Today at St Aidan’s
1030 am – Holy Communion
646 pm – Advent Vespers
730 pm – Learning to Walk in the Dark (Book Group)

December 5, 2018

Advent Act of Kindness
Have a Conversation with a friend &
Focus on Active Listening

This Advent Act of Kindness will be difficult for many of us. Active listening will require us to be fully present with the people we spend time with. That will mean not taking out our cell phones and checking them while with a friend or friends. It will mean that instead of waiting for the first opportunity to jump in with an interesting story about ourselves, we will focus closely on what our friend(s) are saying and offer back feedback when it’s requested. Once in a while it is good for us to be still.

Bible Reading
Luke 10:48-32 Common English Bible (CEB)

While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, “Lord, don’t you
care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.”
The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.”

 

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TOMORROW

Today at St Aidan’s
8:30 am – MORNING PRAYER
700 pm – CHOIR PRACTICE

December 6, 2018 – DAY 5 Feast of St Nicholas

Advent Act of Kindness
Have some Chocolate coins/ Candy or real coins to
place in the shoes of the children in your life.

 

This Advent Act of Kindness draws upon the legend of St Nicholas who was reported to have helped a man whose three daughters would not be able to marry because he had not the wealth for the expected dowries. Without something to offer prospective bridegrooms the man feared his daughters would be sold into slavery. Nicholas, who had the wealth inherited from his parents, would come secretly at
night and toss a bag of gold into the man’s house through an open window. The gold coins landed in a stocking left before the fire to dry. What joy in the morning when the gold was discovered! This happened for all three daughters. The father eventually discovered Nicholas who begged him to tell no one. “You must thank God alone for providing these gifts in answer to your prayers for deliverance.”

Bible Reading
Mark 10: 13-16 Common English Bible (CEB)

People were bringing children to Jesus so that he would bless them. But the
disciples scolded them. When Jesus saw this, he grew angry and said to
them, “Allow the children to come to me. Don’t forbid them, because God’s
kingdom belongs to people like these children. I assure you that whoever
doesn’t welcome God’s kingdom like a child will never enter it.” Then he
hugged the children and blessed them.