Greetings!

In this issue of the Weekly News:

   

Choral Meditations for Advent

Sunday, December 4, 4:00 p.m.

Music on Main presents a vocal quintet performing choral music and poetry for the Advent season. The meditative sound of voices and spoken poetry will enrich your spiritual journey through the Advent Season. Featured vocalists include Victor Chen, Jane Dunnivant, Christopher Gribble, Candis Lang, and Mary Robinson. This event is free and open to the public.

Return Holiday Totes for  Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center Sunday, December 4

The totes are stacking up in the Narthex. Have you returned yours? Please bring your filled tote to church this Sunday. We will have people available to help get them from your vehicle into the church. If you have not yet purchased a certificate for a ham or turkey, you may do so at the church. (Do NOT purchase elsewhere.)

Join us after the 10:00 a.m. service when we will bless the holiday totes. They will be picked up by staff from the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center on Monday morning.

St. Nicholas to Visit St. Christopher's

St. Nicholas will visit the children of Godly Play and Club 345 on Sunday, December 4, to read a story and bring a small gift for each child. So, don't be surprised when you see this fellow in the building!

This year we offer multiple ways to think about and prepare for Christmas. Whether filling holiday totes for the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center, purchasing gift cards for the Angel Tree, listening to the beautiful music of Choral Meditations for Advent, coloring an Advent calendar, or receiving daily devotions via text, there is something for everyone.

Advent Calendars

Please pick up a large-format Advent calendar for your household. You will find the calendars in the Narthex. They are suitable for people of all ages, including adults who have taken up coloring.

Devotions for Advent

This year, in conjunction with the Spiritual Development sub-team of the Strategic Planning Team, we're offering daily messages with devotional thoughts for Advent via SMS (Short Messaging Service, aka text).  The material offers a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping and preparations with ideas for prayer, helping others, and being thoughtful about the true meaning of Christmas.

To subscribe, text @advent16 to 81010. 

The Angel Tree

Begins December 4 -  Ends December 18

Purchase gift cards from Meijer, Target, Kohls, WalMart, or Kroger for distribution to Hamilton County Prevail, Third Phase, and Good Samaritan. Gas cards also are welcomed. Gifts cards for this project must be brought to St. Christopher's by Sunday, December 18. Cards can be placed in the Angel Tree mailbox, which will be located near the tree. If you have questions about this Service to Others project, speak with Carol Bolles (317-255-2794), Gloria St. John (317-845-9998), or Marlyn Young (317-253-2920).

An Invitation to Women of St. Christopher's

from the Daughters of the King

The Mary and Martha Chapter of the Daughters of the King (DOK) will meet at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 10, in the bridal parlor on the second floor of the church. We are excited that Mother Jenny will be our speaker on this date.

We invite all women of St. Christopher's to attend this, or any, meeting. DOK members wear the signature crosses of the order. Any of us will be happy to answer questions you might have.

The DOK was established in 1885 by Margaret J. Franklin in New York City's Church of the Holy Sepulcher (now the Church of the Resurrection). It is now an international sisterhood of over 25,000 members who, after a period of study, take vows to follow a Rule of Life. The mission of the Order is the extension of Christ's Kingdom through Prayer, Service, and Evangelism.  Our chapter of the Daughters of the King was chartered in May of 2006 with eleven members and we now have almost 40 members. We look forward to sharing with you.  

Seasonal Flowers for the Sanctuary

If you wish to give flowers for the Christmas season, you will find envelopes on the round table in the Narthex. Make checks payable to the Altar Guild of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church.  The deadline for ordering is December 11.

St. Christopher's Note Cards

Note cards that contain color photos of our church are perfect for thank-you notes and other messages. These note cards will be available after the 7:45 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. services. A packet of 10 note cards costs $15. Please mark "Note Cards" in the memo section of your check. Proceeds from sales of the note cards will go to St. Christopher's Columbarium Garden Fund. The photographs were provided by Dick Carter and Carolyn Parrott.

The "Miracle of Feeding the Multitude" 

isn't just about feeding the hungry.

Warren Smith, a longtime resident and recent new member of St. Christopher's spoke on Sunday, giving us all an interesting way to think about Jesus' miracle of feeding the 5000. He also challenged us to think about whether our stewardship decision was a "check-the-box" decision or a real evaluation of what St. Christopher's means to us and our families.  Read Warren's thoughts on giving back to God in proportion to His gifts to us.

The 2016 Funding Campaign

If you have have not yet returned your Commitment Card, please do so this week. You may return it in person by placing it in the offering plate during Sunday worship, dropping it by the office, or mailing it to the church at 1402 West Main Street, Carmel, 46032.  You also may make your commitment online.

If you have not received a commitment card, please request one from the church office by contacting Denise DeLong ( ddelong@stchriscarmel.com), or download and print one at  stchriscarmel.org/make-a-pledge.

Dates for Your Calendar

The Save the Date page of St. Christopher's website is updated weekly. Check this resource for new information. You also may want to review the insert in the  Sunday bulletin, as it provides the schedule for the coming week.  

December 14  |  Young at Heart Luncheon (note second Wednesday in December)

December 18  |  Christmas Lessons & Carols

Church office hours:

Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.