December 16, 2018
The Third Sunday of Advent
A great disturbance
The powers of the heavens will be shaken...
            —Luke 21.26

A great disturbance approaches—
but not some dire calamity flung upon us,
the fantasy engorged preachers like to invoke.
No, it's a greater upheaval:
a rift in the very fabric of selfishness,
a disturbance in the powers of evil.
God knows the secret, fatal weakness 
of the Opponent of Life:
his power is built entirely on lies and fear. 
Even the simplest truth unravels it.
Even the smallest gift, the most subtle beauty, 
shakes the powers. 
The energy of love overpowers evil,
converts it, as light does darkness.
God mends this troubled world 
not by mounting a war of good against evil
but by sending a helpless child,
a child who prevails, not by winning—
for eventually evil will kill the child—
but by evoking such unkillable love in our hearts
that the powers in the heights are shaken.
So when we see these things we raise our heads,
for our redemption is drawing near.

Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
This Sunday at St. Andrew's

Coffee Bar all morning in the lobby

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Nursery open
9:15 a.m. Adult Forum
Youth Confirmation class
10:30 a.m.  Holy Eucharist, Rite II
trumpeter Peter Aiello will be here
Children's Chapel

12:00 Episcopal Youth Community

4:00 p.m. Outside Wind concert and reception

 
December 16 Lectionary
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Canticle 9
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18
Christian Formation
Advent Adult Forum: Sharing Our Faith, Sunday mornings at 9:15
Jason and Daryl Knudeson and Dan Waddill will facilitate as we continue our discussion on sharing our faith story with others. The series will continue through December 23.
Youth Confirmation this Sunday
Youth Confirmation will meet at 9:15 a.m. in the parish library. 
Children’s Chapel, in the Day School Library, begins following the reading of the Gospel during the 10:30 a.m. service.
The Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) will meet this Sunday at noon for their Christmas party.
Watch a performance of Outside Wind Quintet from Last Year's Concert
Outside Wind Quintet
Concert to Benefit PORT
This Sunday, December 16, 4:00 p.m.
followed by reception  

Everyone is invited to a concert of Christmas music by The Outside Wind Quintet to benefit PORT Emergency Winter Shelter of Hampton Roads. The concert will feature traditional and contemporary arrangements of some of our favorite Christmas carols. Donations will be accepted and all proceeds will benefit PORT. A reception will follow the concert in St. Andrew's parish hall.  Visit the Facebook page for this event:  www.facebook.com/outsidewinds 

A group of anonymous parishioners will provide matching funds up to $1000. We hope you can join your friends at St. Andrew's for a wonderful concert, guaranteed to put you in the Christmas spirit! If you can’t be here for the concert you may still make a donation. Make checks payable to St. Andrew’s with “Outside Wind” on the memo line.
Salvaging Santa Toy Collection
We are collecting new toys for ages birth through 18 for the Salvaging Santa project to benefit displaced children and families that were victims of the Hurricane Michael. Many have lost their homes and possessions in Panama City. A donation box is located in the Main St. lobby and all donations need to be here by December 16 in order to ship in time for Christmas. Thank you for your help!
Congratulations and Thank You
Congratulations to Tonia Graves, Steve Howell, Betsy Jones, and Allie Wittkamp who were elected as the Vestry Class of 2021 at our Annual Congregational Meeting on December 2.

A grateful thank you to Carter Ficklen, Merrill Hemmert, Danny Switzer, and Elise Wall who have served St. Andrew’s for three years as the Vestry Class of 2108.
Advent Party Thank Yous
A special thank you to Rachel and Al Roby, (and Jimi), for hosting the Advent Party on December 2. We had great food and fellowship as 62 of our parishioners attended the party.

And the Roby's would like to thank everyone who attended! It was your presence that made the night a time of true fellowship and celebration (not to mention the fantastic food everyone brought!)
Parish Clean Up Day Rescheduled
Due to inclement weather the parish clean up day has been rescheduled to next Monday, December 17 beginning at 9:00 AM. If you can help, dress warmly and bring your work gloves. Thanks!
Are You Ready for a Little Holiday Trivia?
Some things to ponder...
  • A.D. 200 is when Christmas as we know it was first celebrated. The word mass means “a gathering”. At that time, there were public masses, religious masses, and political masses. The church world adopted this term and began to celebrate different types of religious masses. In A. D. 200, it was determined that a mass should be held to celebrate the birth of Christ. December 25 was chosen in A.D. 354 as the yearly date for the “Christ-mass” since no one knew the exact day Christ was born. Before 354, Christ-masses were held any time churches wanted to recognize and celebrate the birth of Christ.
  • Saint Nicholas of Myra was a fourth-century bishop who traveled throughout Asia Minor giving gifts to orphans and widows. He was known as the “bishop of charity.” He wore the standard bishop’s robe of his day. It was red, representing the blood of Christ, and trimmed in white fur, representing the purity of Christ. As was customary for bishops in his day, his transportation was a sleigh pulled by reindeer.
  • A.D. 680 was when Saint Boniface, a German bishop, was walking through a field in the dead of winter. He noticed that the trees, grass, and other plant life were leafless and lifeless. Suddenly, he saw an evergreen tree, the only one alive in the field. He also noticed that the tree formed an arrow pointing upward. This prompted him to fall on his knees and pray. Since it was impossible to bring everyone to the field, he decided to bring the tree to them – to illustrate how God brings life in the midst of winter. His sermon was the talk of the town – it was called the “tree” sermon. And thus another tradition was born. (Do you know who brought the idea of Christmas trees to Virginia and where they first appeared?)

Next week:
  • Holly
  • The Ringing of Christmas Bells
Turkey Sandwich Day - We have everything!
This year’s Turkey Sandwich Day will be on Friday, December 21 at 9:00 a.m. in the parish hall. Thanks to your generosity, we have everything we need to make the bag lunches. We just need YOU on the 21st!  
The Longest Night Service at Hilton Christian Church
The Longest Night Healing Service will be held at Hilton Christian Church on Friday, December 21 at 5:30 PM. This time of healing is offered in recognition of how hard the Advent/Christmas season is for many people, especially those who are grieving a loss. The service will incorporate times for remembering loss and reclaiming hope as we light candles to push the dark away from the sacred space.  
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!
Thank-you to the parish and to Anne for a fun-filled day of bowling followed by lunch at Le Yaca in Williamsburg! We had a blast! Can you guess who had the highest overall score? (HINT: it's the person on the far left.)
You are Invited to Join Travis and Hal Greenman on the Trip of a Lifetime
Hal and Travis Greenman are embarking on a beautiful pilgrimage to Rome, Florence, and Oberammergau.  Every 10 years, since 1634, the most famous Passion Pay in the world has taken place at Oberammergau in Germany. Following the play, the group will travel through the Alps to Italy - Rome, Florence, and Assisi. Travis will prepare meditations and celebrate Holy Communion with the group for a special spiritual pilgrimage. 

Printed brochures are available in the church office.  Click here to learn more.
A Proud Grandmother
Jamey Bacon’s granddaughter, Madison Bacon, won The Marshall Booker Scholarship at Christopher Newport University for the highest GPA in all graduate programs. She teaches kindergarten in Yorktown and goes to CNU two afternoons a week to work on her Masters. She should have it completed in May. The family is so proud of her and they want to thank Dr. Booker for this honor.
Gift Cards
Please don’t forget that the last day for Bill Wilds to order Scrip gift cards for the holidays is Monday, December 17. 

We have $25, $50, $100, and $200 Food Lion Gift Cards available in the church office for immediate purchase. 
Hilton Elementary School is Especially Beautiful this Year
If you haven't had a chance to drive down Main Street after dark this year, you've missed the beautiful display of lights at Hilton Elementary. This picture comes to us courtesy of our neighbor, Jerry Gammon.