“Fling Wide the Door”
Sunday, December 4th
2nd Candle of Advent
Member Directory available for pick up
Sunday, December 11th
3rd Candle of Advent
Thanking Sixth Church
Our ministry to PSU Students
Sunday, December 18th
4th Candle of Advent
9:30am Eucharist
St. Lucia Arrives
Scandinavian Coffee Hour
Children’s Sunday School: Cookie Decorating
5:00pm Jazz Vespers
Saturday, December 24th
Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship:
4:30pm Family Candlelight service of Holy Communion.
Join us for traditional carols and the story of Jesus’s birth.
10:30pm Traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight service of Holy Communion.
Join us for Christmas carols, our full choir, and the story of Jesus’s birth.
Sunday, December 25th
Christmas Day Worship:
9:30am Eucharist Service.
“Christ is Born!”
Join us for carols and readings as we celebrate Christ’s birth.
Sunday, January 1st
New Year’s Day Worship:
9:30am Eucharist Service.
Join us as we usher in the New Year together.
Click here to download a PDF copy of our 2022 Advent & Christmas schedule.
From the Pastor’s Desk …
December brings newness and light, so “fling wide the door!”
Our Advent theme of “openness” prepares us for the new-year season of Advent and for a Christmas baby promised to be the “Light of the World.” Newness and light is evident also in our newly renovated building, our concert piano, and our new membership directory. New winter coats were placed in the hands of neighborhood houseless folks, and we begin to purchase Christmas gifts for Afghan and Burmese refugee families in Portland. A December 17th Solstice/Labyrinth service will claim hope at the darkest time of the year. Thank you for flinging wide the door and following the Light. Reflect on hymn #259:
Fling wide the door, unbar the gate;
The King of glory comes in state;
The Lord of lords and King of kings
The Savior of the world who brings
His great salvation to the earth.
So raise a shout of holy mirth
And praise our God and Lord,
Creator, Spirit, Word.
–Pastor David
St. James Giving Tree:
An Afghan family and a family from Burma have recently settled in Portland via Lutheran Community Services NW. Our Goal is to provide 70 gifts so each family can tangibly know the joy of Christmas. All gifts should be delivered to the church no later than the morning of Sunday, December 18th. You can sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/2022stjamesgiving or by calling Elsa at the front desk (503) 227-2439. To sign up online, select the item you wish to purchase, click “submit and sign up,” enter your information, then click “sign up now.” Please wrap your gift and clearly label it with the family member’s name, age, and family number on an outside tag.
New Members to be Received on January 15th:
We look forward to receiving new members on Sunday, January 15th, 2023. If you too would like to make St. James your spiritual home, talk to Pastor David.
