December 1, First Sunday of Advent
The Holy Eucharist, 8 a.m., Rite I
The Holy Eucharist, 10 a.m., Rite II
Fr. John Thorpe, officiating
Choir Rehearsal 9 a.m. | Child Care 9:45 a.m.
Church School Christmas Pageant Rehearsal 10 a.m.
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The Collect:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
This week’s lessons: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
Epistle
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Romans 13:11-12a
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The Gospel Matthew 24:36-44
Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
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The week of December 1
Tuesday, 10:00 a.m., Julian of Norwich Prayer Group
Thursday, 7:00 p.m., Girl Scout Troop 816
Looking Ahead
Sunday, December 8, Lessons and Carols, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, December 12, at 6 p.m., ECW Christmas Party
Sunday, December 15, return Christmas Offering forms.
Sunday, December 22, Church School Christmas Pageant following the 11 p.m. service
Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve Services at 4 and 10 p.m.
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Advent Begins Sunday, December 1
The word Advent means “coming.” It is a time to slow down, be quiet and meditate about the real meaning of Christmas. These four weeks before Christmas are a time to prepare our hearts and our lives as we wait for the coming of Jesus. We focus on the promise that God made to his people and how that promise was fulfilled in Jesus. Advent is also the beginning of the liturgical year. The season begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on the day before Christmas. The liturgical color for Advent is blue or purple in The Episcopal Church. It may be a time for new beginning for us as Christians.
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Advent Lessons and Carols, December 8, 5 p.m.
The beautiful service of Lessons and Carols will be held at 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 8. It includes readings, hymns and anthems sung by St. Andrew’s Choir to celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. A reception in Pearson Hall follows the service. ECW will provide sandwiches, and the parish is asked to bring appetizers, desserts or finger foods.
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Return Your Christmas Offering Form by December 15!
Parishioners are encouraged to submit their Christmas offerings early so that they can be acknowledged in the Christmas Eve service bulletin. Click
here
for the offering form; the forms will also be available on the table near the first floor elevator. Please return the form with your offering on or before Sunday, December 15.
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Angel Tree Gifts Bring a Brighter Christmas
St. Andrew’s is sponsoring eight families this year. A few Angels remain on the Angel Tree, located in the Parish Hall. All gifts will need to be returned on December 8. Please choose an Angel (if you haven’t already) and bring a gift wrapped with the Angel taped to the front of the package. Hopefully we can bring a smile to some families again this Christmas.
–Outreach Committee
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Lincoln’s Thanksgiving
Although Thanksgiving Day was intermittently recognized in the United States beginning in 1789 and had been irregularly celebrated in colonial times, it did not become an annual national holiday until 1863.
On October 3
rd
of that year, a few months after the Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation (actually written by Episcopalian Secretary of State William H. Seward) calling upon his “fellow-citizens” to set aside the last Thursday of November “as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”
The proclamation noted that battlefield success had been combined with continued economic growth and prosperity but added that “No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”
It concluded by urging Americans to “with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, …fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”
That seems not a bad prayer for our own day. -Jim Weingartner
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Announcements
ECW Christmas Party set for December 12 at 6 p.m.
’Tis the season for the ECW Christmas party featuring delicious food at Bella Milano, delightful fellowship, and Mary Jane’s imaginative games. All women of the parish are invited to this festive party.
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Thank You to Bill Schaefer
We would like to thank Bill Schaefer for the new book cart he made to help make work at the St. Andrew's Book Fair easier. The new cart is both beautiful and practical. Thank you! -Mike and Cindy Reinhardt.
Coffee Hour Thanks
To all of you who signed up for one or more Sundays in 2019, a great big THANK YOU!
A sign-up sheet for Coffee Hour for 2020 is posted on the bulletin board next to the women’s rest room. Sign up now to get the dates that will work best for you! –Pat Rudloff
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The St. Andrew's Week-End Update
, a weekly emailed newsletter, is designed to keep parishioners up to date on church activities. Please send news items to Jane Weingartner by 11 a.m. on Tuesday to have them appear in the following Friday's newsletter.
Newsletter Editor Jane Weingartner
Newsletter & Bulletin Editor Marianne Cavanaugh
Newsletter Design Editor, Marian Smithson
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t. Andrew's Episcopal Church
406 Hillsboro Avenue Edwardsville, Illinois
618-656-129
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