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The week of December 17-23, 2018
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Sunday, Dec 23- The Fourth Sunday of Advent.
8am Rite I & 10am Rite II
Monday, Dec 24- Christmas Eve Service at 4:30pm
Tuesday, Dec 25- Christmas Day Service at 10am
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Mary and Elizabeth rejoice
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Micah 5:25-5a; Psalm 80:1-7;
Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-55
Purify our conscience, Almighty God
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This week's readings
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Advent is a season of preparation and expectation of the coming of Christ. It is a "not quite yet" time for Christians. How do we prepare? What do we expect? Our collect suggests we examine ourselves.
Our collect this morning asks God to purify our consciences. We ask that God perform this feat in daily visitations. And we assert we're asking this so we're ready to face Jesus at his coming.
In an era when citizens of many different orientations and dispositions have concluded that society has lost its way we might want to look at the state of our consciences and consider our values --personal, collective, societal, religious--and whether we are upholding that which we hold dear, which we consider important.
In our readings this Sunday we see a few of the cornerstones of our faith displayed, values we might consider as we ask God to purify our consciences. From our Hebrew Bible reading we learn a great one can come from a modest clan and the greatness is boiled down to "he will bring peace." Our Psalm sings praises of God and pleads, " Restore us, O God of hosts, show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved." This is another example of recognizing the potential for purification of the conscience through the light God brings us in our own spiritual lives, especially in prayer. In our Epistle Paul writes that Jesus upended one of the tenets of the Jewish faith at the time: the offering of sacrifices. He said instead that God gave us life so we could do God's will. Assuming we are in touch with the will of God, this is conscience purification of the highest order. Finally the humble Elizabeth in our Gospel expresses the understanding that her niece, "the Mother of my Lord," had come to her. And that this was revealed by her own child leaping in her womb. Elizabeth recognized her part in this amazing story and gave glory to God. Her humility was illuminated by her recognition of God's grace.
Each of these biblical offerings shows us ways in which we can explore our own faith and build up our consciences--by God's daily visitations in our prayers.
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PARISH NEWS
CALENDARS NOW AVAILABLE
The
Altar Guild has received our 2019 St. Paul's Ordo Kalendars. These informative calendars are useful to anyone who is learning about, informed about or interested in our progress through the Bible in the course of our lectionary year. They also make excellent gifts for folks who care about the church, the days we celebrate saints and special people. See Rose Marie Proctor to purchase your own calendar and others for friends and family. The $5 cost goes to support our Altar Guild.
SECOND COLLECTION SUCESS!
We held a second collection Sunday to beef up our special Christmas fund for food pantry clients. The desire to help those in need have funds for a good Christmas dinner inspired parishioners to give the fabulous sum of $401.73. Another second collection will be taken Dec. 23 for those who were unprepared to give this past Sunday and wish to show their love of neighbor in this way. The second collection this Sunday is also available to those who feel so good about giving last Sunday they'd like to give more. May God bless all who have shown such generosity toward our food pantry clients!
25 WEEK CLUB NEWS
The 25 Week Club ticket holders are invited to attend the final drawing and party on Saturday, December 22 at 1:00pm in the afternoon. Watch for your invitation and reply form either in the mail or in an envelope in the Narthex. YOU MUST REPLY!
We need to know how many people to plan for.
Recent $20 & $10 winners are: Lillian Buckley, Maria Bell, Donna Ackert, Sarah LoConte, Pete Bedrossian, Kevin Kelly, Debbie Pitcher. Congrats to all the winners
PLEDGE CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Thank you to the many people who have already turned in their generous pledge for 2019. There are Pledge Forms in the Narthex for those who missed Consecration Sunday or haven't yet returned their pledge for 2019.
We are still waiting to hear from 14 parishioners who pledged last year, but haven't yet returned this year's pledge. Are you one of them? Please send it in so you'll have your box of envelopes for 2019.
Remember, Pledge envelopes will be available at the end of December for those who have submitted a pledge form.
DECEMBER IS CANNED BEEF STEW MONTH
AT ST. PAUL'S FOOD PANTRY
Our Food Pantry needs your help! We are once again asking our parishioners to bring food to church every Sunday, and we're going to try something new. Each month we will ask for a donation of a particular nutritious food that we offer to our clients.
Please don't forget to bring Beef Stew on Sunday and for the next three Sundays after that. The basket will be back in the narthex and will be brought to the altar for blessing.
GIRL SCOUT THANKS
Girl Scout Troop 10045 would like to thank St. Paul's Church, their troop sponsor, for saying yes to the troop's desire to hold a fund-raising breakfast for St. Paul's parishioners. Between the breakfasts and soup and cookies and hot chocolate mix they sold, the Girl Scouts collected $187. Anyone interested in purchasing more of the soup, cookie or hot chocolate mixes should see Marjorie Marks or Rose Marie Proctor.
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DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
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Andre Clarke 11 Marian Perkins
6 Jeremiah Jordan 15 Jasmin Bryant
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Jeanne Henderson 17 Felicia Santos Griffin
Casey Lynn Parisella 20 Ruby Smith
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Brendan Foley 23 Carol Anderson
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Lillian Goldson Bruce Petito
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Lisa Koen 26 Maria Bell
29 Imina Sade Santos-Thompson
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Please "
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church-Poughkeepsie
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'In Service to God & You'
 SUNDAY 8AM
Server: Maria Bell
Lectors: Rose Marie Proctor
Tom Walker
Litanist: Pete Bedrossian
SUNDAY 10AM
Organist: Maris Kristapsons
Acolytes: Shawn Prater-Lee
Lectors: Colleen Misner
Rena Mazzuto
Litanist: Mark Debald
Usher: Dewy Clarke
Mark Debald
Altar Guild: Hyacinth & Daphne
Greeters: Mary Ann Bagatta
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THIS WEEK'S HYMNS
1982 54 Savior the nations, come
1982 66 Come, thou long-expected Jesus
1982 265 The angel Gabriel from heaven came
1982 74 Blest be the King whose coming
HYMN INFORMATION: Martin Luther wrote the words to Savior of the nations, come in 1524. His German text "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" is based on a well-known 4th century Latin hymn by St. Ambrose, "Veni redemptor gentium." The hymn begins as a plea for the coming of a redeemer of all people, including the heathen or gentiles, born from a virgin. The English text by William Morton Reynolds dates from about 1850. Luther is also credited with the melody, basing it on 12th century plainchant. The melody has been widely used in organ settings by Protestant Baroque composers, most notably Johann Sebastian Bach.
THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR
December 17-25, 2018
MON 17
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7:30am "Good Morning" AA Meeting;
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6pm Evening Prayer, Formation;
6:30pm "Journey to Recovery" NA Meeting
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TUE 18
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10am-2pm Office, Food Pantry, Small Blessings Thrift Shop;
6pm Evening Prayer, Seekers Group, Bible Study;
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WED 19
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7:30am "Good Morning" AA Meeting;
10am-2pm Office, Food Pantry, Thrift Shop;
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12:15pm Healing Service & Eucharist;
5pm Advent Study;
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THUR 20
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10am-2pm Office, Food Pantry, Small Blessings Thrift Shop;
6pm Evening Prayer, Finance;
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FRI 21
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7:30am "Good Morning" AA meeting;
10am-4pm Christmas Basket Winner Pick-Up
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SAT 22
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10am NA Meeting;
1pm 25 Week Club Drawing & Luncheon;
3
pm NA Meeting "Journey to Recovery";
3pm PH Private Event;
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SUN 23
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8am Rite I;
8:45am Lesson's Discussion
9:30am Choir Practice;
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10am Sunday School;
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10am Rite II;
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11:15am Coffee Hour;
11:30am Youth- Lunch Box & Connect;
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| MON 24 |
4:30pm Christmas Eve Concert prelude; 5pm Christmas Eve Service |
| TUE 25 |
10am Christmas Day Service |
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