For Unto Us a Child is Born, Unto Us, a Son is Given!
- Isaiah 9:6
December 22, 2021
Dear Doubters of Great Faith,
Our Advent journey has led us here again, to the foot of the manger. What a spectacular sight to behold. Incarnation, Emmanuel, the holy intersection of divinity into humanity. Heaven and earth collide, again, thankfully, in the strangest, and most wondrous, of places!
I hope your nativity-journey includes spending time here, with your St. Thomas the Apostle family. Many different hands, hearts, minds, and spirits have invested time, love, and effort into insuring a blessed experience as we gather in awe and wonder yet again. On Christmas Eve, we will gather in our candlelit nave surrounded by sights, and sounds, and fragrances that bespeak the wonders of this most holy night, culminating with kneeling at the foot of the manger, as I imagine those folks might have done that night so long ago.
How better to join our hearts to theirs?
We will have two services on Christmas Eve, December 24th, at 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm, both including incense. Between the services, we will do what St. Thomas does best – hospitality! A wonderful reception has been planned for 9 pm in the Parish Hall, so plan to stay after (the earlier service), or come early (the later service).
On Christmas Day, we will have a 10 am service with festive carols, particularly appropriate for those who avoid driving at night. There will be no incense at this service.
On December 26th, Christmas I, the First Sunday after Christmas Day, we will have our usual 8 am service, and our 10:30 am service will be Christmas Lessons & Carols!
We have a particularly lovely addition to our celebration this year. Mr. Hank Cofield and Mr. Chris Schilling, newly received and confirmed members of the Doubter community, have donated the spectacular nativity scene that adorns the inner garden courtyard. With the lovely decorating and lighting highlights by Mr. Stephen Toon and Mr. Phillip Scheldt, it makes for a particularly moving scene! (You MUST see it at night!)
If you are unable to be with us for one of these opportunities, please remember that we have the Facebook Live streaming available for the Christmas Eve services (December 24th) as well as the Christmas I (December 26th) Service of Lessons & Carols.
Following the Christmas celebrations, I will be on holiday from December 27 – January 10. During that time, you will be in the most capable hands of our Doubter leadership! If you have any pastoral issues, please do not hesitate to contact Mtr. Virginia Holleman (vfholleman@icloud.com, 214.450.9652, cell), or Fr. Stephen Waller (doubtertom@aol.com, 214.676.8253, cell). Any business-related issues can be handled through the Church office by Pam Liles (pam@thedoubter.org, 214.352.0410, x104).
I hope you know how glad and grateful I am for each and every one of you who make up this beloved community. It is with gratitude that I wish you a very Merry Christmas and look forward to all of the ministry we will do together on this corner and beyond in 2022!
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Christopher+
