Beacon Newsletter December 18, 2020

We will post on our Beacon Newsletter here every Friday. Please note, this is very basic version of our newsletter. To receive a better copy, please email our church office.

Beacon News

December 20, 2020

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Carol by Thomas Merton

Flocks feed by darkness with a noise of whispers,
In the dry grass of pastures,
And lull the solemn night with their weak bells.

The little towns upon the rocky hills
Look down as meek as children:
Because they have seen come this holy time.

God’s glory, now, is kindled gentler than low candlelight
Under the rafters of a barn:
Eternal Peace is sleeping in the hay,
And Wisdom’s born in secret in a straw-roofed stable.

And O! Make holy music in the stars, you happy angels.
You shepherds, gather on the hill.
Look up, you timid flocks, where the three kings
Are coming through the wintry trees.

While we unnumbered children of the wicked centuries
Come after with our penances and prayers,
And lay them down in the sweet-smelling hay
Beside the wise men’s golden jars.

Our Church Calendar

Our Zoom activities and events are linked below; almost daily we now post videos on our YouTube Channel as well.

Sunday, December 20, 10 a.m. Worship Fourth Sunday of Advent

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/602272570?pwd=VUdRVVp6NkRNczl5QjFnUkF4OGt4Zz09

Meeting ID: 602 272 570

Password: 344276

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,602272570#,,#,344276# US (Chicago)

Virtual Fellowship will follow our meeting!

On Advent Sundays during our Zoom 10 a.m. worship, be sure to have your own Advent Candles ready! We all will light our candles together during worship.

Thursday, December 24, 10 a.m. – Fellowship Open House! Stop by to say hello and wish “Merry Christmas” to our Bay Shore family.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85053698518?pwd=OWlIYVI3SkREeVB6K0YwNU4vQ0ZMQT09

Meeting ID: 850 5369 8518

Passcode: 972048

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,85053698518#,,,,,,0#,,972048# US (New York)

+13017158592,,85053698518#,,,,,,0#,,972048# US (Washington D.C)

Christmas Eve Service will be uploaded to our YouTube Channel on Noon on the 24^th.

Friday, December 25, Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 27, Service of Lessons and Carols will be uploaded to our YouTube Channel early Sunday morning on the 27^th.

Ways to Grow and Learn

The next Zoom gathering of Soup’R Books will be on Sunday, January 3, at 4 p.m. January’s selection is The Splendid and the Vile, by Erik Larson. This biography of Winston Churchill focuses on his first year as Prime Minister and the bombing blitz in London. There is nothing dull or boring about this book!

Kate has FOUR copies left of the book. Email Kate to reserve a copy. [email protected] The library also has copies. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81619967065?pwd=NnpyOXBTNWhnWlJqbU1rNklMT1ViUT09

Meeting ID: 816 1996 7065

Passcode: 224979

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,81619967065#,,,,,,0#,,224979# US (New York)

+13017158592,,81619967065#,,,,,,0#,,224979# US (Washington D.C)

A Few Liturgical Ideas to Enhance your remaining

Advent and upcoming Christmas Season!

I know many of us are enjoying the daily Advent devotions that are emailed out to our community, and also posted on Facebook and our website daily. Be sure to share them with your families and friends who may be seeking a new church home this season.

The tradition of the singing the “O Antiphons” at home from December 17-23 may be new to you. The O Antiphons are a set of medieval refrains originally used before and after the singing of the Magnificat. They were in use already in the eighth century. Each invokes the Messiah under a different title derived from the Old Testament. This title is then amplified and followed by an appeal to “Come” and save us in a particular way. Around the twelfth century, they were collected into a Latin verse hymn, which was later translated by John Mason Neale, finally becoming the beloved Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (ELW 257, LBW 34). (The version in Evangelical Lutheran Worship restores two original stanzas that were omitted in the LBW version.) By singing one verse of “O come, O come, Emmanuel” from December 17-23, we build up to the glorious Eve of Christmas. During this week, light your Advent candles and sing the one verse for each night.

Celebrate all 12 days of Christmas! Technically, Christmas begins on the 25^th and ends on January 5. Then, on January 6, we celebrate the Epiphany. Fully jump into the 12 days of Christmas. Research traditions and keep them this year—Feast of St. Stephen (December 26), the Remembrance of the Holy Innocents (December 28), the Naming of Jesus (January 1), and Twelfth Night (January 5) are just to name a few.

On Twelfth Night, there is a tradition of blessing your home for the New Year. I will make a video on how you can bless your home for the year and will post it on YouTube (hint, you’ll need some chalk!). Other cultures have unique traditions as well during the 12 days, leading up to the Epiphany and the Visitation of the Magi. Do some searching online for ideas and see what is possible and safe for you to do.

Remove the Advent Wreath during the 12 Days of Christmas? You don’t have to! You can replace your colored candles with all white and light the candles during the 12 days as well.

May you and your loved ones enjoy the remaining Advent Season,

and I pray that the full 12 days of Christmas are filled with good things for everyone.

Pastor Sarah

Ways to Connect and Share

Last reminder about our Virtual Poinsettias! We are “selling” virtual poinsettias. All gifts received would be sent to The Hunger Taskforce, to feed hungry families in Milwaukee.

The reading of our dedications is a highlight of our season. If you decide to participate, please email Kate at [email protected] with your dedication and then if you wish, send a check to the office noted “Hunger Task Force” and we will send them our collected gifts in time for Christmas. All dedications will need to be received by Kate no later than NOON on MONDAY (December 21). They will be listed in the Beacon for December 24 and also in the liturgy pages for Christmas Eve.

Send some Christmas Cheer to our some of our members! Please send a greeting to let these members know they are not forgotten! This is a great Advent project for families. People LOVE pictures drawn by children.

Mary Ratajski: 5052 N. Kent Ave. Whitefish Bay, WI 53217

Please keep in prayer: We are saddened to tell you that our dear longtime member Jean Martineau has been recently diagnosed with a terminal brain disease. As you can imagine, this is devastating to her friends and family. One small thing we can do that the family would really appreciate is to provide a meal twice a month. We have set up a meal train to help. See the link below to sign up. Wednesdays are the day that works the best for their family.

https://mealtrain.com/v1n5ny Please make sure and read the special instructions about food preferences, timing for delivery and so on.

Ways to Love, Serve and Give

Thank you, Bay Shore community, for your offerings this past year. We have been able to continue to do our mission and ministries effectively with your on-going support.

Thank you for your generous collection for the 25 Christmas “baskets” for this year’s Hephatha Christmas Drive.

Thank you for fulfilling your pledges for 2020.

Thank you for sending in a special Christmas offering by mail since we will not be able to gather together this Christmas Eve. Many congregations need that special Christmas offering, and for us—we are no exception. It is like an extra Sunday, and helps us meet our goals for the season. Thank you.

We offer many ways to give to Bay Shore during the pandemic.

You can mail your offerings into the church office. Please note—to have your offerings deposited in time for this calendar year, we will need to receive them by Dec 28—so please mail them by Dec. 24.
We offer now “Text To Give”—a quick way to give an offering on your phone. (855) 461-0194
You can also make a one-time offering online through your computer or tablet. To make an offering online using a debit/credit card right now, you may do so here.

Again, we are so grateful to you all and your generosity this past year. Thank you, thank you! May God’s peace be with us all this Christmas Season. — Pastor Sarah

Prayer of the Week: Advent Prayer, Week 4

Oh, Jesus, you hold the key
that will unlock my constricted heart.
It gives me great hope
that Mary said yes to you and your plan.
She was filled with the Spirit
and put aside her own doubts.

I know you are ready to answer my prayers,
ease my doubts and calm my fears.
Sometimes I don’t hear your messengers
because they aren’t what I expect.
They aren’t wearing wings or halos
but are the people standing in front of me.

How many times have I not listened?
How often have I balked at your messages
and your messengers?

Fill me with the light of your Spirit
and enter, in all your glory
into my life.
Let me rejoice! Amen

Missing the Music of the Season?

Even in this time of pandemic, there are still many opportunities to enjoy the music of the season virtually!

Mark your calendars for…

Dec. 19 | 7:30 pm: Augustana Christmas Vespers 2020. Learn more.

Various Dates: St. Olaf College will rebroadcast concerts from past years on various media outlets. Learn more.

Readings for this Sunday, December 20

Advent Candle Lighting

We light this fourth and final candle of Advent as we count down the weeks until we celebrate the birth of the Messiah, Christ our Lord. As a people filled with joy, we give thanks for the faith of Mary who accept the words of the angel.

Let us pray: God of all, may this candle by a symbol of our joy in you and in the salvation we receive through Mary’s Son, the Christ Child. May we also say, “Here I am,” and joyfully serve our Lord and Savior. Amen