Advent begins this Sunday!
Our Sunday services will be modified to fit the season. At the 8AM Eucharist, we will begin with the Decalogue, and we will switch (until the Day of Pentecost) to Eucharistic Prayer 1. At 10AM, the Kyrie replaces the Gloria as the opening song of praise (come to Thanksgiving Day to sing the Gloria one last time before Christmas!). Our Gospel hymn throughout Advent is O Come O Come Emmanuel. In addition to that gem, Advent features some of the great hymns of the church liturgical year.
Saint Nicholas Visit & Mite Boxes
On the Second Sunday of Advent, we will have our annual visit from Saint Nicholas (St. Nick’s day is December 6). Mite Boxes to support the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem will be given out that day. Mite Boxes are designed to be filled with coins (spare change) by all of our children. When you child brings home a Mite Box on December 7, please help her or him fill it with spare coins (especially quarters and dollars) throughout Advent. The Mite Boxes are returned to the church and blessed after Christmas (at the pageant and the Sunday following the pageant).
Lessons & Carols on the Fourth Sunday of Advent!
On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we will have a special Lessons and Carols service at 10AM. The service will feature some wonderful musical offerings from our choir and nine Advent Lessons that lead up to Christmas. We are hoping to have 9 different readers. If you are interested in reading at Lessons and Carols, please contact Father Matt or Rick Vesperman asap.
Christmas Schedule!
Thanks so much to everyone who offered their thoughts on the various proposed Christmas Eve service times. After much prayer and thoughtful discussion we have decided to offer Christmas services this year according to the same schedule as past years:
• 5PM Family Christmas Eve Sung Eucharist with Procession to the Creche
• 10:30 PM Christmas Concert
• 11PM Christmas Eve Midnight Sung Mass with Wind Trio & Proclamation of the Birth of Christ followed by festive reception in the Guild Room
• 10AM Christmas Day Sung Mass followed by festive brunch
The reactions to changing the service time were mixed. Many people supported the move to an earlier “late” service (ie moving the 11PM service to 8PM or 9PM). Others, who attended the Midnight Mass, supported it being offered this year. One theme that did come up was waiting at least one more year before making a change to see if the Midnight Mass attendance improves (especially if it doesn’t snow on Christmas Eve like is did in 2012 and 2013). In the first half of 2015 we will revisit the Christmas Eve Schedule. In the meantime, please mark your calendars and spread the news about Good Shepherd’s Christmas services!
Christmas Eve
5PM Family Eucharist
10:30 PM Christmas Concert
11PM Midnight Mass
Christmas Day
10AM Sung Mass followed by festive brunch