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First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown (FPCP)
The Church of the Open Door
Community News
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Light a candle of hope this week |
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Every time I light a candle, I feel a little rush of pleasure and excitement. Striking a match, hearing the hiss and sputter as the wick catches, seeing that flicker of flame come to life -- it never gets old, even after all these years of lighting candles on kids' birthday cakes, for holiday dinners, to make rooms smell nicer, to repel those pesky insects, to light up jack-o'-lanterns, to navigate when the power goes out.
Back in my Sunday school days, only the big kids got to light the altar candles before Sunday services. I remember what a huge thrill it was when the ushers said I was old enough to take my turn. Slowly, carefully, I marched down the aisle, gingerly carrying the gleaming brass candlelighter, staring at the delicate flame on the wick and willing it not to go out (so embarrassing!) before I could light those candles.
When I grew up and left home, I found work overseas as a tour guide. As I guided groups of people through beautiful and historic sites in faraway lands, I often found myself in sacred spaces -- and in those spaces, I almost always saw candles burning. That old attraction flickered in me. I began to look for candles everywhere I went.
I dropped countless coins in tiny boxes in cathedrals across Europe to light votives. On a kibbutz in Israel, I heard women say blessings over Shabbat candles and helped light a menorah at Hanukkah. I saw elderly women venerate icons in an Orthodox church in Greece, kneeling over candles in a box of sand. I burned red prayer candles at Buddhist shrines in Hong Kong. In my tiny flat near the Eiffel Tower, I celebrated Diwali with Hindu neighbors by lighting Diyas -- tea candles floating in bowls of water amid fresh yellow flowers. And in Vienna, where I met my husband, friends collected winter greens to make an Adventskranz (Advent wreath), spending snowy Sundays in its warm glow, eating Lebkuchen, drinking coffee, and listening to Christmas carols.
Why is that people through the ages and around the world light candles, especially on holy days and in holy places? Scholars and religious teachers offer many reasons: to show reverence, to be still, to remember, to celebrate, to meditate, to pray. But the reason that resonates most powerfully for me is hope.
Whenever I light a candle, that joyful and persistent flicker of light in the darkness inspires feelings of hope inside me -- and I really need to hold onto hope right now. When country and community seem so divided, when I feel anxious and isolated, it helps me to know around the world and across the street, lots of people light candles -- people who might feel the same way I do when they strike match, and hear that hiss and sputter as the wick catches, and watch a flicker of light come to life in the darkness. If we can hold on to hope, we'll have the strength to set things right.
This week, let's all light our candles of hope together on the first Sunday of Advent, November 29. All through the week, we can hold on to that light, and nurture hope inside us, so we can help to set things right -- at home, at school, at work, and in our community. Remember we are still together, even when we're apart. And the best news is that all of us are loved, all the time.
-- MZ Smith, Community News editor
P. S. Make your own Adventskranz (Advent wreath)! Click the picture of mine above. And Sunday school families, don't miss the article on your DIY Advent wreaths below!
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First Sunday of Advent
Join our SUNDAY, NOV. 29 worship service via Zoom.
Our services are lovely, lively, friendly, warm, and informal, even when we're on screen!
This is the first Sunday of Advent, and we will light our first candle -- the candle of hope -- together at the start of our service. Make your own Advent wreath (see above and below!), or just have a single candle, standard or battery operated, ready to light!
Lynn Brown, Clerk of our Session and a longtime member of our church family, leads this service and our Advent reflection. We look forward to beautiful music by FPCP's Music Director Tom McCoy, at the piano.
Anyone can join us from anywhere for this online service! Just use the handy links at left to connect with us.
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Join us this Sunday. It's easy!
ο»ΏFor info about online services and a link to download Zoom, click here.
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Sunday School families: Watch for a special delivery to your home that looks a lot like this! It's your "DIY Advent Wreath Kit."
Many thanks to the amazing Carolyn Llewellyn & Bev Taylor!
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Sunday School Families:
Your DIY Advent Wreaths will arrive this weekend!
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Advent is a meaningful and beautiful time for Sunday School students and their families, who often have shared reflections and lit the Advent candles in church at the beginning of our services.
This year we're worshiping online, at home, to be safe -- but thanks to Youth Ed coordinator Carolyn Llewellyn and elder Bev Taylor, Sunday School families will get to make Advent wreaths, using DIY kits that will be safely delivered to their homes before Sunday!
Families! Light your Advent candles with us this Sunday at 10:30 am at the start of our online service! A Zoom link will be in your weekly Sunday School email!
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We are making our next Midnight Run on Saturday, Dec. 5! This outreach trip will take food and critical supplies directly to people experiencing homelessness. FPCP members Ron Sopyla, Andy Larivee and Susan Jordan will caravan down to NYC.
Please help! If you can donate food or a sleeping bag, click the picture to sign up. Drop off your donations at our church at 10 Academy St. on Friday, Dec. 4, from 11am - 12pm or 1:30 - 2:30pm Or: You can contact Ron at rsopyla@verizon.net. Thank you!
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Candles burning brightly at our Longest Night Service last year |
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Celebrate the Season with us!
Join us for safe, online services:
Our Advent Services are on Sundays at 10:30 am: Nov. 29, Dec. 6, Dec. 13, and Dec. 20.
Our Longest Night Service will be Monday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 pm.
Our Christmas Eve Service will be Thursday, Dec. 24 at 5:00 pm.
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Join FPCP's fun and fabulous Book Club! CORRECTION: Our Book Club is reading a different Eliza Hamilton book! Note: It has the same title! But this I, Eliza Hamilton bio is by Susan Holloway Scott. Many fell in love with Eliza because of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, but few of us know her story. A strong woman, Eliza had many sides, and this biography brings her personality to vivid life. We'll discuss THIS I, Eliza on Tuesday, Dec. 15. For more info, email Bev Taylor here.
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Kids: Explore big ideas! Sunday School currently takes place at home. Carolyn, our Youth Ed leader, sends families a weekly email with stories, activities, and ideas. Last week, we prepared for the Thanksgiving national holiday by talking about its origins, and what we can be grateful for in this pandemic year. We found about some gratitude stories and some of us made a thankful tree (see above) with leaves filled with our own gratitude words. Join our e-list! Email Carolyn here.
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Please help if you can. During this health and economic crisis, we are grateful that we can serve neighbors in need through our critical mission programs like the Food Pantry and Midnight Run. If you feel called to support this outreach, we warmly welcome any and all contributions. If you are a member of our church family and can maintain your giving at this time, we humbly thank you.
To make an online donation, click the image at the left, or right here. Bless you!
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Visit our website and follow us on Facebook!
Call or email us today.
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