The Second Sunday of Advent
Sunday, December 4, at 10:00 am
The form for this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
Prelude: “Herr Christ, der einig Gottes Sohn” Johan Walther
The Word of God
The Introit
The introit—an antiphon and verse appropriate to the day—is sung by cantor and choir.
Unto thee, O Lord, lift I up my soul; O my God, in thee have I trusted, let me not be confounded: neither let mine enemies triumph over me; for all they that look for thee shall not be ashamed. Shew me thy ways, O Lord: and teach me thy paths. Glory be…
Hymn 56: “O come, O come, Emmanuel”
3. O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
4. O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
Opening Acclamation
Celebrant ✠ Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
People His mercy endures for ever.
Celebrant
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Kyrie:
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-10
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
1 Give the King your justice, O God, *
and your righteousness to the King's Son;
2 That he may rule your people righteously *
and the poor with justice;
3 That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, *
and the little hills bring righteousness.
4 He shall defend the needy among the people; *
he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.
5 He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, *
from one generation to another.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, *
like showers that water the earth.
7 In his time shall the righteous flourish; *
there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.
18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, *
who alone does wondrous deeds!
19 And blessed be his glorious Name for ever! *
and may all the earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
Second Lesson: Romans 15:4-13
Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name”; and again he says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”; and again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”; and again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.”
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 67: “Comfort, comfort ye my people”
1. Comfort, comfort ye my people,
speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
comfort those who sit in darkness
mourning ’neath their sorrows’ load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
of the peace that waits for them;
tell her that her sins I cover,
and her warfare now is over.
2. Hark, the voice of one that crieth
in the desert far and near,
calling us to new repentance
since the kingdom now is here.
Oh, that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
let the valleys rise to meet him
and the hills bow down to greet him.
3. Make ye straight what long was crooked,
make the rougher places plain;
let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
now o’er earth is shed abroad;
and all flesh shall see the token
that the word is never broken.
Tract
The choir sings the Tract, then all repeat it.
A verse follows, then all repeat the Tract.
The Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12
Celebrant The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.’”
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
After the sermon, the choir sings a sentence of Scripture in response.
The Nicene Creed
The Prayers of the People
With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying “Lord, have mercy.”
For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For ___ , and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For ___ , for the leaders of all the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For this community, for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For those who are on our prayer list, especially ___ , and for those who have commended themselves to our prayers, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For our sister church of St. Mary’s, Sololá, and for the churches and provinces throughout the Anglican Communion, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, ✠ and for all the departed, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and degradation, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
In the communion of the ever-blessèd Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God.
Silence
To you, O Lord our God.
Silence. Additional petitions may be included here.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
Confession of Sin
Celebrant
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Celebrant and People
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Celebrant stands and gives an absolution.
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The ministers and the people greet one another with a sign of peace.
The Holy Communion
The Celebrant begins the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture.
During the Offertory an anthem is sung, and the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
The Offering is brought forward. The people stand and are censed by the acolyte.
To give an offering, choose one of the following:
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Offertory Anthem: “Adam lay ybounden” Philip Ledger
Adam lay ybounden, bounden in a bond;
four thousand winter, thought he not too long.
And all was for an apple, an apple that he took.
As clerkes finden, written in their book.
Ne had the apple taken been, the apple taken been,
ne had never our lady abeen heavené queen.
Blessed be the time that apple taken was,
Therefore we moun singen: Deo gracias!
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer B
The people stand and the Celebrant sings
The Celebrant continues
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy Lord”
The Celebrant continues
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
Celebrant and People
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
The Celebrant continues
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine. We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. Amen.
Celebrant And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
People and Celebrant
The Fraction
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast.
The Agnus Dei
Celebrant and People
A Communion antiphon and verse is sung by cantor and choir:
The Lord shall shew loving-kindness: and our land shall give her increase.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
During Communion, you are invited to say the following prayer form for receiving Spiritual Communion. Know that the grace of God is made present in your heart, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.
In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of grace and the hope of glory.
I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Communion Anthem: “Sleepers wake” Felix Mendelssohn
Sleepers, wake! a voice is calling,
It is the watchman on the walls:
Thou City of Jerusalem!
For lo! the Bridegroom comes!
Arise, and take your lamps! Hallelujah! Awake
His kingdom is at hand!
Go forth, go forth to meet your Lord!
Hymn 65: “Prepare the way, O Zion”
1. Prepare the way, O Zion,
your Christ is drawing near!
Let every hill and valley
a level way appear.
Greet One who comes in glory,
foretold in sacred story.
Oh, blest is Christ that came
in God’s most holy Name.
2. He brings God’s rule, O Zion;
he comes from heaven above.
His rule is peace and freedom,
and justice, truth, and love.
Lift high your praise resounding,
for grace and joy abounding.
Refrain
3. Fling wide your gates, O Zion;
your Savior’s rule embrace.
His tidings of salvation
proclaim in every place.
All lands will bow before him,
their voices will adore him.
Refrain
After Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
Celebrant and People
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Welcome & Announcements
Blessing & Dismissal
The Celebrant blesses the people and dismisses them.
The people respond Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Episode on ‘Veni Emmanuel’” Lani Smith
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Eucharistic Minister: Widgette Kelly
Acolyte: Emma Ward
Lector: Leigh DeTato
Ushers: Ted Hopkins, Joe DeTato
Advent Wreath: Lisa Farina
A/V: Liam Kelly
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, J.T. Capps, Carol Fox, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Robert Risch, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
Before the Greening, there must be Cleaning!
Join the Altar Guild as we prepare for the Greening of the Church.
December 10th, at 10:00 AM the Altar Guild will be cleaning the church and we would like to give everyone in the church family the opportunity to join us. Dusting, Polishing, Wax Removal and plenty of Schlepping - no experience is needed, just a willing spirit and helping hands. Pizza and salad will be served at noon, please bring your own drink. For more information contact Carol Fox.
Evensong & Benediction: December 11 at 5:00pm
St. Paul’s will offer a service of Evensong and Benediction on Sunday, December 11 at 5:00pm. Evensong is a sung setting of Evening Prayer; led principally by choir, it is one of the treasures of our Anglican tradition. This Advent Evensong features the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Bob Chilcott. The anthem is the Ave dulcissima Maria by Fred Gramann, for Soprano solo and choir. Additionally, the service preces (setting) are a composition of our own director of music, Ed McCall. The service ends with Benediction: the exposing of the Eucharistic Host, the blessing of the people, and the Divine Praises. Join us for this very special Advent service.
Weekday Worship
Mass for the Feast of St. Ambrose will be held this week on Wednesday, December 7, at noon in the Chapel.
Christmas MUSIC AND FLOWERS: MEMORIALS & THANKSGIVINGS
We invite you to to submit a memorial and/or thanksgiving offering for Christmas music and flowers, along with the names of those you wish to be remembered. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, December 11. You can submit names through our website using the buttons below:
CHRISTMAS IN DOYLESTOWN
Thank you for helping with Christmas in Doylestown. Join us in the parish hall after services for coffee and relax in the aftermath of Christmas in Doylestown. You might find some Bake Table items and it is your last chance to purchase raffle tickets. The raffle drawing takes place at coffee hour after the 10:00 service. Many thanks to everyone who helped preparing for and putting on this wonderful community outreach event.
The Christmas in Doylestown Committee
The Holiday Carolsing Returns!
6:00 PM on Thursday, December 15
The St. Paul’s holiday carol-sing returns! On Thursday, December 15 at 6:00 PM, you are invited to come a-caroling with us around Doylestown borough. We’ll do a short loop around town (with minimal street crossing) before returning to the Parish Hall for some hot chocolate. The majority of our time will be spent outside, allowing plenty of space to spread out. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some good holiday cheer in the fresh air with your fellow parishioners. Join us!
Christmas Gift Card Collection
Dear parishioners of Saint Paul’s, thank you for your generosity for the supermarket gift card collection. We gave $500 worth of cards to Doyle Elementary and $475 worth of cards to the Immigrants Right Action group. Both groups were very appreciative!! For Christmas we will be collecting gifts cards for the children of Doyle. We’re hoping for gift cards to stores like Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, Marshall’s and TJ Maxx so the parents can then get gifts for their kiddos. We know it’s a lot to ask but the need for help is increasing in the last several months. Again, thank you for your generosity. Please bring gift cards on Sundays and give to Mary Smith between services or drop them off to Angie at the church.
Greening of the Church:
We welcome all parishioners to help with the greening of the church after the 10am service coffee hour on Sunday 12/18. Please contact Lisa Farina if you have any questions: 484-633-6000.
A new Advent Bible Study will be offered on Zoom during the four Wednesdays of Advent: December 1, 8, 15 and 22 at 7:30-8:30 pm. We plan to focus on the significance of the Advent candles, which symbolize Hope, Faith, Joy and Peace. Stories and verses from scripture will be covered, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ and welcome Him into our homes and our lives. So please take a break from the ‘seasonal busyness’ and join us! Questions? Contact John and Nancy Gifford Humphreys using the church directory.
Acolytes
Saint Paul’s wants to increase participation in the Acolyte Guild. Those interested can contact Pike Stephens using the church directory.
Women’s Ministry: Christmas Tea and Ornament Exchange December 18
St. Paul’s Women’s Ministry invites all women of the parish to a Christmas Tea and ornament exchange at the home of Rachel Morse on Sunday, December 18 at 4 PM, hosted. RSVP by December 12. Bring an ornament to share and join us in fellowship to celebrate the advent season in anticipation of Christ’s birth. Look for an invitation in your emails. For more information, contact Rachel Morse.
Christmas: Schedule of Services
Christmas Eve, December 24
4:30pm Prelude & Christmas Carols
5:00pm Christ Mass: The Holy Eucharist (Rite II)
spoken, with music, live-streamed
8:30pm Choral Anthems & Carols
9:00pm Christ Mass: The Holy Eucharist (Rite I)
sung, with choir & incense
Christmas Day, December 25
9:00am Christ Mass: The Holy Eucharist (Rite I) spoken
The Church Office will be closed from December 26 through December 30. The office will re-open on Monday, January 2.
2023 Annual Meeting Details
The next annual meeting of St. Paul’s will take place on the morning of Sunday, January 29, 2023. Barring any unforeseen events, we are planning to hold this meeting in-person. A reminder that, per our parish by-laws, voting members are lay, baptized persons aged 16 and older:
who shall have been communicants, as defined by Church Canons, in this church as their usual place of public worship for at least one (1) calendar year,
and who shall appear by the books of the Parish to have contributed towards the current expenses of the Parish during the calendar year immediately preceding such election or meeting not less than One Hundred ($100.00) dollars, or Twenty-Five ($25) dollars for persons ages 16 and 17. The financial requirement may be waived, subject to the Rector’s discretion.
Further details to follow. Please mark your calendars for this upcoming event; for questions, contact the Rector.
Call for Vestry Nominations
In January 2023, St. Paul’s will elect its next class of members to our Vestry. If you wish to nominate someone (or yourself) as a candidate for election to the Vestry, please contact Nominating Committee member Mary Lou Parry .We will then reach out to nominees directly with more information about the process. Please submit nominations to the Nominating committee by Monday, December 12. And please continue to keep the Vestry in your prayers as they strive to lead and serve our beloved church.
SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
Our next meeting is at 7:30 PM on December 13th, the usual 2nd Tuesday of every month. Join us on Zoom (login credentials can be found in the most recent Weekly E-Notes email). Contact chair Jim Massey with any questions. All are welcome!
Community Meal
Thank you to everyone who participated in making the Community Meal such a great success. Our final meal for 2022 was November 27, and appropriately it was a Thanksgiving meal. I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful meals, set-ups, cheerful servers, speedy clean-ups, but most of all your time and generosity. A special thank you to the youth groups of St. Paul’s and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel for their participation. We will begin the meals again in April 2023 and look forward to another successful program. Please contact Mary Lou Parry with any questions you may have.
Vigil for an end to the violence:
Our friends at Salem UCC will be hosting a Vigil on Monday, December 12th, from 7-8PM. They are working with CeaseFirePA and several other Co-Sponsors to create this time of prayer on the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting. Please consider reaching across the denominational divide to work and pray together for a better future. You can find more information at: Empty Chairs: Bucks County Vigil - 10 Years After Sandy Hook - CeaseFirePA (c4)
An invitation to save the date: January 14, 2023
Christian Justice is Racial Justice:
A day of reflection, introspection, and education
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church is hosting an interdenominational day grounded in cooperation and exploration of Anti-racism and the work each of us has done. This is the work that strengthens the muscles for justice, allowing us to live out and spread the Good News to all. We will explore some activities, engage in sharing, and have a presentation and discussion on White Christian Nationalism. During this five-hour event, we will also enjoy food and fellowship, along with prayer. Please consider joining us and sharing this invitation with others in your congregation. More information and a sign-up genius will follow during Christmastide.
Little Free Pantry
The Food Pantry continues to be a very active place which shows it has a great need. The activity will increase with the cold weather approaching. All donations of shelf stable products are greatly appreciated. Items such as snack bars, crackers, small water, shelf stable milk, nuts, peanut butter, canned fruit, small cereal boxes are always welcome. If you are donating, please check the expiration dates on items before dropping off. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee Chair.
CARING FOR FRIENDS
Caring for Friends has resumed our meal packing at the church. Our next meeting will be on Saturday, December 17 from 9:30-11:30am. We are asking for anyone who would like to cook at home to bring the food to church on the 17th to pack. Please include a list of ingredients for all meals. For everyone attending we will be social distancing and wearing masks. Casseroles with a protein source, meats like meatloaf, chicken, beef, turkey breasts with a side of rice or potatoes are some other ideas. Donations of canned goods are appreciated, especially fruits and vegetables. Hope you can make it on the 17th.
For questions, please contact George Wiemann, Mary Smith, or Myra Parker using the church directory.
2023 Episcopal Church Ordo Calendars Available
Our 2023 Ordo Calendars have arrived and are available in the Narthex. Please pick up yours today, and perhaps an extra if you know of someone who might like one.
Cantus Novus presents The Spirit Awakens
December 4 (Morrisville)
Cantus Novus, Bucks County’s premiere chamber choir, is delighted to welcome you to our 2022-23 season. This season our theme is The Spirit Awakens, selected especially for all of us who are emerging back into daily life in a post-pandemic world. Buoyed by a return to some sense of normalcy, we can rejoice in our spirits being lifted higher and higher.
For our December concerts we offer A Celestial Celebration – a star-studded evening of uplifting choral music sure to brighten and enlighten. The program features a mix of the familiar with the ethereal— old favorites and newly minted compositions. The Cantus Novus Chamber Orchestra joins us as we present the area premiere of Elaine Hagenberg’s Illuminare. And what would a Christmas concert be without at least one offering from the English master, John Rutter.
Concert Date:
December 4, 4 pm, Morrisville Presbyterian Church
Purchase tickets online at www.cantusnovus.org
“Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along”: Saturday, December 17 at 2 and 8 pm
The Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society and members of our community will join voices for their ninth annual “Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along” on Saturday, December 17, at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at Delaware Valley University’s Life Science Theater, New Britain Road, Doylestown. The Sing-Along will be conducted by Lee F. Milhous, Bob Binkley and Martha Ellen Smith, and accompanied by the 40-piece Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Orchestra. Guest soloists will sing the arias and the audience may sing along with the choruses, including the world-renowned “Hallelujah Chorus,” or simply listen and enjoy the concert. Singers may bring their own Messiah score or download the chorus music from the homepage of the website. Admission is $15, with children 13 and under free. The Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society is a 501c3 non-profit organization.
