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Picture of the Week!
Peter Jones with the Executive Director of the Root Cellar in Portland, Drew. He reports the need is so great this year that they especially appreciated the generosity of St. Alban's.
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Music of the Week
Advent Two Hymn
There's A Voice In The Wilderness Crying
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In case you missed it...
Homily of the Week!
The Rev. Holly Clark
The First Sunday of Advent
December 2nd sermon
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Readings of the Week!
The 2nd Sunday in Advent
December 9th
Note: Psalm 126 will be sung at 9:30 am
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- 8:00 am Quiet, spoken and traditional
- 9:30 am Holy Communion with choir and children's programs
- 5:30 pm Celtic
Eventide...contemplative, musical and prayerful
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Clergy and Music
This Sunday
- The Rev. Tim Boggs will celebrating and preaching at 8 & 9:30AM and at 5:30 PM.
- Jim Strand is on the organ bench.
- Holly Clark is on retreat prior to her Ordinantion 12/13 at 6:30PM
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Meetings & Events
12/8 Preble Street
12/9 Advent 2
12/9 Haiti Market
12/10 2nd Monday Lunch
12/13 Holly Ordination
12/14 Contemplative Knitting Group
12/16 Christmas Pageant
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Overview of Children and Youth Programs
Children's Chapel
Ages four through sixth grade! A space of welcome, music, and prayer before lessons in our age groups. 9:30am, downstairs in Godly Play.
Nursery
: During 9:30am worship for babies and toddlers.
Godly Play
: ages 4- grade k
Wonder and storytelling with inviting object lessons.
Our Place
: grades 1st- 4th
A rotation based program of Bible exploration.
Connect
: grades 5th -6th
God's story meets our story with games, artwork and fun!
Rite 13
: grades 7th- 8th
Focusing on God at work in our lives through service and formation.
Debbie Fisher
Minister for Children and Families
Christmas Pageant
December 16th
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Gatherings
Youth Group This Sunday
Our usual meetings for fun, food, fellowship, and prayer are on the first and third Sundays of each month at 3:30 - 5 pm.
The adults involved with leading the high school youth group are the Rev. Holly Clark, Anne Sedlack, and Peter Durgin.
If you would like to be added to our email list to learn about upcoming high school youth events, please contact the Rev. Holly Clark at
[email protected].
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December 10th at Noon
Lunch with the Rev. Holly Clark
All are welcome to join.
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An Invitation from Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry to Practice the Way of Love
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Have you blood pressure screened by one of our Health Professionals on
December 16th
after 9:30 am service.
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The scripture and hymns of Advent often use images of
wilderness
to invite us to rely upon God when lost or wandering. We've come to know the promise that although wilderness is part of the human stories...it is not the complete story.
Being lost in a rough terrain is a condition we know a lot about. Just this morning I heard from a friend wandering in a fresh challenge, looking for his way. He said he hoped I'd pray with him, saying "all we can do is pray." I thought, "Yes! And isn't that a gift?" We can indeed pray in our wilderness.
Advent invites us into such a relationship.
The physical wildernesses I know the most about are mountains. They serve for me as great metaphors for reliance on God's gifts, people and hope. A favorite writer, the Scotsman Robert MacFarlane, says this about mountains:
At bottom, mountains, like all wildernesses, challenge our complacent conviction - so easy to lapse into - that the world has been made for humans by humans. Most of us exist for most of the time in worlds which are humanly arranged, themed and controlled. One forgets that there are environments which have their own rhythms of existence. Mountains correct this amnesia. By speaking of greater forces than we can possibly invoke, and by confronting us with greater spans of time than we can possibly envisage, mountains refute our excessive trust in ourselves alone and the importance of our own schemes. They induce, I suppose, a modesty in us. They call us to call on God, to turn toward the Light.
Lost or not, in your wanderings may you have an Advent of turning toward the Light
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A note
from Tim
on the Funeral of President Bush
I know that for Episcopalians the grace and beauty of the Washington National Cathedral service for President Bush was a particular joy. Our Presiding Bishop, Washington Bishop, Cathedral and parish clergy and gifted musicians led the nation in our grief for and celebration of this good man.
We delight that the extraordinary setting inspired the speakers and choirs, each of whom found their clearest voices for words and songs of grief, celebration and resurrection.
During the time I served as the Canon Provost of the National Cathedral, one of the most interesting tasks I was given was to work with the Bush family, the US military and protocol officers to plan the President's funeral. He was quite engaged with this. He and Mrs. Bush had given lots of thoughtful direction.
Like you and the nation, I was delighted to watch and pray and celebrate this gracious commendation of a child of God.
The ABC coverage of entire service can be viewed here.
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Haiti Marketplace This SUNDAY
For the coming program year, our fundraising efforts are focusing on two major areas: (1) ensuring the students at St. Luc's school have reliable access to food every school day, and (2) continuing to support a major portion of the salaries for teachers.
The Haiti Committee invites you consider how you might offer your support to this important ministry. It's also a great way to get your holiday shopping started early!
See you there!
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Advent Readers have arrived
Advent is a time of hopeful anticipation and reflection. St. Alban's has selected for this year's Advent Reader You Are Already Praying: Stories of God at Work by the Rev. Dr. Cathy George. This book shares stories of prayer in the experiences of everyday life and affirms that prayer is both a quiet act of reverence and an active dynamic in daily life.
Join with others this Advent at St. Alban's in reading this creative work...deepening and broadening your experience of prayer.
After serving as Rector at several parishes in the Diocese of Massachusetts, the Rev. Dr. Cathy George is the Associate Dean and Director of Formation for Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. She has been a mentor and advisor to our Assistant Rector and will be one of the Presenters for Holly's ordination to the priesthood on Thursday, December 13. The Rev. Dr. Cathy George has graciously agreed to sign books and chat with parishioners about the book at the reception following the ordination that evening.
Books can be purchased for $10 at St. Alban's or from the church and is available in Kindle or Amazon.
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You are invited ...
The Ordination of our deacon the Rev. Holly Clark to the Sacred Order of Priests on Thursday, December 13 at 6:30 pm
In our Episcopal tradition, the bishop is called to perform unique and sacramental leadership. The Bishop of Maine, the Right Reverend Stephen Lane, will be at St. Alban's on Thursday, December 13 at 6:30 pm to ordain our Assistant Rector to the Sacred Order of Priests.
Please plan to make this sacred event a part of your experience of Advent this year.
The service will begin at 6:30 pm and a reception in Bonoff Hall will follow.
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Interested in sharing your Sacred Story?
This January and beyond St. Alban's is returning to a great parish tradition...the opening and sharing of our stories...our Sacred Stories.
A Sacred Story group is a small, confidential gathering of St. Alban's adults who want to deepen their faith, build community, and draw closer to God by sharing key moments of life with one another. These may be formative tales or remembrances of where we experienced the holy or the sacred in our every day lives. We have refreshed the similar, but not identical program, that was offered several years ago.
Assistant Rector Holly Clark and Ogden Williams will co-lead this offering for adults in the January session. Other cohorts will be formed in the coming year.
To express interest and to indicate your availability:
click here
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The Quiet Joy of Knitting
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Save The Date
Contemplative Knitting
Is starting at St. Albans
Friday 12/14 at 9 am
We will repeat every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month.
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Newcomer Dinner
Save the Date
January 23 at 6:30 pm
New to the St. Alban's community and want to get to know others new to the parish beyond what's possible over coffee or after Celtic Eventide? The evening of January 23 will be a time to gather for conversation in small groups over a simple supper. RSVP to
[email protected]
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Thank you, thank you! So many of St. Alban's households have made their generous pledges for the new year.
Our stewardship campaign is off to a wonderful start! If your pledge is not in yet, now's the time!
You can pledge
online. It's easy and confidential!
Faithfully yours,
Your Stewardship Committee
Connie Babcock Frank Governali Phillip Hamilton Joan Hankinson Peg Keyser
Nancy Koglmeier Michael Moore Nancy Pezzullo
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A Beautiful 2019 Calendar celebrates our Apostles' Windows
On Sale Now!
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Thinking of a Christmas gift?
Have you ever wondered about the twelve windows at the rear of the sanctuary?
Do you know what they represent?
One of the windows shows a snake coming out of chalice.
Another shows a battle axe.
What could they mean?
Find out by purchasing a beautifully designed 2019 calendar. The colorful pictures were taken by Peg Keyser and the research was completed by Rev. Ben Thomas. Do you remember our summer intern from 2017?. Here is a "colorful" story: one Apostle met his end after being struck by a fullers' bat and then sawed in two.
 Who was that and what is a fullers' bat anyway? The mystery just gets deeper. The calendars cost $20 each and are a wonderful gift for family and friends. They will be on sale after services throughout the fall.
Help support St. Alban's.
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Jubilee Center Update
The Farmers' Almanac's prediction for this winter is "pointing toward a very long, cold and snow-filled winter...teeth chattering cold ahead!"
Urgent appeal for winter coats!!
There is an immediate need; please donate clean warm coats for our neighbors in Portland. Coats for adults in all sizes are especially needed, particularly in men's, size large and extra-large.
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Want to join us on our annual trip?
S
ign up for our February 2019 Trip to St. Luc's in Haiti. Please contact Father Tim or Nance Ric hardson if you are interested.
The trip will be February 16th to February 23rd.
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