The St. Georgian - December 23, 2021

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The St. Georgian Weekly E-newsletter

December 23, 2021

We have condensed our e-newsletter. For information on ongoing ministries, book groups, etc., please click here for a previous e-newsletter.

A Message from Our Rector

Greetings Beloved St. Georgians,

My mother tells of how one year, when I was a baby, in the middle of the night the Christmas tree came crashing down. Just fell down. All the fancy glass ornaments she had just bought, because she finally had her own house and family and money, broke. Except for one: an ugly duckling. Somehow the humble duck survived, and for years, until it too finally broke, the duck was our reminder of Christmas grace. We hung it with reverence and remembered that not all was lost.

Many of us have a story about a Christmas when things fell apart apart. The year the food burned or the presents did not arrive on time. You may be living out such a story right now. The pandemic has made many of our former holiday disaster stories look easy in comparison. It is a strange holiday, Christmas. With it comes the promise of good news but also a tension. There is a pulling between the joyful good news of this amazing gift from God and the reality that there is still chaos and messiness in our lives and in the world.

Do not be afraid, though, says the angel of God. Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. Two thousand years ago, God entered a chaotic world. God became human, one of us. The Word of God took on our form and lived our life so that we would see and know God’s love and forgiveness in the midst of the tension and things falling apart.

I am so thankful that we can celebrate Christmas more in person this year than last. I’m thankful we can be online as well with St. Georgians and guests near and far. Even though we must remain careful and vigilant, even though we are tired of the pandemic, even though we do not know what will happen next, may we hear the Christmas story with fresh ears this year as we search for grace in unlikely places...in the hanging of a humble duck, in a newborn savior lying in a humble manger.

I also give thanks to God that this is my seventh Christmas as rector of this parish. It has been a joy of my life to serve with you all in this place. Merry Christmas to you all, dearly beloved.

Your rector and brother in Christ,

Joe+

Christmastide Worship Schedule

Worship with us in-person or online for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! You can view our worship schedule here. We also publish bulletins here on our website.

If you have pre-registered or the 4 pm or 7:30 pm services on Christmas Eve, please plan to arrive 30 - 45 minutes before the service starts so we can get you seated. Walk-in guests will be seated 15-minutes before the service starts.

Christmas Eve:

4 pm: A COVID-mindful Christmas pageant with Holy Eucharist. There will be seating in the nave, balcony, and Sydnor Hall. Please note this service is currently sold out. We have a small number of seats set aside for walk-in guests. This service also livestreamed on YouTube Live.

7:30 pm: Rite III worship with Holy Eucharist. Our Jazz Band and Choir provide festive music starting at 7 pm. There will be seating in the nave, balcony, and Sydnor Hall. Make your reservations here. This service also livestreamed on YouTube Live with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation.

11 pm: Rite II worship with Holy Eucharist. Our choir and chamber ensemble provide festive music – starting at 10:30 pm. There will be seating in the nave and balcony. There are no reservations for this service.

Christmas Day:

10 am: Spoken Christmas Day worship with Holy Eucharist (no reservations needed).

Sunday, December 26:

7:45 am: Rite I, spoken Holy Eucharist.

10 am: Lessons and Carols (no Eucharist). This service also live streamed on YouTube Live.

Please be mindful of the following COVID-19 protocols for these worship services:

Pre-registration required for the Christmas Eve 4 pm Pageant and 7:30 pm services. There's no pre-registration for the 11 pm service on Christmas Eve
Seat yourself in a pew with a cushion. The first 10 pews in the middle aisle all have cushions for those who feel comfortable sitting closer. Otherwise seating is every other pew for social distancing.
Masks are required for all - vaccinated or unvaccinated - and for children over the age of 2 years old.
Sign-in at the welcome table in the narthex.
Follow the instructions of ushers to avoid crowding in the narthex and aisles.
Movement in the nave should be single file and socially distanced
Limited nursery care is available for 8 children up to age 4 in our nursery (4 pm and 7:30 pm Christmas Eve services)
Dress in layers as we may open doors to allow fresh air circulation.

If you aren't comfortable coming in-person, then please worship with us online! Click here for the full schedule.

Please note there is no Noon Eucharist service on December 29.

Giving at St. George's

"..for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." - Luke 6:38

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Your generous gifts help fund our ministries and serve the community. Thank you!

For example, this month your gifts have helped:

Respond to the needs of Afghan families arriving in our community
Share multiple in-person and live streamed Christmas services

You can make a one-time or recurring gift electronically or text to give (send a text message with the dollar amount [e.g. $50] to: 540.701.4133). You can also mail a check to the church office (P. O. Box 7127, Fredericksburg, VA 22404).

If you have any questions, please contact our Business Manager, Ben Hicks.

Announcements

Office Hours

Please note our office is closed December 25 - January 2.

We will not hold Wednesday Eucharist on December 29.

If you have an end of the year financial gift to make, Vestry will be at the office Friday, December 31 from 10 am to 12 pm to receive those gifts.

If you have a pastoral emergency and need to speak with clergy, please call or text 540.361.8573.

Annual Meeting: January 23

All members of the St. George’s family are invited to attend the annual meeting on Sunday, January 23, 2022.

More details will follow on the time and format for the meeting. Please watch for announcements in the bulletin,

e-newsletter, and your email.

We will elect four new vestry members and hear brief reports about our ministries and our finances.

Sacred Ground Begins January 2022

St. George’s will offer a Sacred Ground Dialogue Circle beginning January 9, 2022. Sacred Ground, a sensitive, prayerful resource of the Episcopal Church, that creates space for difficult but respectful and transformative dialogue on race and racism.

It invites participants to walk back through history to peel away the layers that brought us to today, reflecting on family histories and stories, as well as important narratives that shape the collective American story.

It holds as a guiding star the vision of beloved community – where all people are honored and protected and nurtured as beloved children of God, where we weep at one another’s pain and seek one another’s flourishing.

The Dialogue Circle is a community that will meet Sundays, 3 – 5 pm, from January 9 through March 13 engaging with films, videos, written materials, and each other – a study group essentially with Linda and Bob Miller serving as co-facilitators. We hope to meet in person but will consider a virtual circle depending on health precautions.

If engaging in such a dialogue within a safe and supportive community is attractive to you, please consider joining this dialogue circle.

For questions, please contact Bob Miller. To sign up, please click here. Please note registration closes January 2, 2022.

Announcements

News and Updates

St. George’s Bible Challenge: Daily Lectionary Edition

More than 100 St. Georgians participated in our 300th anniversary Bible-in-a-year (or so) challenge which ended in May 2021. Our rector now offers a new challenge, this time following the daily schedule of readings in our Book of Common Prayer. There are options to read most of the Bible in one year or two or just read the Gospel each day. Participants will receive an email every week or so encouraging them and sharing resources for further learning. The challenge begins January 9, and our rector will offer a forum at 10 am in Sydnor Hall and on Zoom. For more information or to sign up: joe.hensley@stgeorgesepiscopal.net

Micah Ministries Honor Cards available

Looking for a gift that keeps on giving? Make a donation to Micah Ministries and give a card from Micah telling the recipient that you gave in their honor. Cards and giving envelopes are available in the narthex and at the church office. Donations should be made directly to Micah: www.micahfredericksburg.org

Invitation to Serve on St. George’s Vestry

We will elect four new members to the vestry at our annual meeting on January 23. We are looking for a slate of at least six persons willing to serve a three-year term. A candidate must be a confirmed, adult (16+) member of the parish who contributes financially to the church and attends services regularly. View our informational video about vestry service here. Contact Joe Hensley for more information or to request a nomination form. Nominations are due asap.

Grief Writing Group - On Zoom

A six-week grief writing group will resume with session three on Thursday, January 6, at 7 pm on Zoom to any person who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Its purpose is to help group members journal and share with each other in a safe, comfortable space.

For more information and to enroll please contact Christine Klein at lyricviolin@gmail.com or call 540-786-3238.

Meeting ID: 840 3354 6934

Passcode: 183016

The Herndon Memorial Trust

The Herndon Memorial Trust Fund, established in the 1950's, is administered by St. George's Episcopal Church, and was made possible through the generosity of John W. Herndon during his lifetime and by bequest upon his death. The Trust exists to offer needs-based funds for medical assistance to elderly men (aged 55 and older) of the St. George's congregation primarily and of the greater Fredericksburg community. The mission of the Trust and the hope and wish of the Committee and Vestry which oversee it is to help relieve the financial stress and worry that often accompany illness or change in income status.

The Trust has funds available to assist members of St. George's parish and/or the community who meet the gender, age, and income requirements. St. George's members are encouraged to help identify eligible men and assist them, if necessary, in making application. View More Information on Our Website. You can also click here to download an application.

Afghan Allies Update

Our committee next meets via Zoom on Tuesday, January 11, 7:30 pm to regroup and prepare for our next home set-up with another family awaiting permanent Fredericksburg housing. Meanwhile, cash donations to continue supporting our resettlement work may be made viaSt. George’s “Afghan Allies” fund (select this fund from the drop-down list): https://giving.ncsservices.org/App/Giving/stg/ For more information, contact Pam Jewett-Bullock 540.729.0840 or Lee Ann Hecker 540.841.8724.

Children and Youth Announcements

Children’s Formation

Sunday School Update

Children’s formation is currently on break and will resume January 30.

Sundays at 10 am, children gather to learn about our story as the people of God. We also publish a children's homily on our YouTube channel the last Sunday of the month.

It’s not too late to register your child for our 2021 – 2022 program year. Click here to sign up.

Youth Group:

Youth Group is on break and will resume January 30.

Youth group meets on 1st and 3rd Sundays from 5 - 7 pm for dinner, community, and fun. Contact Pastor Areeta (areeta@stgeorgesepiscopal.net) to learn more.

It’s not too late to register your youth for the 2021 – 2022 program year. Click here to sign up.

Ways to get involved with our children and youth programs:

Sign up here to assist or provide dinner for our Sunday youth group gatherings: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E094BA5AD23A6F58-youth

The Table - Giving Tuesday Update

God's abundance showed forth yet again on Giving Tuesday for The Table.

We raised nearly $30,000, about one quarter of our expected 2022 budget.

As we plan for how we will continue this expression of God's love through fresh vegetables and a market atmosphere, we are so very grateful to all in the community who join this work, as volunteers, donors, or simply helping us spread the story.