Episcopal Church in Snellville, GA
Check out the photos from our Santa/St. Nick Breakfast held Saturday, December 8. Santa and St. Nicholas paid a visit to talk to the children about God’s love and to tell the story of God’s greatest gift to us–Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. Yummy pancake breakfast, crafts and stories made it a really fun morning!
As some of you are aware, I took quite a tumble on Wednesday and ended up in the Emergency Room at Eastside Hospital. I was having lunch with Lynne Kiker when my foot hit a chair or table leg on the way back to my table and I fell, hitting my head on one of the wooden tables and landing hard on my left shoulder. Two men whom I did not know helped me to my feet and the manager of the Panera brought me an ice bag for my throbbing head. It only took about three minutes to realize that the size of the lump on my head suggested that I get it checked. And I needed something for the headache!
Lynne drove me to the ER and stayed with me and she was joined by Susan Carson, who later drove me home in my own car and arranged for her daughter-in-law to help coordinate the collection of cars. Everything checked out as okay, and they gave me a script for headache medicine, which Susan was kind enough to pick up from the pharmacy. John Eberhart stopped by to see how I was doing and prepared a snack along with a giant glass of ginger ale.
Samantha Renfro, my senior warden, suggested that I take some time to recover; Vicki Conway brought me soup and bread from Panera the next day, and I have heard from many of you wanting to know what you can do to help me mend. I am much better, but at the same time, I am very glad that Mother Pat Miller has agreed to take the services this Sunday.
Since I have been doing little besides sleeping and reading since the mishap on Wednesday, there has been time for reflection. I realized that what I experienced this week is the action that comes with Advent. We think of Advent as a quiet time, and it is. But it is also a time of becoming more and more aware of the gift given by God in the coming of Christ. What I learned this week is that Advent is also about recognizing Christ when he comes through the love of others: through Lynne, and Susan and Anne and Vicki and Mother Pat, nurse Renee and the staff at Eastside, Charmaine, and John and Diane and Samantha and Deborah and Mitch, those two men whose names I will never know, Marjory the manager at Panera and all of you who have offered prayers, cards, text messages and warm thoughts for my recovery. Jesus comes to us constantly through the love of others, and that is especially true in this community of Christ we call St. Matthew’s.
This month, four years ago, I started to serve as your priest. It has been an amazing four years and you have taught me much and given me even more. As I reflect on the journey that brought me here, and the love and care you have shown these past four years, I am grateful to God for revealing a side of Advent I had not thought about before – how Christ comes through the loving action of others. May this Advent be full of God’s profound Peace, and may Christmas fill you with God’s profound joy. Liz+
The ECW (Episcopal Church Women) held their annual Christmas pot luck dinner Monday evening,December 3. Many thanks to all who brought yummy food to share, and to those who set up and cleaned up after! This year instead of doing an ornament exchange members brought socks, lotion and other items to be donated to outreach ministries selected by St. Matthew’s Outreach committee. 128 pairs of socks, candy, an umbrella, a stuffed animal, and 20 bottles of lotion were donated! The socks and some of the other items will all go to the Church of the Common Ground in Atlanta for distribution to the homeless. Many thanks to all for your generous donations. Check out the pictures of this fun evening!
Dear Beloved, Advent is upon us! What is known in the world as the Christmas Shopping Season has an almost opposite meaning in the Church. Rather than the busyness that inevitably comes with this month before Christmas, Advent invites us to slow down and reflect on the miracle that gave us the reason for Christmas: God chose to become incarnate and dwell with us in the Person of his Son Jesus Christ. Last Sunday, we finished Year B with acknowledgement of Christ as King. This Sunday, we begin the story again, but told through the voice of St Luke.
The season of expectation, called Advent, is upon us. Advent begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas and marks the start of a new liturgical year. This new year, which we begin on this Sunday, is noted as Year C, and our gospel focus moves from the Gospel of Mark (Year B), to the Gospel of Luke.
The four Sundays of Advent are also commemorated by the lighting of the Advent Wreath. According to information provided on Wikipedia[i], the concept of the Advent Wreath originated with the Lutherans during the 16th century. It was a way to mark time from the first Sunday of Advent to Christmas. The original Advent wreath had 20 small red and four large white candles. A small candle was lit successively on weekdays and Saturdays and on Sunday a large white candle was lit. The use of the wreath changed to marking only the four Sundays in Advent, and some churches added a fifth white candle in the center, which was lit on Christmas. The Roman Catholic Church in Germany adopted the custom in the 1920’s and it spread to the United States sometime in the 1930’s.
Today, many denominations use an Advent wreath during Advent. The wreath is circular, representing eternity. Four or five candles are arranged on the wreath, depending on whether a center candle for Christmas is used. Set on the outer wreath are four candles: three are either blue or purple, and one is rose. One candle on the outer ring is lit each Sunday. Whether the wreath uses four or five candles, the idea is that the wreath, and the lighting of the candles successively each Sunday, represents the light of Christ coming into the world.
The first blue or purple candle that is lit is called the “Prophecy Candle”, reminding us of the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah. This first candle represents HOPE. The second purple or blue candle that is lit represents LOVE. Some traditions have named this candle the “Bethlehem Candle”, representing Christ’s manger. On the third Sunday, the rose candle is lit. This candle is called the “Shepherd’s Candle” and it represents JOY. The fourth candle is often referred to as the “Angel’s Candle”, and it represents PEACE. On Christmas Eve, the white center candle is lit. This candle is called the “Christ Candle” and represents Christ coming into the world[ii].
Using an Advent Wreath at home is a wonderful way to mark the season. You can find advent wreaths in many craft shops, in Christian Bookstores, and on-line. There are also some available at the Cathedral Bookstore at St. Philips in Atlanta. The candles are often sold as a four pack, with three blue or purple and one pink or rose in the box. You can set the wreath on a plate or a charger, and then decorate the wreath with Christmas greenery. The candles can be lit in the same way we light them on Sunday. On Sunday evening, perhaps before dinner, light one or more of the candles, depending on which Sunday it is, and share a prayer of either thanksgiving (how has God blessed me this week), or a prayer of hope (what does it mean to you that Christ comes into the world?).
The Advent wreath is a home tradition that I adopted many years ago. It has infused an added level of spirituality and reflection in what would otherwise be a very hectic season. I highly recommend it!
Advent Blessings, Mother Liz+
[i] Wikipedia, “The Advent Wreath”, found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_wreath, accessed 11-30-18.
[ii] “The Advent Wreath”, Terra Sancta Guild.
Advent, the start of a new year for the church, begins four Sundays before Christmas. During this season, we wait, prepare, reflect, and watch hopefully for the coming of God through Jesus in the real world- a world filled with good and bad, happiness and sorrow. Advent is the time for us to celebrate “God with us,” which is the literal translation of “Emmanuel.” The colors of Advent are either purple (symbolizing suffering/repentance/Christ’s royalty/the connection between the birth and death of Jesus) or dark blue, like a predawn winter sky before the sun rises/the light of Christ comes (symbolizing expectation/hope of faith/heaven/the Virgin Mary).
The altar flowers for Advent reflect the darkness before Christ and get lighter each Sunday. Below is a guide for the Advent altar flowers.
First Sunday of Advent/Hope: Dark blue, dark purple, dark green.
Second Sunday of Advent/Preparation: Lighter blue, lighter purple, lighter green.
Third Sunday of Advent/Gaudete or Rejoice/Joy: Lighter green, pink/rose and even a little white for the Virgin Mary.
Fourth Sunday of Advent/Love: Light blue light purple, light green.
References:
Angelicanchurchtwente.com, “Advent.”
Fairchild, Mary (Dec. 12, 2017) ThoughtCo., “Three Main Advent Colors Packed With Meaning.”
Stmargarets.org, “Advent”
Stpaulsivy.org, “Did You Know Series: Advent/ Why Blue for Advent?”
1st & 2nd Sundays in Advent
8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist
Epiphany Choir will play Dec 9 at 10:30 a.m.
3rd Sunday in Advent, December 16
8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist
5:30 p.m. Service of Lessons & Carols—
Nursery provided through age 6
4th Sunday in Advent, December 23
Holy Eucharist at 8:00
Holy Eucharist at 10:30 a.m. with Baptism
Christmas Eve, December 24 **
4:00 p.m. Family Eucharist Service
with Christmas Pageant, Junior Choir
and Cherubs
7:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist
11:00 p.m. Festive Holy Eucharist
(with incense), Sanctuary Choir
and Hand Bell Choir
Prelude starts at 10:30 p.m. with Carols
Christmas Day, December 25**
10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Carols
1st Sunday After Christmas Day, December 30
10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (One Service Only)
**Please note there will be no nursery available on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day so that nursery volunteers may attend church with their families. ALL children of all ages are welcome in church. Nursery is available for ages 6 mos. through age 4 on regular Sundays at the 10:30 service.
The community of Snellville and Gwinnett County is invited to attend as the Sanctuary and Handbell Choirs present a Festival of Lessons and Carols modeled after the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols of King’s College, Cambridge. The Lessons and Carols Order was originally conceived by E. W. Benson the first bishop of Truro, later Archbishop of Canterbury, for Christmas Eve 1880. In 1918, Eric Milner-White, Dean of King’s College, adapted the Order of E.W. Benson for use on Christmas Eve at King’s College.
Musical selections will include favorite carols, anthems and readings of the season that celebrate the birth of Christ. The prelude will begin at 5:15pm.
Please plan to come and celebrate the joyous season with this outstanding musical offering by the Sanctuary and Handbell choirs. Invite your friends, family and neighbors! Everyone is welcome.
