THIS WEEK'S WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Sunday
10 AM  The Holy Eucharist, Lessons & Carols with Children's Pageant (bulletin)

Wednesday - January 1 - Holy Name
11 AM   The Holy Eucharist  

This week the first part of our service is patterned after a long-standing tradition that comes to us from King's College and will also include our chldren's Christmas Pageant.

In 1918, King’s College in Cambridge, England, began performing the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols each year on Christmas Eve, and with only one revision involving rearrangement of the lessons in 1919, has continued to this day.  The service has always begun with the hymn 'Once in Royal David's City'.  In almost every year some carols have been changed and some new ones introduced, but the backbone of the service, the lessons and the prayers, has remained virtually unchanged. It was first broadcast in 1928 and, with the exception of 1930, has been broadcast annually, even during the Second World War, when the ancient glass (and also all heat) had been removed from the Chapel.  Sometime in the early 1930's the BBC began broadcasting the service on the World Service. It is estimated that there are millions of listeners worldwide.  Each year, A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 on December 24 at 3pm (10:00 EST).  In the United States the service is broadcast by around 300 radio stations, including American Public Media and its affiliates (Minnesota Public Radio and WNYC-New York, for example).   

(adapted from http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/) 

ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS SEASON . . . The Christmas story is one filled with wonders—angels, a virgin giving birth, shepherds, kings, and God himself coming among us in the form of a helpless baby. As amazing as this wonderful story is, what the Church celebrates this day and this season is God the Son becoming incarnate —sharing our human flesh, our human nature—in order that we might come to share in his divine life. The Christmas Season lasts twelve days and Christians are encouraged to make these days a time of celebration and joy. 

OUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR . . . . the sick and those in need, especially The Rev. James Warnke, priest, Thomas Petrullo, Daniela Parisi, Michael Shumway, Greg Hutchinson, Catherine Gooch, Larry Toppin, Diane Tekirian, Howard Goldin, Chris Spilker, Lexi Manning, Gina DeMarsico, Christian Davis, Shawn Davis, Suzanne Morris, Lauren Rosenthal, Nancy Mohr, Charlotte Wilson, Rich Landi, John Whitlock, and Gaylord Hitchcock, priest.

For the those celebrating birthdays especially Thomas Farrington (12/30), Anthony Gannelli (12/30), and Paula Ricca (12/30) and those celebrating anniversaries especially Richard & Patricia Landi (12/30).  
For those who have died especially Judy Cardillo (12/23), Florence Mann (12/29), Mary E. Pfranger (12/29), Anne R. Alcorn (12/29),  Catherine McLaughlin (12/31), J. William Delaney (1/1), Giolina Goffredo (1/2), Josephine Mastronardi (1/3), Nelson Smith (1/3), Mary Davidson (1/3), John Brown (1/3), and William Haxby (1/4).

PRAYER LIST REQUESTS . . . To add any names to the parish prayer list, please send an email to kmaccourt@gmail.com with the name of the person to be prayed for, your name and a brief description of the person’s health or other situation (note if long-term or chronic).  Names are listed for four weeks and then rotate off, but they can be added again as needed.  If you have questions, please speak with the wardens or Father Anthony.