December 10, 2023

The Second Sunday of Advent

10am Service



Pastor Katie Holeman Presiding

The Rev. Mary Claugus Preaching

& The Rev. Rodney Davis Deacon

5pm Contemplative Prayer Eucharist with Zoom

The First Sunday of Advent

Pastor Katie Holeman

Sunday December 3, 2023

St. Michael’s has a Green Team? Really!

Almighty God, in giving us dominion over things on earth, you made us fellow workers in your creation: Give us wisdom and reverence so to use the resources of nature, that no one may suffer from our abuse of them, and that generations yet to come may continue to praise you for your bounty; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

As God’s children we are tasked with stewardship of our environment. We are all concerned about the catastrophic impact of climate change. This is an issue of environmental justice as well. Climate change has disproportionate effects on the poor and marginalized, leads to increased social disparity and global instability. As a church we can take action. In 2022, the National Church adopted a resolution at the General Convention to commit to goal of Net Carbon Neutrality in operations by 2030. The Diocese of Northern California, at the November 2022 convention, called upon parishes and schools to determine how to become carbon neutral by 2030. The diocese has also provided resources to assist parishes in this endeavor. To that end, the Vestry here at St. Michael’s has formed the Green Team to investigate how we as a church, and as individuals, can become carbon neutral. The committee consists of Rick Larkey, Pat Cole, and Sue Gaston.  We began meeting this fall.

So, what does Carbon Neutral mean? It means having a balance between the carbon emitted by a facility and the amount of carbon that is absorbed or removed from the atmosphere. How does a facility implement this goal? By reducing carbon emissions and providing offsets (trees, solar energy, purchase of offsets) to achieve a balance. 

The Green Team is already working with SMUD, the Day School, and the Diocese to assess our current status, and evaluate what changes we could make to move to carbon neutral by 2030. Will this cost money? Yes, but it will also result considerable energy savings. There are also rebates, tax credits, etc. that will help offset the costs. 

Stay tuned to the Messenger for updates as this work progresses.  

St. Michael's annual meeting will be Sunday January 28, 2024 immediately following the 10am service with a lunch. During the meeting we will be

• Voting for Vestry Members and Diocesan Delegates,
• Voting to amend our current bylaws, and
• Take a look at 2023 and look to the future.

More information will follow. If you are interested in the governance of the church, please pray about running for vestry. If you are interested in the governance of the diocese, please pray about running as a diocesan delegate. Applications are on our website and available in the office. The same application is used for either position.

Copies of both our current Bylaws and the proposed Amended Bylaws can be found here on our website.

Christmas Eve Family Service at 5pm

with "A Very Mixed-Up Christmas Pageant" - Join us for this fun and lighthearted Christmas Experience

Christmas Eve Choral Service at 9pm

Festival of Christmas Carols beginning at 8:30pm. You will not want to miss this.

Christmas Morning Service at 10am

All of our Christmas Services will also be available Livestreamed at our YouTube Channel.

Advent Calendar

In anticipation for the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas, Rev. Mary is offering an Advent Calendar practice to prepare your hearts and homes for the new birth of Christ this year. For the first week of Advent, you are invited to take inventory of your stuff. For the second week, you are invited to take inventory of your time. For the third week of Advent you are invited to take inventory of your relationships. The last blog will be posted on Christmas Eve, Christmas 2023, Space for Jesus. More details and information can be found in last weeks Messenger and on our Blog of the Website.

Living Compass Advent: Practicing Wonder

The Living Compass Advent booklets are available at the church on Sundays, in the office and online at https://www.livingcompass.org/advent. A weekly discussion group facilitated by Lisa and Jim Sargent will be offered on Sunday evenings from 6:30-7:30 on Zoom. We will meet on December 10 and 17. Please contact Lisa by e-mail at [email protected] to sign up. 

A Radiant Birth:

Advent Reflections

This Advent season Marilyn McEntyre will be leading reflections on a new collection of Advent daily readings by contemporary Christian writers, A Radiant Birth. Participants are encouraged to follow the daily readings during the week and come to the Sunday gatherings after coffee hour for one hour of reflection. Discounted copies of the book are available from Christian Book Distributors.

Volunteers needed:

Winter Respite 2024 Mornings

Wednesdays, 1/10/2024, 1/31/2024 and 2/7/2024

Christ Community Church,

5025 Manzanita Ave, Carmichael, CA 95608

St Michaels will again be joining with other faith communities in Carmichael to provide meals and a warm place to relax for a few hours during the coldest days of the year for our unhoused neighbors. We will need volunteers to prepare and serve breakfast and a sack lunch or snack each day, plus volunteers to greet and host guests. Please contact me with questions, suggestions and to volunteer, Cindy Dewey 909-921-8855, [email protected]

Habitat for Humanity

Build for Unity

Build for Unity is a program where multi-faith communities come to build houses together. St. Michael's was one of the original faith groups that started this amazing program (in 2016). Our three scheduled work days are:

• Saturday, February 3
• Friday, February 9
• Saturday, February 10

Mark your calendars if you are interested in participating. We have 10 spots open each day. Please feel free to invite your friends and family to join us in this wonderful program. If you have questions, please connect with Terry Bridges.

2023 Mercy & Social Justice Grants

Congratulations to the nominators and recipients. Through these grants, St. Michael’s shows that we love our neighbors and respect the dignity of every human being.

1. Women's Empowerment Nominated by Mary Ellen Ferguson
2. The Center at St. Matthew’s Nominated by Mary Ellen Ferguson
3. St. John's Real Change Nominated by Esta Wiederanders
4. International Rescue Committee Nominated by Christina Manning        
5. Golden Valley Quilt Nominated by Jane Samuelson
6. Sac Blankets / Sac Kids Nominated by Jan Bowdler
7. Mission at St. Matthews Nominated by Julie Linderman
8. Carmichael HART Winter Services “Winter Respite Days” Nominated by Julie Linderman      
9. River City Food Bank Nominated by Eileen Thomas                     
10. PANC Exhibitor Nominated by Dancy Dobrenick
11. PANC Respite Care Nominated by Kay Griffin and Marcie Larkey
12. American River Parkway Education Nominated by Jim Sargent
13. Loaves & Fishes Nominated by Jim Dodds
14. Blessings in a Backpack Nominated by Renee Pierce

Outreach opportunities can be found on our website calendar linked below!

Weekly Services

10am Sunday Morning Worship Eucharist & Choir also Livestreamed

Nursery opens at 9:30am

5pm Sunday Evening Contemplative Eucharist with Zoom

9am Morning Prayer – Zoom, Monday through Thursday nm

11:45am Thursday Noon Day Prayer – Zoom

8:30am Friday Morning Contemplative Eucharist

Christmas Music & Flowers

Give in Thanksgiving & in Memory

You can remember loved ones and celebrate important moments in your life with the gift of flowers and music to the church for Christmas.

Please fill out our online form or you can email the office for what you are grateful for and/or for whom. Please add "Christmas Flowers & Music" to the memo line of checks and mail or drop them off to the office. You can also pay online using the drop down menu by selecting Flowers & Music in Thanksgiving and Remembering.

Please submit your messages for the bulletins by Tuesday, December 19th to be published in the Christmas bulletins.

Choral Masterworks

by John Cozza, Music Director

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland II, BWV 62 by Bach

 

Continuing the series of Bach Cantatas for Advent, this week we have another setting of "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" ("Now Comes the Gentiles' Savior") BWV 62 from a year later than last week's setting BWV 61. Notable in this work is the opening chorus, in which the first phrase of the chorale is announced first in the bass line/continuo (bars 3-5), then in the oboes (bars 15-17) before entering in the soprano line (bar 22). Two remarkable arias follow, a graceful passepied for tenor and full chamber orchestra, and a martial, Handellian one for bass with powerful unison acc. of strings and continuo. A soprano/alto duet of "perfect euphony" (Gardiner) leads into a simple four-part Doxology to complete this worthy successor to BWV 61.

YouTube:   

Translation:  

Wikipedia: 

St. Michael's Men’s Breakfast

Men's breakfast is on the first Saturday of every month at FlapJacks Diner. The group meets at 8am at the restaurant. FlapJacks Diner is on El Camino Ave. Please reply to Jim Dodds so he will have an idea of the numbers. If you have any additional questions, please contact the office.

Centering Prayer

All are welcome to come and pray! Centering prayer meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month via Zoom. Newcomers are welcome to come at 6:45pm for a Centering Prayer Newcomer Orientation. Centering Prayer begins at 7pm. We will offer a 20 minute centering prayer sit, followed by a variety of contemplative practices. They may include: Lectio Divina, experiential spirituality and occasionally a guest speaker. For more information, please contact the office 916.488.3550 or Chuck Schaller 916.390.3465.

Prayers for Pregnant Women & Their Babies

We have an ongoing relationship with the Episcopal Sisters at the Order of Julian of Norwich monastery who pray daily for pregnant women and their babies. If you have name(s) of loved one(s) who are expecting that you would like to have included in the sisters' prayers, please email Fr. Rod at [email protected].

Giving Thanks with Flowers!

You can still remember your loved ones and celebrate important moments in your life with the gift of flowers to the church.  

If you would like to give in this way, please let the office know

and what you would like to give thanks for in the bulletin. You can send a check (or drop it off) to the office or pay on-line.  

Name Tags Available

We have name tags available at Sunday morning check in's. Please be sure to grab and wear your name tag before the service. If you are in need of a name tag please let the office know.

St. Michael's Hours

Office Hours: Monday through Friday 9am - 1pm

Sanctuary and Courtyard are open during office hours. Please let the office know you will be coming. Call 916.488.3550 or email.

Pastoral Hours

Rev. Mary will be available on request. Please call the office to schedule.

916.488.3550.



Pastor Katie will be available on request. Please email [email protected] to schedule.



Giving 

Thank you all for generously supporting St. Michael's and our ministries. We are accepting pledge payments through the mail. We are also accepting online giving. You may have to set up an account to do so. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Kate Muris.