SSLC Advent1 20211128: Advent is about the "coming days", the great expectation.

Worship service for the First Sunday of Advent. It was recorded at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Santa Cruz, California on November 28, 2021. This Sunday, November 28th at 10 am, we will gather to celebrate the First Sunday of Advent. This is a brief 4 Sunday season of the church year where we focus on the preparation for the birth of Christ, Emmanuel, God with us. We will light a candle on our Advent Wreath (lovingly prepared by Barbara Johnston) each Sunday. This will lead our hearts to remember the Good News that we will celebrate at Christmas. Gathering in-person in our worship space is a joyous occasion for sure! But the risks of the pandemic are lingering as we head into the Fall and Winter, so we are taking precautions described in further detail below. There is always a Children’s Church / Sunday School program planned during worship. It is held in the Family Room adjacent to the sanctuary beginning right before the scripture readings and ending after the offering. We love having children and all that brings as part of worship! Thanks to Leslie Lapp for leading this ministry. You can also worship at home through the livestream found at our website. After 5pm. a recording of our worship service can be also found on our website at www.ststephenslutheran.org. The bulletin and Celebrate scripture readings and prayers are attached, so that you can participate in worship even if you are not able to attend church in-person. Holy Communion will be celebrated, so please have some bread and fruit of the vine ready if you are at home. The health-safe, new ways that we will worship in-person indoors were shared in detail in our October newsletter. Everyone will need to wear a mask and keep it on over the nose for the entirety of worship. It will also include practices that maintain physical distance: 6ft. distance for families in the pews – sharing the Peace with gestures , continuing to receive Holy Communion with the pre-sealed cups, giving our offering at tables near us, as well as improved air exchange with fans and open doors. We will also not be offering the Coffee Fellowship for the time being. However, all are welcome to gather outside on the patio and greet one another as well as welcome those who are new to this church family. Our gathering for worship each Sunday at church, in our homes, or wherever we are able, is very essential to strengthen us to meet the world's challenges. These days, especially, we cling to the hopeful messages of our faith that call us to new beginnings and living a new life with those around us. Previous Sunday worship services can be found at our website. “www.ststephenslutheran.org” Coffee Fellowship Begins!: Please contact our Church Administrator Leslie if you are willing to host. There are new protocols which include: Serving the coffee (bring your own mug), Having any goodies on small individual plates spread out on a larger table. As soon as we have people willing to serve in this way, it will begin. Prayers: Thanksgiving for the November 11. 2021 birth of Zellie Gebreremariam Lapp, daughter of Mrs. And Mr. Rachel Lapp and Dawit Yerdea, and granddaughter of Pastor Jim and Leslie! For Dawit Yerdea, spouse of Rachel Lapp, and the safety of his family in the ethnic conflicts of Ethiopia. And that the US Embassy there will remain open so Dawit may receive his spousal visa by his scheduled date of Dec. 30th, and be reunited with Rachel and Zellie. For Dorothy Ronning as she undergoes testing. For healing for Janet Slay’s grandson Tyler to make a full recovery from surgery to repair his broken back sustained in a racing accident. Church office hours changed as of August 2021. They are now Mon-Fri. 12 noon – 5 pm. Please make a note of this change. Thank you all for your amazing support and love and faithful prayers for Leslie and our family. Please refer to Leslie’s “CaringBridge.org” page for details about her story in case you may not have heard about her accident. Leslie has been officially discharged from any further medical treatment. This led to an additional part-time employment opportunity which she has accepted and begun as of Aug. 11 resulting in the office hour change. Streamed with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-706539. Liturgy used by permission of Augsburg Fortress License #SBL14385.