Expecting the Holy. Advent & Christmas St. Andrew s Episcopal Church 111 NE 80th Street, Seattle, WA saintandrewsseattle.

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1 Expecting the Holy Advent & Christmas 2016 St. Andrew s Episcopal Church 111 NE 80th Street, Seattle, WA saintandrewsseattle.org

2 The Center at St. Andrew s Expect the Unexpected An Advent Quiet Morning Saturday, December 3, 9 am - 12:30 pm, Parish Hall This seasonal time of preparation offers morning prayer, centering prayer, walking meditation, and unstructured time for reflection held in shared silence. You are welcome to bring a breakfast treat to share, your journal, a prayer shawl, a yoga mat, or whatever else would facilitate your retreat. Advance sign-up appreciated. Suggested donation $10-15 at the door. Co-sponsored by Saint Mark s and facilitated by Cherry Haisten Opening to the Unexpected in Centering Prayer Wednesdays, November 30, December 7, 14 & 21, 5:45 7 pm, Chapel Whatever your silent meditation or prayer practice, you are welcome to join in a time of quiet contemplation in the Chapel for two periods of Centering Prayer with a walk between and some Advent reflection after. No Centering Prayer gatherings on December 28 or January 4. Regular Wednesday evenings resume January 11. All are welcome. Contact cherryh@saintandrewsseattle.org if you would like a brief introduction to Centering Prayer. For information about any Center program or to sign up, please visit St. Andrew s website and click on The Center, or thecenter@saintandrewsseattle.org. An Advent Labyrinth Walk Sunday, December 11, 4:30-5:45 pm, St. Andrew s Parish Hall and Sacred Grounds You are invited to walk the new St. Andrew s Labyrinth as an Advent devotion. On our Labyrinth adventure, we will remember Jesus first coming and anticipate his return as we expect the unexpected. You may also walk the small indoor labyrinth in the Parish Hall where hot cider and cookies will be served. After your labyrinth walk, please come to Taizé prayer and communion at 6 pm in the sanctuary. Facilitator Bee Jay Mar has been walking labyrinths since Trained by Veriditas in 2013, Bee Jay has been leading Labyrinth Walks ever since. Bee Jay facilitates labyrinth walks at Church of the Redeemer, Kenmore, where she is a parishioner.

3 Taizé Sunday Evening Prayer Open Your Heart to the Christ Within Taizé Eucharist every Sunday (except Christmas evening) at 6 pm During the Taizé Sunday Evening Prayer in Advent we invite you to create a cradle for love in your heart. Pray with silence and Taizé chants. Welcome God s hope within you. Cradle the love that grows until it bursts forth from the womb of your heart in God s incarnation at Christmas. Advent Service of Lessons & Carols Sunday, December 11, 10 am The carols sung at the Advent Service of Lessons and Carols, and throughout the subsequent liturgical seasons of Christmas and Epiphany, have deep roots in the tradition of Christian worship. Because the origin of carol-singing is pagan (the derivation of the word may be koros: the circle of dancers and singers that complemented the dialogue of Attic drama), it was only by the grudging consent of the medieval Catholic Church that Christian carols took root in Europe. However, by the beginning of the fifteenth century, carol-singing had become an integral element of seasonal worship. For unlettered folk of the Middle Ages, the carol, like a stained glass panel or a fresco tableau, depicted the momentous event of Christ s Incarnation. And, in honor of the saint who may well be called the father of the Christian ode to joy, Francis of Assisi, the nature of most carols is both hilarious (joyous) and reverential. Centuries ago, carol-singing celebrated several seasons of the church year. The custom has come, however, to be associated with the seasons of Advent and Christmas. St. Andrew s Holiday Tea Thursday December 8, 10 am You are invited to join the staff and the ladies of the Friendship Circle for a festive tea. Enjoy music of the season by Martin and Linnea Olson. Dine on savory and sweet holiday fare. Please RSVP by signing up at the Welcome Table or rubym@saintandrewsseattle.org.

4 Children & Youth Wreath Sales November 6, 13 and 20, after 8 and 10 am services, Parish Hall Prepare for Advent and Christmas by decorating with a wreath. They're beautiful and they smell great! Our youth will be selling wreaths during both coffee hours the first three Sundays in November. This year we'll also be selling Chinook Books, books of local and sustainable coupons that make great gifts. Proceeds will go towards our Middle and High School Youth Groups. Youth Group Progressive Dinners Middle School - December 3, 4:30-8:30 pm High School - December 4, 5-9 pm Our youth will celebrate the holiday by going from home to home for a progressive dinner (appetizers, entrée, dessert), white elephant gift exchange, and fantastic festivities! It's a great way to meet old and new friends. If you'd like to be a host home, helper, or driver, please contact Jordan Uomoto, jordanu@saintandrewsseattle.org. Christmas Pageant December 18, 10 am We'll remember the coming of Christ with song, Scripture, and play! If you're planning on participating, please sign up when we begin announcing it. We'll be practicing the songs during the 10 am Children's Chapel service on December 4 and 11.

5 Opportunities to Reach Out in Advent We can offer ourselves for others through our gifts of time, treasure and talent during Advent season and beyond. Here are the projects sponsored by our parish. Give a gift to yourself by giving to others. Advent Giving Tree The Advent Giving Tree will be in the church entry so you can select gift tags beginning Sunday, November 27. Gift tags will be offered for the children at Mary s Place (gifts for homeless children) and for the adults served by the adult day center Full Life (formerly known as Elderhealth Northwest, which provides service to disabled adults and elderly). Please return the gifts by December 11 for Mary s Place and by December 18 for Full Life. Thank you for your generosity. Teen Feed Gifts We will once again be collecting gifts for teens. Please consider giving one or more of the following items: sleeping bags, backpacks, hooded sweatshirts (L to XXXL, dark colors), new socks (preferably wool), gloves, hats, scarves, and rain ponchos. Additionally, flashlights, AA or AAA batteries and earbuds (a frequently requested item that helps soothe them when sleeping in the shelters). Please place your items in the box marked Teen Feed in the Parish Hall by Sunday, December 18. They will be delivered along with our Teen Feed dinner on Wednesday, December 21. Questions? Please contact teenfeed@saintandrewsseattle.org and many thanks. St. Andrew s Care Kits As a ministry to the homeless, St. Andrew s fills small bags (St. Andrew s Care Kits or SACKs) with essential items. Parishioners can keep these bags in their cars and give them to people asking for help. Small containers of shampoo, lotion, sunscreen, toothpaste, and deodorant would be most appreciated. Please place items in the bin located on the Welcome Table in the Parish Hall.

6 Food Bank Collection While we collect food for the Family Works Food Bank all year, this season offers a special opportunity to help stock their shelves for the holiday. Please place items in the wicker basket in the entry of the sanctuary. Please Donate Fruit for our Jubilee Guests Fruit will be the gift to our Jubilee guests this year. We would love to have enough to offer each guest 3 to 4 pieces each of fresh fruit. We usually have about 65 dinner guests. Please bring apples, pears, tangerines and regular oranges to our gathering boxes on the stage on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Personal Care Items for Jubilee Guests During Advent we will continue to collect personal care items including toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, shaving equipment, lotions, soaps, hair care products, and feminine care supplies. We also are collecting 2017 calendars. All these donations go into the box provided in the Parish Hall during Advent. Jubilee Dinner Christmas Day Honoring our long tradition of offering this dinner the last Sunday of each month, we will serve a festive meal on December 25. We need help in the usual ways to help prepare, serve, and clean up...and make this dinner warm and inviting for our guests.

7 Christmas Services Christmas Eve Family Service December 24, 4 pm Christmas Eucharist A service of lessons and carols with Holy Communion designed for children of every age and their families. Christmas Eve Eucharist December 24, 10:30 pm Carol Singing, 10 pm A festive liturgy of lessons, carols, the Christmas story, candlelight, incense and Holy Communion. Christmas Day Eucharist December 25, 10 am Only one service for Christmas Day with hymns and Holy Communion.

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