ADVENT BEGINS TODAY Advent helps us prepare to receive the promised Christ as He comes, whether at his lowly birth in history, his continual and wonderful coming to us in his Word and Sacrament, or his triumphal coming at the Last Day. In our worship we move to Year B of the Lectionary Cycle.

YOUTH GROUP meets tonight and next Sunday at 6:00 p.m.

THIS IS CHURCH CLEANING WEEK.

WORSHIP COMMISSION meets this Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.

PRAYER NIGHT will be held at 7:00 p.m. this Thursday. We will discuss our prayer lives, offer prayers for the Church, and discuss important Christian topics for the month.

AN ADVENT QUIET DAY will be held this Saturday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. This event is open to all – men and women. Take some time from the secular demands of the holiday season to prepare your heart for the coming of the Lord. A lunch will be served by the Daughters of the King (donation $5). You may sign up on the bulletin board in the narthex, call 485-8022 or email barb@saintalbanfw.org.

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT REHEARSALS will be held immediately following the 10:15 service on the Sundays of December 7 and 14, and at 9:15 a.m. on December 21. The pageant will be part of the 4 p.m. worship service on Christmas Eve. Please speak with Janine Steinbrunner (338-2660) if you have any questions.

THE SAINT NICHOLAS PARTY will be held at 12:30 p.m. next Sunday. Lunch will be provided. Children will decorate cookies and Father Layden will explain the Jesse Tree. There will also be a special guest stopping by for a visit.

WITH CHRIST THROUGH GRIEF is the topic that will be presented at 4:00 p.m. next Sunday by Deacon Roberta Ring, from Grace Episcopal Church. This event is free and open to the public.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY AND FELLOWSHIP meets at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, at the home of Marilyn McClure.

ALTAR GUILD members meet for cleaning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 13, and decorate for Christmas on Sunday, December 21.

ANNUAL YOUTH CHRISTMAS PLAY Mark your calendars now for our play on Sunday, December 14, at 6:00 p.m. This year we bring back some of our favorite characters from last year. The Cricket County Christmas Carol will be inspirational and, of course, hilarious. Join us for a dinner of breakfast items and a lot of fun. Tickets will be sold after the 8:00 services and before and after the 10:15 services, including the day of the show. Prices are $8.00 for adults, $4.00 for ages 3-10, with 2 and under free. If you have any questions or would like to help in anyway please contact Janine Steinbrunner (338-2660) or Cindy Spice (348-7061).

HANGING OF THE GREENS Join us after the 10:15 service on December 21 as we work together to prepare for the joyous Christmas season.

THE GIVING TREE, filled with ornaments that have gift requests listed on the back, is in the narthex. Please be sure to register your gift selection with a Daughter at a table nearby, where the ornament will be exchanged for a gift tag which you will attach to your gift. All gifts should be new and wrapped in Christmas paper. A basket of labels, from which you may choose food and hygiene items needed by the families, will also be available at the table. You do not have to wrap these items, just place them in the laundry basket with the family number, located by the tree. All gifts, food and hygiene items are due at the church by next Sunday. Thank you for your assistance.

CHRISTMAS TREES once again adorn St. Alban’s front doors. The Food Bank will provide Christmas meals for six of our client families. Please pick one or two tags and bring the item and the tag to church by Sunday, December 14. Please treat the tags gently so they can be used again next year. Refrigerated items go in the refrigerator in the boiler room and frozen items go in the chest freezer in the Food Bank. Thank you for giving these families a joyous Christmas.

ENVELOPES FOR CHRISTMAS FLOWERS & DECORATIONS are in the pew card holders today and the next two Sundays. You may use this means to express your thanksgiving to God for the many blessings that He has given you. Please remember to indicate on the envelope if the contribution is in “memory of” or “thanksgiving for.” To have information listed in the Thanksgiving bulletin, envelopes must be in the office by December 14.

DURING ADVENT we use evergreen arrangements on the altar in place of flowers. However, you may still sign the flower calendar for memorials and thanksgiving. Names will be printed in the bulletin, and the money contributed will be used to purchase the greenery. Open date is December 14.

OPEN DATE for Sanctuary Candles this year is December 28.

ALTAR FLOWER AND SANCTUARY CANDLE CHARTS FOR 2015 are posted in the narthex. Special envelopes are found beneath the charts. Please include on the chart in the narthex the information you would like listed in the bulletin More than one family may sign for the same Sunday. Make your check payable to St. Alban’s and place it in the offering plate. Cost of flowers is $33.00. Cost of sanctuary candles is $3.00.

UPDATED CHURCH DIRECTORIES were sent electronically to all members for whom we have e-mail addresses. Those may be kept on your computer for quick access. A few hard copies are available on the table in the narthex.

ATTENDANCE last Sunday was 98.

REMEMBER IN PRAYER Kathy Bromley, Mary Brooks, Dick & Bonnie Camp, Andrew Davis, John & Phyllis Diver, Dick Donnelly, Denise Frede, Micaela Fulk, Jeanne Hahn, Helen Holmes, Barb Jackson, Jerry Leaman, Toni Leaman, Larry Link, Arthur Longecore, Alicia McLimans, Audrey McLimans, Becky Middleton, Lydia Miller, Beverly Munn, Derek Palmer, Chris Renner, Danette Rhodes, Dick & Sandy Ritchie, Chris Sanxter, Cindy Spice, Rick Spice, Wesley Stath-Tracy, Jim Trueblood, John Williams, Noah York

Military: Daxton Demorest, Jeremy Faux, Dylan Frick, Adam Johns, Eric Lamberty, Derek Palmer, Kaylee Sumner, Ty Sumner