Christ in Glory

St. Charles Seminary, Carthegena, Ohio

First Sunday of Advent

1 December 2024

Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends and family, 

I give thanks to God for you and the blessings I receive from you all the time. When I consider goodness showered upon my life, near the top of my list is always YOU. Tomorrow at 10:00am in the Church we will gather for Eucharist (The Great Thanksgiving) to recognize that God is the ultimate source of every good thing we have. Wherever you are tomorrow, stop at some point and say THANK YOU, GOD. 

Sunday we begin a new Church year. Advent starts our cycle all over, remembering the gift of the Incarnation, God made flesh. Advent also anticipates the coming of Christ at the day of restoration. Every Eucharist we say some version of “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ WILL COME AGAIN.” Advent holds the first and second comings together. I always cherish this season with its familiar music and somewhat toned down intensity which builds towards the full joy we experience when it explodes at Christmas. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Come, thou long-expected Jesus” resound in my brain all month. We will have our two simultaneous services at 10:30. In the Church it is RITE II with organ and choir…. and in the Great Hall, the Gathering liturgy with contemporary music and Gathering Band. 8:00 and 5:00 continue in the Church. I’m preaching in the Church and Rick Vinson+ is in the Great Hall. 

Formation at 9:30 and 11:30 in the Narthex will have Advent Wreath materials and instructions available for your assembly of a home devotional centerpiece. 

Many, many blessings for you and your family, 

Bob+

USHERS NEEDED

Every week we need ushers for the 8:00am and 10:30am worship services. Ushers play an integral part to our worship, help greet newcomers, and "direct traffic" for communion. We need YOU to be involved with this. It's simple to sign up, and we have on-the-job training! We always have a clickable button in Chimes and Sunday Scoop so you can participate.

Parish Office

The Parish Office will close at noon on Wednesday and reopen Monday, 2 December. If you need us, feel free to email.

Oyster Roast Volunteer Get-together

THIS Friday, 29 November 5:00pm - 7:00pm at Commonwealth Brewery!

Join us to CELEBRATE our huge Oyster Roast successes!

Questions? Please contact Shelby.

Your December Bell Ringer!

Hopefully you read your Bell Ringer that arrived in your inbox yesterday. Please read and take it all in - as usual, there is a LOT happening at Old Donation and this tells you everything you need to know.

Day School Stop & Shop

Tuesday, 3 December 8:30am - 1:30pm in Tucker Hall

Pampered Chef, Young Living, Tupperware, and handmade items. We’ll be in Tucker Hall and you can shop for Christmas! This event raises funds for our Day School.

Next Wednesday Evening, 4 December

• Vestry Commissions 6:00pm Supper, 6:30pm Meetings
• Oyster Roast After-Action, 6:00pm Supper, 6:30pm Mtg - Great Hall
• Transition Focus Group for BBC 6:00pm - Canterbury

Everyone is invited! Come wish Father Bob a happy birthday, and rejoice in his 20-year ministry at Old Donation. We will send Bob and Chris into the next phase of their lives with our best wishes and prayers for health and happiness.

This is a casual, family-friendly event.

We will have hors d'oeuvres, birthday cake, and

(of course!) ice cream.

Childcare and supper are provided for ages 5 and under.

It is essential that you RSVP no later than 8 December as this event is catered. Late RSVPs cannot be accepted.

If you have already responded, no need to do so again.

• Angel Tree!
• Jolly Jamboree!
• URC Toy Drive!

Click HERE to read everything and to sign up!

It's time to sign up for Angel Tree gifts. Presents must be wrapped & labeled with the child’s code and returned to the Great Hall by Sunday, 8 December.



Our Annual Jolly Jamboree is Saturday, 14 December at 1:00pm. We will welcome our Angel Tree Families to ODEC as our guests for a Christmas celebration! This will be an afternoon of holiday treats, children's crafts and games, and pictures with Santa. Families will pick up their Angel Tree gifts.

We need volunteers to help with games, crafts, snacks or pictures with Santa at ODEC's Jolly Jamboree on 14 December from 1-3pm.

Questions? Please contact Melissa Waide or Jenn Oakley.

This Sunday during 9:30am Formation

For Everyone! Come assemble your own Advent Wreath

It's now time to submit your 2025 pledge!

Click the graphic below to do so online.

Read everything about Stewardship in our most recent Bell Ringer!

Photos

Please send us a current photo of yourself so we can update our records. This is in preparation to help our upcoming interim rector. Email your photo to Gretchen.

Flickr Photos

Check out our Flickr page to see thousands of photos of happenings here at ODEC. You might even see yourself!