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Archbishop of Canterbury's Christmas Message
2003
The Christmas Story
Christmas Memorial Flowers
Schedule of Christmas Services
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Angel Tree
SEM Ingathering Update
Christmas Ushers
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Christmas Pageant
Attention Parents
The carols we sing and the prayers we say around Christmas carry two important messages which at first sight look a bit contradictory. Jesus is described as 'the desire of all nations', picking up the words of Haggai 2.7; he is what everyone has been waiting for, the one that everybody on earth longs to meet. All human life finds its centre and its goal in Jesus.
And then we remember that there was 'no room in the inn', and we sing carols about how 'the busy world' had no space for Christ, and how, from the very beginning, the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head. No-one wants to meet him; he is on the edge, not at the centre.
This is not a sign of confusion on the part of Christians. If Jesus is truly divine as well as truly human, then we always have to face the fact that he will not fit into our world tidily - even when we want him to.
God's purposes for the world are likely to be mysterious to our small minds; and in order to go along with those purposes, we shall have to change in ways that can frighten and panic us. No wonder that we push Jesus to the edge and try to avoid the implication of what he says and does.
Yet we can't get away. God has made us in such a way that we only become really human when we are in harmony with his life and love. His will, his presence, his personal being is indeed what we most deeply want. It's as if we have to make a very long journey to find these deep places in ourselves, a journey for which we need courage and patience.
So what looks like the edge is really the centre. Jesus is both a frightening stranger and the one who speaks to us with more intimacy and immediacy than any other being. Our Christmas stories and songs are about how long it takes to find ourselves, the selves God made.
T.S. Eliot's poem about the journey of the magi imagines the three wise men asking 'Were we led all that way for birth or death?' And the answer is 'both'; so much of what we think we want and what we think will help us or make us safe has to die; and what comes to birth is the self God wants, the self that begins to look like Jesus, the true image of God in humanity.
We're living through a time of great uncertainty and disturbance in our Church. There is no quick solution to the disputes that divide us, and we are all, surely, grieved at how these disputes take us away from the task of sharing the good news. But at Christmas we are reminded of truths that should unsettle everyone in the Church - not just 'liberals' or 'conservatives'. We are all brought before the same Christ and told that he is both the one we most need and long for and the one we shall find most strange and troubling. We are all urged to begin again the long journey into our hearts to find the true centre. We shan't emerge from that journey with better arguments with which to defeat opponents or better schemes for saving the Church. We emerge with a greater fear and wonder - like those who in the gospel stories first met the newborn child; and we turn to get on with the hard business of living in a divided and imperfect church with just a little more awareness of the overwhelming mystery with which we deal and the searching questions it puts to each one of us. Before becoming preoccupied with our neighbour's failings, we must, in the presence of the Christ child, look first to our own birth and death; to where we see the centre and the edge; to how we find God's centre, not just the centre of our own concerns and anxieties.
'The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid..."'
'The shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see".'
The Most Reverend Rowan Williams
Archbishop of Canterbury
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Luke 2:1-20
Each year we fill the church with Christmas poinsettias, wreaths and greens in memory of loved ones. Envelopes for donations to this year's Memorial Flower fund will be found on tables around the church on Sundays, and in the office during the week. Please print clearly the names of those you wish to honor - we do not want to guess at the correct spelling of a name. Make checks payable to St. Paul's Episcopal Church and write Christmas Flowers on the memo line. The deadline is Sunday, December 21.
December 21
4:00 p.m. -- Intergenerational Christmas Pageant,
SPY-ghetti Supper and Caroling
December 24
4:00 p.m. -- Family Service/Holy Eucharist &
Pageant
5:30 p.m. -- Holy Eucharist/All Choirs & Brass
(Child Care Available)
10:45 p.m. Choir Carols
11:00 p.m. -- Holy Eucharist/Senior Choir & Brass
December 25
10:00 a.m. -- Holy Eucharist
December 28
8:00 a.m. -- Holy Eucharist
10:00 a.m. -- Lessons and Carols
January 1
10:00 a.m. -- Holy Eucharist
January 4
8:00 and 10:00 a.m. -- Holy Eucharist
January 6
10:00 a.m. -- Epiphany -- Holy Eucharist
Can't find that certain gift for the person who has everything? How about a ticket to the 2004 show "And the Beat Goes On"?
Southeast Ecumenical Ministry (SEM) has partnered with STAGES for a theater fundraiser. STAGES is Rochester's only Musical Revue Ensemble and has a new home at the Auditorium Center, 3rd floor. Please visit their web site. Dates are Friday January 30 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday Jan. 31 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $15.00 for Adults & $10.00 for Seniors & Students. Call the SEM office (271-5350) to purchase or reserve your tickets today. This will be a great way to begin SEM'S 35th Anniversary Year.
Please take an angel from the tree on the stage in the Parish Hall and bring back the suggested items for the Church World Service Packets. You will notice some larger Christmas bags under the tree. If you can, please take one and fill it with health care items for the SEM families. Sorry—SEM does not have the means to distribute toys now, but they are very appreciative of gift bags of healthcare items. So be an Angel. Thank you.
Carol Miller
St. Paul's parishioners donated 350 pounds of food, or enough for 290 meals, on November 16, and enough paper and personal care items to send a bag to 50 families. That is a grand gift, which was very much appreciated by SEM and the people they serve. Thank you all very much.
Gail Bush
Ushers are still needed for the following services: Christmas Eve on Wednesday, December 24, at 4:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m. and Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, at 10:00 a.m.
If you can help at one or more of the above, please sign up in the parish activity book, call the church office at 271-2240, or Elmer Cheney at 442-1332. If you have never ushered and would like to try your hand at it, please join us.
Trying to find the real meaning of Christmas in the midst of the chaos and tragedy around the world is very difficult!
However, I have found an oasis of peace at St. Paul's Healing Service every Wednesday at 12:00 noon. Here is where, with the help of the clergy, we are invited to pray for our loved ones, for peace in the world, or even for our own frayed nerves.
It is indeed an oasis of peace where God seems to speak to us (as in the Messiah)—"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people".
Peggy Fitter
Due to the fact that St. Paul's is in the process of assessing our Outreach needs, we are not able to accept donations of clothing and furniture at this time. We are simply out of room to store them! We'll let the parish know when we'll be able to collect items again.
O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
to St. Paul's
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
SPAGHETTI SUPPER
TREE TRIMMING
CAROLING
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, AT 4:00 P.M.
Adults, children, parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends,
newcomers, old timers
(no pets please, unless you have a lamb or camel)
Not necessary to sign up for the supper, we're planning on a large
crowd
Mark your calendar and be there!
For their safety and to ensure spiritual formation, young people are asked to be either in their classroom or in Church. Please help us provide a safe and nurturing environment for our youth. Thank you.
Carol Miller