Dec. 6 and Between 10 A.M

The Beacon In thy light shall we see light. Psalm 36:9 December 2020 ~ January 15, 2021 Fear Not by the Rev. Abigail Crozier Nestlehutt Every generation has its Christmas movies and television specials, I imagine. Mine took the form of cartoons and stop-motion productions with characters like the Grinch, Charlie Brown, Heat Miser, Albert Mouse, Rudolph, and Frosty. As a child, I used to watch each program with my siblings, sitting through all the commercials for Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and York Peppermint Patties. These simple programs were a highlight of the holiday season. As an adult I bought the DVDs so that I would be prepared when I became a parent. Most of those shows seem dated now, and besides, I can stream all of them on my phone whenever I want. Some of their special allure has faded, but they remain the background soundtrack in my mind this time of year. Each one tells a different story. One is about a green monster who tries to steal Christmas, one has to do with a boy who does not believe, another with a mouse who does not believe. Then there are the misfits who save a foggy Christmas and a snowman made magical by Christmas snow. But also, they all tell the same story. No matter what the obstacles are, despite the disbelief and misbehavior of humanity, nothing can stop Christmas from coming. There is always reason to hope, and love always wins. That is the story a spotlighted Linus tells a dejected Charlie Brown from a darkened school stage using the King James Version of the Bible: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward [all]. 2020 has provided plenty of reasons to be afraid, but let us hear the words of the angel: “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tiding of great joy, which shall be for all people.” The words make my heart quite literally leap. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Christmas celebrations look different this year, but Christmas is the same as always. It is the exquisite story of a God who loves us deeply. It is the unlikely story of a prince born in a stable. It is the inspirational and aspirational story of peace on earth. While the pandemic will keep us from gathering in our usual ways, nothing can keep the babe from being born. The impact of the pandemic is so profound that for many this year it will feel as if there is no Christmas. But even as we adjust to new realities for ourselves, we are called to spread the good news of the angels by helping others. At St. Peter’s we have made plans to ensure a holy Advent and a blessed Christmas through outreach, worship, and formation. In the pages that follow you will find information about alternative Christmas and the gifting tree, evening prayer on Mondays, Advent forums on Wednesday evenings, opportunities for small group “get-togethers,” and details about how we will celebrate the nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have put together meaningful, realistic, and safe offerings. I encourage you to join us in celebrating the news of the angels. Hear and enjoy the message within the community of St. Peter’s, and then “go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born” in the way you care for others. Exploring Eschatology Evening Prayer The Sunday readings and lessons during During Advent, we encourage Advent center on waiting for the second everyone to slow down and coming of Jesus and what will happen in prepare for the birth of the Christ the end times, so on Wednesday evenings in child as the world ramps up for the Advent, we will explore eschatology, the area holidays. On Monday evenings of theology concerned with death, judgment, December 7, 14, and 21, we are offering a and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind. simple service of evening prayer at 5:15 p.m. What do we believe? What do we think happens? via Zoom; we will record the service and place When will the end times be? These Advent it on Facebook so that it can be accessed at a discussions will take the form of dialogue, not different hour. Please contact Abigail (abigail@ lectures, and will begin at 6 p.m. on December 2, stpetersgv.org) if you intend to attend so 9, 16, and 23. Please plan to attend and bring your that she can be sure you have the materials questions. Contact Chris ([email protected]) to you need to participate as fully as possible, and receive the Zoom link for these conversations. also the Zoom information. #AdventWord Don’t forget that #AdventWord is again offering meditations and images to help us pause The Stations of the Nativity and await the birth of Christ. For information about by Chris Exley signing up for daily emails containing images and While Advent is typically devoted to readings and meditations, please visit adventword.org or find lessons about preparation for the second coming of Jesus, AdventWord on social media. in many ways the season also parallels the preparation for God’s entry into the world in the Word made flesh, Jesus. That first coming of Jesus was a journey—for Mary and Joseph, for the magi, for Elizabeth, for the shepherds and angels, and of course, for Jesus. To help our parishioners experience the nativity, I have revised and expanded a narrative created by my The Beacon friend, the Rev. Brooks Boylan (thank you, Brooks). In thy light shall we see light. Psalm 36:9 The script enables us to follow the stations of the nativity through the words of scripture and music and The Beacon is produced monthly by art appropriate to each passage to prepare ourselves for St. Peter’s Church in the Great Valley the celebration of Jesus’ birth on Christmas morning. 2475 St. Peter’s Road, Malvern, PA 19355 These stations can be followed at a meal on each of the Phone: 610-644-2261 Fax: 610-644-7967 nine days before Christmas, they can be read, a couple of E-mail: [email protected] passages at a time, during the nine days, or they can all Web site: www.stpetersgv.org be read on Christmas Eve. This script is available online, and you can access the Submissions are invited and are subject pdf by visiting https://1drv.ms/b/s!As4gy9msBVuCnK to editing. EgAlkmjoTUhzaR0g?e=Mmzfvc. I invite parishioners Submit articles to [email protected] who wish to experience this but don’t use a computer to or fax them to 610-644-7967 contact me so that we can work out an alternative way to Publication date: First of month access the materials. Deadline: 15th of month preceding Staff: Trudi Graves (editor), Charlotte Mark, David Graves - 2 - Noontime Eucharist Christmas Pageant 2020 In a favorite Christmas hymn, Christina Just because we cannot cram people into the Rossetti’s words remind us that the nativity of our barn for our traditional 4 p.m. Christmas pageant, savior was a gloriously simple moment. Indeed, a that doesn’t mean we can’t have a pageant! Again “stable-place sufficed.” This year we cannot gather this year, Mary Anne Morgan has written a special inside a packed worship space to sing carols and hear pageant that interweaves the history of St. Peter’s the story of Jesus’ birth, but we can gather outside, as with the narrative of Jesus’ birth. (See p. 4 for details scripture tells us the shepherds did. about the pageant and about how to participate.) Weather permitting, we will celebrate a simple We will pre-record this year’s pageant to enable service of Holy Eucharist for Christmas Eve outdoors all of us to enjoy it together at 4 p.m. on Christmas at 12 noon. If you would like to attend, please sign up Eve from the safety of our own homes. Spread the through the link in Keynotes or let Abigail (abigail@ word and invite your friends around the country and stpetersgv.org) know directly. the world. The service will be available on Facebook, our website, and YouTube (more about this on p. 4). Candles, Carols, and Connection on Christmas Eve You are invited to join the clergy at 5:15 p.m. on Christmas Eve for thirty minutes of safely distanced outdoor caroling interspersed with readings and prayers. Please sign up via the link in Keynotes or email Abigail ([email protected]). Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols While singing “Silent Night” together in the candlelit historic church on Christmas Eve is not possible this year, our choir has been hard at work, rehearsing and recording a magnificent “Service of Lessons and Carols” modeled on the famous one at King’s College, Cambridge, for us to experience on that holy night.

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