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Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Collect for Proper 29, Book of Common Prayer, p. 236
This Sunday is the last one in our church year. We have been in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary. Our Gospels have come primarily from Luke. In Year A, our Gospel readings will come primarily from Matthew.
This Sunday, the last Sunday in the season of Pentecost, is also known as Christ the King Sunday. It is a Sunday when we especially remember Jesus Christ and our worship and followship of him.
Our Collect asks that all people become united. We know how difficult that is. We know we cannot do that on our own. We know we need God's help to be united with all people. We know the sin in ourselves and in our world that create obstacles to our being united. Sometimes it's our judgment. Sometimes it's our failure to listen to fully understand another person's reality. Sometimes it's our propensity to violence.
This Sunday in our prayer, we ask for help to live under Jesus' gracious rule where we love God, and love our neighbor as ourselves. We ask for help to remove the obstacles in ourselves and in our communities and the world that prevent this gracious rule.
Many blessings as you finish your week.
Love, Rebecca+
Announcements
G.I.F.T.: Growing in Faith Together
Godly Play is today.
Rehearsals for the Christmas Pageant will be after church on December 1 & 15.
Parlor People
Today, activity making gifts for people at Commons and Gardens.
December 1, a discussion led by Rebecca - How Much Hope Do You Have?
At Church of the Nativity
Today we take an additional offering for our Building Fund.
The money donated helps us pay down our mortgage and pay for major repairs.
Rebecca will be off Wednesday, November 27.
Interested in talking about the Bible with others?|
A group is being formed for those interested in discussing or researching the Bible more. The group would meet at the convenience of the members to decide what to read and how often to meet. Let Rebecca know if you are interested.
Upcoming Meetings
Each Sunday, 4pm, Perry County PRIDE
Wednesday, December 11, 10:45am, Property Committee Meeting
Thursday, December 12, 2 – 4pm, Clergy Council
Taize’ Tuesdays, 4:45pm.
Twenty minutes of Centering Prayer followed by a Taize’ service.
Join Us For Breakfast! We will not meet for breakfast on Wednesday, November 27.
Wednesdays at 9am.
Women will meet at Newport Family Restaurant on December 4; Men meet at Espresso Yourself.
The Equal Exchange cart in the Undercroft features fresh olive oil from Palestine and an assortment of our favorite candy bars.
Also we continue to offer Equal Exchange coffees for our Sunday Coffee Hour. If you would like additional items, we can order them for you. Please contact Jane Hoover or the office.
Flowers for Christmas.
Donations for Christmas flowers will be taken through December 8. If you have an envelope, you can use for the donation, including marking if they are “in honor of” or “in memory of” someone. There are also envelopes at the back of the church.
Community Events and Opportunities for Service
The YWCA Greater Harrisburg is opening a new Supervised Visitation and Exchange Center in
New Bloomfield, Perry County.
They have identified a site in New Bloomfield and are working to gather the items needed to make the center a child-friendly and safe environment. A list of needs is below. Any assistance the community can offer is in getting this vital service ready to open is greatly appreciated.
Couch/loveseat, area rug, table and chairs, refrigerator, microwave, bean bag chairs, toys, toy box, books, puzzles, board games, craft supplies, legos/blocks, game console, pack-n-play, bouncy chair, diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, paper towels, toilet paper, Lysol wipes, Lysol spray, tissues.
Newport Christmas Tree Lighting, December 7, 4:30 – 6pm.
You are invited to partake in free refreshments beginning at 4:30. Performances of Christmas classics by NHS’ Innovation and the Newport Elementary School Chorus, and Readings and Greetings by Newport Mayor Mary Hetrick and Master of Ceremonies Glenn Holliman. The Tree will be lit by Santa Claus from high above the square on the Newport Fire Company’s ladder truck! Hotdogs courtesy of the Newport Lions Club, cookies donated by area churches, and popcorn and hot chocolate courtesy of Newport Revitalization and Preservation Society. Children are invited to make a festive headband.
There will be photo opportunities with Santa and Mrs. Claus after the tree lighting. And grab your friends and family to pose behind our giant postcard photo frame! PLEASE NOTE – in the event of rain/snow, this event will be held from 5 pm to 6 pm on Sunday, December 8th. The date change will be announced by 10 am on Saturday.
Community Dinner every Thursday, 5:30pm, Family Life Center, Newport.
Sponsored by Newport Assemblies of God. No Dinner November 28, December 19, or December 26.
Home for the Holidays
You can bring joy and hope to families in immigration detention, and to children who crossed our borders alone, by writing and decorating holiday cards in English and Spanish. Cards will be collected by Thanksgiving and mailed to First English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baltimore to be distributed to the families. See the flyers in the undercroft for additional information.
Joy to the Burg, The Gift of Music to Help the Homeless, available for purchase.
This album of 15 Christmas songs by local musicians will be available for a suggested donation of $20 (CD) or $15 (download). 100% of the album sales will go to support the homelessness programs of CCU:HELP ministries and Susquehanna Harbor Safe Haven. Visit www.joytotheburg.com to purchase.
Gifts for Life gives people all over the world the chance to transform their lives in lasting ways.
Visit www.episcopalrelief.org/gifts to send a gift to help fight poverty, hunger and disease worldwide. A catalog is also posted in the undercroft listing the many gifts available.
Are you currently a Medicare recipient? Are you nearing age 65 and/or are disabled and will soon become Medicare eligible?
APPRISE counselors at the Perry County Agency on Aging Office (717-582-5128 or 1-866-926-5118) are available to offer free-of-charge assistance with initial enrollment and/or guidance if you are considering making changes to your current plans. Changes to current plans can be made during the Open Enrollment period through December 7, 2019.
Food Bank Donations are needed!
For a list of the items needed by the Food Bank, go to their website at http://www.perrycountyfoodbank.org/ and click on their wish list. Canned vegetables, fruit, nut butters and protein are always needed.
Help People in Need when you buy your Groceries!
See Gail Shull or Pat Szabo to purchase cards in various amounts to use at Giant, Mutzabaugh's, or Weis Stores. 5% of the cost of each card stays with the church and is used for outreach and mission projects.
