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CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

Sunday, December 15, 9am, First Worship 

The kids of Old South have been hard at work rehearsing for the annual Christmas Pageant, and you don't want to miss it! This year's script is an homage to former OSC Sr. Minister Frederick M. Meek and his 1972 book "The Bethlehem Inn, and other Christmas Stories". Join us in the Gordon Chapel for this spectacular, funny, heartwarming event.

OLD SOUTH VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION EVENT

Sunday, December 15, 12:15pm, Mary Norton Hall

As a small token of gratitude to our wonderful volunteers at Old South, we will be hosting a small Christmas volunteer appreciation event on December 15th after festival worship in Mary Norton Hall. Come for a hot chocolate bar, goodies, and connection with other community members! Stay and play a game! Stuff an envelope for a Christmas mailing if you want to do something with your hands! Or just come to chat and be in community with other volunteers. Amelia Gerrard (Director of Admin) will be leading the event and would love to see you and thank you. Email amelia@oldsouth.org with any questions.

THIS SUNDAY, December 8, 2024

For links to bulletins and the worship livestream click here.

ALL-CHURCH COOKIE DECORATING

Sunday December 15, 10am, Mary Norton Hall. 

It’s Advent three: the week for joy! Join us for fellowship and creative holiday treat-making as we decorate cookies and share coffee and conversation.

YOGA & MEDITATION

Sundays at 10am in the basement Club Room

Old South is a gentle space to nourish our spiritual body, but sometimes it's the physical body crying out or subtly seeking our attention. You are invited to join a weekly yoga and meditation small group during the 10 o’clock hour (between the 9 and 11am services) in the Club Room. Please bring a journal and a mat (or just let us know if you need either or both provided) to this time for breath, movement, and fellowship. We look forward to welcoming you. Questions? Email Amy Coe.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S AT OLD SOUTH

BLUE CHRISTMAS: THURSDAY NIGHT CHURCH EDITION

Thursday, December 19th at 6pm in the Chapel and via live stream

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.

CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

Tuesday, December 24th at 5pm, 8pm and 11pm

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!

5pm 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

.

8pm 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 upon request - email children@oldsouth.org. 

11pm 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.

SIMPLE ALL-CHURCH NEW YEAR’S SERVICE

Sunday, December 29, 10 a.m., in the Chapel

BOSTON FIRST NIGHT: PIPES AND POPS CONCERTS

Tuesday, December 31, 6:30 and 8 p.m., in the Sanctuary

The best of Boston’s brass and percussion artists join organist Mitchell Crawford in a supersonic program of popular classics. Featuring fun and engaging programming for the whole family, this concert includes a seasonal sing of “Auld Lang Syne.” Experience Old South’s incredible E. M. Skinner organ, with over 7,000 room-shaking pipes! Free and open to the public.

GROWING AND LIVING IN COMMUNITY

GODLY PLAY FOR FAMILIES

December 22, 10am

This year we're going to practice Godly Play in a new way -- offering a gathering for families of preschoolers, infants, and toddlers once a month during the 10am hour on Sundays. Families will gather in the regular childcare room on the 3rd floor to hear a story together, to wonder a bit about the story, and then to have some work time to play around with the ideas and stories we heard. This is a great way for families who have not yet become regulars at church school to begin hearing the stories and practicing together. Families of any age are welcome - though this is geared towards preschool age 4 and under. In addition -- parents are not required to attend, but we suspect most will want to.

JOIN OUR USHER TEAM

Click here to sign up

Whether you're looking to meet more people at Old South or wondering how you can contribute to our wide open door, this may be just the thing! Serving as an usher, welcomer, or coffee hour host is an easy way to get more involved at Old South. Everyone is welcome, training is provided, and you only need to be friendly and willing to help. New sign ups are now available through February. Questions? Email hospitality@oldsouth.org for info.

CHRISTMAS EVE USHERS AND WELCOMERS STILL NEEDED

Click here to sign up, scrolling down to 12/24

Mary and Joseph needed lots of help along the way to that Inn in Bethlehem. Likewise, we need your help to welcome our neighbors to Old South on Christmas Eve. You can sign up to usher at the 5pm, 8pm, or 11pm. Questions? Email hospitality@oldsouth.org for info. 

GREEN TIP: Wrap Sustainably from www.sustainablerookie.com

Whatever you choose to give you may want to wrap it yourself. This allows you to put even more time and care into your gift–which is a part of this experience–and to personalize it. During the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, Americans throw away 25% more trash than any other time of the year, which amounts to 25 million tons of garbage. The good news is, there are many ways to wrap your gifts more sustainably! A great option is to save bags and gift wraps from presents you receive. Store them until the time comes when you need them. Other ideas are to reuse shipping or shoe boxes, use old newspapers or magazines, reuse fabrics, reuse scraps of papers you have at home, repurpose mason jars, reuse old maps, or recycle paper. 

OTHER WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

VESPERS HEALING WORSHIP

Next Service Sunday, January 12, 5pm on Zoom,

Click here to join

Please join us to take a moment for rest and renewal in the presence of God and other spiritual companions gathering by Zoom. All are welcome to share this quiet space and lift up our concerns, our losses, our hurts, and our celebrations in the Healing Presence of God and one another. 

THURSDAY NIGHT CHURCH

Thursdays, 6pm

Thursday Night Church is a worship service where the music is contemporary, the space is open-hearted and in-the-round, and the preaching is focused on how we can be the church together in the world. 

THURSDAY NIGHT SUPPER CLUB

Thursdays, 7pm

After worship, join us for Thursday Night Supper Club. Each week, folks can gather after worship for dinner and an informal small group hosted by some of our friendly and hospitable lay leaders.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Click on the video to watch a sermon preached at Festival Worship by our Assistant Minister Rachel Barton titled Concern and Control.

OTHER INFORMATION

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!

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.