WEEK OF NOVEMBER 21- NOVEMBER 27
Thus we live today under the shadow of his coming, not some dreaded disaster or some fate, but the coming of the God of justice, of love, and of peace. Not finding our own way to God into the future, but receiving the future from God. We know that we cannot go to God, but God comes to us, enfolding us in his unbelievable grace, otherwise our life is lost, and our waiting is in vain. We can only wait, watchfully wait; that means patiently waiting, totally deaf to those who would sow doubts in our mind, blind to every power that stands between us and that future which God wills for us. One thing is needful: the conviction that we shall see God, we shall hear God, we shall receive God, we shall know God, we shall serve God. In some incomprehensible way, God will—otherwise nothing, absolutely nothing else, counts.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Advent Sunday” sermon, November 29, 1931, in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Christmas Sermons, edited and translated by Edwin Robertson (2005)
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LONDON LINK TRIP: Places are still available for the parish trip to visit our London link parish of St. Vedast during the long weekend of January 12-16, 2012. Speak to the Rector if you are interested.
BULLETIN FROM THE SILENT AUCTION: News from the Silent Auction. Bigger and better! We’ve just been given five nights lodging (Sunday to Friday, dates by agreement) for two people, with breakfast, at the Mountaineer Inn, West Dover (Mount Snow Valley), Vermont. And if you’re counting the minutes until you can get there, we have a beautiful 18-kt gold lady’s wristwatch to make sure you’re on time (and it would be a great Christmas present for a non-skier too!)
THE CHRISTMAS FAIR WISH LIST: Volunteers are needed! Please let Laurie Mygatt know at lgmygatt@gmail.com if you are able to join us for any of the following: Sunday, November 27 – Fair set-up after the Coffee Hour. Monday, November 28: Basket Night from 6-9pm. Come any time to help assemble gift baskets for the Fair. Tuesday – Thursday, November 29-December 1. Fair set-up.
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Operation Santa
Sunday December 11th
Operation Santa is a personal way to give to a specific child or family in need at Christmas. It has been going on for years in New York and across the country. This year at Incarnation we will be providing an opportunity for people to participate directly and locally.
How it works
The post office collects letters written to “Santa” and makes them available for answering. Answering letters means getting, wrapping gifts and mailing gifts to the child who wrote the letter. That’s it. You are Santa for that child.
Please join us on December 11th !
We will have a selection of letters to choose from on Sunday afternoon after services in the Parish House. (The post office collects letters but does not screen letters. I will have pre-sorted letters and tend to choose those that ask for necessities; e.g winter coats, shoes and smaller gifts.)
How you can be involved:
-Spend the afternoon with us!!
Sort through letters with us, find one (or more!) that speaks to you, head over to Kmart to shop, return to Incarnation to wrap and then mail packages. (There will be snacks for you!)
-Answer a letter on your own time.
Take the letter with you, shop on your own and wherever you’d like, wrap gift(s) and mail gifts thru Operation Santa station at the post office.
-Make a donation-for a particular gift or for postage-this is a great help!
We’ll have someone else do the shopping, wrapping and mailing
-Help us shop or wrap-join us at Kmart and/or meet back at Incarnation to wrap packages
-Help with the mailing- Getting the packages to the post office can be challenging, help here is very welcome!
Please feel free to invite others-anyone can participate (even children can help wrap). The more the merrier. All are welcome-no need to be a member of a church congregation.
I’m happy to answer any questions and give out even more details
Anna Holmgren 212-473-5166
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THIS WEEK AT INCARNATION
Tues., November 22. 8:00 am. Morning Prayer in the Chapel of the Nativity. Enter through 25 E. 35 St. Coffee andpastries served afterwards.
Wed., November 23. 12:15 pm. Holy Eucharist.
11 am to 4 pm. Meet in the Parish House to join in making and delivering meals for the homebound in the Murray Hill area. Volunteers needed!
Thurs., November 24. Church and offices closed for Thanksgiving.
Fri., November 25. Church and office closed for Thanksgiving holiday. There will be no 12:15pm Eucharist
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27: THANKSGIVING SUNDAY
8:30 AM: HOLY EUCHARIST
Homily: The Rector
11:00 AM: MORNING PRAYER WITH CHOIR
Sermon: The Rector, “Small Favors”
Music of Berger and Karg-Elert
Sunday School–Godly Play–for Children
ages 3 to 9.
Nursery Care for Children under age 3.
12:00 NOON: A SHORT SERVICE OF HOLY EUCHARIST FOLLOWS MORNING PRAYER
5:00 PM: CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION
Meditation: The Assistant Minister
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COMING UP AT INCARNATION
Fri., December 2. 11am—4pm. Annual Incarnation Christmas Fair.
Sat., December 3. 11am—3pm. Annual Incarnation Christmas Fair.
Sun., December 11. 11am. The Ordination to the Priesthood of the Rev. Ginger Strickland by the Rt. Rev. Pierre Whalon, Bishop of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe. Special reception follows
12:30pm. Operation Santa
Fri., December 16. 6:30pm. Please join us for the annual “Greening of the Church” – The Men’s, Women’s and 20s/30s groups are invited to decorate the church for Christmas and then celebrate with a festive party hosted by the Rector.
Sun., December 18. 5pm. Lessons and Carols with chamber orchestra.
Grace and peace to you,
–the Rev. Ginger Strickland: ginger@churchoftheincarnation.org
More details available online: www.churchoftheincarnation.org