FROM FATHER JOHN
December is a busy and exciting month at St. Timothy’s, and gives us an opportunity to exercise our gift of hospitality to the Board of Trustees, the churches of our Deanery, and our Bishop and friends and donors who will be with us for our anniversary celebration (see other articles). A thank you in advance to all those who are making these events possible. On December 17th, Gus Flomo and his family from Liberia will be with us and offer a special message at morning worship. The 4th Sunday of Advent also happens to be Christmas Eve this year (this happens about every six or seven years). We will have Morning Prayer that morning at 10:00 a.m. with Ted Fryer preaching, and the Family Christmas Eve service at 5:00 p.m. I’m very proud of this congregation, not to mention our well cared-for buildings and beautiful new grounds. It’s a privilege and pleasure to be your priest. In the words of little Timmy Cratchett, in Dicken’s Christmas Carol, “God Bless us, one and all.”
ADVENT SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS
In between Thanksgiving and Christmas in the church year is the brief, four-week Season of Advent. The focus of the entire season is preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. It offers the opportunity to sit back, take a deep breath, and relax a little bit before the frenzy of Christmas shopping and holiday meals totally consumes us.
This year, St. Timothy’s Church will be hosting a service of Advent lessons and carols, sponsored by the ten congregations of the Central Deanery of the Diocese of Northern California. This service focuses on the writings of the prophets, the hope for a Messiah and the promise of the Coming of Christ. Traditional carols of Advent are interspersed throughout, and the service offers an opportunity to focus on what we are really looking forward to at Christmas – Jesus Christ, Son of God, Prince of Peace.
We’re looking forward to this time of fellowship with our brothers and sisters of the Deanery. Please be there to enjoy the scripture and music.
ST. TIMOTHY’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church will be celebrating its 60th anniversary as a congregation, and celebrating the completion of its renovated church yard on December 10th, 2017, with a Sunday morning celebration of Holy Communion by the Bishop Beisner. The Bishop will also preach and administer the Sacramento of Confirmation to Dale Hutchinson, and formally receive Mark and Susan Prendeville into the communion of the Episcopal Church. The service will begin at 10:00 a.m., and will be followed at 12:00 noon by the Celebration of the New Church Yard and a luncheon. There will also be recognition of the donors to the renovation. Everyone please join us!
ST. TIMOTHY’S TO HOST DIOCESE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
St. Timothy’s will be hosting the Board of Trustees of the Diocese of Northern California, which will be having its regular meeting here on December 9th. The Board of Trustees is the vestry of the Diocese. It’s an honor to have them visit us at St. Timothy’s.
GERS DONATIONS
Please take a look at the bulletin board for the schedule of distributions of food baskets by Gridley Emergency Relief, on December 9th. Donations may be made for this food outreach by addressing a check to St. Timothy’s, and putting “GERS” in the memo portion on the check. We’ll be asking the Vestry to match gifts received by December 10th.
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