Ascension’s Mission Statement

“DISCIPLES OF CHRIST CALLED TO SERVE NEIGHBORS NEAR AND FAR”

 

The Sunday Journal.

Greetings and a warm welcome to all.

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us….

These are the opening words of our Collect for today. What powerful words they are indeed as we move closer and closer to the Feast of the Nativity. I would ask each of us here today to ponder what this Collect means to you in your life? What does the powerful love of God stir up in us? God has the will and the ability to get our attention. John the Baptist was given the call and the vocation to get the attention of the people of Israel and to pave the way for the Lord. John minces no words; he gets his message across loudly and clearly.  His injunction to give away coats recalls our recent worship service and outreach initiative: Coats for Christ. His words are a wakeup call during these final remaining days of Advent, as we prepare for our Lord’s birth.

I invite you to bring your friends and neighbors and attend our Christmas Eve liturgies at 5PM or 9PM. I am delighted to announce that Bishop Rogers Harris will give our Christmas message and our choir and guest soloists will offer special Christmas music at both services. As Anglicans and Episcopalians do, we will celebrate Christmas for 12 full days; therefore, on Sunday, December 27 you will have the wonderful opportunity to participate in the service of Christmas Lessons and Carols with the Holy Eucharist at 10:30. Please note that the normal 8AM Rite I service will be without music. Bruce and I will be with our family that day and your guest celebrant and preacher will be the Reverend Margaret “Peggy” Muncie. Peggy has recently moved to Greenville with her husband, the Reverend Stephen Bolle, who is assistant priest at Church of the Advent in Spartanburg.  Please welcome her to your parish home.

Shalom,

Deedie+