| This Sunday, December 17th Holy Communion - 10AM at St.Paul's All are welcome to receive Communion!
"Rejoice always," begins the reading from First Thessalonians. Isaiah and the psalmist make clear that God is turning our mourning into laughter and shouts of joy. "All God's children got a robe," go the words of the spiritual. It is not so much a stately, formal, pressed outfit as it is a set of party clothes, clothes that make us feel happy just to put on. We receive that robe in baptism, and in worship we gather for a foretaste of God's party. Sunday's readings: |
| Serving God on Sunday December 17th Assisting Minister: Don Ockrassa
Crucifer/Acolyte: Teresa Arellano Lector: Judy Faye
Ushers: Judy Faye, Corie Hervey Organist/Pianist: Cesar Cancino Flowers: Craig & Vicki Pyle (Shelly's birthday)
Fellowship: Lisa Olson, Matthew Hervey Sacristans: Vicki Pyle, Craig Pyle Counters: Anita Patten, Wayne Olson
Janitorial: Karen Spears Groundskeeper: Matt Thelen |
| Worship Schedule Worship schedules will continue to rotate on a monthly basis through the end of the year as follows:
December 2017 10:00 a.m. Worship Service at St. Paul's
Blue Christmas Evening Prayer Service will be on December 21 at 7 pm at St. Paul's. It is hoped that this will be an ecumenical service in cooperation with additional community congregations.
December 24th we will also have regular Sunday morning service at St. Paul's and after service we will be putting up the tree and decorating. There will be a light lunch after church so people can stay and help with the tree.
Christmas Eve service will be at Holy Trinity at 7 p.m.
On the Sunday after Christmas 12/31/17 there will be a hymn sing at St. Paul's. This is a hymn sing only with no communion, no readings, and no sermon. Offering baskets will be placed at the back in the Narthex.
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| What is a Blue Christmas Service? Many see Advent as a season of hope and Christmas as a season of joy, but not everyone feels hopeful or like celebrating. Grief, illness, aging, depression, loneliness, unemployment, and loss are magnified. Even those who are not struggling with losses may feel the stress of preparations and expectations around Christmas time.
This Longest Night/Blue Christmas service will be a contemplative space, a place of solace during the often frenetic days surrounding the celebration of Christmas. We come together seeking healing and room to share grief, sadness, loneliness or confusion when these emotions often feel out of place during the holidays.
For us December 21 is the longest night, the winter solstice, marking the official start of winter, On this darkest day of the year, we come with our honest yearnings seeking the return of light and hope. This service will begin at 7 PM at Saint Paul's. |
| Advent Links from Pr. Dawn |
| ELCA Good Gifts This year we have a tree downstairs at St. Paul's that has ornaments with animals on them that you can buy. The money from your purchase will go to buy from the ELCA Good Gifts Program which supports work in 83 countries. There is a catalog on the table by the tree that has more gifts you can buy and that explains the ELCA Good Gifts Program. If you have someone you just don't know what to give them buy an ornament and give the gift of giving. See Kathy Campas-Sutin if you have more questions about this project. |
Martha Circle will meet on December 21, at 12 noon during the regular time slot but in the home of Anita Patten at 504 Baylor Court in Benicia. Anitia's telephone number is (707) 745-0648. Anita will be making her delicious soup and everyone else is invited to bring sides such as finger foods, salads and desserts. Susan Riley has already volunteered to bring bread. Jan Jackson will lead the study "Joy to the World" from Gather magazine. Anita has requested that you RSVP with Jan Jackson, at (707) 315-7824 by text or call so she will know how much soup to make.
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Tickets may be purchased at the door and at www.vallejochoral.org or directly from Pr. Dawn, Dean Ahlberg or Karl Kelley who will be singing in the concert. $10 student; $20 seniors (60+), $25 Adult.
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Here is one last music program we learned about when we attended the Reformation Service at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco: |
The ELCA strongly suggests that all congregations have a mutual ministry committee comprised of the pastor and members of the congregation. There are many models for this group, and the model chosen for St. Paul's is a pastor-driven committee. This committee is there to discuss concerns, joys, and struggles from the congregation as well as any questions the pastor has. It is also a place for new ideas to be tested, as the committee members listen for comments being made by others. There is always a preference to bring any concerns directly to the pastor, but if that is not possible, these are the people to bring them to. At this time, the committee members are Karen Spears and Judy Faye. |
| Celebrating December Birthdays 2-Don Johnson 9-Joseph White 24-John Patten
Note: I am in the process of reconstructing the monthly birthday list. If I get it wrong or someone is left out for the month, please let me know. Contact me at judithfaye@aol.com or call or text me at (707) 980-9667. |
| Opportunities for Study Book Study: The Cross in Our Context: Jesus and the Suffering World by Douglas John Hall. The study will meet downstairs at St. Paul's at 8 AM. Book can be ordered on-line.
Martha Circle, women's Bible Study using "Gather" magazine meets the third Thursday of each month in Fellowship Hall at St. Paul's. Bring your own bag lunch and dessert will be served by the monthly hostess. See special article for special instructions for December meeting.
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| Opportunities for Service Joint choir practice will be at 8:45 am, upstairs at St. Paul's, under the direction of John Bennett. New singers are always welcome!
December 24th (Christmas Eve): We will have regular Sunday morning service at St. Paul's and after service we will be putting up the tree and decorating. There will be a light lunch after church so people can stay and help with the tree.
Food Basket Sunday. The first Sunday of each month at St. Paul's. Food donations go to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties. Brown Bag Lunches for distribution to the homeless are located in Fellowship Hall. Sewing Ministry: The 1st Thursday of every month in Fellowship Hall from 1 to 4 pm. Both women and men are welcome. No prior sewing experience is required. |
| Kindly Remember Submissions to The Weekly e-pistle are due on Tuesday of each week as we agreed to at our Congregation Meeting. If you submit an article late, and it still has significance for the next week it will be included then.
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| Know Your Church Council
Don Ockrassa, President (510) 719-7730, d.ockrassa@gmail.com Craig Pyle, Vice President (707) 645-7092, capylepe@pacbell.net Keith Domingo, Secretary (707) 373-2774, k-s-domingo@sbcglobal.net Corie Hervey, returning member (510) 691-2728 Kim Hervey, new member (707) 334-4872 (Use text messaging) Kathy Sutin , Church Treasurer, Ex officio member (707) 333-0150 (use text messaging) Rev. Dr. Dawn Roginski (650) 771-4241 Please know that you are free to contact your council members with questions you might have about church governance. Remember to be patient while waiting for a response as most council members hold full time jobs and volunteer their free time to the church. They will get back to you as soon as possible. You are also welcome to attend council meetings with the exception of occasional closed executive sessions dealing with such things as personnel matters. If you wish to get something on the council agenda for a regular council meeting, contact Keith Domingo. If you wish to view council minutes, they are on file in the office. Any council member can help you access these. Remember if you are viewing minutes, they do not become final and official until approved at the next meeting.
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| Christ's Care List
"Without the discipline of prayer, the world retains its illusions. Without an hour of public prayers, or half hour of private prayer, or ten minutes of quiet meditation, or saying a brief prayer of gratitude before or after a meal, we forget that God is present in the world and in our life. When we remember to pray in the morning, when we are mindful of the present moment, when we set apart Saturday or Sunday as the Sabbath, God's special day of the week, then all of life, and all times and places, and all people that we see are transformed by the light of God. The more we pray--in the sense of living a prayerful life--the more we desire to be with God in prayer. Prayer creates in us a hunger and thirst to be with the One whom we have see shining through nature and moments in time, people and events." -Henri Nouwen-SPIRITUAL FORMATION
(Recent Additions or Updates)
Dee Fix's painful stress fracture in her spine is healing slowly but she is hopeful for full healing to occur over the next few weeks Healing of body, mind, and spirit...
The family of Carmen Harnish coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico Roy Meyeske (husband of Karen Spear's first cousin) injured in a pedestrian accident.
Those Who Need Long Term Prayer:
Darren & Eline Campass (Kathy Campass-Sutin's son & daughter-in law expecting a baby 1/2018)
Margaret Cole
Dee Fix Anna Hervey
Jan Jackson
Louisa Johnson and Don Johnson (as he provides care for Louisa)
Gladys Jones (Kathy Campass Sutin's mother)
Caryl Kroan
Angelika Shanley
Robin Slusher as she navigates the legal process in pursuit of justice for her granddaughter and other children at risk. Don Stradal (Pr. Dawn's father) Continuous issues with falling and blocked arteries.
We also pray for: -
Those affected by hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Your support through Lutheran Disaster Response will bring hope and healing to those who have or will be affected. Donations can be made on line at (http://www.elca.org/give or call (800)638-3522. -
Those affected by the recent wildfires especially when there has been loss of lives or homes. -
Pray for an end to acts of terrorism and hatred in our country and around the world. Pray also for those who hate that their hearts might be changed. Our prayers are especially with those impacted by the shootings in Las Vegas. -
The communities of both St. Paul's and Holy Trinity as we continue to explore the possibility of consolidation. -
An end to racism and its injustice -
A just and lasting peace in the Holy Land -
Refugees - Those serving the armed forces.
Please Note: If you wish to add new prayer requests please contact Judy Faye at judithfaye@aol.com, or (707) 980-9667 or (707) 557-4531. When submitting new names, be sure to use an identifier such as friend of Karen Spears or daughter of Jessica Nelson. Also briefly tell us the reason you are requesting prayers such as recent surgery so people will know what to pray for. If you see names on the list that it is time to remove, your own, or an old submission please let Judy know. With the exception of the Long Term Category, Council has recommended that names will be placed on the list for one month and then removed unless a new request with an update is submitted. If a name disappears that you want to stay in, just contact Judy with the reason you are requesting continuing prayer and she will add it back.
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