Happy End of the Liturgical Year! This Sunday is the Last Sunday of Year B, also called Christ the King Sunday. Our Gospel readings will move from being mostly from Mark to being mostly from Luke, though this Sunday our Gospel comes from John.
We will be talking about our Fests for 2022 at both coffee hours. Please bring your thoughts and ideas. Thank you to everyone who filled out a survey, and thank you to everyone who donates their time and energy so generously so we can bring the community to St. Mary’s.
Weather permitting, this Sunday we will put lights up around the Chapel, Parish Hall and Church. Take a string of lights or two (or 20) after each service and help shine the light in the darkness that is Advent. Should the weather be disagreeable, we will hang lights on November 28.
Thank you to everyone who donated towards the Thanksgiving Baskets. We have two families that we will be shopping for this Sunday, so you can still donate towards their Thanksgiving groceries. We will have a donation box in the narthex.
Thanksgiving is coming soon and we will have a worship service at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. All are welcome.
We still have three sign-up sheets in the Parish Hall. The first is for the Advent Quiet Day on December 4. We will begin at 9 a.m. with Morning Prayer and then spend some time in silence, traveling between different stations. Some will have readings, others will have prayers, others will have mandalas and others will just allow for quiet contemplation. We will close with Eucharist. Please sign up if you are planning to come so I can have snacks.
The second sign-up sheet is for the Dousman Winterfest on December 5 from noon to 4 p.m. You can either attend the event by judging chili, shopping local crafts, getting your caricature taken, going on a carriage ride, and visiting Santa. However, as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, we also are asked to help staff the event: helping with crafts, assisting people on and off the carriages, and, of course, set up and clean up.
The third sign-up sheet is for volunteering with the Gathering on December 18. We will be helping to serve the Christmas meal in to-go bags. Please sign up if you are able to help.
Finally, we have the Advent Living Compass series available for pick up. The theme this year is Practicing Patience with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind. You can read the reflections yourself or join us December 1, 8, 15, and 22 at 9:30 a.m. for discussion.
Prayers and blessings,
Mother Pippa