Dear Friends in Christ,
As we begin a new month, (remember — we are “falling back” this weekend, so change your clocks!) we are also watching 2022 quickly come to a close. This winding down of a year often causes us to reflect on what is now past, but we must remember all that is to come.
In the parish’s most recent memory, we had the blessing of welcoming our Bishop-Elect, The Rev. Canon E. Mark Stevenson, to our Sunday worship. I am excited about his upcoming consecration and his ministry with the Diocese of Virginia. Thank you to everyone who came to meet with him and be with our church family.
Our church’s calendar is rapidly filling up with both familiar (though some slightly changed) and new opportunities. These events allow us to look forward to joys that are yet to come.
To start, Emmanuel’s Table Food Pantry hours are changing to the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. We continue to offer the Service of Compline from Sunday through Thursday at 8 p.m. on Zoom and Facebook Live and a Healing Eucharist each Wednesday at 12 p.m. at Emmanuel. Our Sunday service schedule continues to offer the opportunity to worship together at 8 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. at Emmanuel and 9:15 a.m. at Saint Andrew’s with the later two services streaming live on Facebook. The Southern Shenandoah Bible Study day is changing to Thursday nights at 7 p.m. starting today.
During the Advent season, we are planning a series on a book by Henri Nouwen, “Turn My Mourning into Dancing.” We’ll be meeting in person starting November 29 at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays at St. Andrew’s and Wednesdays at 5 p.m. at Emmanuel. On December 2, we’re again supporting the community through our parish tradition of having refreshments for Light Up, Woodstock (please see the info below for more details and to sign up to join in the fun). It may go without saying, we’re also excited to have the new Bishop’s consecration in Richmond on December 3. The ladies of St. Andrew’s are providing cookies and hot chocolate at the annual Mt. Jackson Christmas parade on December 10.
I’ll throw out a teaser for another fun Advent event we have upcoming involving nativity sets. Read on below to find out what it is!
No matter the number of events on our schedule, we must continue to wrestle with the ways the pandemic has reshaped our lives as individuals, a church, a country, and a world. The reality is that our world’s needs change, and our response to those needs must change, too.
I invite you to offer all your prayers with renewed intentions in the coming months. May our prayers reflect our fervent Christian hope in God’s goodness, even while we mourn! May our prayers strengthen us to work for a world marked by Christ’s love!
Let’s have breakfast or lunch together (my treat) and catch up with one another.
TIME CHANGE THIS WEEKEND
It’s time again to “fall back!”
EMMANUEL: PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PLEDGE FORMS
Your vestry will be working on the 2023 budget starting at their November meeting, so we really need to get your pledge forms in so we know how much income we can count on. Thank you for returning yours. If you didn’t receive your stewardship letter and card, please let the church office know. If you have questions, email Elizabeth Cottrell, Stewardship Chair: elizabethc@heartspoken.com. If necessary, an emailed pledge sent to Elizabeth will be counted and appreciated.
BISHOP’S CONSECRATION: UPDATE
If you would like to attend the consecration, it is open to the public. Registration, which you can do is required. A bus with folks from our area is leaving from Emmanuel Harrisonburg at 7:45 a.m. December 3 to go to Richmond. If you are interested, please RSVP to Mother Kathy. There is a cost involved.
COOKIE & VOLUNTEER SIGNUP FOR LIGHT UP WOODSTOCK
Signup is here! We are in need of plenty of cookies for the 2022 Light Up Woodstock event. Typically, we hand out at least 100 dozen. We’re starting signups early to make sure we’ll have enough. Cookies need to be dropped off at Emmanuel by 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2.
We also need volunteers to help set up, hand out cookies/drinks and clean up. We need folks to come at 4 p.m. to start set up. We anticipate that break down will be done by 8 p.m. We’ll have two shifts, 4 to 6 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.
If you’d like to commit to baking or giving store-bought cookies (we ask that they be individually wrapped with one or two cookies per bag), or to volunteer to help, please fill out this form or email Melissa to let her know how many dozen you’ll be bringing and/or which shift(s) you can volunteer for.
SHARING OUR FAMILY NATIVITY SETS
This advent season, we’re asking folks to bring in a special nativity set that they’d like to share with others in our church family. At Emmanuel, they’ll also be set up in the fellowship hall during Light Up Woodstock for our neighbors to come in and see. Please drop off your set at any Sunday service between now and the last Sunday of the month, when Advent begins. Should you have questions, Mother Kathy would be glad to help.
THURSDAY BIBLE STUDY
There is no Bible study this week. The Southern Shenandoah Bible Study has changed their day to Thursday at 7 p.m. on Zoom starting November 3. Everyone is welcome!
DAR FAMILY BIBLE PROJECT
Let the Narrow Passage Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, help preserve the historical value of your family Bible…while you wait. Members will photograph, transcribe and compile your important family information. A transcribed copy will be provided to you for your records. Bring in your Bible(s) and up to four (4) pictures of the family members listed, if possible.
Dates: Saturday, October 29 and November 19, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location: Historic Courthouse Museum/Visitor Center, 103 North Main Street, Woodstock.
Questions? Email Narrow Passage Chapter: GRC@narrowpassagedar.org or call 540-477-9500.
ITEM COLLECTION FOR RESPONSE
The ladies of St. Andrew’s Guild are collecting personal care items to put together Wonderful Women’s Comfort bags (WWC bags) for women receiving support from Response due to domestic violence.
Boxes are out in each parish hall to collect travel size toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, tissues, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, lip balm and soap. Monetary donations are also appreciated. Checks can be made out to St. Andrew’s Guild, with a note that it’s for WWC, and mailed to P.O. Box 117, Mt. Jackson, VA, 22842. Cash or checks can be handed to Nancy Fadely. Please label all envelopes ATTN: Guild.
EMMANUEL’S TABLE FOOD PANTRY: NEW HOURS
Emmanuel’s Table is open every second and fourth Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The next dates are November 8 and 22.
We are still seeking someone who is willing to help coordinate and assist volunteers. We always welcome folks to help unload deliveries and pack and distribute food as well.
A huge Thank You to Massanutten Military Academy cadets for a their help with serving our pantry guests. We greatly appreciate all our volunteers who generously dedicate their time and efforts to making sure our neighbors and their furry family members don’t go hungry. Thank you to all those who have generously been donating cat and dog food to the pantry.
PRAYER LIST
One of the greatest gifts we have to offer each other as a parish family is our prayers for ourselves, our families and our loved ones. You’re invited to sit with your parish directory and each day, lift up a section or page of names a day. Let’s continuously hold each other in prayer. Let us pray: God of grace and comfort, enfold our parish-members, family and friends with your mercy. Strengthen each one with a shield of faith and enable them to accept what is to come, heal them and bear their pain, keep them in peace, and fix their hearts on you through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Our prayer list can be found on our website. If you have folks you’d like added to the prayer list, please email their names to email Melissa.
WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
WEEKDAY SERVICES
NIGHTLY COMPLINE
Sunday through Thursday, 8 p.m. Compline on Facebook Live
WEDNESDAY HEALING EUCHARIST
12 p.m. at Emmanuel
SUNDAY SERVICES
NOTE: SERVICES ARE NOT STREAMING THIS SUNDAY
8 a.m. Emmanuel
9:15 a.m. St. Andrew’s and Facebook Live
11:15 a.m. Emmanuel and Facebook Live
The full bulletin is available here on our website.
All weekly and Sunday services are available to view on Facebook and our website after the services, when available.