We are a JOYOUS Community of faith!
Dear friends, 

Can you believe we are coming up on our two-year anniversary of our 1st public worship? Some days it feels like forever ago because of COVID and lockdown and some days it feels like just yesterday. Last week during the sermon, I took time out to say thank you. And to tell you, remind you, that you are a blessing. You are a blessing to me, to God, to St. Nick’s.

As an aside, if you missed the sermon you can find it here on our YouTube channel. The sermon starts at the 18:13 mark. It is a heartfelt offering of thanks to you and to God.  
We acknowledge the importance of gratitude every Sunday in worship. 

At the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer, The Great Thanksgiving, we begin with – 

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.  
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 
People: It is right to give God thanks and praise.
Celebrant: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

I love this brilliant reminder every Sunday to lift our hearts to the Lord and live our lives in gratitude with thanksgiving to God. It’s a weekly reminder that gratitude is a spiritual discipline.  

And like all spiritual disciplines it isn’t easy and takes practice. Sometimes it so easy to think about what is lacking or what we missed out on.  Sometimes, we just aren’t feeling grateful. Of course, that is when the discipline part of being grateful comes in. We are more than our feelings in any one given moment. We can practice gratitude...even if we aren’t feeling it. 

The great thing about the spiritual discipline of gratitude is we can start small – thank God for your morning coffee, the sunrise, your family, and fur family. We can keep it private and to ourselves or make it public and share our thoughts with one another.  

One of the things I love the most about this spiritual discipline is that it keeps me in the moment. I can’t get lost in nostalgia for the past or obsess over an unknown future when I'm giving thanks. I must be present to the moment and pay attention to the people and circumstances in front of me.   

That is one of my prayers for us in this new church year together. I pray we can be fully present and in the moment with one another and God. I pray that we can be full of gratitude for what God is doing in the here and now with us. I pray we can trust that the future and growth and all the things will come in God’s time.  

Please pray all of that with me this new church year. And when you come this Sunday, December 5th at 9:30am to celebrate our two-year anniversary, say a special prayer of thanks to God. Thanks for all God has done, is doing, and will do…with, through, and for us.

God’s Peace, Love, and Blessings, 
Beth+
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY
Comal County Sheriff's Office Gifts
Remember to bring your 3 items (on December 5th) to donate for gifts for the Comal County Sheriff’s department. We are collecting:

  1. New holiday or Christmas mugs
  2. Hot cocoa envelopes
  3. Treats like Hershey’s kisses, chocolate Santa’s and candy canes.

Great news! We are so close to our goal of 100 mugs – we have about 70 mugs so far!!! We will wrap these gifts at our St. Nicholas celebration this Sunday, and bring them to the Sheriff’s office on Wednesday, December 22nd at 10am.

If you are interested in helping to bring the gifts (all ages are welcome to help) please add your name to the sign-up sheet on the table with the mugs and goodies. All are welcome to come and spread Christmas cheer!
Share Center
The Share Center (sexual health and reproductive education) is an organization in our community whose mission is to serve the needs of those facing unplanned pregnancies, requiring sexual health services & education or those seeking to learn more about parenting.

They are in need of newborn lotion, Size 5 and 6 diapers, and rattles/toys/teethers. We will be collecting these items for them the month of December. You can place them in the big black and white box shaped like a present in near the Prayer Wall.
Caroling in the Community
The churches in our community are coming together this Christmas season to share the love of Christ through the singing of traditional Christmas carols and you are invited to join! On Sunday, December 12, members of churches across our community will gather at HEB to carol outside the entrances from 5pm to 6pm. Join us for a time of joyful celebration!

Everyone is encouraged to show up at 4:45pm so that each group can be organized. If you are interested in caroling, contact Rev. Beth at revbeth@stnickshillcountry.org.
THIS WEEK AT ST. NICK'S
Taco Dinner Church

Wednesday, 5:30-7:30pm

Come and join us for a night of tasty tacos and decorating our space for Christmas.

Please RSVP to Rev. Beth at revbeth@stnickshillcountry.org and let her know you are coming.
Men's Lunch Small Group

Thursdays, 11:30am

Stop by a local eatery to pick up lunch or have some leftovers from Dinner Church and come to St. Nick's for Bible study and fellowship.
Women's Bible Study

Thursdays, 1pm

Women's Bible Study via Zoom. We study and discuss the upcoming Sunday's Gospel reading.

Contact Rev. Beth at revbeth@stnickshillcountry.org  for the link.
Saturday Work Day

Saturday, Dec. 2, 8:30am

We have the coffees and tacos you bring hands ready to clean, decorate, string lights, organize formation materials, etc.
Sunday Worship

No 8:30am outdoor worship Just one service for worship at 9:30am indoors with livestream on YouTube, our website, or our Facebook page.

Join us for our celebratory worship with Bishop High, confirmations, and our anniversary of two years of public worship.

Stay after worship to create your Flat St. Nicholas, participate in a cupcake walk, make Christmas ornaments, and a holiday photo booth.
Bible Journal Small Group

Mondays, 9:15am

At the start of every new church year, we focus on a different Gospel. This year, we will be studying the Gospel of Luke. We will be reading through chapter two and discussing the birth of Jesus, his presentation at the temple, and his visit to the temple.  
SAVE THE DATE!
Advent Activity
Advent Activity After Worship

December 12

Stay after the 9:30am Worship and hear the Christmas story and make cute nativity scenes.
All Church Christmas Collage Project
Sunday, December 19th

We will hear the story of The Legend of the Poinsettia and create a special collage for Christmas.
Christmas Eve Worship
Friday, December 24
6pm

Don't forget to put our first Christmas Eve worship in our new space on your calendars! Invite your friends and family to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
CHURCH ADMINISTATION
AND VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
Volunteer Helpers Sunday AM
St. Nick’s is a multigenerational Community of Faith. All ages are welcome to serve as greeters, altar guild helpers, and readers. If your child or youth has an interest in serving and helping at St. Nick’s, please click on our link and sign up for a Sunday. Let us empower our children to be ministers and grow in faith through service to our Lord.
2265 Bulverde Rd.
Bulverde, TX 78163
Phone: 214-213-0739