Disciples, Apostles, and Saints!
While most of us know the challenge of keeping Advent in a culture of Christmas, there is a semi-regular anomaly that happens in the liturgical calendar every seven years or so. When Advent and Christmas exist on the same day.
Well…that’s not technically true, but it does happen for us this year.
The four Sundays before Christmas mark the Sundays of the Advent Season. So that means when Christmas lands on a Monday, the Sunday before Christmas Day is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. And that evening is Christmas Eve.
We are so thoroughly adjusted to a daily calendar, running from midnight to midnight that we forget that our tradition originally marked the day as beginning in the evening. Which presents us with the occasional logistical challenge of celebrating Advent IV without Christmas being here just yet.
So join us on Thursday, December 21 starting at 4 pm as we decorate the church and gather for a potluck dinner at 6 pm. Then celebrate with us:
- Sunday, December 24:
- Advent IV— 10 am in chapel
- Christmas Eve — 4 pm in church
- Christmas Eve — 8 pm in church (with incense)
- Monday, December 25:
- Christmas Day — 10 am in church
- Tuesday, December 26: Feast of St. Stephen
- Pot luck — 5 pm in Great Hall
- Service — 6 pm in chapel
With love,
Drew