•Sunday, Dec. 3 God’s Garden (children 5-9) meets at 10:15 AM. We will be talking to talk about Advent
2023 Sun Dec 3
Commentary, Advent 1, Year B, Dec. 3, 2023
Explore Advent, Part 1– Over the next 4 Sundays there will be a presentation each week focusing on that week’s scriptures, art and commentary and how they demonstrate the themes of advent. Let’s get started with Advent 1.
Arts and Faith- Advent 1, Year B relating art and scripture
The First Week of Advent, Year B, is based on Mark 13:33–37. The art is William Holman Hunt’s “The Light of the World.”
“Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn.”
At the start of Advent, the Gospel calls us to vigilance—to watch and be ready for the Lord of the house, awaiting his return. William Holman Hunt’s The Light of the World offers us one image of what this arrival might look like. The Light of the World is deeply symbolic, showing Christ arriving at a door at night. It’s an allegory for Christ seeking entry at the door of the human heart. His way to the door is lit by a lantern, casting a soft light on the door to show that it is overgrown with plants; it has not been opened in a while. The plants also show that it is not only a late hour, but late in the year—they are dry, past harvest, and ready to crumble away as winter comes.
Advent 1, 2023
Advent in 2 minutes Check out this Youtube video
Advent in 1 minute– A 2015 video from St. Mary’s Cypress
Explore Advent, Part 1– Over the next 4 Sundays there will be a presentation each week focusing on that week’s scriptures, art and commentary and how they demonstrate the themes of advent. Let’s get started with Advent 1.
Advent is the time when we change to a different year in the Lectionary. This year we move from Year A to B and from a concentration on the Gospel of Matthew to Mark.  There are several articles which are a general introduction to Mark 1. Shortest from christianity.about.com 2. Longer from the Catholic Bishops 3. Longest from a catholic source
Interested in the Church calendar ? Matthew’s interest about time in First Advent lends itself to understand how we measure time.
There are several articles/presentations about the infancy narratives 1. Brief summary between Matthew and Luke 2. Longer comparison
Mark’s “Little Apocalypse”
Jesus’ speech in Mark 13, known as Mark’s “Little Apocalypse,” highlights the destruction of the Temple, social chaos, “wars and rumors of war” (v.7) as the “beginning of the birth pangs” (v.8) — the signs of the apocalypse. Mark was written during a time of Christian persecution by the Roman Empire, but these words still echo today. Our world is erupting in devastating wars while we witness the horrifying killing of innocents. This Advent, the political and social chaos of Jesus’ day resonates a little too well.
When we are overwhelmed by the suffering of our world, what can we learn from apocalyptic texts that turn us to the future? How can these texts illuminate the ways we can and should move through our current context? How can these texts prepare and inspire us for a new beginning come Christmas?
Mark’s “Little Apocalypse” is meant to encourage the faithful to endure, because, as the old spiritual says, “soon and very soon, we are going to see the King” (Glory to God, 384). Mark anticipates Jesus will return within his lifetime, encouraging us to “keep awake” (v.37), recognize the ways God is already here, and keep hopeful eyes on the horizon for the redemption God promises to bring.
The climax of Jesus’ apocalyptic speech in verses 26-27 describes God’s final gathering of his people. Jesus reassures those suffering that God is ultimately in control; their hardships will not last forever. The vision of God’s people gathered “from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven” (v.27) is a source of strength. There is no greater suffering than that endured alone. ..
Advent Season Resources
An online Advent potpourri in 6 categories of things to do in Advent – Read, Watch, Learn, Listen, Pray and Reflect and Make. There is something for everyone!
Read includes key points of Advent, the beginning of Advent, and waiting
Under Watch there are videos –Nativity: The Art and Spirit of the Creche and The Story of Silent Night .
The Learn tab has the classes we have had at St. Peter’s including Luke’s Canticles, Matthew’s Infancy Stories, Christmas Carols and Dickens.
Listen includes Lessons and Carols from National Cathedral as well as an exploration of Antiphons .
Pray and Reflect features Advent meditations a workshop involving prayer, scripture, candlelight and an adaptation of the Way of Love for Advent.
Finally Make has all sorts of crafts from Advent calendars, cooking and wreath creation.
Advent Meditations, 2023 – Living Compass
Living Compass produces a book of daily meditations for Advent- “Living Well through Advent which begins Dec. 3
https://shop.livingcompass.org/collections/advent-and-lent-resources The printed copy is $1 and the download is free. (We have purchased 20 copies.)
The Living Compass Model for Well-Being offers us guidance in four dimensions of our being: heart, soul, strength, and mind and focus on how they are interconnected. The goal is wellness and wholeness
The theme this year is “Practicing Wonder as we move toward Christmas.” Each week has an example of it demonstrated by the lives of the author
Week 1 is the connection between wonder and love. Through time and space, adversity and divide, love remains. Love is a constant. Like love, wonder opens the heart and touches our soul.
Week 2 is the connection between wonder and stories. Stories so often help us remember the One whose love we are preparing to celebrate, and those who have taught us so much about wonder and love through the years. Think of the diverse family members in your family
Week 3 explores the connection between wonder and thin places, be they physical, spiritual, emotional, or relational. . A thin place is a location where the distance between God and Heaven and the Earth is thin. It is a place where deep transformation can happen as we strengthen our personal connection to God.
Week 4 is the wonder of God as made manifest in Mary’s faith and courage described in Luke, the birth of Jesus, and the reverent response of the shepherd
Discretionary Fund in 2023
There have been 41 checks totaling $3,524.58 from January through October of this year. The last year reviewed was 2021 for the same period which showed $2,243.68 distributed These funds help people with utilities, medical bills, rental payments, food, and car payments. The Discretionary Fundis a vital part of St. Peter’s Outreach. Thanks for those who have donated to this fund!.
St. Peter’s Endowment Fund – An end of the year gift to the Church
Consider a gift to the St. Peter’s Endowment Fund this year by Dec. 17. If you have not taken your IRA minimum distribution, this would be a good fund to consider. It’s tax deductible These funds, which are invested, will help assure financial security for St Peter’s for years to come. Money from the fund can be used for the future maintenance of the buildings in the future and also for outreach projects that the church may take on. On your check, just designate the “Endowment Fund” in the memo line.
Giving to the Endowment Fund also offers some tax advantages. You can donate stock which is sold by the church with the proceeds going into the Endowment Fund. There are no capital gains for you and you can get a deduction for the appreciated value of the stock. Supporting St Peter’s in this way can increase your tax deduction and not your tax bill.
You can also go further and add a percentage of your estate which is taken off the total estate when computing estate tax.
For details consult one of the trustees, Johnny Davis, Ken Pogue or Ben Hicks.
Advent Compline
Join us online for the 20 minute service on Zoom , Dec. 7, 14, and 21 at 7PM.
Link Meeting ID: 863 3487 7905 Pass 868383
Compline was a service to close the day, an opportunity to give thanks for the joys and graces experienced, a chance to confess sins committed throughout the day, and the perfect moment to close the day the same way it started: in prayer. If Morning Prayer is designed to start the day off right then Compline is designed to end it well. It frames you for sleep and puts the day in perspective. It helps you recommit yourself to prayer during Advent. Give it a try!
ECW Dinner for the “House”
The ECW will be taking dinner to the “House” located on Collage Ave, Fredericksburg on Dec. 5. (This was last done Feb.5 , 2019 for about 10 students.) . Their website is – https://www.thehousefxbg.org/.
The Episcopal and Lutheran churches in downtown Fredericksburg have shared ministry for years, working together to fund and staff a mission to the University of Mary Washington campus since 2011. In 2018, the leadership of the three churches dreamed up the new position of Young Adult Missioner to coordinate campus ministries.
The missioner is The Rev. Ethan Lowery. College students meet Tuesdays during the semester from 5-7pm at The House for dinner and discussion and time to hang out and check in. Our goal for our young adult ministry is to create safe spaces for fellowship, creativity, and learning and growing
Our missioner’s work is supported and shared among three parishes–Christ Lutheran, Trinity Episcopal, and St. George’s Episcopal, all within walking distance of UMW and The House
Sunday links, Dec. 3, 2023
Advent begins, Dec. 3
Lector: Linda Kramer
Chalice Bearer: Johnny Davis
Altar Cleanup: Jan Saylor
Recent Articles, Dec. 3, 2023
Advent 1, Dec. 3, 2023
Videos
Photos
Sermon Tom Hughes
Lectionary for Advent 1, Dec. 3
Commentary about Advent 1
Mark’s Little Apocalypse
Advent 1, 2023
Advent 1, First Advent Candle – Hope
Waiting in Advent
Importance of Advent 1
Arts and Faith,Advent1
All About Advent
Getting Ready for Advent
Living Compass Advent meditations
Advent Season Resources
Advent Online Learning
The Church’s New Year
Advent Compline
Ministries
Art Auction – Final Results
Advent Workshop – the Nativity blocks
Advent Workshop – the Christmas trees
God’s Garden Field Trip Dec. 3
ECM Christmas donations due Dec. 3
ECW takes dinner to the “House”, Dec. 5
Christmas play poster download
Discretionary Fund in 2023
End of year gift to the Endowment Fund
Videos
Photos
Sermon Tom Hughes
Lectionary for Advent 1, Dec. 3
Commentary about Advent 1
Mark’s Little Apocalypse
Advent 1, 2023
Advent 1, First Advent Candle – Hope
Waiting in Advent
Importance of Advent 1
Arts and Faith,Advent1
All About Advent
Getting Ready for Advent
Living Compass Advent meditations
Advent Season Resources
Advent Online Learning
The Church’s New Year
Advent Compline
Ministries
Art Auction – Final Results
Advent Workshop – the Nativity blocks
Advent Workshop – the Christmas trees
God’s Garden Field Trip Dec. 3
ECM Christmas donations due Dec. 3
ECW takes dinner to the “House”, Dec. 5
Christmas play poster download
Discretionary Fund in 2023
End of year gift to the Endowment Fund
Selections from Advent 1 Sermon, 2020
I hate to wait. But yet again, the Church, in its wisdom, provides a whole season of waiting, just for me.
The Advent red light.
And not only are we waiting, but Jesus is clear that no one knows , not even Jesus, about how long the wait will be until the Son of Man returns with great power and glory and sets things right at last and turns a creation that had grown old into a new creation, one in which God dwells here with us.
No more crying there, no more sighing there, goes the old spiritual—we are going to see the King, Alleluia, alleluia, we are going to see the King.
“And all will be well, and all manner of things will be well,” as Julian of Norwich, who was a saint, of course, said.
But who knows when?
Alleluia indeed.