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Christ centered, Biblically based, spirit filled and a place of simple hospitality, we have shared our communal life with our church,our community, and those in need. Your presence enriches us.
Dec. 21 -10:00am, Godly Play
Dec. 21 – 11:00am, Advent 4, Christmas Pageant
Dec. 24 – 4:30pm, Christmas Eve
Dec. 28 – 11:00am, Lessons and Carols
Last Sunday
This Christmas season…
Link to all the events.
Explore Advent, Part 3 – Over the Sundays in Advent there will be a presentation each week focusing on that week’s scriptures, art and commentary and how they demonstrate the themes of advent. Let’s continue with Advent 3.
A. Voices for Advent 3
"In Advent the church emphasizes these ways of continual change: Repentance. Conversion of life. Self-examination. Awakening. Deepening. "
– Suzanne Guthrie
B. "You Don’t Want to Be a Prophet (Isaiah, Luke)
"Christmas without Anglicans?" – Anglican contributions to Advent and Christmas carols.
Advent 4
Explore Advent, Part 4 – Over the Sundays in Advent there will be a presentation each week focusing on that week’s scriptures, art and commentary and how they demonstrate the themes of advent. Let’s continue with Advent 4.
Feast of the Annunciation – 9 months before we celebrate the nativity there is the related Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 which is described here .
Art of the Annunciation – The Annunication has been depicted in art for a thousand years. Here are 30+ images of that history .
Blessed Like Mary- David Lose invites us to understand that we are Blessed Like Mary .
A Digital Nativity.
What if current social media like Facebook, Gmail, etc had been available at the birth of Christ ? Watch the Digital Nativity .
ECW Christmas event, Dec. 16, 2014
The traditional ECW luncheon was broadened this year to include checkwriting for their 2014 gifts and preparation for the Village Harvest on Dec. 17.
They met in the morning to decide and write checks for 16 charities totaling $4,000. Here are the details of where the money went.
15 then went to Hobbs Hole in Tappahannock and had lunch.
Finally they were back at St. Peter’s to prepare for the Village Harvest food distribution for December. That is happening December 17 from 3:30pm to 5:00pm.
We do it Again – Second Village Harvest Feeds 21 Families, Dec. 17, 2014
The second Village Harvest turned out to be a beautiful late fall day in Port Royal with moderate temperatures . The volunteers put together 21 bags of food. Helpers included Marion, Eunice, Becky, Tucker, Zeke, Loretta, Betty, Charles
The food list was close to what was requested – potatoes evaporated milk, tuna fish, chicken broth, apples, oranges, peanut butter crackers, paper towels and towels, scotch tape and kleenix. Johnny bought the following from the Northern Neck Food Bank – watermelons (in December!), avocado potatoes, and acorn squash. To help out the latter, we provided packs of brown sugar and cinnamon and directions on how to cook the acorn squash.
Read More and view a photo gallery
Youth Learn the Value of Money by Giving It Away, Dec. 17, 2014
At 5pm youth group started just after the Village Harvest. Instead of reading the Chronicles of Narnia, they talked about the story of Christmas and particularly the idea of giving gifts through the wisemen to those who need them. Coins and incense were used to demonstrate the wisemen providing gifts.
The children had a chance to give their own gifts through the Heifer project. Their mission statement – " We believe all people deserve dignity, opportunity, and a future free from hunger. We believe we provide the tools of transformation to bring about that opportunity. We believe one cow can transform a life. But we know one animal alone doesn’t lead to sustainable change. We believe in equipping our people with the tools, education and livestock to bring about positive transformation. "
Catherine put various pictures of animals out on the table from the Heffer project and gave each child $100 to buy animals so they could choose their present. This was real money – a parishioner had donated $1,000!
Christmas Pageant, Dec. 21, 2014, 11am
The 2012 play focused was on the Angel Gabriel. You can revisit 2012 here.
In 2013 it was Mary as shown above. The church windows were decorated with art concerning Mary from all over the world. The play, written by Catherine, featured an older Mary reflecting on her life which included the birth of Jesus.
We have heard there were more children in this play than at any other time. A large crowd of 56 heard and/or participated in the play.
Here is the play. The bulletin is here.
What will the 2014 play be like ? Come see!
The Chrismas Truce at 100
2014 is the 100th anniversary of the so-called Christmas Truce between the Germans and British at Christmas 2014 during World War I. At that time war ceased and depending on the account there was a time of singing and merriment between the opposite sides and supposedly a football (soccer) game.
To commemorate the event the British food store Sainsbury in conjunction with renactors from the Royal British Legion produced a video on the event. The video features a chocolate bar that will be sold in the UK to aid veterans.
The Sainsbury Christmas video Link
Read More about the Christmas truce.
Christmas
Explore Christmas Eve– A study of the scriptures, art and the meaning of the Christmas Scriptures.
Explore the Art of the Nativity from 1200-2002 How the Nativity has been viewed by artists for 800 years. Go to the presentation
Christmas Eve, 2013. Here is a link to photos from the service. 49 enjoyed
music from the choir, soloists (harp, violin, organ, vocal), scripture, hymns and a sermon about Joseph. While chilly, we were treated to a spectacular sunset and evening before the service.
Sermon from 2013
Bulletin from 2013
Our Love Feast Invitation for Christmas Eve (click on the picture)
This year we are adding a Moravian Lovefeast to the service:
Video Introduction to a Moravian Lovefeast – Elon College,
This unique service traces its roots to the early centuries of Christianity when believers would share table fellowship as a way of demonstrating their love for Christ and for one another.
The modern Lovefeast meal consists of a Moravian bun and coffee. Celebrants sing hymns built around a scriptural theme during the serving and enjoy sacred choral music while partaking of the lovefeast.
The largest lovefeast is at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, probably the southern home of the Moravian church. The Wake Forest Lovefeast consists of a sweetened bun and creamed coffee. It is served to the participants by dieners (German for servers). During the meal, music is offered by the Wake Forest Concert Choir, Handbell Choir, Flute Choir and the Messiah Moravian Church Band. During the service of song and scripture reading, handmade beeswax candles decorated with red paper frill are distributed to each worshiper. The candles are lit while the worship space is darkened except for a large illuminated Moravian Advent Star for the singing of the final hymns. You can also watch previous year’s services here