SSPC Happenings - December 23, 2021

December 23, 2021

Two Week Newsletter

Christmas Eve is nearly here and it is hard to believe. From the PW Christmas Luncheon to caroling to the Live Nativity to the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath to our preschool Christmas programs to a fabulous Festival of Lessons and Carols last Sunday and a moving Longest Night worship service this past Tuesday – it has been an exciting December and Advent here at SSPC. My prayer is that each of these opportunities has not only drawn us into deeper relationship with one another but has also opened our hearts in new ways to the Good News of the coming Christ Child.

On that note… we invite you and your family and friends to join us tomorrow for one of our three Christmas Eve Worship Services. The “Candles and Carols” service – happening at 4P and 5:30P – is typically the most popular Christmas Eve service each year at SSPC as we gather to hear and see* the story of our Savior’s birth, sing carols, and carry the light of Christ out into the world together. These two services will then be followed by our “Christmas Eve Communion” service happening at 10P in the sanctuary. This is a much more intimate service with beautiful music, preaching, and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.

Please do note that we will have only one worship service this Sunday, December 26 happening at 10:30A. This will be a special service where we will explore the history and meaning behind some of our favorite Christmas carols. But there will be no early worship, Sunday school or other normal Sunday morning activities happening at the church that day. Finally, I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas this year. May the peace, hope, joy, and love of Christ surround and hold you fully in these days.

Peace,

Rev. Alan Dyer

Pastor

*Children of the church will enact the Christmas story as part of the Nativity Tableau at both of these services. Parents, if you have not already done so, please let Frieda Warner know which service you and your family plan to attend!

Christmas Eve

Happenings & Events

Sunday Worship

December 19, 2021

Sunday School

Musical Notes

A great big thank you to the readers, the singers, the instrumentalists, and all of those behind the scenes people who helped us to inspire through music last week. It was wonderful to be back in the sanctuary singing our favorite carols!

There will be even more music, and lots of it in the next few days! Christmas Eve will have our familiar hymns and carols with the Chancel Choir and soloists singing with the Chancel Ensemble this year. Ann Nermoe will be featured singing Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella with guitar accompaniment. The 10:00 pm service features a string quartet with harpsichord playing music for about twenty minutes before the service starts, so try to get there early. Soloist AnnMarie Morrison will sing Gesu Bambino. This year, we are inside with the sounds of our magnificent organ and lit candles during Silent Night.

On Sunday, December 26 alums of the Golden Isles Youth Orchestra will be playing with the Chancel Ensemble as we learn about the history of carols and sing some that we don’t hear often that are not in the hymnal.

Epiphany will be celebrated during the January 2nd service. The tenors and basses from the Chancel Choir will be singing and Mark Lochstampfor will be at the organ while Amy spends time with family during the holidays. A new tenor in the choir, he is a professor at a college in Ohio where he teaches music technology and acoustics. His talents as a composer will be heard - Amy will play an organ postlude by him at the 10:00 pm Christmas Eve service. He and his wife Ann recently relocated here on St. Simons.

I hope that all of these services are inspirational to you as you take the light of Christ into the world.

Hope, Peace, Joy, Love, and Light,

Rhonda