Dear friends of St. Edward’s,
We welcome you to our online worship this weekend as we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent.
Due to the alarming rise in cases within Lancaster County and here in our own township, as your rector, I prayerfully request that we refrain from gathering with other parishioners in public groups, particularly in restaurants, indoor spaces, or even outdoors without masks. COVID-19 is not a hoax. We are all in this together, and honoring our parish community, by complying with the recommendations set forth during this time, conveys our love for God in Christ, the members of our parish family, and the wider community.
Here are two links that may be helpful:
Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub
Father Rick +
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Please note the NEW TIME of 10 AM for our one Sunday Service via our YouTube Channel, which will be followed by a virtual coffee hour (detailed below).
We offer an opportunity for those viewing our online service to Donate to St. Edward’s via our Paypal link directly from our YouTube Channel. On the St. Edward’s Channel Home Page, in the lower right corner of the image of our church is a “Donate to St. Edward’s” link. You can also find it in the “About” section, just scroll down to “links” in that section. We have installed it, tested it, and it works securely and wonderfully!
We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and adult spiritual formation opportunities.
Krist Kindling begins this week! For those participating, we wish you fun, safe local travels, and good spirit, as you enjoy this fellowship tradition at St. Edward’s!
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We are nearing the end of our Annual Stewardship Campaign, as we had set our “ingathering” for tomorrow, November 29th. If you have not returned your pledge commitment, we request your prayerful consideration in helping us to steward the important ministry of St. Edward’s, and the care of our church campus, in 2021, by returning your pledge commitment this week. We have much to be thankful for, and much to look forward to, but it is with the Grace of God, our love of God and for one another through Jesus Christ our Lord, and the stewardship support from our parish community that makes our ministry possible. Thank you!
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Annual Jesse Tree Project Forms: Due Tomorrow, November 29th
Please let the parish office know if you are mailing or dropping off your forms/checks on Monday, if you have yet to do so.
For many, Thanksgiving and Christmas represents a ‘season of giving’. Giving to the foster children of COBYs during the holidays has been a long-time favorite of this parish.
Click here for information and sign up form.
Join us for our Virtual Coffee Hour, right after the 10 AM service, each Sunday, from 11:00 AM – 11:40 AM, on Zoom. It will be hosted by Christina McLaughlin. During these holidays, and because we cannot gather in-person through the end of this calendar year, sharing fellowship with our community is not only a connective thread for the fabric of our parish life, but it is wonderful “social outreach.” We invite you to join us! Your join code and pass code were in the Saturday email.
Welcome to Congregational Care! Each Saturday, we will include in our messages any submissions we receive from our parish community, as we invite you to share prayer requests or news about yourselves or your family. We believe this outreach to be incredibly important to keep our spiritual community connected to each other and to Jesus Christ, our Lord, as we walk in love with one another in our daily journeys. Please submit your “news” to the parish office by Friday of each week and we will feature it in the Saturday email, bringing it to our hearts and minds in our Sunday prayers.
For this week, we pray for all peoples, everywhere, who have helped others, in all the ways we can and do, during this Covidtide Thanksgiving and beyond. But, most importantly, we keep the poor and neglected in our deepest prayers, as we enter this season of Advent.
Prayer For the Poor and Neglected
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Join us, at St. Edward’s, and with our convocation churches, for wonderful offerings, each week, of prayer and adult spiritual formation, via Zoom. Join in, anytime! Click here to learn more.
Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution. Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.
To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish. If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution! Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!
To learn more about St. Edward’s, please click our website, YouTube, or Facebook icons at the bottom of this email.
Be well. Stay safe. Keep the faith.
– Michelle