Milford chronicle., 1961-12-15
Christ Church tEpiscopoL
Rev. E. John Dyer, Rector
Sunday, December II
3rd Sunday in Advent
Not Christmas Season Yet.

1t is not Christmas yet. 1t IS
still advent In terms of the cycle |
of the liturgical year, we are still |
under the Old Covenant, still wait
ing for a promised Messiah. The |
department stores are urging US
to think that it is already Christ
mas, but that great festival is not
vet. The time of preparation IS
still with us.
Is preparation for Christmas only
a matter of hearing all the familiar
Christian Christmas carols so far
in advance that we are already
weary of them when the Christmas
Eve Midnight Service begins: Is 1t
nothing but a matter of wearing
ourselves out shopping and wrap
ping and mailing, so that when the
real thing is here at last we are too
tired to enjoy it:
Spiritual preparation for Christ
mas involves a sense of history as
we'll as a certain spiritual sensi-
tivity. 1t involves a knowledge OF
the Bible, and especially of the
Old Testament. 1t involves some
thing of a realization of what kind
of world it was into which the
Redeemer came.
That was a world darkly threat
ened by the ominous thunderclouds
of anxiety, hopelessness, disillus-
ionment and despair. The old re-
ligion had either broken down
completely or had degenerated into
Journalism and legaliSm. All the
freshness, all the spontaneity, all
the joy-in- -being-alive had gone out
of life For most people life had
become as much a weary chore as
our as-early-in-Advent de-
partment store holiday" would
make it for us now.
In the mist of these lowering
clouds the Star of Bethlehem broke
through. Into this WEAKNESS burst
the New Life, the New Humanity,
the New Creation. And if Christ
comes into your own personal life
now, this Advent of 1861, you will
know in a deeper sense than you
ever thought possible the true
significance of Christmas Day.
Activities
Sunday. December II, 7:30 a. m.
: Holy Communion.
$50 a. m. Family Service, Chur-
ch School Morning prayer and
sermon by the Rector, the Rev. E.
John Dyer.
Hostess Mrs. Jeffery Fernald.
Ushers Mr. Tom Revel and
Mr. Rem Barnard.
Acolytes Messrs. Clay Adams
and Jay Vican.
Altar Guild Mrs Lee Hirsch
Mrs. Anthony Vican and Mrs. Mer-
bert ump.
1900 a. m. Morning prayer
and sermon by the Rector, the Rev.
E. John Dyer
Ushers Mr.. John Baker, Jr.
and Mr.. Horace Wiley.
Altar Flowers are given by Mr..
and Mrs Tom Revel
7:45 a. m. Radio Broadcast over
WKSB, Milford, Del Inspirational
program, THE Search"
2:30 p. m. Rehearsal for the
children in the Christmas Pagent
$50 p. IN. Y. P. F. Christmas
Dinner Party in the parish house
Tuesday, December 10, 1000 a. m
Holy Communion.
500 p. m. Christ Church Vestry
meeting in the Parish house.
Wednesday, December 20, 1880 p.
m. Acolytes meeting at Christ
Church.
500 p M Senior choir practice
in the parish house.
Thursday. December 81, $3.50 p.
m. Junior Choir practice.
Friday, December %, 700 p. m.
: Greening of the Church. Every
one is asked to come out some
time during the evening to help
| Saturday, December %, 2:30 D.
m. Rehearsal for the children in
the Christmas Pagent
| $50 p. m. Christmas Pagent
given by the children of Christ
| Church. Following the Pagent there
will be a visit by Santa Claus in
the Parish House. All children in
the Pagent are asked to be at the
Parish House by 6:15 p. M
Everyone is welcome to worship
at historic Christ Church, founded
1704
Come worship with us as a fam
lily bring the children Don't
send them.
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