Each day in the Advent season and the Christmas season offers opportunities to rejoice in the anticipation and celebration of God's greatest gift: Jesus.
Advent and Christmas at St. Paul's
Christmas Eve
A Service of Lessons and Carols
December 24, 2020
This Christmas Eve, the clergy, staff, and members of our music ministry bring you a special Service of Lessons and Carols. This worship time anticipates and welcomes the birth of Christ with music, scripture, prayer, and candlelight. The video will be available at 5:00 p.m. on December 24 by clicking below.
"Do Not Be Afraid!"
Christmas Pageant 2020
Given the pandemic, this year's Christmas Pageant will be quite a different experience, but even Covid-19 cannot possibly stifle the joyful celebration of the birth of Christ. This year's pageant comes to you by video! "Do Not Be Afraid" features two dozen pageanteers (children and adults alike) from St. Paul's and lasts about 25 minutes. Click below to play and enjoy!
Special Holiday Giving
St. Paul's has three separate ways to warm heart even during the cold weather months. Please click below!
- The Holiday Giving program provides gifts for children and food for families in our 20895 ZIP code area. This includes our regular Hunger Ministry families plus referrals from Montgomery County DHHS.
- Scattered for Service is the "alternative gift" program. Select from our 16 hand-picked charities and choose the one(s) you wish to support, and receive personalized acknowledgement cards knowing 100% of your contribution will go to the organization of your choice.
- The annual Christmas Offering is usually received during Christmas Eve worship and looks beyond our walls to bring help and hope to those less fortunate. This year the offering will be evenly divided between UMCOR and the Hunger Ministry.
If you would like to make a general offering or pledge support for 2021, please find that information on our Giving page, or contact Michelle Gregonis, Treasurer, at mgregonis@stpaulsk.org
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Christmas Offering
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Advent Craft Workshop - virtually
St. Paul’s is bringing many elements of our annual Advent Craft Workshop to you virtually.
Our virtual experience offers a variety of short videos and craft-making demonstrations featuring some familiar faces! Some of the crafts include making an accordion Christmas tree, a "hand"-made reindeer, a cotton-ball snowman, a coloring countdown to Christmas, an Advent paper chain, and making (and using) an Advent Wreath.
Many thanks to the youth who helped make this virtual experience possible!
The workshop is available for viewing online beginning Saturday, November 28 and will remain accessible throughout the season of Advent. Please click HERE or on the video below to visit the YouTube video
Come craft with us!
Worship
Advent & CHristmas
November 29 - the First Sunday in Advent. For worship, we will join with leaders in the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church to offer a special conference-wide worship-at-home service.
December 6 - the Second Sunday in Advent. Pastor Kate will preach on the theme of "Together for Joy." The Scripture passages are Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8 .
December 13 - the Third Sunday in Advent. Pastor Pat will offer a sermon with Scripture passages Isaiah 61:1-4, 6-11
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 , and John 1:6-8, 19-28. Hymns planned for the day include "Love Came Down at Christmas" and "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."
December 20 - the Fourth Sunday in Advent. Worship will look at this season through the lens of the Magnificant, the glorious song and prayer offered by the Virgin Mary celebrating the coming birth of the Messiah and God's promise.
December 24 - Christmas Eve, 5:00 p.m. We will welcome the arrival of Jesus with classic Christmas songs and Bible readings in a service of Lessons and Carols featuring music from the Sanctuary Choir and readings by members of the staff. As we've observed the covid-19 rates increase and the county reduce gathering sizes (again), our pastors have made the incredibly difficult decision to create live-streaming and/or recorded worship, and not to offer an in-person worship option. Click here to read more on the Pastors' Page.
December 27 - First Sunday in Christmastide is traditionally an opportunity to sing more old favorite Christmas carols and listen to new perspectives on the birth of Jesus. We'll worship using the service created by Bishop Easterling and shared with congregations throughout the Baltimore-Washington Conference.
More information about worship services will be available each week at our Worship-at-Home page (click here). Please note that plans may change based on covid-19, weather conditions, and clergy, staff, and volunteer availability. Thank you for your understanding!
Advent Studies
Incarnation: Rediscovering the significance of Christmas
Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00 p.m., Dec. 1, 8, 15, & 22 via Zoom
Wednesdays, 4:00-5:00 p.m., Dec. 2, 9, 16, & 23 via Zoom
In a four-session DVD-based study, Incarnation: Rediscovering the Significance of Christmas, best-selling author Adam Hamilton examines the names of Christ used by the gospel writers, exploring the historical and personal significance of his birth.
His parents gave him the name Jesus. But the prophets, the shepherds, the wise men, and the angels addressed him by other names. They called him Lord, Messiah, Savior, Emmanuel, Light of the World, and Word Made Flesh. In the face of uncertainty and conflict, Christians can reclaim the Christ child who brings us together, heals our hearts, and calls us to bring light into the darkness. Now more than ever, we are invited to reflect upon the significance of the Christ child for our lives and world today.
This study will be offered virtually at two different days/times. All are welcome to participate on a regular or drop-in basis.
Please go here to sign up: https://forms.gle/FwQitjAZZtmjbnyE9 or for more information, please contact Meg Baker at mbaker@stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933 ext. 104.
