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And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.... Luke 1:46-47
The view from my office window looks out on a statue of Mary. It is a comforting sight. This third Sunday in Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday or Joy or Rejoice! We light the pink candle.
Mary was a young girl, we are told. She was pregnant and not married yet, which created some difficulties for Joseph to whom she was betrothed. Yet, she traveled from Jerusalem to visit her cousin Elizabeth and sang this greeting we have sung for thousands of years, "My soul magnified the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior."
No matter how bleak things are, we rejoice. We rejoice for the coming of Jesus Christ. We rejoice for the work we are able to do. We rejoice for the love we are able to share. We rejoice because we know we are created in the image of God, God loves us, and God is always with us.
Let's rejoice together this Sunday.
Love, Rebecca+
Announcements
All services will be available through Zoom online or by phone until further notice.
Join Sunday morning Zoom Meeting. Service begins at 9:30am and you can join by 9:00am.
Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85722557280 Meeting ID: 857 2255 7280 Password: 5676514
or Call In: +1 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 857 2255 7280 Password: 5676514
Christmas Eve Service on Zoom.
3:30 - hymn sing
4:00 - service - have candles nearby to light.
Service will be recorded and put online soon after, so it is available throughout the rest of the evening.
Poinsettias for Christmas
Poinsettias will decorate the front of the church for the Christmas season. If you would like to make a donation towards these plants, please send in your check and whether they are in honor of or in memory of someone.
Rebecca can bring communion to you.
Please be in touch with her at 717-567-6514 or 717-433-1556 and she can arrange a time and talk how to do this safely.
Please include the following in your daily prayers.
Wendy, Megan, David, Margo, Raymond, Tootser, Sue, Mike, Colton, Ben, Serena, Scott, Marcia, Jennifer, Brenda, Sean, Amanda, David, Meeta, Jim, Danielle, Anthony, Lois, Dan, the Van Orden family, Ginger, Van, James, Michelle, Frank, Rhonda, Donna, Erin, Paul, Thomas, Linda, Jake, Rich, Lesley, Luis, Martin, Matilda, Evelyn, Elsie, Mary, Max, Crystal, Olivia, Nancy, Dan, Matthew, Lynne, Barry, Scot, Shirley, Russ, Darlene, Kaylee, Steve, Ed, the family and friends of Eva Mae Hertzler.
December Bishop Out of the Box Event will be Drive-in Worship Services, Saturday, December 19, 6:30pm at The Point Drive-in, Northumberland and Sunday, December 20, 6:30pm at The Cumberland Valley Drive-in, Newville.
There will be two options of free, outdoor, socially distanced services to help celebrate the Christmas season. From your car, enjoy a Christmas message, live worship, and carols. The Drive-In Worship Services will also stream live to the Facebook page. For questions, please contact Canon Guszick, aguszick@diocesecpa.org or Faith Neece, fneece@diocesecpa.org.
IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS: Give rewarding gifts to help resettle migrants within Central Pa.
Both Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg and Church World Services need baby supplies, diaper wipes and sanitary pads. Order gifts through an online vendor and have them sent to Catholic Charities Immigration and Refugee Service, 939 East Park Drive, Suite 102, Harrisburg, PA 17111. World Church Services has a streamlined process by using an Amazon Wishlist. Visit https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1P3CWH1GWX711?ref_=wl_share and order items from the Wishlist. They will be delivered directly to the CWS’s Lancaster office. Or consider giving a gift card from a local grocery store by contacting Haleigh Whitney at hwhitney@cwsglobal.org for details.
COVID Alert PA App
On September 22, the department launched COVID Alert PA, https://www.pa.gov/covid/covid-alert-pa/, a free mobile app that uses Bluetooth technology to let a person know that they have been exposed to COVID-19 without compromising the identity or location of either the person using the app, or of the person to whom they may have been exposed. The mobile app helps the contact tracing process by identifying and notifying those people identified as close contacts through Bluetooth technology when a person with COVID-19 does not know or remember everyone with whom they may have come in contact while infectious.
Our Shaped by Faith parish Team (Jill Hoover, Andrea Jezewski and Rebecca) ask you to please complete the survey on Anglican Identity. You can find it online here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3YDWDP8
For more information about Anglican Identity, view the Anglican Identity Webinar at:
https://youtu.be/fd8bZhKMpLU
A hard copy of the survey was in your December newsletter and can be mailed to the Diocese if you would prefer.
The Perfect Gifts for the Person Who Has Everything:
Donation to Episcopal Relief and Development
Through Episcopal Relief and Development, donations can provide assistance to people around the world. They will send a card to the person you have made the gift in honor of. In addition, through December 31, all gifts are matched. You can donate to send a goat or flock of chickens or a bicycle to a family who will greatly appreciate it. https://www.episcopalrelief.org/
N.O.E.L. - Necessities of Everyday Life
St. Stephen's Cathedral offers gifts that help people who are homeless in the Harrisburg area with bus passes, laundry, and showers. A gift card is available online or in printed copy to let the recipient know what was done in their honor. Find an order form here: https://files.constantcontact.com/039ba8ee401/36f16d7a-bbce-4fc6-a089-584367f1776b.pdf or use a credit card and order online here: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07ehf2qig0khoukar5/a011okihljl1v/questions
Preparing to Become the Beloved Community Resources for Advent and Christmas
For the season of Advent, Journeying the Way of Love offers four sessions to be explored as we await the coming of Christ by moving through the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke. Participants are encouraged to read and reflect on these passages in Luke throughout the season of Advent and “try on” the spiritual practices of the Way of Love. For more information and to download the Journeying the Way of Love Advent Calendar, visit: https://episcopalchurch.org/journeying-way-love
For more Christmas and Advent resources and to subscribe to the Advent Newsletter, visit:
https://episcopalchurch.org/advent-and-christmas-resources
Union of Black Episcopalians Talk 2 Talk
This forty-five-minute video teleconferencing event plus Q&A promises to inform, equip and inspire. Presentations happen every third Sunday, 4 - 5pm. You can view video recordings of past Talk 2 Talk sessions for your enjoyment at https://www.ube.org/Media%20Galleries/talk-2-talk-video-gallery.html
Showing Up for Each Other: Conversations with Episcopal Missionaries
The Episcopal Church Global Partnerships Office presents a new webinar series, Showing Up for Each Other: Conversations with Episcopal Missionaries, this December. Members of the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) and Episcopal Volunteers in Mission (EVIM) will share stories and lessons they have learned through walking alongside partners across the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/y6hl6h2j
Good News On the Go brings you short (< 3 minute) sermons on the Sunday Lectionary readings.
Use them whenever and wherever you need the Good News: on the road, with those who are home-bound or when in a pinch! https://www.facebook.com/Good-News-on-the-Go-111449904037797?mc_cid=c2d9827f92&mc_eid=eca4b4b9f3
2020 Joy to the Burg TV Special with Christian Churches United
Join CCU at 10am on December 15 on ABC 27 for their first ever one-hour Joy To The Burg TV Special. Featuring interviews, songs and artists from the album Joy to the Burg 2020. Albums can be purchased at https://www.joytotheburg.com/. Also check out CCU’s The United In Love Variety Hour on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnkR1Cz3wNM
The Pennsylvania Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Network (PAIRWN) is seeking volunteers who would like to work with immigrant and refugee students in Harrisburg area schools through our Family Advocacy Project’s Homework Help Program.
Volunteers will provide homework assistance and tutoring to immigrant and refugee students who are struggling to keep up in the virtual classroom setting. Every Wednesday, in partnership with John Harris High School’s social worker and ESL teachers, students and volunteers will meet in Zoom classrooms for an hour or two for the tutoring. All State clearances are required. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please contact Carolyn Joy Patterson, PAIRWN Board President, at 717-736-3600 or cpatterson@diocesecpa.org.
