DECEMBER 2015 Advent & Christmas at Saint Gabriel the Archangel INCLUDED HERE: Worship Opportunities Outreach Invitations Children, Youth and Family Music Notes And more! INSIDE: CHRISTMAS OUTREACH 2 HANGING OF THE CHRISMONS ADVENT WREATH MAKING DOK ADVENT QUIET MORNING SAINT NICOLAS VISIT 4 CHRISTMAS MARKETPLACE BAKE SALE 4 HANGING OF THE GREENS MUSIC & WORSHIP SERVICES CALENDAR 7 2 2 3 4 5 5-6 Stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. ~ Luke 21:28 (NRSV) or many of us the season of Advent is very much a welcomed and longsought-for guest. Coming as it does at one of the busiest times of the year F for people, Advent is invitational in a different way from the seasonal opportunities arriving by mail or email, text or Twitter, that invite us to fill up our schedules our hours and days. Advent expands our margins just as the holidays tend to shrink them. Advent leads us in quiet places of preparation and hopefulness. If you find yourself running at too quick a pace, perhaps you could, gently and graciously, decline a few of the invitations that come your way. Not because you don t want to enjoy a wonderful experience, but because you hear and sense the Christ-child calling you to a deeper place of rest and peace. Even within the pages of this booklet there will be some things that are good and worthwhile to pursue, but perhaps in another year, at another time. This year, this time, is a time for quietude. For others, the season is invitational in a different way. For these people, there are trips to be planned, parties to attend, and gifts to buy. There s Black Friday and the Star Wars movie to see on the big screen and school performances, and other such events that would be hard to miss. If you fall into this set, I am with you, too, as many expectations are added and I wish to do my best to meet most, if not all, of them. Yet, we need Advent, too. We need God as Immanuel, God with us. That s what Advent shows us. All of us have hearts that ache for things love, being known and appreciated, relating to something that is higher than ourselves. The story of Jesus first coming, and his second - the themes of Advent - show us, again, that he is the way, the truth and the life and that through him our hearts find their true home and resting place. At Saint Gabriel we have, as usual, a wide and diverse array of ways to serve and sing, to worship and work, and a few of them will help us be quieted. Not many, but a few. Choose carefully. In hope, love, joy and peace,
ADVENT & CHRISTMAS PAGE 2 2015 CHRISTMAS OUTREACH MINISTRIES e will be partnering this year W with three local organizations to provide gifts to those in need. In addition to the Interfaith Community Services Adopt-A- Family/Senior program and the Mile High Ministries Christmas Store, we will also be supporting several families through the Village Resource Center. More information regarding dates and how to volunteer will be posted on the outreach section of the bulletin board in the parish hall in addition to upcoming notices in Sunday bulletins. Should you have any questions, Joan Kuntz, coordinator, can be reached at jekuntz@gmail.com or call 303-721-8142. Thank you for your support! ach family has its own E tradition for decorating a tree in the home. At Saint Gabriel, our tradition is to decorate our tree with Chrismons, or Christ Monograms. Each Chrismon represents a symbol of our Christian faith. On November 29, HANGING OF THE CHRISMONS ~ NOVEMBER 29 children will hang the Old Testament Chrismons on the tree; then, on Christmas Eve, parishioners will add Chrismons from the New Testament. Take a moment to look at the descriptions of the Chrismons found on the back of each ornament. Saint Gabriel s A Chrismon (Christ Monogram) is one of a number of Christian symbols... Chrismons were the gift of a group of needleworkers from the church many years ago. ADVENT WREATH MAKING ~ NOVEMBER 29 n November 29 the O Parish Hall will be filled with the scent of fresh greens as we gather to make Advent wreaths for our homes. The Advent wreath is a symbolic way of preparing for Christ s coming among us. The circle reminds us of God s eternity and the everlasting life found in Christ, while evergreens symbolize continuous life. There is one candle for each week of Advent: three candles that are purple, reminding us that this is a season of prayer and penitence; and one rosecolored candle reminding us that even in the midst of preparing ourselves, we may stop and rejoice. The Anglican church often uses the color blue in lieu of purple, as blue is a color of hope and expresses the hopefulness we experience in the Nativity. Advent wreaths are typically lit after the blessing of food, the candlelight reminding us of Christ, the Light of the World. The cost to make a wreath is $20; premade wreaths may be purchased for $30. To participate, please sign up on the parish hall bulletin board.
SPECIAL ISSUE A dvent includes hymns and scriptures that speak to hope, love, joy, peace, anticipation and preparation. We encourage you to listen and attend to these themes over the course of Advent and Christmastide. One such hymn that we will hear is Creator of the stars of night. An ancient plainsong hymn originally written in Latin and translated by John Mason Neale, this carol is well-loved here at Saint Gabriel PAGE 3 Creator of the stars of night, thy people's everlasting light, Jesus, Redeemer, save us all, hear thou thy servants when they call. Thou, sorrowing at the helpless cry of all creation doomed to die, didst save our lost and guilty race by healing gifts of heavenly grace. Thou cam'st, the Bridegroom of the bride, as drew the world to eventide; proceeding from a virgin shrine, the spotless Victim all divine. At thy great Name, exalted now, all knees in lowly homage bow; al things in heaven and earth adore, and own thee King for evermore. To thee, O Holy One, we pray, our Judge in that tremendous day, ward off, while yet we dwell below, the weapons of our crafty foe. To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, Three in One, laud, honor, might and glory be from age to age eternally. DAUGHTERS OF THE KING ADVENT QUIET DAY ~ DECEMBER 12 he Saint Gabriel chapter of T the Daughters of the King will be hosting a Quiet Day on Saturday, December 12. Nancy Severin will be our spiritual leader. Nancy serves as the Providence VI President for the Daughters of the King. She is a member of the Dorothy Day Chapter at Saint Charles Episcopal Church in Fort Morgan, CO. Nancy is a powerful and heartfelt speaker. She has a deep prayer life with a passion for serving God. On Saturday, December 12 hospitality will begin at 8:30 am, presentations will start at 9:00 am and then the day will conclude with Eucharist and lunch at 12:00 pm. To make reservations, please contact Sarah Dougherty at 303.771.1063 or sdougherty@stgabriels.org. If you have questions about the quiet day or about Daughters of the King, speak with one of the Daughters (just look for the cross), or contact the church office and speak with either Sarah Dougherty or Sharon Stewart.
ADVENT & CHRISTMAS PAGE 4 Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, Visits Saint Gabriel the Archangel, December 6 or the past several years, F Saint Nicholas has honored our congregation with a visit at the time of his feast day (December 6). With a rap on the door he appears, inviting children to come forward to hear his story. Bishop Nicholas died about 343 and was buried in Myra. In 1087 his body was moved to Bari on the East Coast of Italy by Italian sailors. He is sometimes known as Saint Nicholas of Bari. Saint Nicolas will visit us this year on Sunday, December 6 at the 10:15 am service. CHRISTMAS MARKETPLACE ~ DECEMBER 6 & 13 DURING COFFEE O n November 22 nd families will come together for an evening of crafting and fellowship to create items for Saint Gabriel s fifth annual Christmas Marketplace. It is wonderful time to work together and share our time and skills in the service of others. It is also a way for children and adults to take time together to slow down and enjoy the art of creativity and learn Bake Sale, December 13 to better appreciate the time and care that is used in the process. As in years past, we will make an effort to create useful and beautiful items with minimal environmental impact. All proceeds from the marketplace will benefit a charitable organization selected by the children and youth. This year we are considering projects by World Vision or Episcopal Relief and Development. arishioners are invited P to bake items for Saint Gabriel s annual celebration of sweet treats. Bring your favorite baked good to sell on December 13 th and be sure to buy someone else s homemade specialty for your home! This year bake sale proceeds will once again supplement Christmas Marketplace earnings, allowing us to make an even more substantial gift. Baked goods may be dropped off 3-5:00 pm on Saturday the 12 th or on Sunday morning.
SPECIAL ISSUE PAGE 5 HANGING OF THE GREENS AT THE CHURCH ~ DECEMBER 19 very Christmas, members E of the Vestry and good-hearted volunteers come together to hang the greens in the Nave, thereby helping prepare the space for Christmas joy and celebration. This year we will decorate the church on December 19 at 11:00 am. Many traditions involving greenery originated among Druidic, Celtic, Norse, and Roman communities, which celebrated the winter solstice in late December. Representing eternal life, greens reflect the life given in Christ Jesus. Plants that remain green throughout the year played an important role in these celebrations of times past...and present! Christmas Service for the Homebound ~ December 22, 11:00 AM ast year was the first year that L we had a home-bound Christmas service and it was a huge success! The goal behind this offering is to provide an opportunity for home-bound parishioners to attend a service at the church during the Christmas season. This service is made possible through the help of parishioners who volunteer to pick up home-bound parishioners and bring them to Saint Gabriel. This may be the only time that some parishioners are able to attend a Christmas service at Saint Gabriel. If you are able to help, sign up in the Parish Hall! Ministry resident, Chris Hirschy, will coordinate the rides, matching volunteers with parishioners attending the service. Please contact Chris Hirschy or Sarah Dougherty if you have questions. A CHILDREN S LITURGY FOR CHRISTMAS EVE ~ DECEMBER 24, 4:00 PM I n the season of Advent, we are all on the way to Bethlehem, making the timeless journey to witness the Incarnation. On Christmas Eve, we are ready and waiting. During the family service at Saint Gabriel, the children help us make the final steps of our journey. As Father Chris tells the story of the Nativity, children bring forth the Holy Family, a shepherd and his sheep, and the three Wise Men, gradually building a crèche before the altar. Together we sing well-known Christmas hymns and all children present are invited forward to place a golden star on the scene just laid. It is a time of expectation and celebration. Please join us!
ADVENT & CHRISTMAS PAGE 6 CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE ~ DECEMBER 24, 8:00 PM arols originated in C Europe thousands of years ago. Carol means to dance and while there are carols for every season of the year, carols are most often associated with celebrating Christmas. In 129AD there was an Angels Hymn being sung in Rome and carols sprung up all over Christendom and were sung in Latin. By the Middle Ages (the 1200s) they lost their popularity. Saint Francis revived carol singing with his Nativity Plays. Some of the songs were in Latin but many of the choruses were in the native vernacular which increased their popularity. Interestingly, carols were often sung as entertainment and were not used in church. In England carols were pretty much in disuse from the ascension of Oliver Cromwell until the Victorian era when there was an explosion of carol composing and singing. Carols rightly found their way into formal worship with the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols made most popular with the annual service of King s College. This year s 8:00 Christmas Eve service is strongly modeled on the King s College service and we invite you into this sacred celebration of music and word to retell the miraculous birth of Jesus the Christ. The service includes Holy Communion and a light use of incense. ~ Fritz Anders CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE ~ DECEMBER 25, 9:30 AM Our organist Fritz Anders will present a very special Christmas Organ Concert Joyeux Noël A wonderful collection of Christmas music celebrating the birth of Christ. 9:30 am on December 25, 2015 (Thirty minutes prior to the Christmas Feast Day Celebration of Holy Eucharist) very year we offer a Christmas E Day service, and for many who seek a quiet, peaceful setting in which to celebrate a traditional Holy Communion, this time meets this desire. On Christmas morning, we will come together in a Rite One setting, singing traditional Christmas carols accompanied by a homily, readings and concluding with Eucharist. All services on Christmas Eve and Day are opportunities for us to remember the Word made flesh and reflect on God s love in sending His Son to unite his divinity with our humanity. Soli Deo Gloria!
SPECIAL ISSUE PAGE 7 A NOTE ON DONATING TOWARD OUR CHRISTMAS FLORALS & GREENERY f you would like to donate toward decorating the I church for Christmas, there will be a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall beginning December 1. Your contribution of $30.00 will go toward poinsettias and greens for the nave and sanctuary. Please note Christmas flowers/greens in the memo line on your check payable to Saint Gabriel. December 2015-Special Offerings Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 29 First Sunday of Advent Advent Wreath making 6 Second Sunday of Advent Visit by St. Nicholas 30 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 Daughters of the King Advent Quiet Morning Marketplace 13 Third Sunday of Advent/ Marketplace 14 15 16 17 18 19 Hanging of the Greens 20 Fourth Sunday of Advent 21 Saint Thomas the Apostle 22 11 am Christmas Service for the home-bound 23 24 Vigil of the Nativity 4 pm Family & 8 pm Eucharist 25 9:30 am Joyeux Noël The Nativity of Our Lord Christmas Day 10 am Eucharist 26 Saint Stephen Deacon & Martyr 27 First Sunday after Christmas One service @ 9:00 am 28 Saint John Apostle & Evangelist 29 The Holy Innocents 30 31
Proclaiming God's Grace and Life-Changing Love! MISSION The Mission of St. Gabriel the Archangel Episcopal Church is to proclaim and celebrate the Good News of God's grace and life-changing love for all. VISION The Vision of St. Gabriel the Archangel Episcopal Church is to be an increasingly vibrant and loving Christian community, constantly seeking to fulfill its God-given mission, and expanding its capacity to serve its people, neighborhood and the world through the utilization of its many strengths, including: Worship Worshipping in the classical Anglican tradition with biblical and Christ-centered liturgy and music Children, Youth and Family Nurturing children, youth and families Servanthood Serving through outreach programs in our neighborhoods and beyond Discipleship Building relationships within the parish through mutual support, care and encouragement 6190 East Quincy Avenue Cherry Hills Village, Colorado 80111 303.771.1063 www.stgabriels.org