The Church Year begins with a Cycle of Light in the three seasons of Advent, Christmas, & Epiphany!

The liturgical season of Advent is a time of expectation and preparation before we celebrate Christmas. Advent means “to come” and the Church uses this time to retrace the long wait for the coming of the Messiah and highlight our present waiting for Christ to come again. Rather than a prolonged Holiday season that starts before Thanksgiving and ends abruptly after December 25th, the Church commends a different approach. We invite you to spend the Advent Season in waiting preparation. But then we also recommend that you expand the celebration of Christmas into a twelve-day season beginning on December 25th, rather than cramming all of the festivities into one day. In other words, Advent until Christmas and then Christmas until Epiphany!

Devotional Resources for the Cycle of Light:

Advent Resources

This Advent Season we have several special events, recommended resources, and ways to serve our community. Our Sunday services on 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, & 12/21 will also focus on Advent. Finally, there is a festive reprieve in the midst of this season on 12/21, which is the Feast of St. Thomas, our namesake!

Advent Wreath-Making on 11/30

Family Ministry invites you to join us on Sunday, November 30th for an Advent wreath making in-between the 9:00 and 11:00 services. Everyone from our parish is invited! Quantities are limited so please reserve your kit and let us know you'll be coming! We will offer fresh greenery along with wreath making kits that will include a circular floral foam, candle stakes, candles, and a simple devotional. Quantities are limited so please reserve your kit and let us know you'll be coming! $15 Suggested Donation (at time of event). Register here.

Advent Care Drives

Each Advent we raise awareness and support for local ministries and non-profits by conducting drives for specific needs. This year we will be hosting drives for Food Bank of North East Georgia & Chosen for Life Ministries, Please bring the following items to church with you on the corresponding Sunday. If you have any questions or need to arrange a drop off at the Parish Housed during the week please reach out to Joy Crumpton.

• 11/30 & 12/7- Advent 1 & 2: Shelf Stable Holiday Food Items

  • The Food Bank has been a reliable source for so many people in our community that are struggling this year. We asked them if there are specific items they are in need of and they provided the following list.

    • Canned Goods: Cranberries, Pumpkin, Veggies, Gravies & Soups

    • Boxed: Mashed Potatoes, Mac 'n Cheese, Powdered Milk, Hot Chocolate, Stuffing, Cornbread and Biscuit Mixes

    • Shelf Stable: Country Ham, Vegetable Oil, Marshmallows

• 12/14 & 12/21 - Advent 3 & 4: Socks, Undies, Diapers

  • Chosen for Life provides clothes and diapers for local foster families throughout the entire year. Children’s socks and underwear is a constant need. Please bring unopened socks, underwear, & diapers in all children sizes.

Serving in Community

During Advent, we encourage all of our community groups and families to find ways to collectively serve our city. Below are a list of organizations we recommend. If you group would like to use the Parish House kitchen to provide a meal for A Bigger Vision or Athens Area Homeless Shelter reach out to Deacon Tex to schedule a time tex@stacathens.org

• Chosen for Life Christmas Party Needs - Every December, Chosen For Life host’s a Christmas party for all the foster families in and around Athens. There are usually around 100+ children in attendance as well as their families. There are several ways you can sign up to be a part of the party or provide items for gifts.

• Bigger Vision is in need of several volunteer through mid-January. Small groups can sign up to provide an evening meal or serve the shelter during meal time.

• Athens Area Homeless Shelter - There are several ways to serve the Athens Area Homeless Shelter. You can sign up to spend time with children, grant a wish based on the shelters needs or sign up to bring a meal to those who are currently staying at the shelter (usually around 20-30 women and children).

• Northeast Georgia Food Bank - There are several opportunities for individuals and groups to serve at the food bank during this time of the year. The link will lead you directly to their volunteer page where you can create an account and sign up to serve in different slots.

• Our Daily Bread serves over 500 people a week through their breakfast and lunch program. As a group, you can sign up to feed roughly 100 people. Groups provide the food, cook and serve those who are in need. If your group would like to serve with Our Daily Bread, please contact Deacon Tex tex@stacathens.org.

Christmas

Most people are familiar with the “12 Days of Christmas” from the popular song. We recommend a full Christmas Season celebrating the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ at Church, in your home, and with friends!

For seasonal Christmas resources, visit 12tide.com website. This is a website (now a book!) curated by the Pipkin family at St. Thomas with great ways to recapture the joy of the Christmas Season.

Christmas Eve Services

We are excited to offer three times for our Christmas Eve service. Our earlier service will be designed for families with a simpler liturgy and battery-powered candles. We’ll also have nursery available for babies and toddlers for this special service.

• 4:00 PM - Our 4:00 PM service will be family worship and include children of all ages. However, there will be nursery available for babies and toddlers.

• 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM - Our evening services will be traditional candlelight services that conclude around 7:30 PM & 9:30 PM. There will be no childcare or nursery provided so that our volunteers and staff members can attend as well.

Lessons & Carols on 12/28

On the First Sunday of Christmas (12/28) we will be having Christmastide Lesson and Carols services during our normal worship times of 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM. Lessons and Carols is a traditional Anglican worship service consisting of readings from the Bible which trace the story of redemption focusing on the Lord Jesus. These readings are interspersed with hymns and carols and will conclude with Holy Communion. This is a joyful, relaxed way to continue to engage the Christmas Season together before we move into Epiphany Season!