A message from our Pastor and Teacher

December 8~~ Second Sunday of Advent ~~ "Women of Christmas: Elizabeth"

When God seeks to change the world, she sends a child. And the change she was seeking with Jesus Christ was so large, one baby wasn't going to do! The gospel of Luke tells us that not only was Mary visited by the Angel Gabriel, so was another family: her cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah. They were advanced in age and had not yet had a child. Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the Temple to share the good news, but Zechariah doubted the words of the angel and was struck mute. Elizabeth still conceived and gave birth to a baby boy named John. It wouldn't be until 30 years or so later that John would become known as John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus Christ. Come hear more about this story and rejoice together on this Second Sunday of Advent as we light the candle of Peace.

Sunday's Scripture

Youth Scripture: Isaiah 9:2, 6

Focus Scripture: Luke 1:57-66

It's time for Sacred Saturday

The Advent season is a time of expectations - and for many it is a busy and overwhelming time of “must-dos” “used-to-dos” and the dreaded “ought-to-dos.” In the midst of all the internal and external pressures of this holiday season, give yourself the gift of a three-hour retreat to re-center and re-enter the season. Sacred Saturday will be held this week from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon at the church. All are welcome…

Caring for Kin during December

December's collection is new socks and underwear for men.

Your donations will be distributed among various organizations who serve our kin in need.

Don't you just love the feel of new, soft socks and underwear?

Let's share this delight with those who have not!

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal December 8

The Christmas Pageant is 12/15. But the younger kids have their big rehearsal December 8, this coming Sunday after church!

There are still lots of non-speaking parts and a couple for narrators.

Contact Susi Jacobsen @909-533-9712 for your chance to be part of the telling of the greatest of stories!

Holiday Tea Potluck December 15

Join us on December 15th for a Holiday Tea Potluck, held in Covenant Hall following the Christmas Pageant service. There will be Gingerbread House decorating for the kids, holiday music, games and fellowship. If you would like to bring something for the Potluck please sign up here: https://www.PerfectPotluck.com/TBHS5128.           

A selection of Teas and Hot Chocolate will be provided!

 If you signed up your child for the Secret Santa Gift exchange, it will take place on the 15th as well.



We look forward to seeing you all there!

The Glory of Christmas is the new name for Feastings, debuting Dec. 15!

The Glory of Christmas (formerly Feastings) will be on Sunday, December 15 at 2 p.m. We will be holding a fundraiser called Friends of Feastings (the Glory of Christmas)

You may donate to our choir program every Sunday through December 8 after service in Covenant Hall. Anyone who donates will have their name on our Glory of Christmas program. No donation is too small or too big!

RSVP for Christmas Eve Dinner after Worship

Hospitality will be hosting a dinner after worship on Christmas Eve. Worship is at 5:30 p.m. In the past this has been an open-serve Tamale Dinner, or light refreshments. This year will be different: We will have both to-go cookies as a gift for friends and visitors heading off to other plans, and a sit-down dinner for those who want to share Christmas Eve with church family! There will be extra seats for newcomers and people whose plans may have fallen through, but we are asking church members and friends to RSVP. This will help us order and prepare the right amount of food, ensuring enough and cutting back on waste. The menu is chicken parmesan with a pasta and salad bar, along with garlic bread. Please RSVP to Minori at Minori@redlandsucc.org. Please share the number of your guests and any dietary restrictions they may have.

It just isn't Christmas without Poinsettias!

You can help beautify our sanctuary for Advent and Christmas by ordering poinsettias. Your plant may be designated as being in honor or in memory of someone. Those dedications will be listed in a bulletin. After the Christmas season, you may also take your plant(s) home if you wish.

Click here for the order form.

Environmental Justice Message

[When] Cyclone Freddy, the longest-lasting tropical cyclone ever recorded, brought a deluge of rain to southern Malawi in 2023 [Christopher Bingala] lost his house and livestock. As a subsistence farmer, Bingala didn't have the resources to start over. But then he got a payment of about $750, which he used to build his family a new house.

The payment is one of the first examples of “loss and damage” compensation, a new kind of funding specifically for climate change-related disasters. Low-income countries are bearing the brunt of more intense storms and droughts but have done little to produce the pollution that's heating up the planet. So last year, wealthier countries agreed to create a fund specifically to pay for the damages from climate change. … The payment Bingala received came from the government of Scotland, the first country to dedicate funding specifically for loss and damage. 

Source: Sommer, Lauren, “Richer countries are starting to pay poorer ones for climate change damages,” All Things Considered, National Public Radio, 11/21/24: https://www.npr.org/2024/11/20/nx-s1-5165474/cop29-climate-change-loss-damage

Racial Justice reflection of the week

Rev. Cayce Ramey refuses to participate in the most important ritual of his Episcopal faith, saying racial reconciliation within the church has to take priority over Communion — also known as the Eucharist — during which Episcopalians believe Jesus is present.

“The Holy Eucharist is our most central sacred act, and it’s what Jesus teaches — I think calls — us to walk away from,” said Ramey, who is White. “I was being called to work at that level and not to make another scholarships fund or even another reparations fund” in response to racial inequality.



 Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2024/11/29/episcopal-priest-communion-racism/

Actions at the November Board Meeting

Meeting Summary - November 19, 2024.

• The board added two holidays to the Personnel Policy. The policy now includes Juneteenth and Veterans Day.

• The board extended the Angel Tree fundraiser for one week. It will end on December 8, 2024.

• Treasurer Stacey Greene previewed the 2025 budget. It shows that expenses will exceed revenue. We will not know our giving income until members who we expect to covenant have done so. The board will approve a budget in December. The church will consider the budget at the Annual Meeting in January.

Editor's note: Although this is a busy time of year, please try to get your Covenant in soon. The board needs to approve a budget this month for congregational approval in January.

Upcoming Dates to Remember

• December 7, 9 a.m.-noon - Sacred Saturday, Mosaic Hall

December 15 is a BIG day for Advent/Christmas activities including:

• December 15 ~ Christmas Pageant presented by our youth and children during the worship service
• Children decorate their Gingerbread houses in Covenant Hall after the service
• Holiday Tea Potluck
• 2:00 p.m "The Glory of Christmas" (formerly known as Feastings) in the Sanctuary.
• December 18, 7 p.m. - Blue Christmas service in the sanctuary
• December 20, 5 p.m. - All-church caroling, meet in parking lot (see article above)
• December 24 - 5:30 p.m.- Christmas Eve Service, followed by dinner. (see article above)
• December 25 - Merry Christmas to all!

The church calendar is online at redlandsucc.org/calendar