ST. ANDREW'S SIGNPOST
The Rev. Canon Linda Mayer, Vicar
Linda Cox, Bishop's Warden
Bob Beeson, Junior Warden
DECEMBER 2019
The holiday season is upon us! Let worship, music, prayer, peace and love fill our hearts and minds as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and embrace the spirit of the Christmas Season.
Christmas Eve Service—Join St. Andrew’s for a candlelight service Christmas Eve. December 24th at 7:00 p.m.
Advent Service—St. Andrew’s is excited to announce a new service to be held during Advent! Take a moment from the hectic pace of your day to join us each Thursday in Advent. December 5, 12, 19, and 26. at 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
The Season of Advent
On December 1st, we will enter the season of Advent. For many of us, when Advent begins we start using an Advent calendar, or hang an Advent wreath. There are even daily devotionals dedicated to this season. It is commonly understood that Advent is a season of waiting and expecting the coming of Christ. In fact, there are three different comings of Christ that is recognized throughout this time: Christ coming to Bethlehem in the flesh, Christ coming into our hearts day-to-day, and his coming at the end of time. It is an ancient tradition of anticipation for his return. But Christmas decorations and fun calendars hiding chocolates inside isn't the whole story to the story of Advent. It is believed that during the 4th and 5th century in Spain, Advent was a time when new Christians would prepare themselves for baptism at the feast of Epiphany. These Christians would spend forty days preparing their hearts with penance, prayer, and fasting. It wasn't until a whole century later that Christians tied Advent to the coming of Christ. In today's world, we take the first two Sundays of Advent to look forward to the second coming of Christ, and we take the last two Sundays of Advent to reflect and look back the first time Christ came to us. Although certain elements and practices have certainly changed through the years, the core theme of remembrance and anticipation remains as the foundation of this season. This year, Advent will start on December 1st and continue through December 24th. Encourage yourselves to try to focus on the true meaning of the Advent season this year, and remember that there is much more to it than the bells and whistles of holiday decor (although we love that too!)
Chelan Christmas Concerts
Joysong Victorian Carolers
The Joysong Victorian Carolers will fill our church with Christmas songs from yesteryear! They are traveling from Olympia just to sing in our National Historic Church. Take a nostalgic trip back in time with the sights and sounds of the Victorian era. This pairing will be a delight to all who join us. Be sure to plan ahead and come early. There is limited seating in the church. Overflow seating will be in Parish Hall.
JOY JOY JOY!!!!
Lake Chelan Community Choir is a tradition in our community. Again this year, Marci Hale will be conducting the Christmas Cantata held at North Shore Church. In addition to the volunteer community members who make up this talented group, this year Roots Community School children will be joining in the musical festivities. Plan to attend and make this concert an annual event for your friends and family!
The Nile Mother
Lillian Hint Trasher was a young woman born in Jacksonville Florida in 1887. She was raised in a Quaker family who moved to the South after the Civil War, however she followed a Roman Catholic doctrine. She was devout on her faith, even attending Bible College was still very young and spending her days working in an orphanage in North Carolina. She became engaged to a minister, but some time into their engagement, she went to see a missionary speak at their Church who had come back from India. She was so overwhelmed with the call to share Christ with people that, for a while, she even pastored a Pentecostal church. The longing in her heart continued to grow stronger and she knew she wanted to be a missionary and minister to people in Africa. Just ten days before her wedding, she broke off her engagement because her fiancé didn't share the same call to be a missionary. Going against the wishes of those around her, she took off to Africa accompanied by her sister, with only $100 in her pockets. She found a home in the city of Asyut, Egypt and was still unsure of what her purpose there was going to be when a dying woman gave Lillian her baby and begged her to care for it. Lillian did care for the child, and not long after, a man came to her with another child who's mother was dying. The locals started calling her the "Nile Mother". This was the start of the Lillian Trasher Orphanage. Within six years, she was caring for over fifty children at her orphanage. Although she passed away in the early 1900's, her orphanage is still running and helping lots of children in Egypt to this day.
Happy Birthday!
Bob Beeson—11
Linda Kuntz—12
Liz Perry—13
Marci Jateff—13
Bill Jateff—13
Donna Turner—24
Jeannine Shaffer—27
Breck Smith—28
Happy Anniversary!
Jeff and Jordana LaPorte—4
Gary and Donna Turner—17
Dale and Kelly Peterson—25
