Announcements and Mass Schedule

SAINT MICHAEL'S CALENDAR
DECEMBER - 2006

18 Mon

7:30 am Morning Prayer
8:00 am Labyrinth Meditation Walk
5:30 pm Low Mass (for Nuclear Disarmament)
6:00 pm Evening Prayer
6:00 pm Finance Committee Meeting (Office Workroom)

19 Tue

7:30 am Morning Prayer
8:05 am Mass (for the lower school grades)
7:00 pm Vestry Meeting (Parish Center)

20 Wed

8:10 am Morning Prayer
10:00 am E.C.W. Meeting and Luncheon
12:10 pm Low Mass and Unction (Healing Service)
6:00 pm Evening Prayer

21 Thu St. Thomas The Apostle
7:30 am Morning Prayer
9:30 am Mass

22 Fri

12:10 pm Low Mass (for Church Unity)
6:30 pm Casa Maria ~ Parish Center

23 Sat

8:15 am Morning Prayer
8:30 am Low Mass

24 SUN FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT ~ Masses held in Parish Center

7:30 am Morning Prayer
8:00 am Mass with Homily
9:45 am Child Care & Sunday School
10:00 am Mass with Homily

See below for Christmas Mass schedule!


MASS FOR CHURCH UNITY CONTINUES EVERY FRIDAY AT 12:10 PM with celebrant the Rev. Womble. All are urged to attend as we pray for Church Unity.

LARGE PRINT SERVICE BULLETIN ~ If you or, someone you know, would like the service bulletin in large print, please contact the parish office at 886-7292.

CHRISTMAS FLOWERS - the special beauty of St. Michael’s Christmas worship is the work of many people. Not all can be directly involved, but all can contribute to the Christmas Flowers and Decorations. Please use the Christmas Flowers envelope for floral donations.

Maturing In Faith Classes will resume on Sunday, January 14, 2007

School Las Posadas Lunch ~ December 22 ~ Help serve at this festive activity. Arrive around 11 am and be finished in about 2 hours. The school contracts with our friend Maria Garcia for the meal and benefits her projects with indigenous in Mexico. Sign up on the sheet in the back of church or call Ila at 623-3063.

2007 ORDO KALENDARS AVAILABLE on the ushers’ cabinet. A donation of $3.00 per calendar is requested to cover handling charges (place donation envelope in the collection basket or bring to the church office)

THANK YOU TO ALL who have returned their PLEDGE CARDS. This is a great help to the Vestry in planning for next year. There are still some extra pledge cards in the back of church if you need one.

VESTRY MEETING THIS TUESDAY, starting at 7:00 PM, in the Parish Center. All parishioners are invited to attend this important parish function.

CASA MARIA VOLUNTEERS WILL MEET THIS FRIDAY, at 6:30 PM, in the Parish Center to prepare sack lunches. Your help is needed - the volunteers can always use a few extra hands and SHELLED hard-boiled eggs. Join them for fellowship and to help with this good work.

THE PLEDGE/STEWARDSHIP BOXES OF ENVELOPES are available in the back of church. Please pick up your envelopes today. By doing so, you help defray the cost of mailing. Thank You!

TALLEY FAMILY TRANSPORTATION ~ Two or more volunteers are needed to take turns bringing Eric (age 6) and Obadiah (age 3) to Sunday School and church, while their mother works. To help once a month, please call Sue Peyron - 749-1001. The family lives mid-town just off Speedway.

Holiday Mass Schedule

Fourth Sunday of Advent ~ Wait For The Lord
Services at 8 and 10 am
In The Parish Center


~Christmas Services ~

CHRISTMAS EVE
5:00 PM ~ FAMILY MASS
with Christmas Story for Children
& Setting Up of the Crêche

10:00 PM ~ ADVENT LESSONS & CAROLS
10:45 PM ~ SOLEMN PROCESSION AND HIGH MASS
Music for Christmas Eve
Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo
by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
for Choir, Soloists, String Quartet and Organ

CHRISTMAS DAY

10:00 AM HIGH MASS & PROCESSION

Announcements for Week Ending December 3rd, 2006

Don't forget your appointment for photos this week!

CHRISTMAS FLOWERS - the special beauty of St. Michael’s Christmas worship is the work of many people. Not all can be directly involved, but all can contribute to the Christmas Flowers and Decorations. Please use the Christmas Flowers envelope for floral donations.

ANGLICAN CYCLE OF PRAYER - let us pray and give thanks for The Church of Lusitanian - Portugal and its clergy and parishioners.

DIOCESE OF ARIZONA CYCLE OF PRAYER - let us pray and give thanks for the Grace Church, Lake Havasu City and its clergy and parishioners.

NOVEL THEOLOGY - The next meeting will take place Thursday, November 30th at 7 PM at the home of Sally Creswell. The book is Ursula Hegi’s “STONES FROM THE RIVER.”

QUILTERS’S LUNCHEON will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, December 9th at the home of Mary Gayle Nash. The luncheon is $10.00. Please RSVP to Dolores Braren at 296-8209 as soon as possible.

ALTAR GUILD MEETING this Saturday in the church immediately following the 8:30 AM Mass. All guild members are encouraged to attend.

Guatemala Project invites St. Michael’s and Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal and other churches to meet informally with Rebecca Allen. She is a young Mennonite woman who spent 2 years as a volunteer in Community Union Victoria, one of 18 Mayan communities St. Michael’s Guatemala Project serves. The meeting location of Monday, December 4th at 5:30 is St. Mark’s Presbyterian, Calvin Hall, 3809 E. 3rd. Street, just west of Alvernon. ENTER from the 2nd street parking lot. Ila Abernathy (coordinator), Jay Croswell and Father Smith have been team volunteers in Guatemala. For information about the project see: www.cprguatemalaproject.org. For more information call Ila Abernathy at 623-3063

Need your help! Food pantry stocks are very low. Please help stock the food pantry by bringing non-perishable foods. The following items are especially needed: canned vegetables, tuna, beans, soup, cereal, canned spaghetti, peanut butter, boxes of macaroni and cheese, and canned fruit. Please bring your donated food to the office or place in the box at the back of the Church.

The next Altar Guild meeting will take place Saturday, December 9th following the 8:30 AM Mass.

If you haven’t bought your ANGEL FOOD candy. It is not too late. Please call or stop by the parish office next week!

Sunday ws Stewardship Sunday. if you haven’t received your pledge card or have forgotten it, there are extra pledge cards in the pew or on the usher’s table.

If you haven’t made your appointment to have your picture taken for the new directory, or know of someone who needs to make an appointment, please call Pat Miller at 325-7720. We want to make this directory the best ever!

IT’S ANGEL TREE TIME AGAIN ON December 3rd, there will be 35 children’s names on the tree. There will be an angel for clothing and for a toy or gift of some kind. Our children seem to be getting older and many have asked for gift cards so that they may choose their own clothes or shoes. The cost of the gifts could be between $20 - $30 and they should be returned to the church unwrapped. You may bring the gifts on Sunday to the back of church, or take them to the church office during the week. All gifts must be returned by December 15th.
For anyone wanting to make a donation, I will be glad to take an angel from the tree and shop for the gift. Checks can be made out to St. Michael and All Angels with the notation “For Angel Tree”.
Many thanks to all of you for your generosity through the years. The children are deserving and many are “repeats” who look forward to seeing us each year. If you have questions please call Ancelyn Smith - 751-7401

FR. Seth Polley, now a Diocesan Border Missioner, well known to us because he trained at St. Michael’s, and The Rev. Lucie Thomas, Rector of St. Andrew’s , Nogales, will lead a border orientation, “Putting Faces on Border Issues, “ to Altar, Sonora, Mexico on December 9th. The cost is $30.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO FR. POLLEY FOR DETAILS. The Rev. Seth Polley, St. John’s Episcopal, Bisbee, church - (520) 432-7006.

CONGRATULATIONS to those Confirmed and Received into the Episcopal Church by Bishop Kirk Smith on November 19, 2006:

Toni Sue Brooks Jennifer Miller
Janet Rabin Charles Scott
Patricia Scott Suzanne Skinner
James Stokman Susanna Stokman
Timothy White Karen Blocher
Karen Ford Theresa White

May the peace and love of Jesus Christ remain with you now and forever!

Announcements for Week Ending November 25th, 2006

The Parish Office will be closed on Thursday, November 23rd and Friday, November 24th. The clergy and staff wish all parishioners a very blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving!

Shoe boxes are still being collected for Father Smith’s charity project. Please bring your shoe boxes and leave them in the back of church or simply drop them off at the Parish Office. (Extra Large shoe boxes are not able to be used)

Casa Maria volunteers will meet this Friday, November 24th at 6:30 PM, in the Parish Center, to prepare sack lunches. Your help is needed ‑ the volunteers can always use a few extra hands and shelled hard‑boiled eggs especially on a holiday weekend when we are likely to be shorthanded. Join them for fellowship and to help with this good work.

Novel Theology - The next meeting will take place Thursday, November 30th at 7 PM at the home of Sally Creswell. The book is Ursula Hegi’s “Stones from the River.”

United Thank Offering (UTO) continues year round - every day. The mission of United Thank Offering is to invite people to offer daily thanks to God. The discipline starts at home by dropping coins into a special blue box container for each thanksgiving offered. The United Thank Offering envelope is included in this week’s bulletin. United Thank Offering Sunday is November 26th.

Next Sunday is the last Sunday of the Church year; The Feast of Christ the King. Please remember to bring to Mass or mail to the office your pledge for the coming year to strengthen the mission of our parish. Thanks!

****A Few Photos*****

Bishop Smith with the confirmands and received


Toni Sue at Confirmation


Bishop Smith and Dexter


Baptism

More to follow!

New Sermons on Audio

New Sermons on Audio

Here are links to two recent sermons in Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. Most computers have at least one program that will play these. Just click, download, and open them. Windows Media Player or some other program should open to play the file for you.

	Father Douglas: FrDouglasNov12.wma
	Father Smith: FrSmithAllSaints.wma

More to follow in coming weeks - and yes, I will add them to the Sermons page soon!

Karen

Announcements for Week Ending November 12th, 2006

Need your help! Food pantry stocks are very low. Please help stock the food pantry by bringing non-perishable foods. The following items are especially needed: canned vegetables, tuna, beans, soup, cereal, canned spaghetti, peanut butter, boxes of macaroni and cheese, and canned fruit. Please bring your donated food to the office or place in the box at the back of the Church.

The next Altar Guild meeting will take place Saturday, December 9th following the 8:30 AM Mass.

Sign-ups for the new pictorial directory started this past weekend after the 8 and 10 AM Masses. Won’t you take the time to schedule your photograph? The directory just will not be complete without you!! The photographs will arrive in time for giving that special Christmas gift to your friends and loved ones!

(Photos to follow soon!)

Social Concerns Committee meets Sunday, November 12th, after the 10 AM Mass, in the Library for important holiday planning, Diocesan convention updates, etc. Please join us! Everyone is welcome.

The Barnabas Group of encouragement for those who have experienced a loss at sometime meets monthly. Next meeting November 13,11:30 am, at the City Grill restaurant located at 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road. Please call Peggy Speese for reservations at least three days prior to the meeting.

La Casita Counseling Center, a Samaritan Counseling Center, is offering a series of discussions at 7:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at St. Michael’s in the Art Room. The topic for this Tuesday, November 7th is “Long Term Illness and Care-giving.” John Chabin, M,A, M.Div., a La Casita Councelor will lead a discussion on Care-giving and related issues. For further information call John Chabin.

“Getting Ready To Go: exploring end-of-life tasks” is a community educational offering that is open to all. This workshop will be offered here at St. Michael’s on Saturday, November 18th from 8:30 AM until 3:00 PM. Lunch will be provided. There will be morning panel discussions featuring speakers addressing many issues including medical and legal issues, family communication and many more. The afternoon will provide time for more involvement with round table discussions. Please call the Parish Office - 886-7292 and make your reservation for this very informative day that will take place in the Parish center.

Angel Food - it is not too late to order your Angel Food. There is an order blank enclosed in the bulletin and extra forms on the ushers table in the back of church! The candy making begins on Monday! Order your today! Share the goodness and sweetness of St. Michael and All Angels Church.

Shoe boxes are still being collected for Father Smith’s charity project. Please bring your shoe boxes and leave them in the back of church or simply drop them off at the Parish Office. (Extra Large shoe boxes are not able to be used)

Novel Theology - The next meeting will take place Thursday, November 30th at 7 pm at the home of Sally Creswell. The book is Ursula Hegi’s Stones from the River.

Stewardship Sunday is November 26, 2006.

From the Curate....
"Curious." 1. Eager to learn or know. 2. Strange.
Well, your Curate is both, and I would love to share questions, news and musings with anyone in the parish who might be interested in staying in better commnication with the office. The Curious Curate's Chatter has already started, but anyone who sends in an email will be added to the list. If you are already on the list and wish to be removed, just let me know that, too. - aemerson @ stmichael.net

Advent Bazaar
St. Michael’s Advent International Bazaar is Saturday, December 2nd, 5 – 8 PM and Sunday, December 3rd, 9 AM to 3 PM. It's “Holiday Shopping with a Conscience” and our gift to the community. The bazaar typically hosts 20 to 30 small groups and artists. If you can help in any way, please call coordinator, Ila Abernathy.

United Thank Offering (UTO) continues year round - every day. The mission of United Thank Offering is to invite people to offer daily thanks to God. The discipline starts at home by dropping coins into a special blue box container for each thanksgiving offered. The United Thank Offering envelope is included in this week’s bulletin. United Thank Offering Sunday is November 26th.

Mass for Church Unity continues every Friday at 12:10 PM with celebrant the Rev. Carey Womble. All are urged to attend as we pray for Church Unity.

The Blessing of the Dogs?

Although there is always a variety of pets at the Blessing of the Animals for the Feast of St. Francis (this year including a tarantula!), most of the more visible pets tend to be dogs. Here are some of the blessed animals and their people at the 10:00 AM Mass:







Technorati Tags: Dogs, Episcopal Church, Tucson

Sermons on Audio

Here are links to three recent sermons in Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. Most computers have at least one program that will play these. Just click, download, andn open them. Windows Media Player or some other program should open to play the file for you.

	Rev. Emerson: God_Sees_the_Heart.WMA
	Father Douglas: Sept_11_Reflection.WMA
	Father Smith: The_Real_Deal.WMA

More to follow in coming weeks - and yes, I will add them to the Sermons page soon!

Karen