Joyful E X P E C T A T I O N

Transcription

1 Joyful E X P E C T A T I O N The Seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epipha n y a t S t. P a u l s Church T H E C H I M E S Q U A R T E R LY D E C E M B E R

2 FROM ST. PAUL S RECTOR God Among Us: Joyful Expectation Dear Friends, With the season of Advent beginning at the end of November, we are entering into what the Church calls its Incarnational Cycle of our calendar. Incarnate means to become embodied in flesh, especially to become human. In the person of Jesus, God became human and lived among us. Our seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany make up this Incarnational cycle. Preparing for the advent of Jesus, celebrating His birth as God among us, and celebrating the epiphany of Christ and His being made known to the world in his miracles, preaching, and healing is what this cycle is about. We find ourselves in a very contentious time period in the life of our country. This is not new. Countries, communities, families have times of relative peace and those of challenge, conflict and turmoil. St. Paul s itself was born in the most continuous years of our country s history, established just prior to and in its infancy during the Civil War. Yet, in the years following that brutal and historic period of conflict and war, St. Paul s grew into a parish of members with diverse thought and experience. The same is true today. We are a parish family that spans from progressive and liberal in our thinking to conservative and traditional. Yet, look at how we gather as one, our identity in Christ, unified through the Holy Spirit as God s people called to worship and called to serve the people of Chattanooga. These seasons are ones in which many of us spend time connecting or reconnecting with family and friends through a variety of parties and celebrations. The national celebration of Thanksgiving actually helps us kick off this period of gathering together. From Thanksgiving Day, through December, and into the celebration of the New Year, many people gather for parties, celebrations, and festive dinners all centered around the joy of being together. Connecting face to face and in joyful celebration of life is an important aspect of being human. To be fully human requires us to be connected with others, to experience the image of God in others, to live joyfully celebrating our ups and downs and to seek the good in one another. This coming cycle in our life together is one that is filled with opportunities to make these connections with your fellow parishioners. I urge you to take part in the Bible Challenge, there will be small group options for you to spend time face to face with fellow parishioners. Get your children and youth involved in our programming for them. They too need to be connected in their faith journey, the living out of their baptism as a child of God is the most important part of their life s journey. Enter into small group opportunities and ministries at St. Paul s that will deepen your connection with one another. I wrote the following in my report for our Annual meeting and I think it makes sense in the context of this article as well. Do not shy away from our differences, but rather celebrate our individual uniqueness as a part of the one Body of Christ. Do not filter your relationships through the divisions of the world. Rather, let the collective waters of our baptism wash through us, reminding us that in our unity in Christ we can always, always, speak our truth as we may know it to one another in love. Stand against oppression of others, speak out for those who have no voice, and be bold in your love of the Gospel. Look for God among us, see God in the face of one another, and serve God in those who you encounter day to day. Peace, 2 The Rev. Brad Whitaker, Rector

3 FROM ST. PAUL S ASSOCIATE RECTOR Come,thou long-expected Jesus The Rev. Joe Woodfin, Associate Rector Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free/ From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Charles Wesley When we lived in Sewanee, one of the local legends was the Advent Grinch. People who put out their Christmas decorations early during the season of Advent, in other words were told to beware the Advent Grinch, lest he (or she) come suddenly in the middle of the night and remove the offending items to be returned safely during the Christmas season (during the 12 days of Christmas). It s no secret that as Christmas has become more commercialized, it has also encroached on more and more calendar territory. Some people are glad for that development: these are they who have been listening to Christmas music since October. If that is you, may you enjoy the glad tidings of these holidays for as long as possible. For many of us in the Episcopal Church, though, it has become a mark of distinction to hold off on the joys of Christmas until after the season of Advent giving rise to such creatures as the Advent Grinch. The logic is that Christmas has become so commercial, and been spread out over so much calendar space, that we are in danger of forgetting the earth-shattering, ground-breaking news that Christmas really is. Christmas is the day when the Creator of the world demonstrated solidarity with all creation by taking human flesh from the Virgin Mary, his mother. That is news that has forever changed the world. And all the trimmings of Christmas: the trees and the gifts, the music and (even) the sales, are at best mirrors that dimly reflect the overwhelming glory of the incarnate God. Advent, then, is not just a season to be gotten through before the joy of Christmas arrives. Advent is the time when we turn our hearts to meditate on, as best we can, the implications of the coming of Jesus for the life of the world. If we skip that and run straight to the 25th, we might miss the full joy of Christmas. Advent is a season of joyful expectation, because we pause to realize the state that the world is in, and then realize that we need the help of the God who promised to return again in Jesus. And then we realize that God in the flesh comes to us first as a helpless infant in an impoverished family and in that coming, he completely changes what we thought we were waiting for. It doesn t matter to us whether your tree goes up early or not. What matters to us at St. Paul s Church is that you mark the season of Advent for what it is: a time of joyful expectation that prepares our souls for the birth of a child that, again this year, will change the world. Peace, The Rev. Joe Woodfin, Associate Rector 70 TH ANNUAL ADVENT CONCERT SERIES WEDNESDAYS AT 12:05 P.M. DURING ADVENT Holy Eucharist is offered after each Advent Concert. Soup Lunch available until 1:15 p.m. ($6). Donations support the Advent Concert Series. Gifts of hats, gloves, scarves, and socks for those served by the Community Kitchen are also welcome. December 6 Caroline Brown Hudson, harp December 13 The Chattanooga Girls Choir December 20 Austin Brown, flute 3

4 ST. PAUL S CARES: OUR PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY A Vision to Serve Janet Hale, Pastoral Care Minister St. Paul s Cares is about a special kind of caring expressed by people of faith to be of help to others, in the name of Jesus Christ. Our Shepherds want to offer a quality of caring that can make a positive, lasting difference to others in many different kinds of circumstances. With the help of the many different ministries that St. Paul s offers, we are joyfully meeting the needs of our congregation. We pray that God equips us for the task and blesses our efforts to complete it. We look at pastoral care as the work of every Christian and not just the clergy. Congregations in which such caring relationships abound are truly blessed, and the abundant life that pours from their members is a blessing beyond measure to all whose lives they touch. Our Joyful Expectation is a vision of a caring community with no boundaries and no ends, praising God and enjoying each other. It is with gratitude to our clergy and laity to continue as caring people who protect, guide, support, and encourage others. In the words of the Great Commandment, we are to love God totally and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. It is the Christian tradition to express its understanding of the kind of care God desires for his people: the image of shepherding. Therefore, the principal caregivers in the Christian community, clergy and laity alike, may be described as shepherds. It is our Joyful Expectation that all Laypeople are effective caregivers in their own right, particularly when our clergy make the effort to equip them for such service. Our opportunities to serve at St. Paul s can only be limited by a lack of vision. St. Paul s Cares has developed a vision to help others serve and we invite all to be a part of this vision. ADVENT FELLOWSHIP & EDUCATION EVENTS Advent Family Night: Thursday, December 7 Join us for our first Advent Family Night on December 7! We will share a spaghetti dinner together, decorate Advent posters, and hear from Fr. Joe about how to make Advent a family focused season. Advent Family Night is open to all families and people of all ages so please join us! Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. and we will end at 7:30 p.m. Please RSVP to hope@stpaulschatt.org. St. Paul s Christmas Open House Friday, December 15 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. All are invited to a Christmas Open House hosted by our Rector Brad Whitaker with his wife, Harriett at the Whitaker family home Meet and mingle with our Clergy, Vestry, Staff, and other parishioners as we celebrate the Advent and Christmas Season! Drop in at 300 Lynncrest Drive anytime between 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Friday, December 15. Let us know you are planning to come! Beverly at or beverly@stpaulschatt.org. Advent: The Reason for the Season Thursday, December 14 On December 14, the Rev. Dr. Julia Gatta, Professor of Pastoral Theology at the School of Theology, Sewanee, will present a program entitled Advent: The Reason for the Season. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m., with presentation and time for questions beginning at 6:30. Suggested Donation: $6. For more information, Fr. Joe at woodfin@stpaulschatt.org. To RSVP, contact Beverly: or beverly@stpaulschatt.org. Christmas Pageant: Sunday, December 17 Children ages 3 years 5th Grade are invited to participate in the annual St. Paul s Christmas pageant on Sunday, December 17, at the end of the 10:30 Eucharist. There are no tryouts or lines to learn! The Preschoolers are traditionally the angels. The K 3rd graders choose between wise people, animals of all sorts, and stars. The 4th and 5th graders can be readers, and they get to draw for a chance to be Mary, Joseph, and the Angel of the Lord. All of this is very relaxed and designed to be fun for the participants and the audience. Rehearsal is on Saturday, December 16 from 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. If your child can t be at rehearsal and wants to participate, come to the Yo Room upstairs at 10:00 a.m. on the Sunday of the pageant. There are plenty of costumes to spare! 4

5 ST. PAUL S YOUTH MINISTRY You Have Put Gladness in My Heart Hope Hutchins, Minister for Children, Families, and Youth Every night at the end of youth group, we close out our evening together by saying Compline as a group. The youth take turns leading us in prayer and it always sets a great mood for the rest of the coming days as we head into busy weeks of school, work, sports, and extra-curricular activities. One thing that we are especially looking forward to this year is becoming more involved in outreach and the greater Chattanooga community. We have established a Youth Outreach and Planning Committee which is made up of a group of high school youth who have shown a passion for leading and serving. Their mission this year is to come up with ways in which the youth at St. Paul s can better serve our community, both within the walls of the church and beyond into the greater community. This committee is just one of the ways in which we are joyfully looking forward into this next season of growth. There have been so many good times that have been had with the youth program this year, one of the biggest being our new youth space, and we look forward too seeing even better times ahead! You have put gladness in my heart has never been so true! Psalm 4:6-7 in The Order of Compline says, Many are saying, Oh that we may see better times! Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord. You have put gladness in my heart, more than when grain and wine and oil increase. I think this verse is such a wonderful way to look at our year and to look forward to this upcoming church year. Our youth group has grown so much this year and continues to grow as time goes on. We are looking forward to trips together, more outreach opportunities, and continued time together as we build lasting bonds and friendships with each other. Each time I walk into the new youth space, I am overwhelmed with joy. The love, passion, and servant-hearts you are met with from our youth is truly amazing. There are so many things to be grateful for with this group and to look forward to as we enter into a new year. FROM THE PARISH REGISTER: SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 2017 BAPTISMS Michael Harding Molly Skiles Maisy Rose Smith Olof, Gustav and Eleanor Soydan Graham and James Bentley Alice and Hutton Mard Lillian Kate Stephenson DEATHS Ann Gauntt Chappie McCarthy Frank Meyer Blair Patterson Charles Buz Dooley TRANSFERRED IN Paul Baker Nancy and Charlie Belin David and Sheila Wilson TRANSFERRED OUT Rachelle Parman to St. Peter s, Chattanooga Morgan and Leigh Ann Jones to St. Georges, Nashville Jacqueline Bacon to another denomination 5

6 The Rev.Brad Whitaker, Rector We are moving closer to our goal for the 2018 budget. Now is the time for all parishioners to join in the support of the work of the parish. It is our hope that in the coming year we will double our grants for outreach, increase ministry with children and youth, further expand pastoral care to parishioners, invest in hands on involvement in our local community, and additional staff members to provide support for stewardship and other ministries. This challenge will take a focused and concerted effort by every member of St. Paul s. To support that effort, seventy-eight members have increased their pledge for the coming year. Your participation is vital to our growing this parish and removing the hurdles that may impede our efforts in doing God s work. I ask that you consider joining me with an increase of at least 10% for As of today, the average pledge for 2018 is just over $3,505. This is a great start by many of our faithful members! Have you joined in the 2018 Journey to Generosity? Please know your support is incredibly important. You can pledge by contacting Beverly in the Church Office at or beverly@stpaulschatt.org Christmas at St. Paul s Church Advent IV Sunday, december 24 8:00 a.m. The Holy Eucharist, Rite I. (No 10:30 a.m. service) Christmas Eve Sunday, december 24 3:40 p.m. Prelude Music. Brass Ensemble and Soloists. 4:00 p.m. Family Service. Children s Choirs and Handbell Choirs, Senior Choir Ensemble, Brass, and Timpani. 7:30 p.m. Prelude Music. Senior Choir, Brass Ensemble, Soloists. 8:00 p.m. Festival Eucharist. Senior Choir, Brass, and Timpani. Christmas Day Monday, december 25 10:30 a.m. Christmas Day Eucharist, Rite I. Senior Choir Ensemble & Organ. (No 8 a.m. service) the first sunday after Christmas Day sunday, December 31 8:00 a.m. The Holy Eucharist. 10:30 a.m. The Holy Eucharist with Senior Choir and Organ. 10:30 p.m. Prelude Music. Senior Choir, Handbells, Soloists. 11:00 p.m. Festival Eucharist. Senior Choir, Brass, and Timpani. Incense.

7 FROM ST. PAUL S FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR YTD OCTOBER 2017 REVENUE: $1,063,221 4% YTD OCTOBER 2017 EXPENDITURES: $1,120,259 1% 6% 18% 36% 49% 15% 60% 3% 9% Pledged Unpledged Special & Open Offerings Trusts & Endowed Funds Other Personnel & AdministraIon Buildings, FaciliIes & Grounds Ministries & Missions Children, Adults & Family Spiritual Enrichment Music & Worship Services MUSIC AT ST. PAUL S ARTIST SERIES CONCERTS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9 7:30 P.M. WASHINGTON CORNETT & SACKBUTT ENSEMBLE Renaissance and early Baroque brass ensemble music, with St. Paul s Senior Choir. TUESDAY, APRIL 10 7:30 P.M. HEINAVANKER A vocal ensemble from Estonia. Music celebrating the 100th anniversary of Estonian independence. SUNDAY, APRIL 29 4:00 P.M. SONARE The popular North Texas Baroque ensemble presents The Glory of France, with Janelle Anderson West, Baroque flute. FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CONCERTS AND CHORAL SERVICES, VISIT CHORAL SERVICES SUNDAY, JANUARY 28 4 P.M. CHORAL EVENSONG FOR THE FEAST OF THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 4 P.M. CHORAL EVENSONG TO BENEFIT METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES Choral Evensong to benefit Metropolitan Ministries featuring the choirs of St. Paul s, Good Shepherd, St. Timothy s, and Grace Church. SUNDAY, MARCH 18 4 P.M. CHATTANOOGA AREA CHORISTER EVENSONG Featuring choirs from area Episcopal churches. THURSDAY, MAY 10 7:30 P.M. CHORAL EVENSONG FOR ASCENSION DAY 7

8 St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chattanooga 305 West Seventh Street Chattanooga, TN (423) Address Service Requested Support the many ministries of St. Paul's Church! Scan this QR code to make a secure online donation! If you haven't been receiving the Chimes by mail but would like to start receiving a paper copy of our quarterly magazine, please contact Beverly in the Church Office: beverly@ stpaulschatt.org. Upcoming Events December 2017 Sunday, December 3 Wednesday, December 6 Thursday, December 7 Sunday, December 10 Wednesday, December 13 Thursday, December 14 Friday, December 15 Saturday, December 16 Sunday, December 17 Wednesday, December 20 Sunday, December 24 Monday, December 25 January 2018 Sunday, January 7 Sunday, January 7 Sunday, January 28 February 2018 Friday, February 9 Sunday, February 25 Advent Lessons & Carols (4:00 p.m.) Mid-day Advent Concert (12:05 p.m.) Advent Family Night (5:30 p.m.) YAMs Monthly Lunch (12:00 p.m.) Mid-day Advent Concert (12:05 p.m.) Advent: The Reason for the Season (6:30 p.m.) Christmas Open House at the Whitaker s (6 p.m.) Habitat for Humanity Build Day (9 a.m.) Children s Christmas Pageant (10:30 a.m.) Mid-day Advent Concert (12:05 p.m.) Christmas Eve Festival Eucharist (4 p.m., 8 p.m., 11 p.m.) Christmas Day Eucharist, Rite I (10:30 a.m.) Winter Kick-Off Sunday Feast of Lights Pageant (6:00 p.m.) Choral Evensong: The Conversion of St. Paul (4:00 p.m.) Washington Cornett & Sackbutt Ensemble (7:30 p.m.) Choral Evensong to Benefit Metropolitan Ministries (4 p.m.) Worship at St. Paul's Sundays 8:00 a.m. Said Eucharist 8:30 a.m. Buffet Breakfast (September - May) 9:15 a.m. Christian Education Hour (September - May) 9:15 a.m. Summer Eucharist (June - August) 10:30 a.m. Sung Eucharist with Organ and St. Paul s Choir 11:30 a.m. Coffee Hour Our Sunday service is broadcast live on our website each week: Weekdays: Monday - Friday 12:05 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. The Holy Eucharist in St. George's Chapel Are health issues keeping you from church on Sundays? Join our weekday Eucharists in the chapel at 12:05 Monday through Friday. The brief service is a good option when you do not have the stamina for an hour s worth of church. Or let us know if you need Communion at home.