Christmas Greeting and Blessing
The days of December pass in a jarring way, for me. They are not orderly like God intended – 24-hour intervals paced evenly. Instead, on December 3rd, it feels like Christmas will never come. But then, waking on December 16th, it feels as though Christmas is barreling down on me – somewhat like the Polar Express. I begin regretting all the stuff I did not get done yet and wonder how – or if – I will get it all done. And here it is, December 24th, Christmas Eve, Christmas is here! Christmas is here! (This feeling always reminds me of Nana in 101 Dalmatians running around shouting, “The puppies are coming! The puppies are coming!”
The Spirit is here, swirling in the air with its trusty companions, Hope and Joy. Take a minute to feel it. Feel the love that has reached out to you, whether by phone or Facetime or Zoom. It may be a knock on the door, a letter in the mail (or email), or a present delivered to your door. Or it may be as simple (or profound) as a smile spreading out on a face that is just as harried or lonely as you are and seeking connection too. Perhaps that is what is special about the Christmas Spirit: Connection made between disparate things. A lowly, teenage girl of very little means bearing the Messiah, the savior of the Hebrew people. Men and women praying together, in one place, respecting each other and seeing the differences and also each other’s tremendous worth. Sharing food and resources based on need not on the value of what each has brought to the community. Being included because you are loved by God, no matter your past, simply all looking to your future through possibility. This year particularly, it may be hard for some to feel the Christmas Spirit. But remember … Hope and Joy come, often in the most unexpected places.
One of the greatest ways Hope and Joy are shared is through prayer. Be assured we are praying for you. And we want to pray with you. So, join us for the 5pm Christmas Eve Service with the Pageant this evening or at 10am tomorrow for the Christmas Service. I cannot promise that you will feel the Christmas Spirit when you come. But I do know that if you decide to bring Hope and Joy with you, we will feel it. Don’t know how, but I believe in this truth for in it lies the Truth, the Way, and the Love of Christ.
Merry Christmas, for unto us a Savior is born, a Savior for the Whole World, a Savior who will bring us all to Peace and Joy!
Love and God's Blessing to you! Rev. Mary
Christmas Eve 5pm Service Livestream with Zoom Readers
Please note that the service has not yet been recorded so if you click on the above link it will take you to the event page but the video will not be there until 5pm this evening.
Bulletin below
Christmas Morning 10am Service Livestream with Zoom Readers
Please note that the service has not yet been recorded so if you click on the above link it will take you to the event page but the video will not be there until 10am tomorrow morning.
Bulletin below
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
On behalf of the St. Michael's staff, we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday.
The Office will be closed from 12pm Christmas Eve (12/24/20) through New Year's Day (01/01/21) for the holidays. Reopening on Monday January 4, 2021.
Consecrated Hosts & Bulletins are available for pick up from the office today until 12pm Noon.
Weekly Services
Sunday Morning Worship – 10am Livestream Recording with a homily & piano accompaniment Sunday Evening 5pm Zoom Service – Contemplative Prayer 9:30am Morning Prayer – Zoom/Facebook Live: Mondays, Tuesday & Wednesdays 8pm Compline – Facebook Live Monday through Thursday Thursday Noon Day Prayer – Facebook Live Thursday Evening 5:30pm Eucharist - Courtyard - POSTPONED Weekly Sermons – Posted Sunday afternoons
December 27, 2020
The First Sunday after Christmas 10am Morning Service
The Very Rev. Mary Claugus Preaching & Presiding
The Service will be livestreamed 10am to Vimeo, Facebook & the website on Sunday December 27, 2020
5pm Contemplative Prayer Zoom Service st.michaelscarmichael.org/about/calendar
The Fourth Sunday of Advent The Rev. Cindy Long Homily- Sunday, December 20, 2020
John's Weekly Meditation Celtic Carols 1
This week's piano meditation is a group of Celtic arrangements of Christmas Carols by Philip Keveren. Enjoy!
The Music Box Choral Masterwork(s) of the Week By John Cozza, Music Director
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 by Bach--Part 1
This week's choral masterpiece is Bach's monumental Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248. Unlike Handel's beloved oratorio Messiah, Bach's work was not meant to be performed all at once, but rather consists of 6 separate cantatas. This week we'll focus on those works for the Three Days of Christmas (December 25, 26, 27).
The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachts-Oratorium), BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 and incorporates music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a largely lost church cantata, BWV 248a. The date is confirmed in Bach's autograph manuscript. The next performance was not until 17 December 1857 by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell. The Christmas Oratorio is a particularly sophisticated example of parody music. The author of the text is unknown, although a likely collaborator was Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander).
The Christmas Oratorio is in six parts, each part being intended for performance on one of the major feast days of the Christmas period. The piece is often presented as a whole or split into two equal parts. The total running time for the entire work is nearly three hours. The first part (for Christmas Day) describes the Birth of Jesus, the second (for December 26) the annunciation to the shepherds, the third (for December 27) the adoration of the shepherds, the fourth (for New Year's Day) the circumcision and naming of Jesus, the fifth (for the first Sunday after New Year) the journey of the Magi, and the sixth (for Epiphany) the adoration of the Magi.
For more information, here is a link to the (extensive) Wikipedia page:
And here is a link to a wonderful live performance from the Herder Church in Weimar with John Eliot Gardiner, the Monteverdi Choir and his original instruments group The English Baroque Soloists:
Translations Cantata 1: Cantata 2: Cantata 3:
Part I (Cantatas 1-3):