christ lutheran church reportera publication of christ lutheran church 113 union street natick, ma...
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A Publication of
Christ Lutheran Church
113 Union Street
Natick, MA 01760
Phone: 508-315-3170
E-mail: [email protected]
The Rev. Rebecca Bourret, Pastor
Tom Berryman, Music Director [email protected]
Kim Petot, Junior and Youth
Choir Director and Junior Bell and Chime Director
Nick Pearson, Youth Director [email protected]
Tamara Nevens, Administrative Assistant Church Office [email protected]
Leaders of the Congregation:
George Hall, President
Lisa Eck, Vice President
Edie Lohr, Treasurer
Celeste Larson, Secretary
Carol Virshbo, Professional Leadership
Laraine Marthinsen, Flowers and
Family Promise
Doris Brand, Coffee Hour
Frank Miller, Financial Secretary
Martha Cronin, Outreach
John Whitlock, Resource
Cathy Gallagher, Endowment
Edie Lohr, Altar Guild
Phil Roberts, WMVA co-chair
Kim Petot, WMVA co-chair
Bruce Schnepper, Property
Lisa Eck, Sunday School
Jeffrey P. Kinney, Stewardship
Martha Cronin, Communications
Janice Laakko, Visitation
Church Council:
Mary Avalos (2017)
Lisa Eck (2017)
George Hall (2017)
Edie Lohr (2017)
Hilding Hedberg (2018)
Celeste Larson (2018)
Mary Pollard (2018)
Bruce Schnepper (2018)
Jerry Precious (2019)
Phil Roberts (2019)
Joyce Simon (2019)
Olivia White (2019)
Christ Lutheran Church
REPORTER
December 2016
Advent and Christmas 2017
Christ Lutheran Church
Sunday, November 27 First Sunday of Advent
9:00 a.m. Advent Wreath-making
for All Ages
10:00 a.m. worship
Thursday, December 1 6:30 Simple Supper and Advent Compline
Sunday, December 4 Second Sunday of Advent
10:00 a.m. Worship
Thursday, December 8 6:30 Simple Supper and Advent Compline
Sunday, December 11 Third Sunday of Advent
10:00 a.m. Worship
Thursday, December 15 6:30 Simple Supper and Advent Compline
Sunday, December 18 Fourth Sunday of Advent
10:00 a.m. Worship
11:30 a.m. Greening of the Church
with Soup Lunch
Monday, December 19 7:00 Wass-Ale at the Morse Tavern,
85 E. Central St., Natick
Thursday, December 24 Christmas Eve
4:00 p.m. Carols, Candlelight,
and Communion
10:00 p.m. Festival Eucharist (Kids invited to leave a pair of shoes, and find
goodies when they return Christmas morning!)
Sunday, December 25 Christmas Day
10:00 a.m. Christmas Day Breakfast Church
(Kids invited to come in p.j.s)
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Pastor’s Page
In former days, Advent was a “little Lent,” a season marked primarily by penitence—the repentance
John the Baptist demands the second Sunday each year—and dressed in the same purple as Lent. Dur-
ing Advent, it took on the added sense of royalty, since the Christ we await is King Jesus. While some
churches continue to use purple during Advent, most Lutherans favor blue, or royal blue, signifying
hope and expectation. (Some believe that blue was adopted in 6th-century Scandinavia, on account of
the rarity of purple dye.)
The word “Advent” derives from the Latin adventus, or coming, which is itself a translation of the Greek
parousia, the word Christians often use to refer to Jesus’ expected coming at the end of time. In its ear-
liest form, Advent was, like Lent, a time of preparation for new Christians, who would be baptized on
the feast of the Epiphany. By the 6th century CE, however, Christians in the West had come to associate
this season as one of expectation of Jesus’ coming—but not in memory, in the manger, but at the end
of time, as judge of all.
In current practice (in the West), Advent has encompasses both this sense of Jesus’ coming to fulfill
God’s promises and his birth among us some two thousand years ago. The first two Sundays of Advent
emphasize the coming we anticipate, and the last two the incarnation we remember and celebrate.
Yet week after week we observe and hail his coming among us today—as the living Word of God, in the
holy Meal of bread and wine, and incarnate as his Body in and for the world—you and me.
This Advent I have been more deeply aware of the presence of death: I recently learned that a beloved
college friend has died; I write with our eleven-year-old lab by my side, whom the vet will euthanize on
Monday, because he has been having seizures, and his legs have become too weak to support him; con-
versations with friends have made me aware of the darkness of death in their lives as well.
But Advent is like Lent in this way, too: as the Easter Vigil, begun in darkness, concludes that penitential
season and culminates in the resurrection of Christ, rising from the darkness of the tomb, so in this sea-
son, as the days of December fade to darkness, and a year comes to its end, each of us some 366 days
(2016 is a leap year!) closer to our deaths, we look to the One whose life, death, resurrection and as-
cension give us hope of life’s renewal, assurance of light in our darkness, and promise of life that not
only surpasses death, but arises from it.
Peace.
Pastor Rebecca Bourret
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MUSIC NOTES Tom Berryman, Music Director
Advent and Christmas Music The Advent and Christmas seasons are short, but filled with fabulous hymns, carols and choral music. We’ll be singing verses from the foremost of the Advent hymns, “O come, O come Emmanuel” each Sunday of Advent. As the Advent Wreath can-dles are lighted, we’ll be adding “Light one candle” verses each week. For Christmas Eve: Music at the 4 pm candlelight service will be lead by the Junior Choir and instrumentalists (strings, guitars, accordion) with carols replacing all of the liturgical music. You will notice an Appalachian musical style in this service, with music that includes “Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head” by John Jacob Niles and our “Land and Seasons” band accompanying the carol singing. Kayla Canning will be performing a beautiful solo on Shakespeare’s Christmas text from HAMLET, “Some say that ever ‘gainst the season comes…” The CLC Choir will lead the music for the 10 pm Christmas Eve Service. We will begin with a short Prelude featuring the Choir and organ performing “Nowel We Sing” based on a lively French carol tune and set of organ variations by 18th centu-ry composer Louis-Claude D’Aquin. Choral music during the service includes John Harbison’s “O Magnum Mysterium,” Paul Halley’s setting of “What Child Is This” and Jean Sibelius’ “Giv Mig Ej Glans.” This festive candlelight service will of course include plenty of carols for congregational singing. The service concludes with Keith Chapman’s rousing setting of the French carol, “Bring a Torch Jeanette Isa-bella” for the Organ Postlude.
Sunday Sweet Sounds on December 4 Don’t miss hearing the CLC Bells on Sunday, December 4 at Coffee Hour. We’ll be playing some great arrangements of Christmas carols (even though it’s Advent II!). After our Sweet Sounds performance, we’ll be packing up and heading for two hours of playing at Macy’s in the Natick Mall (1-3 pm). Look for us on the first floor in “dresses.”
Support LIVE Music December is a fantastic month for hearing music in performances that include members of the CLC community: INTO THE WOODS at Natick High School (Anders Carlson) Friday Dec 2 at 7:30 pm and Saturday Dec 3 at 3 pm. We hosted members of the cast on Nov 13 for a Sweet Sounds Coffee Hour sneak preview.
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Boston Cecilia (John Whitlock) PUER NATUS EST: MUSIC FOR CHRISTMAS http://www.bostoncecilia.org/christmas-concert/ Friday, Dec 2 at 8 pm Church of the Advent in Boston and Sunday, Dec 4 at 3 pm at All Saints Church in Brookline Chorus Pro Musica (Jeff Pearson, Kim Petot, Mary Wolf) CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS http://www.choruspromusica.org/concerts Friday, Dec 16 at 8 pm Old South Church in Boston Boston Saengerfest Men’s Chorus (Tom Berryman, Hilding Hedberg) GO, TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN https://saengerfest.org/ Sunday, Dec 18 at 4 pm Casey Theater Regis College in Weston WASS-ALE Join CLC players and singers for our annual informal carol sing at Morse Tavern Monday, Dec 19 at 6:30 pm.
Sing for Joy You’ll find a reference to this weekly broadcast from St. Olaf College in the E-News each week. Why not include a listen to this wonderful musical meditation as
part of your Advent discipline? Go to www.singforjoy.org or click on the link on each Tuesday’s E-News.
Tom Berryman plays piano for the NHS singers as the congregation enjoys the sampling of their upcoming show, Into the Woods. ~Photos courtesy of Ruth Colson
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Bible Studies
Come, join us on Thursday mornings at 10:00 a.m. to experience Bible discussions
with Pastor Richard Hurst.
These sessions will last one hour. Coffee, tea, and cookies are provided.
CLC @ the MOVIES
No CLC @ the Movies in December. Stay tuned for fabulous films in January and beyond. Merry Christmas Everyone!
Youth event Dec 10! Bring your favorite
Christmas cookies on Saturday at 2pm. We will use them to assemble cookie plates for a sale on Dec 11 to benefit the ELCA World Hun-ger Appeal. Edie Lohr will lead us in baking cardamom bread and then we'll put together the cookie plates. We'll be finished by 4pm. We'll also need some people to sell baked goods on Sunday Dec. 11. Let Celeste Larson know if you're able to help.
Attention CLC Bakers! The youth will hold a cookie sale on Dec. 11 to benefit the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. We need your help! Please contribute 2 dozen of your favorite Christmas cookies by Saturday Dec. 10 at 2pm. The youth will assemble plates of assorted cookies to be sold on Dec 11. Contributions can be left in the CLC kitchen marked "cookie
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Outdoor clean-up day 11/5/16
All Saints & vespers Dr John Hoffmeyer 11/6/16
~ Photos courtesy of Ruth Colson
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We keep in prayer our members and friends
with long-term needs:
Andrew Chin
Steven Chin
Sara Dale
Barbara Fitzpatrick
Sue and Harland Gilbert
Nancy and Russ Golly
Bob Grout
Arthur Hurst
Richard Hurst
Skip Hurst
Lisa Kane
Chui Yuk Lee
Steve McKee
Jon Nelson
Barbara Peterson
Rebecca Ortelli
Nadia Salerno
Lauren Stevens
Jay Wechsler
Dorothy Whitlock
Jake Vittands
Do you have a friend or family member who would enjoy
receiving an inspirational card from our church?
Please give Janice Laakko the information, and she will ensure that a card or cards
are sent to your friend or loved one.
Janice's email address is [email protected]
Update from the Resource Commission
We have reported that we have been in the black for most of this year, and the good news is that at the end of October we were still in the black by $3,232.18. However, in the last sev-eral months, adult contributions have been consistently below projections. Our surplus has largely resulted from the fact that expenses have been below projections, but in many cases the reason is timing. Many of the expenses are expected to end the year closer to projec-tions. Without strong contributions in December, we will not meet our projections for adult contributions for the year, and we may not balance the budget for the year.
A deficit for the year would be particularly troublesome because we have completed a num-ber of necessary property projects this year that have significantly reduced the major maintenance fund to a relatively low level. The larger projects, like the new roof on the par-sonage were planned, but removal of dead and damaged trees at the church and parson-age, sidewalk work at the parsonage required by our insurance carrier and other smaller projects have added up.
While we have a modest surplus as we approach the end of the year, we encourage contin-ued faithful stewardship to assure that we can balance our budget.
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DECEMBER 2016 PRAYER VENTURES
1 World AIDS Day We pray that our work with global partners, companion churches and community agencies will further develop and expand ministries of HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and advocacy where they are needed most and bring hope and wellness to people who live with HIV and AIDS. 2 We look forward to Jesus’ return, though we know not when, and pray that we not lose sight of the work and ministry God is calling each of us to do here and now in the world before that day of salvation and judgment arrives. 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities We remember in our prayers people living with disabilities and pray our church, communities and social structures grow in commitment to affirming the gifts and abilities of all people and creating a more inclusive, equitable and just world for people living with disabilities. 4 John the Baptist called people to repentance and a new life—a new beginning—in Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God for the new life and hope we have in Jesus Christ and pray that our lives always reflect and share the light of Christ in the world. 5 As we shop for Christmas gifts for family, friends and coworkers, we ask God to give us pause and remind us of the bene-fits, hope and joy that can result from sharing our financial gifts and resources with neighbors in need—in our community and globally. 6 We ask God to grant our newly elected president and leaders wisdom, compassion for all people, commitment to justice and strength for carrying out their responsibilities as public servants. 7 Where there is conflict in the world, we pray for peace and healing; for soldiers and veterans who are currently serving or have served our country in the interest of peace and freedom, we give thanks and ask for God’s protection. And reflecting on times of war and peace throughout history, we ask God to instill in us lessons of reconciliation, justice, forgiveness, di-plomacy and concern for the well-being of all people. 8 We remember in our prayers our relationships with Lutheran churches around the world and the Global Ministry Projects that support our companions in expanding their ministries, training pastors and evangelists, reaching youth, strengthening their community presence and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. 9 We continue to pray for the communities and people who have suffered great losses and tragedy from recent hurricanes and flooding in the southeastern U.S. coastal areas and Caribbean region. 10 Though we sometimes have doubts and wonder about who Jesus is and what he has done for us as the promised Messi-ah, we pray the Spirit will continue to stir and strengthen our faith and reveal to us God’s word and truth. 11 As people of faith in Jesus Christ, we ask God to make us agents of hope, forgiveness, love and reconciliation that by our witness and actions we might help bridge and heal the deep divisions and discontent that exist in our society today. 12 We remember in our prayers ELCA missionaries, Young Adults in Global Mission and all servants of Christ separated from their home communities, friends or families during this time of year. We give thanks to God for their faithful service and the sacrifices they make for the sake of sharing the gospel and caring for God’s people throughout the world. 13 Lucy, martyr (died 304) Lucy, a young Christian woman in Sicily, devoted her life to God and to serving the poor. We pray that we too are so devoted in our faith and service and fear no persecution, criticism, adversity or even death. 14 We remember in our prayers the thousands of displaced refugees living in temporary camps this winter in the Middle East and pray their daily needs are met, they not lose hope and will someday return home or settle into new communities that are safe, nurture trust and care among neighbors and where all can prosper—in every way.
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15 Being engulfed by commercialism and pop culture traditions attached to the Christmas season, we ask God to remind us of and keep us centered in the simple, true essence of Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ and God’s gift of love for all people. 16 We remember in our prayers that our hope and help is found in God, who made heaven and earth and everything within them. 17 People working during the holidays sacrifice much to serve our needs and our communities. We pray they find employment that pays fair wages to support themselves and their families, find times for rest and renewal, and experience the joy we have in Jesus Christ. 18 We pray that we remain faithful, committed and receptive to God even in the face of the complexities and mysteries of life, just as Joseph and the pregnant Mary were in preparing to bring Jesus into the world—for the sake of the world. 19 We remember in our prayers all people who are homeless or facing imminent homelessness and pray that the Spirit will guide us in helping them secure warm, safe and reliable shelter and homes. 20 Katharina von Bora Luther, renewer of the church (died 1552) We give thanks to God for the life, faith and influence of Katie Luther, wife of Martin Luther, and remember in our prayers women throughout history who have helped influence, lead and grow the church and its mission in the world. 21 Winter solstice In our observance of Advent, we look to the lighting of candles to remind us of the light of Jesus Christ shin-ing brightly without fail in the world, especially in places of despair and darkness where people long for light and hope. 22 We pray the Spirit will move us to share the good news with people we encounter during the Christmas season and invite them to join in the life of our faith communities so they may see, hear, experience and come to know the source of our faith, kindness, hope and joy—Jesus Christ. 23 We remember in our prayers individuals and families who live with poverty, unemployment or are homeless and pray the Spirit will move us to be attentive of others, generous and welcoming, especially during our holiday gatherings, the sharing of gifts, bountiful meals and celebrating the good news of the Christ child. 24 Christmas Eve On this day each year, we remember with hope, faith and anticipation the promises God has made and ful-filled through the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, God’s real and present gift of love and forgiveness for the world. 25 Christmas Day Alleluia! We give thanks and praise to God for the good news of great joy given to all people in the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God—our light and salvation. 26 Kwanzaa begins During this week of Kwanza, we give thanks to God for the richness and significance of traditions, cultures, languages, stories and leadership among people of African descent . 27 We humbly give thanks to God for our baptism through which we are joined with the body of Christ—all believers—and cleansed of our old self and made new, not because we did anything to deserve it, but because of God’s abundant mercy. 28 We remember in our prayers the communities in Italy that continue to be affected by earthquakes and pray for their recov-ery, the ongoing efforts of disaster response workers and that all may know the love and hope of God’s presence. 29 We ask the Spirit to inspire and guide us as we seek to make our congregations places of celebration, caring, worship, out-reach and that equip us to serve our neighbor and the world. 30 Christmas presents have been opened and set aside, decorations are being put away and Christmas trees tossed to the curb, but we pray the celebration and joy of the gift of Jesus Christ continues throughout the year, for life. 31 We ask God to help us not squander or forget the forgiveness, new life and freedom we have in Jesus Christ and that we can face without fear the changes and newness that may come with the approaching new year.
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ASSISTING LIST FOR DECEMBER 2016
Upcoming Events Thursday, December 8 6:30 Simple Supper and Advent Compline
Thursday, December 15 6:30 Simple Supper and Advent Compline
Sunday, December 18 Greening of the Church with Soup Lunch
Monday, December 19 7:00 Wass-Ale at the Morse Tavern, 85 E. Central St., Natick
Tuesday, December 24 Christmas Eve 4:30 p.m. Carols, Candlelight, and Communion 10:00 p.m. Festival Eucharist
Sunday, December 25 Christmas Day 10:00 a.m. Christmas Day Breakfast Church February 3-5, 2017 CLC’s annual mid-winter retreat
The January Reporter deadline is DECEMBER 20, 2016.
Christ Lutheran Church 113 Union Street Natick, MA 01760 (508) 315-3170 [email protected] www.christnatick.org