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Happy Advent!
In Advent we wait. Not just for the returning sovereign Jesus at the second coming or for the celebration of the God-made-flesh over 2,000 years ago, but also for of Christ NOW in us, in new ways as we open our hearts and minds and daily lives to Divine Presence. And it’s up to you and God just how you wait, what spiritual practices and prayers bring you growth, bring you more deeply into God’s presence, and bring you to do work for others that puts more love in the world.
So Advent isn’t necessarily about waiting until Advent 4 or Christmas Eve to listen to and sing Christmas music, or pull out the decorations. (That’s fine to do, if you like it; it’s helpful and our tradition to do it if that’s your personal piety; it’s not helpful if it doesn’t change us on the inside.) If you sing in the choir, work with the Flower Guild or Altar Guild, help with the Food Bank, God loves you. If you go to the Advent offering on Thursday nights centering on justice work, and/or with the offering that reviews Christian prayer and tarot, God loves you. If you do none of those things, put up the tree, and sing every carol you know, starting today (or even last week), God loves you. Period. We don’t EVER have to work to earn God’s love or grace or pronouncement of belonging. Those are gifts.
So when we work, it’s however we can, as we feel called, to love others (especially those we don’t like) and ourselves better from the overflow of love that God gives us. Whatever practices bring you into that overflow of love, that’s what we’re called to do in Advent. As for me, given the trials for us all in the last few years, I’m gonna sing carols when I feel like it, and put up the tree when my kid asks me to, and pray a lot with my tarot cards and prayer book. And out of the overflow of all the goodness, love and grace God gives to me, I’m going to do some elbow grease work in the community AND some heart work on loving and moving in empathy and patience for those who express hate and rage toward a lot of what I believe in. I don’t even wanna do that last part, so it’s gonna be hard and I’m gonna mess it up. But I’ll also be with y’all, who are also working to love, and I’m betting that through God, we can do these hard things together. And it’ll all be worth the wait because Jesus IS coming. Happy Advent!
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. God does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. God knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:26-28 The MSG
Many Blessings,
Mo. Nikki+
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STEWARDSHIP REMINDER. If you have not yet returned your 2023 stewardship pledge form, you can do so by bringing your completed form to worship (additional forms are in the narthex), by mailing your pledge form to church, or on our home page via the QUICK LINKS tab GIVING TO ST. GREGORY’S.
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This Sunday, Nov. 27, the Adult Spiritual Formation Class will not meet. On December 4, Mother Nikki will begin her Advent class. See below for that description. | |  |
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The Parish offices will be closed from Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 22, through Friday, Nov. 25.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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ADVENT OFFERINGS
This Advent Season your Adult Spiritual Formation Group is offering a program over three Thursday evenings with guest speakers from our wider community to share their work in what we call building Beloved Community. Invoking the Advent themes of Revelation, Journey and Restoration, and inspired by our learning through Sacred Ground, we invite direction along paths our neighbors have taken in pursuit of racial justice.
December 1: Revelation
A selection from Athens Vignettes: A Dialogue with the African American Community by Dr. Roshaunda Breeden and directed by Dr. Freda Scott Giles will be presented by Dr. Giles to illustrate the local history of Linnentown, the Baldwin Hall remains, exploring the relationship between UGA and the Athens African American community, and the impact of urban renewal.
December 8: Journey
Jubilee Partners will come to share their experience of ministry caring for those on the journey of immigration who face challenges unimaginable to most of us.
December 15: Restoration
From the Friends of Brooklyn Cemetery, formed in 2006, we will learn about the work of family and community restoration to honor African American ancestors and the historic community which surrounded their final resting place first established in 1882.
Each evening will begin with a simple meal of soup and bread at 6pm in the Education Building. The presentations will begin at 6:30 following a short meditation and opening prayer, and then be followed by a time for reflection, questions and small group discussions, ending at 7:30. Please join us and invite your friends and family. Also, please notify the church office if you require the Nursery to support your attendance.
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Praying with Pictures:
Contemplative Christian Practices with the Tarot
Have you considered entering this brand new church year (Advent is the beginning of it, yay!) with a brand new spiritual practice? If you are intrigued by the symbolism and puzzles in the parables of Jesus, love to worship through the symbols offered in our liturgy, and hear God speaking to you through the symbolism of dreams, the beauty of creation, music, visual arts and stories, then this Advent class may be for you!
Mother Nikki will offer a 3 part workshop series (these classes are interactive, not lectures) on Sunday mornings at 9:15am at Adult Formation (in the parish hall), designed to explore communing with God through the symbolic pictures offered in the tarot. Contrary to popular opinion, this 78 card deck of both archetypal and daily life images is neither so much in modern times, a tool for fortune telling or occult practice, so much as it is a means to pray without words … akin to the contemplation or writing of the intricate and symbolic artwork of a religious icon. The tarot is now much more often used as a tool for Christian mysticism and the deep work of self-awareness and growth in spiritual formation, than for other pursuits.
Following the works of Brittany Muller (author of the book, The Contemplative Tarot: A Christian Guide to the Cards) and Lindsay Mack (founder of Soul Tarot, a spiritual formation process using “heart centered tarot learning for transformative growth),” we’ll explore the following:
December 4: Where is God in the Tarot? Christianity’s relationship and roots in relation to the Tarot
December 11: Where am I in the Tarot? Interpretation, meaning, and basics for prayer with the Tarot
December 18: How is God conversing with me and what do I hear through the Tarot? Finding your Personal Prayer Practices with the Tarot
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Meridian Women's Chorus
Meridian Women's Chorus hosts their annual Tapestry Concert Saturday, December 3rd at 3PM at Holy Cross Lutheran Church on West Lake Drive. This free concert includes special guests the Athens Recorder Ensemble, the Trinity Lutheran Handbell Choir, and the Oconee High School A Cappella Chorus. The concert is followed by a reception and a Holiday Market--come prepared to do a little holiday shopping!
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Mark your calendars for Sunday, Dec. 4! St. Nicholas will be visiting St. G's at the 10:30AM service! | | |
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ATHENS MASTER CHORALE
The Athens Master Chorale cordially invites you to experience a beautiful compilation of great music from prestigious composers. Come and hear in The Classic Center Atrium on Sunday, December 4 at 4:00 pm. We passionately devote our energy to prepare and present these magnificent gems of classical music.
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Poinsettia Dedications
If you wish to give a poinsettia in honor or memory of a loved one, the deadline for ordering will be Sunday, Dec. 18. The suggested donation this year is $15 per dedication. Please place your completed form (see red forms in your Sunday bulletin or in the narthex) and your check in the offering plate on Sundays, Kendall’s office door, or mail it to the parish office. You may also contact the office by phone, 706-546-7553 or email, office@stgregoryathens.org.
If ordering through email, please be very clear if dedication is in memory of, thanksgiving for, or in honor of ...
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Our beloved “Band of Believers” will be preparing once again to lead us in music for the Family Christmas Eve Service.
All adults and youth are encouraged to come and contribute whatever musical instrument you wish. If you are interested, or just want to inquire about it, please contact Vicky Travernier at 706-201-5264. Rehearsals will be forthcoming.
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Parents and Children: It is time to prepare for the Christmas Eve Children’s Pageant. As is our tradition, all children are invited to participate in the 5PM Family Christmas Eve Service. Throughout Advent (beginning Sunday, November 27), we will use the weekly Children’s Chapel time to practice readings and characters for the pageant. We will likely have a Sunday afternoon rehearsal the week before Christmas Eve; watch the church news for specific announcements regarding that. All children are encouraged to join us!
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The Altar Guild Needs You!!
The altar guild is looking for new volunteers! You will be trained! Please contact Barbara Dean at 706-354-4269 or via email.
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thankful
gathering ‘round
our table set
we remember
lest we forget
all those who grew
the food now here
neighbors and friends
both far and near
we ask relief
for all the least
before we share
our tasty feast
and for the will
to also give
so that we all
will better live
alice mohor
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If you're in your 20s or 30s and would like to stay up to date on events for your age group please reach out to Wade McGlamery, 770-624-4837, to join our group chat. | | |
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Instructions for Live Streaming
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Near the time for service, underneath our channel logo, you will see our video for that day, with the word ‘live’ on it. The page will look like this:
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If you don’t immediately see the video that says ‘live’, (for instance, if you opened YouTube before the service begins) keep refreshing it.
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When you see the video square that says ‘live’, click on it.
Welcome to worship!
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Meeting Opportunities
Parish community offerings via Zoom or in person:
*Community Yoga is back for fall (Aug. 10 – Nov. 30, 2022), Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 PM; the 4th Wednesday of every month will be Chair Yoga. Parish Hall or Zoom, Passcode: 509230. Come thrive with us! Email Anna Hiers for more information, or just show up! The class is free; donations to the church are welcome. *Please bring a yoga mat*
Hebrew Reading meets on Zoom every other Wednesday from 11am-1pm. Contact Joel Hunt!
Stacie Court hosts "Let's Chat!" for women of the parish. The days and time vary, and not everyone can join every time, but everyone is welcome to join whenever they can! Email Stacie!
* St. Gregory's Book Club meets the first Friday of the month in Parish Hall @ 7PM ongoing for the foreseeable future. Email Lois Alworth if you are interested in participating.
*Threads of Prayer meets on the 1st Tuesdays of the month @1PM! We'll meet outside if the weather is good and inside the Christian Ed building if the weather is bad. Email Annette Bates if you are interested in participating. All knitters and crocheters welcome!
*Men's Group: 9AM on Saturdays. 1st & 3rd Saturdays at St. Gregory's library and 2nd & 4th & 5th Saturdays at the Somerville's house ! Email Peter Rice
* group(s) meeting in person
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