How low is that first purple candle on your advent wreath now? Or has it like ours already burned down completely from dinner time lightings?
How does it feel to have only a couple of windows left to open on the calendar? Very exciting, isn’t it?
 
Welcome to the eve of Christmas at St. Peter’s.  Remind all the children of your families that the procession at the start of the service includes bringing up the animals and figures to the Manger which this year is more visible and placed higher, over on the other side of the front of the nave at the Family Altar.

A lot of us show up for church on Christmas Eve and don’t give a great deal of thought to what went in to preparing our Christmas worship experience.  A special thanks to the dedicated ladies of our Altar Guild (and their other volunteers) for the great job in “Greening the Church” and getting everything prepared for our Christmas services.  Thanks to Barb Fisher and Bruce Horner for all of their hard work in preparing the music and children’s’ program.  Thanks to our Grace Notes bell choir and the other folks taking part in our Christmas Eve program.  I hope that we all appreciate the hard work that our brothers and sisters put in so that we can have meaningful Christmas worship services.
 
We’re in a pinch for any nursery staffing at the early service.  So here’s the broadcast appeal: we need at least one person comfortable with such responsibilities to staff the nursery for $50 from 4:30 pm to 6:15 pm.  If you or someone you might know of would at all be interested please call Fr. Todd at 410-726-8685.
 
For those of you that are conscious of timing dinner, Bruce our organist and music director has painstakingly timed out the music selections and when we add them to the regular service format I have totaled up a service length that lasts until about 6:15 pm, give or take a few of course.
 
Again, as our Senior Warden mentioned a couple weeks ago, invite some friends along to experience the beauty and sacredness of St. Peter’s at some of it’s most festive and sublime during the Christmas season.
 
Blessings,
Fr. Todd+

I want to congratulate our program director Barb Fisher for successfully defending her dissertation and receiving her Doctor of Ministry degree from Virginia Theological Seminary.  I know that I speak for every member of the St. Peter’s family when I say that we are all proud of Barb’s hard work and accomplishment IN ADDITION to all of her hard work and dedication here at St. Peter’s.

Great job Barb!  And thanks from all of us.

Faithfully,
Todd+

Welcome.  As we approach the last week of Advent, please remember that this Sunday we’ll be serving our outstanding 2nd Sunday Breakfast … on the Third Sunday.  We’ll also have an Advent Lessons and Carols this Sunday at the 9:15 and 11:15 services.  I saw the program for the Advent lessons and carols from last year at St. Andrew’s, Princess Anne and put the idea before Bruce our music director.  We have a beautiful selection that captures the message of the season and sets our hearts for Christmas.
 
Yet more on the topic of music …  Our "ring-in" event for 3rd Friday was a great success.  Not only was our Grace Notes bell choir in fine form, but we were blessed with several others who joined in the fun.  If you weren’t able to make it, you missed a fun experience of a great ministry here at St. Peter’s.  As you may have heard, you don’t need to be able to read music to participate.  It was a great opportunity to share this ministry with others.  Hopefully, some who participated might decide to join Grace Notes on a more permanent basis.
 
Lastly, and still about music, Sunday the 25th, Christmas day, for the 10 a.m. service there will a selected processional and recessional.  The remaining parts of our service where it is appropriate for music to be played, we are going to take suggestions from the pews to sings our hearts out for the birth of our Lord.  So, think about what you have not heard this season, or whatever hymn it is that you particularly enjoy and that makes it a special part of Christmas.
 
See you this Sunday.  Enjoy the spirit of Advent in its last several remaining days.

Faithfully,
Todd+

I imagine that the spirit of gifting is well on our hearts and minds with all that popular and instantly accessible media are placing before us these past few weeks!
 
This past Monday was the 6th.  On our church calendar it was St. Nicholas Day.  My stepmom Hanna asked if we had put out a little boot next to Simon’s crib filled with treats for him to wake up to in the morning (a standard German family tradition).  No, we hadn’t this year, but there are already stockings hung on the mantle above our fireplace and plans are taking place for celebrating Epiphany at St. Peter’s.  Epiphany, which lands on Friday, January 6th, is the date of the Three Kings bringing their gifts to the Christ child.
 
With so much attention on what-to-get, it is forever important to redirect the fervor toward what-we-got.   That is this Sunday’s theme:  the deepest and most profound joy of God’s embrace – His becoming one of us in Jesus.  Sharing this truth, ….and packaging it lovingly, is the truest gift a Christian could extend in any season.
 
Blessings this, and every week.  Hope to see you Sunday!

Faithfully,
Todd+

It is a beautiful thing to begin the month that welcomes the birth of our Lord and Savior by welcoming the youngest St. Peter’s member:  Ron and Pat Laustsen’s daughter Emily and her husband Ryan are new parents!
 
Emily and Ryan Atkin’s baby was born at 2:45am Thursday morning. All is well, and it’s a boy!. His name is Liam Alexander Atkin and he is 8lbs 1oz and 20 and a half inches long. Congratulations and our prayers for everyone in the new chapters of parenthood and grandparenthood!

A heartfelt reminder –
While this year’s stewardship campaign has wrapped up, there seems to be a pattern of pledge cards making their way back in the weeks after the campaign is over.  Please help us put the most generous resources toward God’s work at St. Peter’s this coming year.  It’s not just Liam who’s counting on us, but there are many more who do not even know the incredible ways that all of us at St. Peter’s together can be the partners and ambassadors for knowing and loving Christ.
 
Blessings this, and every week.  Hope to see you Sunday!

Faithfully,
Todd+

We have so much to be thankful for.  For Heather and I, we thank the Lord each day for YOU, our church family and for the wonderful progress that Simon is making.

We are so grateful for your prayers and support.  While Simon’s progress has been slow, we are thankful that the Lord continues to bless him, and us.

For our St. Peter’s family that are travelling this holiday, I know that you join me in praying for their safe journey and return.

This Sunday begins Advent.  As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord I am reminded of the saving Grace we receive each and every day.  Without the life, death, and resurrection of that little baby, born in a manger, we could not enjoy a relationship with God.
 
Blessings this, and every week.  Hope to see you Sunday!

Faithfully,
Todd+

Before there was ever a count down for remaining shopping days, there were Advent Calendars. Come make one for yourself this season in the Parish Hall after the 9:15 service and share the fun anticipating Sunday, November 27th – the first Sunday of Advent!
 
This Sunday we will have a special baptism service at our 8 AM service.  Duncan Holt is the 18 month old great grandson of the Woottens, please come and celebrate with the extended family of St. Peter’s.
 
Please welcome our new nursery staff person – Alex Rigby.  She’s taking care of our little ones from between 8:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. We are grateful to Savannah Brimer for her time of service in the nursery.  Please take the opportunity to go by and welcome her to St. Peter’s.
 
Blessings this, and every week.  Hope to see you Sunday!

Faithfully,
Todd+

Mid November already!  How did that happen? And this far into the week I am still coming across a random clock or digital setting that needs turning back an hour!

Noticing the time and the season I am also especially aware of the continuing service of those in our military as I remember my grandfathers, my father and step-father, my college buddies, and those of St. Peter’s who have served and sacrificed for our country.  Happy Veterans Day to all!
 
Thank you for your generosity to the Bishop’s discretionary account and for the United Thank Offering envelopes that have already come in from last Sunday.
 
If you’re looking for a fun experience over the next few days, go and support good dog Guiness with our St. Peter’s altar guild co-chair Marji Jones at the Eastern Shore Classic dog show held in the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center.  Go Guiness!
 
Great rest of the week and see you Sunday!

Faithfully,
Todd+

We have an exciting Sunday at St. Peter’s coming up. Please come to welcome Bishop Shand at each of the services.  At the 9:15 service we are welcoming seven confirmands and one reception into the Parish.  There will be a light repast in the Parish Hall afterward.

During a bishop’s visitation it is always customary to present a portion of the offering that Sunday for their use. Please consider giving to the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund.  Envelopes will be in your copy of the Key.  Our Bishop does good, quiet, and charitable work through this fund and it’s important to help him with our support.
 
A few other things….
 
We’ve filled our bus for the Longwood Gardens trip on December 3rd and we’re all looking forward to an outstanding day there.
 
There are nine signed up for Thanksgiving Eve dinner so far, please stop by the sign up list on Sunday and come be a part of a lovely St. Peter’s evening of fellowship, outstanding food, and prayer to take us into the day of Thanksgiving with right heart and spirit of the season!
 
In our pews this week will be envelopes for next Sunday’s (13th) in-gathering for the United Thank Offering of the Episcopal Church.  The UTO is a long-standing body in the national Church that awards grants to worthy programs.
 
Finally, thank you for the steady stream of pledging cards coming into the office. If you haven’t filled yours out yet we’re asking that you could by the 20th.  If you haven’t ‘put-a-number-on-it’ before with your giving to St. Peter’s, maybe you would consider doing so this year.  It is essential for how we realistically work with preparing a budget for 2012. Yes, it’s a projection on all our parts that’s true, but one we ask that you be willing to help us know for the best planning we can do.
 
Great rest of the week and see you Sunday!

Faithfully,
Todd+