St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church
An Episcopal Church in Raleigh, North Carolina
Saint Anne’s Chapter of the ECW will be having their Christmas lunch on Wednesday, December 14th at 11:45 AM at Relish Cafe & Bar (5625 Creedmoor Road in Raleigh, 919-787-1855). All the women of the Parish are welcome. Please contact Boo Parker at 919-848-9912 if you have any questions.
These flowers are given either in thanksgiving for blessings received, in memory of departed loved ones, or in honor of someone special or a special event. The names will appear in the Christmas Eve bulletin. If you would like to purchase a poinsettia or poinsettias for this purpose, please complete an order form and return it to the Parish Office or place it in the alms basin at the Offertory. The cost is $9.00 per poinsettia. Order forms can be found in the bulletin or in the narthex. Please include your phone number on the form.
On Sunday, December 18th immediately after the 11 AM service we will decorate the Church for Christmas Eve and the Twelve Days of Christmas. It will be good to have 15-20 volunteers help with the Christmas Tree, the creche, the garland and the wreaths. We will have Saint Timothy’s looking beautiful to welcome Our Lord on Christmas Eve!
The Adult Bible Study is reading and discussing I Samuel. We are up to Chapters 25-30; we will examine the stories of David and Abigail and David’s fighting in the Philistine wars. The study content is not cumulative, so people may join the study at any time. The group meets at 7 PM on Wednesdays in the Parlor. Hope to see you there!
In preparation for the Eucharistic Workshop, there will be three sessions on the Eucharist presented by Father Martin after Thanksgiving:
All three sessions will be held at 10 AM in the Parlor.
With all revenue in and expenses paid, The Men’s Fellowship is pleased to report that they made $1,598.00 for the Asher Scholarship Fund. Thanks to all that participated and worked, especially Bob and Ann Elsea, David and Cathy Elsea and Kevin Bodiford and Liz Nulton.
Our Church School presents a Christmas Pageant every year at the Family Service at 5:30 PM on Christmas Eve. We are beginning to plan for the Pageant and need to know who will be here that evening to participate. This is a long-standing tradition for our Church School children, and we hope that everyone will be able to take part. Sign-ups have begun for the Pageant Cast; the sign-up is located on the wooden table as you enter the Parish Hall from the bell tower. If you have any questions, please contact Susan Patton at 919-274-2222 or susanpatton@nc.rr.com.
The Church gives us a special season at the very beginning of each church year called “Advent” (from the Latin adventus – “coming”), referring to the coming of Christ. We have this season to prepare our minds and souls for the coming at Christ at Christmas and at the Great Last Day. Our prayers and thought ought to be about the kind of spiritual shape we’re in to meet the Baby Jesus. Have we been cleansed of our sins be confessing them and getting them forgiven? Are we putting the care and concern of others first? At the same time, we should be contemplating the kind of spiritual shape we’re in to meet Christ if He should come in the next moment to claim His Kingdom. We often hear in the Church that this is the contemplation of the Four Last Things: Heaven, Hell, Death and Judgment. Are we ready to go with Jesus should He come in the next instant? Notice that the preparation for the coming of the Baby Jesus at Christmas is the same preparation we make for Christ to come again to claim His Kingdom.
The Parish Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, December 4th following the 11 AM Service. On that day, we will celebrate both the 9 AM and 11 AM Services and then remain in the Church for the Annual Meeting. There will be no Coffee Hour on that day, but child care will be available. We really would like to have all parishioners take part in the Annual Meeting and exercise their privilege to vote on the business matters of the Parish and read the annual reports of the Parish organizations. To vote at the Annual Meeting, one must be an adult (at least 16 years old) confirmed Communicant. The two major items of business at the meeting are to elect the Vestry and to accept the reports from the organizations in the Parish. Reports should be no more than one double-spaced typewritten page; we want to have copies of all of the reports available before the meeting. All Parish organizations should submit a report, including the Altar Guild, Church School, Choir, Layreaders, Acolytes, Episcopal Church Women, Table Fellowship Groups, Youth Group, Pastoral Care Committee, North Raleigh Ministries, St. Anne’s Chapter of the ECW, Ushers, Men’s Fellowship and St. Timothy’s School.
Looking for a little gift for someone special or even for yourself? You can purchase a Saint Timothy’s T-shirt for just $15 and help fund transportation for Saint Michael’s Conference. The shirts are available in navy and white with contrasting lettering and come in adult and children’s sizes. Look for them during the Coffee Hour or contact Joanna Smothers at 881-9428 or jsmothers@nc.rr.com to get yours now.
