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November 27, 2007
COVER
STORY
Blessed
Advent
by The Rev. Alvin C. Johnson, Jr.
 Dear
St. Michael's Family and Friends,
This coming
Sunday is the first Sunday of the Church season of Advent. This
season lasts four Sundays and is designed to fill us with anticipation
for the birth of Jesus within our hearts again as well as within
God's world. To honor this season we light the Advent Wreath,
sing the beautiful Advent hymns, use the color of blue, add some
additional silence in our worship, and ask the Holy Spirit to
help build that anticipation within us. Advent One is also the
traditional beginning of the Church year.
The first
lesson of scripture we will hear on Sunday is from the prophet
Isaiah who writes, "Many peoples shall come and say, 'Come,
let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the
God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk
in this paths.'" In the context of this coming Sunday's sermon,
I'd like to look back at this past year as well as look forward
to how we might walk in the path of the Lord. Willow Creek has
a billboard along the Northwest Tollway that reads something like,
"Hope starts small". That is our walk; the walk of hope;
a walk that begins, as mentioned this past Sunday, with two words,
"I believe!" You don't have to fill in the blank, let's
simply begin with believing that the challenges of our world today
will only be overcome and overturned by God's immeasurable love.
That means the more we live that love the more we help that vision
come to reality. The big picture is overwhelming, but if we start
small there is no telling the lives that will be invited to walk
the path.
I invite you
to be in church this Sunday and all the weeks of Advent. You have
nothing to lose and everything to gain by spending time with your
community, with Jesus' presence in the bread and wine, with God's
Word and with each other in prayer. If you cannot be here spend
time each Sunday preparing your heart and mind for walking the
path of the Lord. Make sure you have an Advent Wreath and try
spending time at the each of each Sunday in prayer. You can make
an Advent Wreath at St. Michael's next Sunday in the Community
Room. Prepare your lamp. Blessed Advent!
Love and Blessings,
Alvin+
Deacon
Martha Gillette's Ordination to the Priesthood
Deacon Martha
Gillette will be ordained as a priest in the Cathedral of Saint
James in Chicago, at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, December 15, 2007.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Martha also invites you to an open
house reception at her home from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at
154 Timber Ridge Lane, in the Lake Barrington Shores community
north of Barrington on Route 59. She will be celebrating the Eucharist
at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 16, 2007 at Church
of the Holy Apostles in Wauconda.
Make
an Advent Wreath
Make your
Advent Wreath on Sunday, December 2 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00
p.m. in St. Michael's Community Room. Rings and candles are available
from "And All The Angels" gift shop or you can bring
your own. All material is provided to make an Advent Wreath for
your household: fresh greens, decorative picks, pine cones. We
also will have a small booklet available with prayers you may
choose to use when lighting the candles on the wreath each Sunday
in Advent. This is a fun opportunity for all ages!
Advent
Lessons & Carols
Join St. Michael's
for a Service of Advent Lessons & Carols on Sunday, December
9 at 5:00 p.m. Be sure to invite your friends and family to this
wonderful service full of anticipation! Help is also needed for
a festive reception following the service. And if you have any
battery-operated candles that can be used for the evening, they
would be appreciated. Contact Dolores Duncan at 847-428-5019 or
email doloresmduncan@yahoo.com
to help with the reception or to donate candles.
A second opportunity
for Advent Lessons & Carols will take place on Wednesday evening,
December 12, at 7:00 p.m. at Church of the Holy Apostles in Wauconda.
St.
Michael's 2008 Stewardship Campaign
St. Michael's
2008 Stewardship Campaign is nearing its close. Pledges will be
blessed on Sunday, December 9. If you haven't yet returned your
pledge, there are several ways to do so. You can use the pledge
card that was sent to each household, download the pledgecard
from St. Michael's website, email stewardship@stmichaelsbarrington.org,
or pledge online by
visiting www.stmichaelsbarrington.org. Offering your pledge of
support by December 9 is of importance as it will will allow the
vestry to take your contribution into consideration during the
finalization of the 2008 budget.
Barrington
Giving Days
Each December
the Barrington Area 220 School District invites disadvantaged
families residing in the School District to the Barrington Giving
Day. Families receive food, warm coats and gifts. Members of Barrington
churches, schools, businesses and civic organizations have always
been generous in their support of this day. Last year 616 families
were helped.
Please consider
donating gently used or new winter coats, used toys and books
(in Spanish and English) for children and teens. Hats, scarves,
mittens, gloves and related items are greatly appreciated. A box
for donations will be located outside the Community Room from
Thursday, November 29 through Wednesday, December 13. Items will
then be sorted for the Saturday Giving Day.
Financial
gifts are also accepted and are used to purchase food, and grocery
food certificates, children's coats, blankets, and essentials.
Checks may be made payable to: Barrington Giving Day, c/o John
Paul Hills, Barrington Bank & Trust, 201 S. Hough St., Barrington,
IL 60010
Volunteers
for the Giving Day are always needed, and their time and effort
is greatly appreciated. Please contact Pat Karon at 847-382-2670
or pmkaron@sbcglobal.net
or Jeanette Muench at 815-444-1622 j.a.muench@sbcglobal.net.
Ladies'
Christmas Dinner
The ECW will
be hosting its annual Ladies' Christmas Dinner on Wednesday, December
12, at Chessie's Restaurant. The festive evening, which will start
at 6:30 p.m., will include holiday fellowship, dinner, and entertainment.
Please mark this date on your calendar and watch for your invitation
in the mail!
And
All The Angels Christmas Sale Continues
Visit And
All The Angels gift shop on St. Michael's lower level for
a great selection of Christmas gifts. The holiday sale will continue
through Christmas. During December, the store will also be open
until 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Around
the Neighborhood
Sears Centre
Offers Discounted Tickets for Holiday Showcase to St. Michael's
St. Michael's
is registered with the Sears Center for the Holiday Showcase presentation
that will take place on December 8 at 7:30 p.m. featuring the
Elgin Symphony Orchestra. Any St. Michael's parishioner may use
the promotion code "StMichael" for ordering tickets.
(The code is not case sensitive.) To order tickets, go to www.searscentre.com/promotions
and enter the promotional code as you begin your online purchase.
Although internet ordering is the preferred process, if you do
not have convenient access to the internet, you may call the Sears
Centre Box Office directly at 847-649-2270 and inform them that
you are part of the "StMichael" group to order the discounted
tickets.
In
the Parish Family
Those for
whom prayers have been requested
This week
prayers are asked for: Jim, military troops in danger, Bp. Persell,
Craig, Joel, Philip, Kim, John, Carrie, St. Augustine Indian Center,
John, Gray, Priscilla, Laurie, Artie, Erin, Ben, Onan & Amena,
Teresa, Amy, Kevin, Mary, the Conway family, Richard. Departed:
Jim Knaak
Anniversaries
This Week
Birthdays
- 12.1 Frank
Wyatt, Teagan Jones, Terry Haycock
- 12.2 Rich
Curran, Jr., Jenny Kean, Amanda Rogers
- 12.4 Eric
Olsen, Lucy Bono, Ashley Davis, Elliot Boice
- 12.5 Scott
Ami
- 12.6 Amy
Geraty, Carol Stephens
Anniversaries
- 12.5 Ann
& Wes Kimes
- 12.7 Dolores
& Keith Kampert
Deaths
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