Weekly Programing

• Forum: Caroling in the Undercroft
• Children's Time during the 9:30 service
• Children's and Youth Ministry

Community Events

• Posada
• Caroling
• Bible Study in the New Year
• Educational and Spiritual Formation

Outreach

• ICA Update
• Loaves and Fishes
• Hats & Mittens

Announcements and Reports

• Christmas Eve Reception
• Now Hiring Facilities Manager
• Upcoming Community Forums

Have an announcement you would like to share in this weekly email?

Send it to office@stdavidsparish.org before 9:00AM on Tuesday to be featured.

Weekly Programming

Church this Sunday

This Sunday, December 17

Holy Eucharist at 8:00 and 9:30

Canon Karen Olson and the Rev. William Heisley will join us at the 9:30 service as we commission our two new lay preachers, Ann Carda and Marilyn Clark. Congratulations, Ann and Marilyn! We are so proud of what you have accomplished and are grateful that you said yes to the call to preach the gospel.

This Sunday's Community Forum

10:45-11:30

This Sunday's Forum is one of St David’s favorites: "Coffee and Carols”, followed by one of our favorite outings of the year, “Christmas Caroling” for our homebound friends. 

After the 9:30 service parishioners can head downstairs to the undercroft where the coffee hour for the day will be enjoying delicious treats along with some old-fashioned Christmas Caroling. Roger will be at the piano and lead us all in holiday song. We will even FaceTime the parishioners we cannot visit in person with a carol from the Undercroft.

We continue to Facebook Livestream the Sunday 9:30 service and upload to YouTube.

Click HERE to view the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany Brochure.

Advent Reflections from a Deacon in Formation

Advent is a time of waiting. As many of you know, I’ve been waiting for my coursework as a Postulant to begin. There is no ECMN School of Formation any longer. I’m part of an entirely online pilot program by Bexley Seabury out of Chicago called the Deacon Formation Collaborative. We were supposed to begin this fall but other than an introductory module and finding out who our mentors are, we haven’t really begun yet. So I wait. I have found that there is so much beauty in the waiting if we embrace it and listen to her wisdom.

           I’ve been reading, “The Spirit of Advent: the Meaning is in the Waiting,” by Paula Gooder. Paula writes that the first candle of Advent is about Hope, Prophets, and God’s promise to create a whole lineage from Abraham that leads all the way to our Messiah. This got me thinking about Abraham and Sarah. Talk about waiting! They were both well into old age before they had Isaac. They waited nearly an entire lifetime. The Bible says, “Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.” (Genesis 18) I’m interpreting this as menopause. So, the birth of Isaac was miraculous. The birth of Jesus was miraculous because Mary was a virgin and there was no seed. The birth of Isaac was miraculous because Sarah was old and there was no egg. The beginning of the lineage of Jesus began with the egg of God. It was still Sarah’s womb that carried the divine and that is still very special and links her to Mary. But maybe Sarah and Abraham had to wait all those years so that God was the beginning and the end, the egg and the seed, the alpha and the omega.

If you find yourself, like me, in a time of waiting then dwell in it. It is an invitation to simply be, not to become, but to be. Listen, rest, and trust in the Lord. There is a plan and miracles do happen.

Yours in Christ,

Huldah Niles

Children’s Ministry

Children’s Ministry

This Sunday we will have Children’s Time during the 9:30 service. 

NURSERY OPEN during the 9:30 service and forum time.

Children and Youth Ministry

THESE ARE OUR BODIES faith and sexuality courses will be starting in January! There will be three classes taking place on Wednesday evenings, twice a month, from January through May. We will serve dinner at 6:00 pm and classes will be 6:30-8:00pm.

           Intermediate: Grades 4-6 

           Middle School: Grades 7-8

           High School: Grades 9-12

We have some fabulous adult facilitators for each age group, and I highly recommend registering your child for these classes. The lessons are well-informed, developmentally appropriate, shame-free, and inclusive – the sexuality education we all maybe wish we'd received, and something we are privileged to offer these young people in our midst. Please email abrock@stdavidsparish.org with any questions. 

Next Wednesday, December 20th, there will be no youth group as we will be rehearsing music for Christmas Eve!

2024 is coming up fast! See the updated (but not quite finalized) program calendar here.

This Sunday we will have Godly Play during the 9:30 service and we will continue with Godly Play work time during the forum time!

If you know anyone who may be interested (a friend, a grandchild, a niece or nephew) please share this with them!

Please email abrock@stdavidsparish.org with any questions. 

Community Events

Here We Come A Caroling

In the Undercroft and On the Road

Sunday, December 17

Save the date on your busy holiday calendars for one of St David’s favorite forums “Coffee and Carols”, followed by one of our favorite outings of the year, “Christmas Caroling” for our homebound friends. After the 9:30 service on December 17th, all parishioners can head downstairs to the undercroft where the coffee hour for the day will be enjoying delicious treats along with some old-fashioned Christmas Caroling. Roger will be at the piano and lead us all in holiday song. We will even FaceTime the parishioners we cannot visit in person with a carol from the Undercroft.

Those who have planned to go caroling to the homebound will then head out en masse, about 11:30 am, to our first stop, Hope Springs at Minnetonka, an assisted living facility. Here we will sing as one large group and play Santa--dropping off our Christmas gift box for all the residents. 

From there, we will then divide and conquer, with each group visiting 2 or 3 of our parishioners who also find themselves homebound this holiday season. To get a handle on the traveling carolers’ numbers, we ask you to please sign up on the signup sheet in the church Narthex/Undercroft or sign up here: SignUpGenius - Caroling

If you find at the last minute that you can go caroling and you did not sign up, no worries… there is room for everyone to participate!

Remember - no professional singing talent required, all ages welcomed, and families strongly encouraged to attend!

We hope you can join in, sing some classic Christmas carols, and partake in some real joy of the season.  

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact me, Diane Curley, at dcurley@stdavidsparish.org

Bible Study in the New Year

St. David's Bible Study

From James to Jude

Our very own Huldah Niles is a Postulant in formation to become a Deacon and as part of her training she has enthusiastically agreed to lead us in Bible Study beginning January 9 through February 27 (Tuesdays at 11am on Zoom).

We'll be reading and reflecting on James, Peter 1 and 2, John 1, 2, and 3, and Jude. These are the last several books in the Gospel before Revelation. Come dwell in the wisdom of the disciples that knew Jesus and let your heart be inspired and lifted up by the good news!

Educational and Spiritual Formation

The Truth at the Heart of the Lie 

How the Catholic Church Lost its Soul 

James Carroll 

On January 30, 2024, Rector Katherine Lewis and Scott Clark, via Zoom, will co-lead an educational and spiritual formation discussion on Carroll’s riveting book about faith and institutions.  This is not a replacement for the St. David’s book club but an opportunity to explore faith and the Church institutions that have been designed to support a Christian-based theology. Carroll’s website summation of this book follows: 

    “I am a Catholic.  I was crushed to learn about priests sexually abusing children, and bishops protecting predators instead of victims.  As a former priest and longtime commentator on Catholic issues, I grasped that the problem involved basic systems of church governance, tied to an unapologetic culture of male supremacy.  But this crisis of faith prompted my fresh examination of historic turning points, when the church chose power over service, from the ancient world to the Middle Ages, to recent years.  But I was forced into a deep personal examination of conscience, confronting ways in which my own life involved me in the structures of male supremacy, personal deceit, and distorted notions of God. 

Yet in the writing of this book, I realized that I am still Catholic to the core, resolved to advance church reform, with an anti-clericalism from within.  Even in my place of internal exile, the faith remains my permanent connection to the living presence of Jesus Christ.”

In many ways, this book is universal in perspective, although the title denotes somewhat of a singular calling out.  It is both deep and wide in discussion points, such as whether war can ever be moral, so that the reader will find something to challenge current faith and perspectives on the Church in the broadest definition. Join us for a very challenge-filled session.

For more information or questions, please contact Scott Clark at scottakafourcrows@gmail.com. If your local library doesn’t have this book immediately available, a good source to purchase a used book is AbeBooks at abebooks.com.

Outreach

ICA Update

ICA’s Mission: To create a healthy and stable community for all. This mission guides ICA every day as it helps to support our neighbors with food services, employment and housing assistance. Thank you for caring and supporting ICA this year.

Loaves and Fishes

Loaves and Fishes

In Thanksgiving

A card from Loaves and Fishes arrived at the office with a message to be forwarded to all who volunteer for this important outreach to the community:

"Thank you for your continued dedication to Loaves and fishes. We are so grateful for all of you."

December

Four Volunteers are needed for each date. Two for cooking with the Loaves and Fishes coordinator from 3:00-5:00 pm, and two to package and serve from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. 

Upcoming dates:

• January 9 (this will be the only date in December)
• January 22
• January 30
• February 13
• February 26

Please contact Sue or Basil Owen to sign up. Sue’s cell is 612-716-1945. Basil’s cell is 612-716-0683 or email at bowen3@fastmail.com

Hats & Mittens

Hats & Mittens

For the next few months, St. David’s is participating in a new meaningful outreach activity. Hats & Mittens collects warm hats and mittens for children and young adults in our community who need warm weather gear this winter. Over 200 organizations in the Twin Cities and 7 county metro area will be recipients of warm hats & mittens this winter season. This non-profit organization, which has been operating for 28 years, already has many more requests than ever before.

Do you have gently used hats, mittens and/or scarves your children have outgrown or that you no longer use? I hope you will consider donating them to Hats & Mittens. We are collecting:

• All sizes of hats & mittens to keep infants to adults warm
• Biggest need is elementary aged waterproof mittens or gloves (5-10 year old)
• New or gently used, clean hats & mittens, including knitted or crocheted items
• Scarves or other neck warmers

Look for posters and marked boxes at both the south church entrances for mittens, hats and/or scarves you wish to donate items to this worthy cause.

If you prefer to make a financial donation, online contributions can be made at www.hatsandmittens.org/donate. Financial donations will go to purchase hats & mittens at wholesale prices.

Thank you ever so much for helping to keep our community warm this winter season. 

Christmas Eve Reception

After the 4:30 intergenerational service of Holy Eucharist, all are invited to a festive reception with beverages and hors d'oeuvres. If able, please bring a special hors d'oeuvres to share, and the church will provide the beverages. There is always more than enough, so if it doesn't fit in your schedule to make or bring something, please come anyway. Your guests are invited, and it is a perfect way to spend an hour before heading out into the rest of your evening. There will be sign-up sheets in the undercroft and narthex!

Please email the office if you would like to help with this event! office@stdavidsparish.org

Facilities Manager Position open at St. David's!



Part-time, flexible working hours, 15-20 hours per week.

Must be available to attend weekly staff meetings on Mondays.

Find a full job description HERE

If interested, send resume to: staffing@stdavidsparish.org 

December 17: Caroling

December 24: Social Time and setup for Christmas Eve

Want to view the full calendar for the week? Click here to view the St. David's website complete with a calendar to keep you updated on events and offerings! Scroll all the way to the bottom to view it.