WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS SUNDAY | |
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MEETING HOUSE SUNDAY
Rick Spalding preaching
Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108
Old South Church returns to our ancestral home, the Old South Meeting House, for our annual Festival Thanksgiving Worship. Worship begins at
11 a.m. Music includes the great Thanksgiving hymns, the Festival Choir, the Old South Ringers handbell choir, brass, percussion, and piano. The nearest parking garage is the Pi Alley Garage at 275 Washington Street, you can look for on street parking, or try the Spot Hero app.
Childcare is available at Old South Church at 645 Boylston Street from
9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
For links to bulletins and the worship livestream go to oldsouth.org/Sundays.
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YOUTH GROUP BRUNCH
Follows Meeting House Worship, RSVP to Kate Nintcheu
Youth Group members are invited to meet Kate after worship and enjoy brunch together.
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CHRISTMAS MEMORIALS (IN LIEU OF FLOWERS)
Donations due by Sunday, December 4th
Click here and choose "Christmas Memorial" to make your gift.
Since 2020 our Christmas Memorials have gone to Allston Brighton Food Pantry. Originally this was because no poinsettias decked our chancel. Now, though we are back in person and will have beautiful poinsettias on the chancel, the needs of the Food Pantry have not gone away. So we will continue to direct the memorial gifts to them. The requested contribution is still $20. Your message in honor or memory of loved ones, or special occasions, can be entered on the second page of the donation screen or you can give anonymously. The list of messages will be available in the Sunday bulletin and online beginning December 11th. Questions? Contact Helen McCrady
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HEALTHY CHURCH, HAPPY CHURCH
Friends, as Fall turns to Winter we want to lift up our goals of keeping each other healthy by being diligent about our own health.
- If you are feeling off, or coughing and drippy, we encourage you to tune into worship and Community Hour online. This does not apply to chronic (non-contagious) conditions, of course.
- As a reminder, we also have masked sections set apart in worship every week, so that everyone can feel comfortable in our community.
- During this flu and cold season, we will continue to encourage non-touch ways to pass the peace and have available masks and hand sanitizer.
Thank you for sharing these goals for keeping our community comfortable and healthy!
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WORSHIP ON YOUTUBE LIVE
Not a fan of Vimeo? We have a way for you to tune in to worship! Simply go to youtube.com/OldSouthChurch to visit our YouTube page once we go live and the service will be the first video on your screen. You can also subscribe to us to receive notifications of when we're live.
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Thursdays, 6 p.m., in the Gordon Chapel or at oldsouth.org/jazz
No Jazz Worship on Thanksgiving Day
Join us on in Gordon Chapel on Thursday evening for Jazz Worship! You don’t have to be a jazz aficionado to feel at home - just someone who wants to immerse yourself in soulful music, inspiring words, and creative liturgy. It’s intimate and it’s welcoming. We start preludes shortly before 6:00 pm. Click here for a hard copy of the song titles, credits, and hymns to print in advance.
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UPDATE FROM THE SENIOR MINISTER SEARCH COMMITTEE
Click here to learn more and read the full November update
As we enter now more fully into the work of reviewing potential candidates for our Senior Minister position, we are grateful for the diversity of our committee and the trust and respect we have established with one another. Though we are using a shared framework for evaluating candidates, we each read and resonate with the profiles from the vantage point of our own experiences. Sharing our perspectives honestly and listening openly to one another, we are engaged in the holy wisdom of congregational decision-making. Thank you, as always, for your ongoing prayers of support.
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Late fall at Old South usually brings an opportunity to learn about our budget, and the ANNUAL GIVING upon which it depends. This year we decided to try a more whimsical way of passing along some information about our "ways and means." So today we begin a weekly series of brief announcements: Old South by the Numbers. Each week from now to the end of the pledge campaign (in January) we'll have a new number for you. See if you can figure out what the number is!
14.16 Million is this week's number.
What do you think it represents?
Click here for the answer.
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HELP US CREATE AN EXTRAVAGANT WELCOME | |
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HOSPITALITY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
FOR JANARY, FEBRUARY, AND MARCH
Click here to sign up by December 11th
Old South is known for it extravagant welcome to visitors and members alike. We need you to help create this experience. Sign up to Usher, Welcome, and bring food or serve at Coffee Hour. Help bring a smile to someone's day!
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ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS AT OLD SOUTH | |
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CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR & COOKIE WALK
Saturday, December 3rd, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
in the Gordon Chapel
Thirty New England artists will vend their creative offerings in pottery, knits, photography, fine art, jewelry, blown glass, beeswax candles, turned wood, and more!
Cookie Walk Bakers Needed: We are returning to our famous Cookie Walk during this year's fair and are looking for cookie bakers. If you would like to help out and bake some cookies, please email Ralph Watson for full instructions on how to participate. Drop off homemade cookies for the Craft Fair on Friday December 2nd, or before 9am on December 3rd.
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ANNUAL ADVENT POETRY FEST
Sunday, December 4th, 10:00 a.m. in Mary Norton Hall
Do you have a favorite poem or short prose selection that is meaningful to you or have you written a poem, prayer, or brief meditation that sheds light on the Christmas story? Then come and share your humorous, serious or thought provoking selection that reflects some aspect of the season. To join in, email Don Wells the title of your selection.
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CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
Sunday, December 11th at 9 a.m.
The kids of Old South have been hard at work rehearsing for the annual Christmas Pageant, and you don't want to miss it! Join us in the Gordon Chapel for this spectacular, funny, heartwarming event.
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CHILDREN'S CLOTHING DRIVE FOR CRADLES TO CRAYONS
To RSVP for Dec 17th, please click here.
Old South's Children & Family Ministries is collecting new and gently used children's clothing between now and December 17th for Cradles to Crayons. We will then gather on Saturday December 17th from 9am - noon to sort and compile donations into packs for children in transitional situations like foster care, new immigrants, and domestic emergencies. We encourage you to focus on new or gently used children's clothing and winter coats -- as these are what are most needed at this time of year. While we do accept underwear, socks, and pajamas, these items must be NEW, in packaging/with tags. Donations can be brought to the Chapel donation box on Sundays, or left for Kate Nintcheu at reception during the week.
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BLUE CHRISTMAS JAZZ WORSHIP
Thursday, December 22nd at 6 p.m.
While we’re bombarded with words lauding the wonders of the season, many people find the holidays anything but joyful. Blue Christmas provides an opportunity to step away & let go into music and readings that acknowledge your feelings without trying to talk you out of them. Even if you love the holidays, you may find comfort in this special service.
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CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
Saturday, December 24th at 5 p.m., 8 p.m., and 11 p.m.
We offer three unique candlelit services on Christmas Eve, the first two of which will also be viewable via live stream. We hope you can join us!
5 p.m. Candlelight Family Service
Children are invited to participate in an impromptu Christmas pageant, with simple costumes provided. We sing carols to tell the Christmas story together. Childcare provided.
8 p.m. Candlelight Service of Lessons & Carols
An elegant telling of the Christmas story in carols and readings with music for choir and organ, culminating in the singing of “Silent Night” in our candle-lit sanctuary. Childcare provided.
11 p.m. Candlelight Communion
A warmly traditional service with festive carol singing, traditional lessons, and communion in our garland-bedecked chapel. We greet the birth of Christ by singing "Silent Night" outdoors by candlelight just after midnight.
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CHRISTMAS GIFT DRIVE FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE
Connect with a child in foster care to help make their holiday bright. Old South is partnering with the Department of Children and Families to provide gifts for 75 or more children in foster care. We need your help! All OSC members who choose to participate will be matched with a specific child and given a wish list with web links to the child's requested gifts. You will shop online and ship the items directly to our DCF partner. The estimated cost is $50+ per child. Just email David Story and the team at [email protected] and let us know how many children you will sponsor and if you are able to do a more expensive gift like a bicycle. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Old South's Santas are the BEST!
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GROWING AND LIVING IN COMMUNITY | |
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UPCOMING FORUMS
Sundays, 10 a.m., 2nd Floor Mary Norton Hall
and on Zoom, password Community
This casual, no-commitment, come-when-you-can forum hosts series on a variety of topics. Clergy, lay, and special guests share in leading sessions.
MAYA ANGELOU AND THE FREEDOM POETRY OF ADVENT
November 27, December 11, and December 18
Maya Angelou is an Advent poet extraordinaire, in the sense that she often stands in the shadows and writes of the light. She boldly insists on blessedness and freedom, even as she confronts - with both candor and wit - the pain and injustice of the world. This month in the Forum we will let scripture and Angelou's poems be our guide, together pointing towards weekly practices that can help deepen and enrich our experience of the season.
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SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY
Sundays at 10 am in the Phillis Wheatley Room and via zoom
Delve into the day’s scripture passage heard in worship. This no-homework Bible study delights in taking a scholarly look at ancient texts. Don’t leave your questions at the door; we need them. For more information contact Katherine Schofield.
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THROUGH THE BIBLE
Thursdays, 7:00 p.m., 4th Floor Phillis Wheatley Room and on Zoom
Join us as we journey at a reflective and thorough pace through the Hebrew Bible. We are excited to welcome a new Bible Study Instructor to lead this group. Andrew Vosburgh, a student at Harvard Divinity School, has a deep appreciation of biblical hermeneutics and is well versed in ancient languages so will bring many gifts to the group.
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REFILLABLE FOUNTAIN PENS
Handy and reliable, fountain pens draw ink from an inkwell and are reusable. No more waste from disposable pens, and they're just so classy!
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"God wants us to sign a contract, a binding agreement to work together for the transformation of the world and ourselves."
Watch the video to hear Theologian in the City June Cooper reflect on In the Meantime.
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VIRTUAL JAZZ WORSHIP
Missed last night's Jazz Worship? Visit the link below to watch the service. Also, check out our SoundCloud to listen to all of the Willie Sordillo Ensemble's Jazz Coffee House music. It's free!
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COVID PRECAUTIONS
- Masking is optional.
- Masks are available at the front desk for those who choose to wear one.
- We strongly encourage everyone to be fully vaxxed and boosted, to attend to handwashing, and to refrain from entering the building if you have so much as a sniffle.
MASKED SECTIONS OF THE SANCTUARY AND CHAPEL
Did you know that we have masked sections in the Sanctuary and Chapel? We do! It's in the left transept (under the balcony) of the Sanctuary. In the Gordon Chapel, the Columbarium is the designated section. In both sections, masks are required. If you still aren't sure how to get to either section, ask an usher!
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SANCTUARY IN THE CITY
Our Sanctuary in this City is open to visitors for prayer and reflection.
Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Fridays 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.;
and Weekends, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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