Christmas Altar Decorations: If you would like to make a donation for altar decorations (poinsettias), please return a completed donation card and a check to the parish office. You may also complete the online donation form using this link. Please read the instructions carefully to ensure your donation is counted; after completing the form you will be asked to follow a link to a tithely page to finish making your donation. The list of memorials and honorariums will be published in the February newsletter. Thank you!
Christmas Eve Survey: This is the last weekend to fill out the Christmas Eve service preference survey. After December 6, we will analyze the responses and announce a plan by Sunday, December 11. Whether you are planning on attending any kind of Christmas Eve service at St. John’s, in person, virtually or not at all, we value your opinion! You can find the survey in your email, or follow this link. If you have any questions, direct them to gro.notpmahsnhojts@snoitacinummoc Thank you!
Need Heaters and Big Tents: We are considering ways we can safely celebrate Christmas Eve. One of those ways is doing parts of our worship outside. Therefore we are looking for outdoor patio heaters as well as large tents (in case of rain). If you have any you could loan the church, please contact the church office. Thank you!
Update on COVID and Sundays at St. John’s: The Bishop has asked that each of us to follow the positivity rates for COVID testing. She has advised exercising caution when we reach 8% (which for some churches means closing). When our area reaches 10% we will have to close. Our percent positive numbers are increasing in Hampton. We have decided to wait until Saturday to make the call. If the numbers continue to rise, our Sunday service will be on livestream only. Please be on the lookout for an e-mail on Saturday.
Advent at Home: We know that many of you will not be venturing to church this Advent. However, you can still find ways to observe Advent from home. Follow this link to see the prayers that we are using on Sundays when we light the Advent candles. We hope you will use these same prayers with us. Additionally, Virginia Theological Seminary is offering meditations and images during this holy season beginning Sunday, November 29. Images and meditations can be experienced via the #AdventWord website, direct daily emails, as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and ASL videos via YouTube.
Communion To-Go: Have you missed communion but don’t feel comfortable attending church because of COVID? We will be creating bags with consecrated bread and wine, as well as the prayers we use for at home communion. We will even deliver them to you if you can’t come to pick it up. If you are interested, please contact the office at gro.notpmahhsnhojts@eciffo. You can also call between 9am and 3pm on weekdays at 722-2567.
Confederate Memorial Update: Our newly formed committee met for the first time over zoom on December 2. The committee has already scheduled two more meetings for December. There are a wide range of opinions and perspectives from committee members, which will provide for wonderful conversation and discernment. The goal is for this committee to conclude their work in six months.
Prayers for our Nation: A St. John’s parishioner suggested that we pray for our nation every day at noon. You can do this anywhere with any words that you choose. The idea is that we know somewhere, other members of St. John’s are praying for our country. While you can pray in any way that you would like, the Book of Common Prayer is a treasure trove of prayers. Therefore, we will be providing a different one every week. Here is this week’s: Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.