![Mike Newmans Block print of St. Peter's Christmas](http://www.churchsp.org/sites/default/files/images3/stpetersblock7.jpg)
Block Print by Mike Newman
Projects
Lessons in how to read music from the weekly bulletin.
Current Lesson, Part 15, Aug. 28, 2016 – "Brethren, We Have Met Together"
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Submit your favorite book(s) to our growing repository.
Link to the reports from Jan 17 Annual Meeting
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Daily meditations in words and music.
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Your daily prayer online, since 1999
"We invite you to make a ‘Sacred Space’ in your day, praying here and now, as you visit our website, with the help of scripture chosen every day and on-screen guidance."
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Saints of the Week, Dec 4 – 11
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John of Damascus, Priest, c. 760 |
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Clement of Alexandria, Priest, c. 210 |
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Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, c. 342 |
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Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, 397 |
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[Richard Baxter, Pastor and Writer, 1691] |
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[Thomas Merton, Contemplative and Writer, 1968] |
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Dec. 7 -10:00am – Ecumenical Bible Study
Dec. 7 – 5:00pm – Village Dinner
Dec. 8 – 6:45pm – Peumansend Jail Ministry
Dec. 9 – 5:30pm – Port Royal Christmas Tree Lighting
Dec. 10 – 10:30am – Choir retreat at Brad’s house
Dec. 11 -10:00am – Godly Play (preschool through 2nd grade)
Dec. 11 -10:00am – "God’s Kids" (3rd grade and up)
Dec. 11 -10:00am – Matthew’s Infancy Stories, Parish House
Dec. 11-11:00am, Holy Eucharist- Advent 3
Dec. 11 -5:30pm, Everett’s Christmas
Last Sunday Advent 2, Dec. 4, 2016)
Sunday Readings and Servers, Advent 3, Dec. 11, 2016
Port Royal Christmas Celebration, Dec. 9, 2016, 5:30pm
75-100 children participated in the annual Port Royal Tree lighting. While attendance seemed slow at the beginning it picked up – especially when it was known that pizza was on the menu!
There were four groups collaborating for this event – Town of Port Royal, Parks and Rec, Caroline’s Promise, St. Peter’s Episcopal . St. Peter’s took care of the pizza and Town of Port Royal the sweets which included cupcakes, gingerbread men and home cooked cookies. Cookie and Catherine helped with the drinks.
Ornaments were handed out for the Christmas tree lighting which took place under a bright moon. It was much colder than last year – this year in the 40’s.
Santa soon arrived, greeted all and sat down to work hearing Christmas lists. This year we had one family with printed out lists!
The best part of the evening was watching the children having a great time in the spirit of the season.
Links:
Golden Hour at St. Peter’s
Come to St. Peter’s in the late fall and early winter between 4pm and 6pm and the beauty is overwhelming. These were taken on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016.
A Christmas Village Harvest, Dec. 21
This month, on Wednesday, December 21st, we’ll be serving a simple supper to all who come to the food distribution. The plan is to prepare bean soup for people to enjoy eating and to provide supplies so that they can make jars of bean soup mix to give as a gift or to make at home again later.
You can help by volunteering to cook soup, to help serve soup or to help people prepare their own jars of bean soup mix.
Lots of dried beans will be needed—red beans great northern beans split peas pintos and black beans. Also needed—quart jars. This is a great opportunity to get all of those quart jars you’ve been saving out of your pantries, attics and basements.
You can always make a monetary donation with a check to St Peter’s with "Village Harvest" in the memo line.
Advent 1 links
Advent 2 links
St Nicholas Day is December 6.
![St. Nicholas](http://www.churchsp.org/sites/default/files/images2/stnicholasofmyra2.jpg)
Here is a presentation that provides the background of this saint who has had a colorful and varied history over 1800 years.
Additional Meditations:
Suzanne Guthrie – "A Way in the Wilderness" (2014)
Daniel Berrigan – "Advent Credo" (2004)
Catherine Adler – "Advent Hands"
From the Presiding Bishop- Advent Messages 2012-2014 – "What are you waiting for?"
From the Episcopal and Lutheran churches – Advent devotions for each Sunday in Advent
From the Archibishop of Canterbury – An Advent course "Getting More Out of the Bible"
From the Diocese of Virginia –
Learning the Art of Waiting in Advent (2012)
Rt. Rev. Susan Goff
Be Awake, Alert, Aware, Alive, Part 1 (2013)
Be Awake, Alert, Aware, Alive, Part 2 (2013)
Rt. Rev. Susan Goff
Liturgical Layers – Advent
Bishop Shannon Johnston
Christmas Flowers
Linda Hemming, Aquia Church
Advent Waiting in Hope
Jeff Borden
The surprising origins of the Twelve Days of Christmas
Make Ready the Feast highlights one scripture citation and one recipe during Advent
Explore Advent, Part 3 – Over the Sundays in Advent there will be a presentation each week focusing on that week’s scriptures, art and commentary and how they demonstrate the themes of advent. Let’s continue with Advent 3.
A. Voices for Advent 3
"In Advent the church emphasizes these ways of continual change: Repentance. Conversion of life. Self-examination. Awakening. Deepening. "
– Suzanne Guthrie
B. "You Don’t Want to Be a Prophet (Isaiah, Luke)
"Christmas without Anglicans?" – Anglican contributions to Advent and Christmas carols.
Choir Retreat, Dec. 10, 10:30am
Sat’s choir retreat has been an annual event for several years. It is a combination of a separate practice away from the demands of Sunday to concentrate on the Christmas music as well as an opportunity to prepare a meal and enjoy each other’s company.
This year’s retreat will be held again at Brad’s home in Stafford :
54 Woodbourne Lane
Stafford VA 22554
Home 540-659-8568
Cell 540-223-0127
Christmas at the Everett’s, Dec. 11, 5:30pm
Last year’s event and Last year’s pictures
The Everetts, Cherry and Woody have for the past several years planned an open house for St. Peter’s to get us all in the holiday spirit. With their miniature Christmas village, their "second house" with another set of Christmas deocorations, it is truly a spectacle and the food is bountiful. This year it is on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 5:30pm.
Their home is at 17186 Cherwood Pond Ln, King George just across the Rappahannock and to the right
This Christmas season…
Link to all the events.
Christmas Deadlines
1. Poinsettias for Christmas Eve and Christmas – If you like to donate a poinsettia for Christmas, the cost is $10. Please complete the order form and include a separate check to St. Peter’s with poinsettia in the memo line. Deadline Sunday, Dec. 11th.
2. Donation to the Endowment Fund. By Dec. 18
3. The Christmas pageant will be Dec. 18, 2016 as part of the 11am service. If you would to participate, please let Catherine know.