Advent on its way – St. Nick’s News Nov. 15, 2024

Full St. Nick’s News for November 15, 2024

Dear Friends –

The new church year is right around the corner. On December 1st we begin the season of Advent. Advent comes from the Latin word “Adventus” which means coming or arrival. Advent is the time (a four week season) we set aside to prepare for Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It is a time of hopeful anticipation as we await Jesus coming in “power and glory.” Historically, people would spend time in the season of Advent to pray, reflect, and fast as they prepared for the celebrations of Christmas and baptisms in Epiphany.

On December 8th, on the 2nd Sunday of Advent, we will have a visit from our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dr. David Read. He will be with us to celebrate our 5-year anniversary, baptize and confirm members into our church, and help us sign a petition to become a mission church in our diocese – the Diocese of West Texas. In addition, we will have a reception after worship and celebrate our life together. It will be a full, joyful, and glorious day! Join us for the one service at 9:30 on the 8th of December.

If you are in need or want of Confirmation or Baptism here is some information for you –

• For those wanting baptism – join Rev. Beth on Sunday, November 24th after the 9:30am worship for a baptism class. Through the waters of baptism, we are adopted into God’s family and marked as Christ’s own forever. Come and learn about the importance, the service itself, and set a date for your baptism.

• For those wanting confirmation – join Rev. Beth on Saturday, November 23 from 9am to 1pm for a Confirmation workshop. This is for those who want to learn more about the Episcopal Church and for those we want to be received or confirmed into the church. Confirmation and Reception are reaffirmations of our faith and a way to claim the Episcopal Church as your spiritual home. Through our confirmation we say yes to the ongoing work of God in us through the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. In our confirmation we are reaffirming that God is with us and we are on a life-long journey to grow in faith. All teenagers and adults are invited to this workshop and to be confirmed on December 8th.

It is no small thing to say yes to God through our baptisms and confirmation. Every time we say yes to God, we are inviting God’s Holy Spirit to come into our lives and guide us. Confirmation and Baptism are personal decisions but public rites in the church that forever connect us to God and one another. We all make a public promise, a covenant vow to God and one another that we will help one another grow in faith and love and that all of the spiritual work we do is with God’s help through the Holy Spirit. It is through our life together at St Nick’s that we come to be strengthened in our faith.

I am beyond thankful for our life together and honored for us to celebrate five years together. God has been so very good to us at St. Nicks. Throughout the first year of planning and starting St. Nick’s I prayed the following prayer for us –

Lord, Raise up leaders to build Your Holy Church.
Bring us people on fire with Your Love.
Amen.

I love that God is still answering this prayer. I am thankful that the Holy Spirit continues to guide us as we share our faith and love of Jesus with one another and the world. I am looking forward to this next five years. Join with me in praying this new prayer this year as we continue to seek God’s guidance and blessing.

Gracious God, thank You for forming and guiding St. Nick’s – Your holy church. You have called us to be a joyous, welcoming, generous and loving church. We give thanks for our life together and ask the pouring out of Your Holy Spirit on St. Nick’s so we will continue to proclaim the Good News of Your great Love for all people. Strengthen us in our faith, shield us in our joy, and motivate us in our service. Continue to bless us, Lord, with faithful servants, people seeking Your Love in their lives, and with a vibrant community of faith. All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

God’s Peace, Love, and Blessings,
Beth+