
We, too, want to see all this with our own eyes. And so through the centuries, churches have re-enacted this story, the story of a transcendent God who loves us mightily and comes to dwell among us, to be our light, our life, and our salvation, both in this world and in the next.
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
823 Water Street PO Box 399, Port Royal, VA 22535
Website: www.churchsp.org Parish Office: (804) 742-5908
The Vestry
Eunice Key, Senior Warden – (804)-241-5395
Cookie Davis, Junior Warden – (804) 742-5654
Laura Carey, Cynthia Fields, Fred Pannell, Boyd Wisdom
Clarence Kunstmann, Treasurer & Elizabeth Heimbach Registrar
Brad Volland – Music Director & Organist
The Rev. Catherine D. Hicks, Priest- in- Charge
(540) 809-7489, (540) 898-1586, stpetersrev@gmail.com
Christ Centered, Biblically Based, Spirit Filled, Caring
Prayer List
Genevieve Davis, Peggy Roberts, Oliver Fortune, Toni Fabisy, Brad Volland, Boyd Wisdom, Vivian McDonald, John and Sylvia Sellars, Shaun (requesting prayers for himself from our St Peter’s community), and we pray for the Gideons and the spreading of the Gospel.
Donna Lippa (friend of Judy Fox), Marc Boivin (friend of Region One), Tracy Howes (granddaughter of the Muhlys), Jaki Gathercole and family (friends of the Fishers), Crystal and Mike Gladdings (family of Judy Fox), Brian Penneston (friend of the Wicks), Nancy Davis (sister-in-law of Johnny Davis), Patricia Edwards (sister of Andrea Pogue), Herb Saunders (friend of Helmut Linne von Berg), Carlos Rivera (Uncle of Marion Mahoney’s Daughter-in-law), Larry Taylor (friend of Terri Harrison) , Mary Ryan, Kirby McClain, Betty Williams, Kathryn Hill, Bobbye Canaday (friends of Catherine Hicks), Matthew Delbridge (father of Catherine Hicks) Rick and Linda Ferree and family, Nancy Hartwick (friend of Brad Volland), Gloria Jewell, Charles and Yvonne Johnson (friends of the Pannells and Laura Carey) , Jeff, Carolyn & Elizabeth Nelson, Loretta Harich, Carole Morehead (friends of the Newmans), Leilani Oldham, Bob and Diane Creel (relatives of Mike and Marilyn Newman), Marjorie Gilliland (mother of John Gilliland), Steven Fox (husband of our nursery worker, Judy Fox), David Watson (uncle of Ruth TenHoven), Bernie and Doyle (friends of Ruth TenHoven), Russell Smith, Daniel Smith (brothers of Susan Linne von Berg), Eudora Heath, Albert Barnett (uncle of Andrea Pogue), Kay Bodeen, Kathi Coles (sister-in-law and daughter of Clarence and Betty Kunstmann), Carrie Griffith (mother of Marilyn Newman), Butch and Carolyn Delhagen (sister of Mike Newman & brother-in-law of the Newmans), Dorine Righman (sister of BJ Anderson), Brittany, Greg and Caroline Merkl (family of Jim and BJ Anderson)
Serving in the Armed Forces
Alexander Long V Gordon Devine Jeffrey Woodard
David Locklerr Daniel Vanpike Joseph George
Christopher R. DeHart Steven Lee Jonathan Wilkerson
Fourth Sunday of ADVENT
December 22, 2013
“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." – Matthew 1:18-21
ST. Peter’s Episcopal Church