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THIS SUNDAY
Third Sunday of Advent

10AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II and Confirmations
Join us in person or watch the broadcast on our YouTube channel
Service material can be found on our website

Scripture readings for the Third Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 35:1-10
Canticle 15
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11

Sunday, December 11, 2022 – 3rd Sunday of Advent

• 9:00 AM – Vestry Meeting with the Bishop – Memorial Room
• 9:30 AM – Confirmands Meeting with the Bishop – Memorial Room
• 10:00 AM – Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers of Spiritual Communion and Confirmations – in person & livestream – The Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutiérrez, XVI Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, Celebrant & Preacher
• 11:30 AM – Special Coffee Hour Reception with the Bishop – Parish Hall
• 7:30 PM – Compline via Zoom Click here to join

Monday, December 12, 2022

• 9:15 AM – Morning Prayer in the Church
• 7:00 PM – Property Committee Meeting via Zoom – see Annette S. for link
• 7:30 PM – Compline via Zoom Click here to join

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

• 9:15 AM – Morning Prayer in the Church
• 7:30 PM – AA Meeting – Memorial Room
• 7:30 PM – Compline via Zoom Click here to join

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

• 9:15 AM – Morning Prayer in the Church
• 7:30 PM – Compline via Zoom Click here to join

Thursday, December 15, 2022

• 9:15 AM – Morning Prayer in the Church
• 11:00 AM – Bible Study via Zoom. We are studying the Gospel of John. New folks are always welcome. No previous experience required. Click here to join
• 7:30 PM – Compline via Zoom Click here to join

Friday, December 16, 2022

• 6:15 PM – Caroling! – meet at the church to join the fun – details below
• 7:30 PM – Compline via Zoom Click here to join
• 8:00 PM – Christmas Party @ the home of Judi Kraft & Joe Zorc – 1321 Wyngate Rd. in Wynnewood, bring an appetizer, dessert or beverage to share!

Saturday, December 17, 2022

• 7:30 PM – Compline via Zoom Click here to join

Sunday, December 18, 2022 – 3rd Sunday of Advent

• 10:00 AM – Pageant Sunday, Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers of Spiritual Communion – in person & livestream – The Rev. James Stambaugh, Celebrant & Preacher
• 7:30 PM – Compline via Zoom Click here to join

Christmas Services Schedule

Saturday, December 24, 2022 – Christmas Eve

• 4:30 PM – Family Service – in person & livestream – The Rev. James Stambaugh, Celebrant & Preacher
• 10:00 PM – Choral Festival Eucharist – in person & livestream – The Rev. James Stambaugh, Celebrant & Preacher

Sunday, December 25, 2022 – Christmas Day

• 10:00 AM – Christ Mass, Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers of Spiritual Communion – in person & livestream – The Rev. James Stambaugh, Celebrant & Preacher

Sunday, January 1, 2023 – Feast of the Holy Name

• 9:00 AM – Family Eucharist Service in the Sanctuary – The Rev. James Stambaugh, Celebrant & Preacher
• 10:00 AM – Festival of Lessons & Carols – in person & livestream – The Rev. James Stambaugh, Celebrant

Special Request: Aid for Refugees

We have been asked to join with Gladwyne Presbyterian Church and other faith communities in the area to provide much needed clothing to refugees who are being bussed to Philadelphia from Texas.

We will be providing:

SWEATPANTS and SOCKS – ALL SIZES, FOR MEN AND WOMEN

You can help by:

• purchasing items and dropping them off on the Outreach shelves in the narthex closet
• purchasing items and shipping them directly to the church – please remember to mark your packages “Attention: Outreach”
• making a donation to Outreach – marking “Refugees” in the memo line

We will be collecting items for at least the next month, and will continue as long as busloads of folks in need are arriving. Items will be delivered to Gladwyne Presbyterian on a weekly basis to insure getting the sweatpants and socks to those in need as quickly as possible. Questions? Contact Katie

DARBY MISSION

December Food Giveaway:

The next Darby Food Giveaway is scheduled for Wednesday, December 21. Rev. Doris has asked us to provide the following items to the best of our ability:

• Canned Cranberry Sauce
• Canned String Beans
• Canned Yams

Please bring your items to church by Tuesday, December 20, so that they can be delivered on time to the Mission for distribution. The mission has been providing food for an average of 150 people per month.

Drop off locations:

• Designated shelves in the closet off of the narthex
• CAN-estoga wagon in the hallway outside the office

We’re off to a good start – this is the situation as of Tuesday of this week: 26 cans of green beans; 32 cans of cranberry sauce; 17 cans of yams.

Let’s see if we can get at least 75 of each item by December 20!

Project Share

Soup Week – December 19-23

Our dinner deliveries to Project Share continue to be well received. Thank you to all who contribute to this vital ministry. The December 6 meal is now completely covered!

The week before Christmas – December 19-23 – has been declared Soup Week! Hot and hearty homemade soup will be provided each day of the week by our friend Andrea St Amour. Some of you might know her as the mom of Eli of Eli’s Honey Bees. To accompany this generosity we are looking for help with the rest of the meal, particularly:

• Crusty bread – Make a donation for fresh crusty bread which will be purchased and delivered fresh each day by our Outreach team.
• Hot Chocolate Packets – Provide a box of hot chocolate packets, or a donation to cover the cost
• Tea Bags – Provide a box of tea bags, or a donation to cover the cost
• Apostle’s Cup Coffee – Pay for a bag of Apostle’s Cup ($15) to be delivered along with the meal

Sign up on our SignUpGenius page, or talk to Cassie or Katie to offer assistance.

Our Advent Bag donations, along with a delicious meal provided by Lyn DeSilets and Patty Wertz this week, were delivered to Project Share amid the Tuesday morning drizzle. The weather did not in any way dampen the enthusiasm of those who received your gifts. Thank you for your generosity!

PLEASE NOTE

At this time we are ONLY accepting book donations for children, level 5th grade and below. We will accept any children’s books no matter the genre, in addition to our request for holiday themed, above. At this time we have more general audience books than we can handle. We will let you know if/when the situation changes. Thank you!

Reach out to Cassie about Outreach:
Email: grammysqrd@gmail.com; or call/text: 610-608-5440

Need help donating your items?

If you need assistance getting your donations to the church, please contact Katie in the church office to arrange transport: holyapostlespa@gmail.com or 610-642-6617

+ LOOSE PLATE COLLECTION
The offering taken during Bishop Gutiérrez’s visitation this Sunday will be for the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund to be used for needs of the church not covered by diocesan budget, such as religious and charitable purposes, pastoral emergencies and ministries arising during the course of the year. Checks can be made out to the “Diocese of PA.”

Share your welcoming spirit…

…with new visitors and returning members this Christmas. Please sign up to be a Greeter for one or more of these special services:

Dec. 18th
Christmas Pageant Sunday 10 AM
Dec. 24th
Christmas Eve Family Service 4:30 PM
Dec. 24th
Christmas Eve Festival Eucharist 10 PM
Dec. 25th
Christ Mass (HE Rite 2) 10 AM

For more information contact Linda Day

+ CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS

As is our tradition we will be decking the church with Christmas poinsettias, offering these Christmas flowers for the glory of God and in memory of those we love. If you would like to participate in this custom, please provide us with the names of the deceased loved ones you would like to remember along with a donation. The suggested donation is $10.00 per name, but please do give only as you are able and so moved.

You may email the names of your loved ones to us and use our online “give” button on website in order to donate. On the online form you can select “Flower Memorials” in the To: drop down list.

You may also mail the names and/or a check to the church office.

Deadline: Monday, December 19

+ ALTAR FLOWER SCHEDULE OPENINGS
Speaking of altar flowers, the following three dates are currently available in 2023:

• January 29 (last Sunday in January)
• May 28 (last Sunday in May)
• July 16 (3rd Sunday in July)

If you would like to reserve one of these dates, please contact Patty Wertz: psw17@comcast.net

You may choose to to book the date just for 2023 or on an ongoing basis. Please note that if you choose recurring the actual date will adjust in future years, as Sunday dates change from year to year.

+ WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE CAROL-ED?
On Friday, December 16th, our hearty band of carolers would like to come by your house and spread some Christmas cheer by singing a lovely carol for you! If you would like to be included in this festive tradition or know someone who would enjoy being sung to, please contact the office and we’ll do our best to work you into the map for the evening! You can request to be caroled regardless of whether or not you are planning to attend the CHA Christmas Party at the Kraft/Zorc home later that evening (see below). Caroling begins shortly after 6:15pm, weather permitting.

+ CHRISTMAS & CAROLING PARTY – DECEMBER 16
Please join us on Friday, December 16th for our traditional Caroling Party, hosted this year at the home of Judi Kraft and Joe Zorc, 1321 Wyngate Rd. in Wynnewood. The caroling is optional, but the party is a MUST!

Gather at the church at 6:15 to join a caravan of singers who will visit the homes of select parish members to bring cheer and sing traditional carols. Or just come to the party any time after 8 pm. Please bring a snack, dessert, or beverage to share. Celebrating the season with our Holy Apostles family is always a lot of fun!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23 @ 9:30AM
JOIN US AS WE DECORATE THE CHURCH FOR OUR
CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES

Prayer Closet

Work is again underway to turn the 2nd closet off of the narthex into a prayer room.

We are currently in search of two items:

1. A small occasional table that would sit between the chairs and hold the lamp. The table should be no more than 20-22 wide.
2. A small bookshelf to hold a BCP and other small books to be used in prayer.

If you have anything you feel might be useful and you’re willing to part with it, please contact Katie in the office: email: holyapostlespa@gmail.com
phone: 610-642-6617

+ REUSABLE BAGS NEEDED
If you have more reusable bags than you could possibly reuse, we’d love to take them off your hands! There is a constant need for them with a number of different Outreach projects. Drop off any you have to spare with Katie or Cassie, or put them on the Outreach shelves in the narthex closet.

+ DID YOU DONATE THIS AIR MATTRESS?
First, THANK YOU! We are certain we can make use of it, but we do have a few questions. If this is your generous donation, please contact Cassie or Katie so we can know how to make the best use of it!

+ DID YOU DONATE THIS ITEM?
Cassie has plans for this! But first we need to make sure it belongs to us and not PBRC or someone else. If you know the provenance of this item, please let Cassie know!

+ STEWARDSHIP SEASON 2022 – LIVES OF THANKSGIVING
It is never too late to make a pledge! If you have not yet made a pledge to Holy Apostles for 2023, please do so at your earliest convenience. The more we know in advance of your commitment to our ministries, the easier it is for our Finance team to put together the 2023 budget. Father James’ Stewardship Letter for 2022

You can make your pledge using a pledge card from your newsletter envelope or from the narthex table, or by using this link to Realm: https://onrealm.org/holyapostlespa/AddPledge/pledge2023.

+ ANNUAL MEETING & LUNCHEON – JANUARY 29 @ 11:30AM
Please mark your calendar now so you don’t miss this important event in our church year. A delicious luncheon will be served and we will be reviewing 2022, making plans for 2023 and voting on the 2023 operational budget and new vestry members. Child care will be available on site in the Godly Playroom.

+ SOUP MAKERS NEEDDED!
We are in need of 3-4 volunteers to make soup for the Annual Meeting luncheon. If you are interested in sharing your culinary talents, please contact Suzanne Lees: suzannelees@yahoo.com or 610-220-7120.

+ HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, APOSTLE’S CUP!
We have reached the 1-year anniversary of our partnership with House Cup Coffee and our in-house Apostle’s Cup coffee! You can purchase bags of regular-ground; regular-whole bean; and/or decaf-ground varieties. Each bag is $15, with $4 from each purchase going directly to the ministries of the Darby Mission. You can purchase coffee bags on Sundays, or any time the office is open (see Office Hours schedule below). You can also purchase Apostle’s Cup coffee direct from House Cup Coffee and have it shipped to your door!

+ 2023 Church Calendars
The 2023 Church calendars have arrived. You can pick one up from the narthex table while supplies last!

+ MAY WE PRAY FOR YOU?

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.
Ephesians 6:18a

The Parish Prayer list is included in the monthly newsletter that is sent through the mail. Additional copies are also available on the table in the narthex and on our website. To add your prayer needs to the list, you can contact Fr. James, Nancy Haas, or use the form on our website.

• Please keep Kiersten (née Wertz) & Dan Lopez in your prayers for private concerns. They have been added to Thursdays on the Parish Prayer List.
  
• Please pray for the family of Robert Ball – a fellow pilgrim in the Holy Land this year. Robert died this past week from injuries sustained in a car accident over Thanksgiving. His family was with him when he died, and I pray that brings them some level of peace. I know he rests in his Savior’s arms, but loss at this time of year is especially hard. Please pray for the Ball family, and all who are dealing with such loss at this time. May the comfort of the Holy Spirit be felt by all who mourn.

Prayer – it’s not just words, it’s a lifestyle

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+ COFFEE HOUR SIGNUPS
Please consider whether you can host a Sunday coffee hour! Hosting entails bringing a treat to share or using boxed cookies which will be in the cabinet, setting up the usual condiments and supplies for coffee and tea on a table in the Parish Hall, and cleaning up at the end of Coffee Hour. we have a plan for having the Apostles’ Cup coffee made before the service. Signup sheets are on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall.Questions? Contact Judy Jervis: TuesBowler@outlook.com or 610-348-5529

+ VOLUNTEER SIGNUP
Visit our SignUpGenius page to volunteer for:

• Chalice Bearer/Acolyte – contact Fr. James if you would like to join this team
• Donut/Coffee Courier – sign up to bring the donuts and coffee to the 9AM service
• Greeters – make folks feel welcome as they arrive for services
• Livestream Team – help make services available to those who can’t come to church, training available
• Outreach Events – Dates and slots have been added for Project Share meals through December.
• Readers/Intercessors – lend your voice to our weekly services. Openings now available for December and January. Please help if you can!

To sign up for 10AM coffee hour host – please see the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall or speak to Judy Jervis!

+ EUCHARISTIC VISITS
During this time, the rector and trained Eucharistic ministers may visit others to bring them the Eucharist. Meeting in outdoor spaces of homes will be preferred. Contact Fr. James if you would like to schedule a visit.

+ GIVING
You can always mail pledge contributions to the church. The mail is checked regularly. You can also securely give online. Go to holyapostlespa.org and click on the “Give” button on the top right hand corner of the webpage.

+ CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Office hours for the week of December 11:
Monday – 12/12 – 10:00am – 12:00pm
Tuesday – 12/13 – 10:00am – 3:00pm
Friday – 12/16 – 9:00am – 12:00pm

To contact the office:
610-642-6671
HolyApostlesPA@gmail.com
Email monitored regularly

+ STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL DIOCESAN NEWS
Click here to receive the weekly newsletter from the diocese in your inbox.

The following folks have birthday in December:

03 – Pat Mattoon
07 – Victoria Henderson
Beth Johnson
12 – Connie Cunningham
16 – Bob Mattoon
21 – Tom Costello
23 – Peter Patton
24 – Kieran Avis
26 – Beth Gallis

If your birthday, or the birthday of another parishioner is missing, please notify the Parish Office at holyapostlespa@gmail.com