Do you remember the anticipation of waiting to open your gifts on Christmas morning as a child? The anticipation heightens your nerves and senses like a runner at the race starting line. Advent is about anticipation. In the liturgical season of Advent, we await the coming of Christ. We put ourselves in Israel’s place, waiting for the coming Messiah.

Simultaneously, we anticipate Christ’s second coming. It is the time of year that we cry, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Advent is pregnant with anticipation. Advent is full of hope of what the future holds. During Advent, we acknowledge that the world is not perfected yet, but we anticipate and look forward to the day when Jesus returns and sets everything right.

We hope that one day there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more enemies, no more evil, but in their place, instead: whole hearts, whole bodies, whole selves, whole relationships and all God all the time.

Last week we had to close the church building down again due to the pandemic. We live in the reality that the pandemic is wreaking havoc on our lives. However, recently three medical companies have announced they have vaccines to fight the COVID-19 virus.

We can see the end coming to the social isolation. We can hope for the day when our church can open fully. We anticipate when we can go to restaurants, movie theaters and concerts again. We anticipate the end of the pandemic that has upended our lives.

The pandemic changed us. The pandemic helped us to rethink our lives. We have gained clarity of what works and what does not work in our lives. We have learned how much in-person interactions give us life.

We have learned that some work can be done over Zoom. We have learned that walks make life better. This is the time to think about what is valuable, what is missed and what is should be put away forever. My hope for you is that you embrace the anticipation of the end of the pandemic; that you use the pandemic to realign your life to make it even better than it was before.

The theme for this year’s Advent at St. Augustine is “New Beginnings.” Advent begins the church year, a new year and a new season with a new rector. This year will be a new lease on life in our church. We have come to understand ourselves and our place in our community even more. We are rethinking how we do things and we are embracing the deeply valuable things in life.

This Advent please enter the spirit of anticipation. Hope with me for the light to come. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so keep your heads up and hold onto the hope of what is to come.

In Christ’s hope,

Please also remember that we have Communion at Home available. You may pick up your consecrated wafers at St. Augustine on Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. We have a drive-by for you to pick up for your wafers. 

Wednesday, December 2^nd

Blue Christmas: A Service of Comfort will replace the December 9^th Compline and Fellowship time.

Send a Christmas card to the five names following yours in the Church Directory. Begin the week of December 1^st. End the week of December 28^th. This is a wonderful way to connect with members of our church family.

A stewardship update: We are still missing many pledge cards and commitments. At this point, the end of November, we are short nearly $70,000. If you have not completed and turned in your card, I ask you to do so.

Without funding, our programs will suffer. Two special programs which truly need our support are the Children and Youth Ministries. Our children need us to be present for and be positive role models in their Christian upbringing. Without proper funding, this is not possible.

Dear Sunday School Students,

ksdiaz22@gmail.com

mommy.cooper1@gmail.com

The FISH Youth Group has been meeting weekly over Zoom, led by Virginia Genato. Currently, the group is going through the theology curriculum book, Blessed to Bless. The study goes through the Bible and its many lessons in order from Old Testament to New Testament.

So far, they have touched on the topics of sibling struggles, maturity and stewardship. They have also studied Genesis, Chapters 1-11, discussing the Old Testament creation stories, the consequences of sin, Noah and the Great Flood and many other Genesis stories.

When the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, Virginia hopes to plan one in-person gathering once a month for a fun outing after a Bible study session. She also looks forward to sitting down with the members for dinner and an activity.

Virginia’s passions are service and volunteer work. Over time, she plans to incorporate a service component into the FISH Group sessions. Hopefully, in the future, the group can also plan a retreat.

The group meets every Sunday night at 7 p.m. by Zoom. It will not meet December 27^th because of the holiday weekend. At the present time, a group of five individuals participate in the weekly meetings. The FISH Youth Group welcomes anyone, junior high through high school, who would like to join in the Sunday night discussions.

For more information about the FISH Youth Group, please contact Virginia at:

Our next meeting will be Sunday, December 20^th. The classes will be led by Pastor Anny.

Please plan to be a part of our Annual Meeting, Sunday, January 31, 2021, following the 10 a.m. service. We will hear about the state of the parish, elect new Vestry members and elect 2021 Convention delegates.

The Vestry is the governing board of our congregation. Members of the Vestry serve three-year terms. These seats rotate years so there are always experienced members on the board.

This year we have five positions to fill. Three positions are three-year terms. We have a two-year term and a one-year term due to the early departure of Vestry members. More information and application forms will be available in early December.

Online Giving - Electronic Donations

Between 35% and 40% of our monthly giving is being donated online. Visit the St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church website at:

Click on the 'Donate' button. Follow the screen instructions to create an online profile. You can make one-time donations and also set up recurring gifts. You can use credit cards and build your points and miles. You will have the option to help offset the credit card processing fees.

Chris Deering (916) 484-9195 or lmalex@mac.com 

 Steve Mershon at (916) 768-6933 or steve.mershon@icloud.com

Google/Android: 

Please join in the celebration of Portia Hopkin's Ordination to the Sacred Order of Priests, Sunday, December 18^th at 6 p.m. Participate online only at norcalepiscopal.org

        Prayer Shawl Ministry

A couple of people have expressed an interest in learning to knit. If you are one of those, let me know. We just might do a Zoom class. Email Greer at gnave@aol.com.

Janice & Rick Stenzel

A big THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to Outreach Ministry and continues to make these grants possible. If you are interested in joining our team, we meet on the first Sunday of the month. Presently the meeting is on Zoom. Our next meeting will be on Sunday, December 6^th, at 3 p.m. Please contact Camille Grabowski at camillegrabowski@gmail.com or 916-409-5509.

 Put a Smile on the Face of a Gathering Inn Child

After being re-stocked, in large part by the Sunday School project the Sunday before, we were able to fully supply 18 local families. These families are not homeless. The pantry helps each family with extra food so they can use their limited funds to stay current on rent, mortgage and utilities when they run a little short at the end of a week or month. Many of these families have multi-generations living under one roof and the extra food is so appreciated.

Please drop off your items in the shopping cart at the church. Jim Quinney will deliver the donations to the St. James Pantry.

jimquinney@gmail.com

On November 19^th, the volunteers prepared chicken salad sandwiches, including chips, dessert and trail mix. Volunteers John Redmond and Steve Broce assembled the lunches. The Supervisor of St. Vincent de Paul, John Mayne, passed out the lunches at 11:30.

Our volunteers for December 17^th are Jack Dillon, Rick and Janice Stenzel and Kathryn Jordan. They will be preparing the famous “Barrel Chicken” for the guests.

With the spirit of Christmas in the air, Daughters of the King will meet Sunday, December 13^th, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Click on the Zoom site or use the phone number to call in. This invitation is now permanent for our DOK meetings. DOK meets on the second Sunday of every month, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Study sessions for new members will begin in January by Zoom. Kathleen Quigley and Greer Nave will be leading the sessions. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Daughters of the King chapter, please contact Carol Ann Hackley, chapter president, at:

tchackley@yahoo.com

At their November 28^th meeting, the Brothers celebrated St. Andrew’s Day (November 30^th). Fr. Peter Rodgers, from St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Antelope, gave the message, dealing and coping with the current pandemic. He used scripture about St. Andrew to frame his talk.

The group approved officers for 2021. Rob Shonk will remain as director, John Quigley, treasurer and John Redmond, secretary. The Brothers also approved purchasing food for the St. Vincent de Paul free meal kitchen on December 17^th. Jack Dillon and John Redmond will prepare the famous “barrel chicken” along with macaroni salad, which will be served in to-go cartons, along with snacks in a brown paper bag.

The Brotherhood will not meet in December. Their next meeting will be January 23^rd at 9 a.m. via Zoom. 

If you have an interest in learning about the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, please contact:

Simply visit the link below or visit our website to get started! smile.amazon.com/ch/68-0305177

Rick & Janice Stenzel

Andrew & Gabrielle Sisk