The First Sunday in Advent
St. Matthew's Anglican Church
Asheville/Weaverville, NC
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Happy Thanksgiving Day! We all have lots for which to be grateful. I am very grateful for all of you and especially for last Sunday when we Baptized Sheldon & Sharlotte Lyda (our very first Baptisms at St. Matthew's) and for record Sunday attendance of seventy-three.
Advent begins the new Church year this Sunday. There will be the lighting of the Advent Wreath and the decorated Chrismon Tree. It is a wonderful time of the year that leads us in four Sundays to the Feast of Christmas, the Birth of Jesus Christ.
This Sunday at St. Matthew's, November 30, the First Sunday of Advent
- 10:00 a.m. Bible Study with Jim Tucker. Read Acts 23 & 24 (the plot to kill Paul and his trial before the Roman Governor Felix). Bring your Bible & your questions.
- 11:00 a.m. Eucharist with the Lighting of the Advent Wreath plus Sermon and music. The Hymns are 2(verses 1-4), 62, 197, 2(verses 5-7). The Old Testament Lesson is Isaiah 28:14-22. The Psalm is 50. The Collect, Epistle & Gospel are found on pages 90-92 in the Prayer Book. The Ushers are Jack Westall & Rick Benfield; the Acolyte is Caitlin Delmas; the Reader is Mark Monaghan; the Chalice Bearer is Jim Tucker; the Teller is Alan Shaw; the Checker is Cecil Beumer.
- Refreshments are being provided by Alma & Larry Allison and Ernie Jackson.
- African Jewelry & Crafts will be on sale in the Parish Hall for the final Sunday. The items come from African Team Ministries which supports Bishop Alpha Mohamed and his evangelistic team in Tanzania in converting Muslims.
We need folk to sign-up for Sunday refreshments. The sign-up list is in the Parish Hall. Thanks.
Anglican World is changing.
A new day is dawning for Anglicans in North America. Over the course of the past few weeks, the Diocese of Quincy and the Diocese of Fr. Worth left the Episcopal Church. Bishop Bob Duncan was
re-elected Bishop of Pittsburgh after being deposed by the national Episcopal Church House of Bishops. Bishop Duncan announced that the Common Cause Partnership would launch the new, orthodox North American Anglican Province this coming week on December 3 at Wheaton, IL. One of the Common Cause Partners is the Federation of Anglican Churches in Americas of which our Anglican Province of America is part. The new draft constitution of the Province will be released on December 3 as well. Events are moving quickly. Praise God!
Winston Pulliam has a bridge named after him.
The Biltmore Forest bridge over 1-40 has been named in honor of our own Winston Pulliam in a ceremony that toke place last Friday in the chambers of the Asheville City Council. Now when you travel I-40 you will see his name big as life. Congratulations, Winston!
New Men's Bible Study Group to start this coming Thursday.
Beginning this Thursday, December 4, 10:00 a.m. at the Church, I will be leading a study group for men. We will start with Paul's First Epistle to Timothy. We will study together for an hour then have Eucharist at 11:00 a.m. followed by lunch and then return to our study of Timothy until 1:00 p.m. All the men in the Parish are invited to take part. So bring your Bible and a sack lunch. See you then.
Women's Study group resumes this Thursday, December 4, 10:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall.
The ladies study for an hour then adjourn for the 11:00 a.m. Eucharist followed by lunch and more study. They are studying "Having a Mary Spirit" by Joanna Weaver; they are on Chapter three. Please bring your Bible, Prayer Book and sack lunch. The women say that if the men are good, they will let them eat lunch with them.
New Sacristy Cabinets go in next week.
The new cabinets for the Sacristy will be installed next week and hopefully the Sacristy will be ready to use by the following Sunday. God willing and the weather permitting, all the painting and exterior repair work will be completed this coming week. We are making progress in our renovation program.
Ken Pankow suffered a minor stroke Monday. He is at Mission Hospital, room 615, and expects to be released this Friday. He is doing much better. Keep him in your prayers.
God keep you all in these changing times. I look forward to being with you Sunday in Church.
Fr. John
