Newsletter for December 19, 2021

St. Aidan's Weekly Newsletter

Sunday 12-19-2021

The mission of St. Aidan's is to make disciples by proclaiming Christ as Lord and making a difference in our community.

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Christmas Service Schedule - December 2021 Dec. 21: Blue Christmas Worship Service at 6:30 pm Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Worship Service at 6:30 pm Dec. 26: Lessons and Carols - Sunday Service at 10 am

Join us for 'in-person' worship on Sunday, Dec. 19. It is the Fourth Sunday of Advent!  “Our Vestry has decided that those who are fully vaccinated need not wear a mask during Sunday services unless they feel safer wearing one. We ask those who are not vaccinated to please continue wearing a mask.” In the spirit of our faith we will trust each other.” NOTE: St. Aidan's Sunday Services are also on Facebook Live. You can access the Live Facebook broadcast through our website. Check UNISON, FACEBOOK, and our Website for Schedule Updates. Click Here to view You Tube Channel

December 19, 2021 Sunday Worship Service

Holy Eucharist RITE II, 10:00 am - Rev. Thomas Baker

If you are watching our online worship service, please use the attached Worship Booklet below. It includes our Lectionary Readings and Hymns. Click Here for the Worship Booklet

ROTA for Dec. 19, 2021 Acolyte: Mike Belt Lector 1:Barb Belt Lector 2:Sarah Smith Intercessor: Clarice Ewing Ushers: Mark and Norma Sappenfield Counter: Mike Belt Altar Guild: Carrie Wilson Be Our Guest: Barb Belt

Note: If you know you will be available for either Christmas service, please let Father Tom know ASAP! ALSO: I am working on the January-February ROTA! Please let me know if there are Sundays you will be gone or will be on vacation, etc. Thanks to those who have already replied. Also, please find your replacement if you are unable to serve on your Sunday. Then please let me know. Thank You, Sharon Seidel St. Aidan's December 2021 ROTA

"And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." Luke 1:41

The Holy Spirit is just as active today as in Elizabeth's time! Like Mary's cousin, we too are often fill with this spirit of generosity, excitement, hopefulness and care for others.

Tom's Talk 12/19/21 GRIEF AND THE HOLIDAYS - PART 3 The Rev. Tom Baker Shopping If you feel you must shop, pick a time when the store is not crowded, such as when they first open. Try asking someone to go with you or if it all seems just too much shop on line.   Accepting Invitations Lower the demand and expectations on yourself. You don’t have to attend every party. Be careful, however, if you find yourself declining every invitation and postponing all activities. Push yourself to attend events with close friends, family, or where you feel most at ease. Traditions are the most difficult part of the holidays for those who grieve. The death of a loved one can change the meaning and even take the joy out of a holiday tradition. However, this can also be a time to start new traditions that will both honor and remember your loved one as well as bring you and your family healing and hope.   If you always hosted a meal and served the same food, perhaps try changing the menu. You can ask someone else to be the host. Some have found that eating out can reduce stress and anxiety.   Open gifts at a different time or place.   Some who grieve find going away on a short trip during the holidays is a welcome change. Holiday Conflict Before the holidays it’s a good idea to sit down and talk with other family members or friends about your expectations for the holiday. You may not all agree but you can at least find out if there may be conflict before the actual holiday arrives. Be honest with each other about your feelings and the feeling of others. Remember, you may of experienced the same loss but you can have different feelings.   The Importance of Memorials Memorializing your loved one is a wonderful way of helping you and your family heal. Choose an activity that your loved one liked to do or would have approved of to make it more meaningful. Try to do something with your whole family that way it will strengthen the bonds of your love for each other. If you need to find time to be alone to remember your loved one, however you choose to do so, it’s important that you find the time and place this holiday season.   Some memorial suggestions from bereaved persons   • Purchase a small evergreen tree from a nursery, decorate it, and then in remembrance of your loved one replant it after Christmas.   • Light special small memorial candles each day during the holidays or use one large candle and light it each day (never leave a candle unattended).   • Display a single fresh flower during the holiday.   • Have a special time when the family can share holiday memories of your loved one.   • Offer a dinner prayer or toast to your loved one.   • Purchase a gift for your loved one and donate it to charity.   • Give the amount of money you would have spent on a gift to a charity in the deceased’s name.

WORSHIP SCHEDULE Sun. Dec. 19 8:45 am: Adult Forum 10:00 am: Worship Service 11:00 am Greening of the Church and Refreshments   Tue. Dec 21 6:30 pm: Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service Wed. Dec. 22 12:00 pm: Noon Day Prayer-Facebook Live 7:00 pm: Advent Wreath Lighting Service-Facebook  Thurs. Dec. 23 Center of Grace Outreach -See Below for Details Fri, Dec. 24: 6:30 pm: Candle Light Christmas Eve Service Sun, Dec 26: 10 am: Lessons and Carols with Eucharist 11:15 am: Refreshments

Click Here to see St. Aidan's December 2021 Calendar

Click here to see St. Aidan's December Birthdays and Anniversaries

Congratulations Laurie Bush - KU Graduate!

Laurie Bush graduated from KU with a BA in Chemistry and a Minor in History of Art.

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIA MEMORIAL DONATIONS Deadline: Tuesday, December 21 by 10 am If you have a Christmas Memorial Donation, there will be envelopes available at St. Aidan's on Sunday, December 19.There also will be an insert in the envelope to write out the name(s) of friends and relatives you are remembering. If you wish, you can also mail a check to St. Aidan's and mark Memorial on it, and send the names of those you are remembering.

Online Giving For online giving, for those using technology, please go to our website: Donations - St. Aidan's Episcopal Church (staidansolathe.org) Or if you would like to donate through other means, Please contact Tim Tatlock at 913-764-3050

Help For Tornado Victims On Friday and Saturday, December 10 and 11, a line of severe weather spread across the central United States, spawning over 50 tornadoes. Many lives were lost in these storms, and homes and businesses were severely damaged or destroyed. Episcopal Relief & Development is in contact with the affected dioceses as they assess the needs in their communities and stands ready to assist in the coming days and weeks. Please pray for the people impacted by the deadly tornadoes. Donations to the US Disaster Fund will support Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners as they respond.

Advent Wreath Candle Lighting Service Wednesday 12/22 at 7 pm. Please join us for the candle lighting services on Facebook Live.

Center of Grace: Thursday, December 23 St. Aidan's helps prepare and hand out meals at Center of Grace in Olathe, on the fourth Thursday of the month. This month it is Dec. 23. We would appreciate your help by bringing individually wrapped desserts for the Center of Grace to St. Aidan's by 2 pm on Thursday, Dec. 23.

Adult Forum Join us for Adult Forum on Sunday mornings at 8:45.- 9:15. Our Sunday Forum during December will be reflections on the Sunday Service. No Adult Forum Dec. 26 or Jan. 2

ANGEL TREE UPDATE! Thank you to all for the kindness and generosity you have shown for the Angel Tree ministry. Daughters of the King will be delivering the gifts the week of December 19th. Please call if you have any questions or concerns. THANK YOU!  Carolyn Sturgeon- 913-499-9375 or Barb Belt - 913-515-9001

Living Well Through Advent A free PDF or on line copy of Living Well Through Advent is available at the link below. The Rev. Lisa Senuta, Canon for Spiritual Formation and Clergy Care for our Diocese is one of the contributors.  Click Here for Living Well Through Advent

Sustaining Earth, Our Island Home “I would like to share with you an initiative from the National Episcopal Church's office of the Most Rev. Michael Curry. "Sustaining Earth, Our Island Home" tackles the Episcopal Church's pledge for the care of creation and provides support for individuals and parishes seeking to take those incremental steps toward living in a more sustainable, moral manner when it comes to the impact we have upon the Earth and our capacity to continue to live on it. To paraphrase Bishop Bascom the biggest environmental problems are not biodiversity, water usage, or climate change but greed, selfishness, and apathy. To learn more about this program, please visit http://www.sustainislandhome.org/ and enroll yourself in this program. Please remember to list St. Aidan’s, Olathe as your parish. Our Bishop will reward the parish with the most participation.” Fr. Tom Baker Click here for link

BackSnacks St. Aidan’s is in our second decade of working with five Olathe Elementary Schools in this important ministry. ... See St. Aidan's Facebook and Web page for more information about BackSnacks.

Pledges and Offerings Please send your pledges and offerings to the church office. You may also donate online. MAKE SURE YOU DESIGNATE ST. AIDAN'S IN THE DROP DOWN BOX. Click here for Donation form.

Pastoral Concerns and Prayer Requests

Pastoral Concerns: In case of pastoral emergencies, please contact Fr. Tom Baker at 785-670-0158 (call or text) or email him at [email protected]. Prayer Requests: Please email any prayer requests to Karon Wintrode, and she will post them on Unison.  [email protected].

Thanksgivings and Prayers Thanksgivings – Birthdays & Anniversaries We give thanks for the birthdays of Nikki Crowell, Tom Mencer, Addison Graham and David Kahn. Cycle of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for our Full Communion Partner, The , the Philippine Independent Church. In the World Council of Churches Cycle of Prayer we pray for the people of Benin, Cote d'Ivoire and Togo. In the Kansas Cycle of Prayer, we pray for Grace, Winfield. Click here for Additional Thanksgivings and Prayers

The parish email system is accessible through our website – www.staidansolathe.org See Julie Wojtas (630 865-3931) for information or any questions. Be sure to check Unison for all updated information regarding St. Aidan's.

Click here to see ECF webpage.

Episcopal Youth Ministries

Kansas Youth News

STAY CONNECTED St. Aidan's Episcopal Church 14301 South Black Bob Rd, Olathe, KS 66062 913-764-3050 Email: [email protected] Website: www.staidansolathe.org Facebook Page: St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, Olathe, KS Twitter: @staidansolathe  ‌ ‌

Click here for updated Episcopal Diocese of Kansas Information