THE ANGEL GABRIEL ANNOUNCES TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY THAT SHE WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO THE SON OF GOD.

GABRIEL

Mary, in a dream of love
Playing as all children play,
For unsuspecting children may
Express in comic make-believe
The wish that later they will know
Is tragic and impossible;
Hear, child, what I am sent to tell:
Love wills your dream to happen, so
Love’s will on earth may be, through you,
No longer a pretend but true.

 MARY

What dancing joy would whirl
My ignorance away?
Light blazes out of the stone,
The taciturn water
Bursts into music,
And warm wings throb within
The motionless rose:
What sudden rush of Power
Commands me to command?

 GABRIEL

When Eve, in love with her own will,
Denied the will of Love and fell,
She turned the flesh Love knew so well
To knowledge of her love until
Both love and knowledge were of sin:
What her negation wounded, may
Your affirmation heal to-day;
Love’s will requires your own, that in
The flesh whose love you do not know,
Love’s knowledge into flesh may grow.

MARY

My flesh in terror and fire
Rejoices that the Word
Who utters the world out of nothing,
As a pledge of His word to love her
Against her will, and to turn
Her desperate longing to love,
Should ask to wear me,
From now to their wedding day,
For an engagement ring.

GABRIEL

Since Adam, being free to choose,
Chose to imagine he was free
To choose his own necessity,
Lost in his freedom, Man pursues
The shadow of his images:
To-day the Unknown seeks the known;
What I am willed to ask, your own
Will has to answer; child, it lies
Within your power of choosing to
Conceive the Child who chooses you.

                                                          -from A Christmas Oratorio
                                                            W.H. Auden

NEW VESTRYMEN

At the Annual Parish Meeting on November 15, the congregation elected to our Vestry for three year terms Paul McCollum, Debbie Beeson, and Eleanor Lily.  We congratulate them and offer our thanks for their willingness to serve.

ANNUAL REPORTS

For those unable to attend the Annual Parish Meeting, the various reports may be found on our website:  allsaintsthomasville.org, and hard copies are available in the office.

ECW NEWS

The November Book Club meeting produced an interesting discussion of Pat Conroy's latest "South of Broad".  The December Book Club meeting will be more of a review....three books to consider for your holiday leisure reading...."A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, led by Father Buechner, "A Simple Christmas" by Mike Huckabee and "The Christmas List" by Richard Evans. Reservations appreciated. Please join us on Wednesday, December 9 at 11:50.  All are welcome.

November’s ECW meeting was very brief so that those present could set the tables for the VERY SUCCESSFUL Auction, chaired by Margaret Brinson and Carey Sewell. Dinner was awesome as prepared by Ebe and Henrietta Walter, Sugar Blount and Andy Vann.  Thanks to all that made this important event a huge success in a difficult time.

During the November meeting it was decided, thanks to guidance from Refuge House, that we would be more generic in our giving this year.  Soooooo…we will be providing blankets, a requested item, to about 50 of their clients.  Debbie Beeson and the director of Refuge House, will select a few families with major needs and we will help them in a more personal/family way. If you care to participate financially or by shopping for their particular needs, call Nikki, our wonderful angel, Lee Mitchell or Lee Chubb.  We do need your help. 

The December meeting to be held on Wednesday, the 9th at 5:00 p.m. will be festive--in spirit and friendship.  We will be wrapping blankets and gifts for the Refuge House, while enjoying each others company and a little Christmas cheer.  Please, new attendees, old regulars, lapsed members.....come and help us all get in the spirit.  Thanks to all that have made it possible for the ECW to continue our community outreach.

Lee Chubb and Lee Mitchell
 
AUCTION REPORT

Many thanks and blessings to all who supported our ECW Auction!  We are pleased to report that the capacity crowd consisted of many enthusiastic bidders and a marvelous time was had by all - The company was divine, the food was delicious and the wine flowed.  Over $43,000 was raised in both the silent and live auction, an encouraging increase from last year thanks in large part to our wonderful auctioneer, Charlie Whitney.  We are also grateful for our many Angels, volunteers and committee members who selflessly gave and worked to make this event a success.  We feel honored to be able to serve the twenty-two deserving local charitable organizations functioning in part by our Auction proceeds. 

Margret Brinson and Carey Sewell

VESTRY MEETING

The vestry will meet on Sunday, December 20 at 8:00 a.m. in the Library.

POINSETTIAS

Those of you who would like to give (memorial or thanksgiving) poinsettias or wreaths, please call the church office no later than Thursday, December 10.  The cost for each plant is $13.00 and $75 for a wreath.

ALL SAINTS’ ANGEL TREES

Advent season is upon us, so we urge those who have not purchased an angel ornament to do so and bring it to the church office so it can be hung on the trees.

Please place a card on each ornament stating who gave it and the person’s name in whose memory or in thanksgiving for whom it is given.  We will keep those in a special memorial book to be placed in the vestibule each year.
 
EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN BAZAAR NEWS

Once again it is time to start thinking of our annual bazaar, which will be held on Wednesday, January 27, 2010.  Be sure to look in January’s Bulletin for more information including scheduled work days. 

Please bring your bazaar items to the church as soon as you possibly can.  Clothing should be on hangers and clean.  Items should be separated according to their categories-toys, clothing, linens, white elephants, household items, etc.  Please do not put several categories in one bag or box which will help workers in the unpacking and displaying of items.

Jinanne Parrish

EYC NEWS

December 6: EYC to meet following Evening Prayer

December 13: EYC to meet following Holy Communion

December 20: EYC will meet at the church at 5:30 and head to Osaka in Tallahassee.  Kids need to bring money for dinner, and we'll need a few adults to drive as well.  No youth drivers please.

Christmas party date and location to be announced.

Will McQueen

ST. CECILIA AND ST. DAVID CHOIRS

Both choirs will sing on Advent II, December 6. There will not be any more St. Cecilia rehearsals until January 6, 2010. The following rehearsals are for the St. David Choir ONLY, as they prepare for the Christmas Eve Evensong service.  Please note the time change.

  Wednesday, December 9 – 4:00 – 5:15 pm
  Wednesday, December 16 – 4:00 – 5:15 pm
  Thursday, December 24 – 5:00

Choristers in both choirs can participate in the Christmas Eve pageant; please make sure to let Mrs. Buechner know what character you are portraying in the pageant.

Welcome to the St. Cecilia Choir, Abigail Middleton, and her brother, Bridger Middleton, to the St. David Choir.                                                                       Kathy Buechner

TRANSITIONS:

Happy birthday in December to:

Marley Davis    12-8-99
Abbie Leverett   12-12-02
Jonathan Wood  12-15-89
Anna Price Olson  12-28-91
Elizabeth Olson   12-28-91
Maria Olson   12-28-91
Cynthia Funk   12-29-93

Happy birthday in January to:

Henry Todd    1-3-01
Margaret Hancock   1-8-93
William P. Chubb   1-9-89
Christopher Bragg  1-11-91
Harrison Parvey  1-13-97
Tom Muller   1-13-90
Charles W. Weissinger  1-14-04
Curry Brinson   1-18-00
Jackson Leverett  1-18-00
Will Carico   1-18-98
Chris Alexander  1-28-94
Lewis Richardson Todd  1-31-04

For the Parish Register

Requiescat in Pace:

Del Oglesby departed this life November 15, 2009

May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.  Amen.

Transfer:

Please welcome Constance Middleton
from St. John’s Tallahassee, Florida.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2
5:30 p.m. Evening Prayer/Holy Communion (Chapel)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6
(St. Cecilia and St. David Choirs Sing)
10:30 a.m. Holy Communion
5:00 p.m. Evening Prayer

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8
10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer/Holy Communion (Chapel)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9
5:30 p.m. Evening Prayer/Holy Communion (Chapel)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13
10:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
5:00 p.m. Holy Communion

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20
10:30 a.m. Lessons and Carols
5:00p.m. Holy Communion (Chapel)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22
10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer/Holy Communion (Chapel)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23
5:30 p.m.  Evening Prayer/Holy Communion (Chapel)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24
CHRISTMAS EVE
5:30 p.m.  Evensong and Children’s Pageant with Blessing of Crèche
11:00 p.m.  Midnight Mass

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25
CHRISTMAS DAY
10:30 a.m.  Holy Communion

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27
10:30 a.m. Holy Communion
No Evening Prayer