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St. Martin’s News 12/7/2025

Janet Lane

Announcements for December 7, 2025

Here you can find weekly news and upcoming events at the Episcopal Church of St. Martin. For more information, contact the office.

This Sunday! Bishop’s Visitation 9:30am Service
On Sunday, we welcome the Rt. Rev. Megan Traquair, Bishop of the Diocese of Northern California, as our presider and preacher. She will baptize, confirm, and receive several parishioners and will also bless our renovated ceiling stained-glass window. Please join us after church for a special coffee hour. We’ll have cake and appetizers, enjoy a time for fellowship, have a chance to greet our Bishop, and congratulate those being baptized, confirmed, and received. The Bishop is only here about once every two years, so you won’t want to miss this Sunday!

Note Time Changes for This Sunday Only
ONE Sunday Service only at 9:30am.
Godly Play will meet at 9:30am in Room 4.
The Nursery will open at 9am and remain open until 11:30am.

Next Sunday! Advent Lessons & Carols
Join us on December 14 at 4pm for a candlelit Advent Lessons and Carols, an evening of Scripture, choral music, and reflective readings. This year’s service pairs the ancient Advent texts with music by Native American composers and words from Native American poets and philosophers—offered as lenses that illuminate and deepen our hearing of the biblical story. Music will include Wyandot’s Realm, Andrew Balfour’s powerful reclamation of the Huron Carol. All are welcome to this prayerful and spacious Advent offering.

Advent Fellowship, Worship, and Formation
Wednesday Night Advent Soup Suppers and Holden Evening Prayer: A number of local congregations are coming together at Davis Lutheran Church (317 E 8th St, Davis) for a soup supper and brief worship service. These evenings will be on Wednesday, December 10 and 17 at 6pm. Dinner and fellowship are from 6-6:45pm, followed by a sung Evening Prayer. If you can bring soup to serve 8-10 on either date, please let the office know. Rev. Pamela is leading this week’s meditation. This is a time to focus “Just this. Just now.”

Morning Prayer, Wednesdays, 9am, in the church: Do you want to increase your prayer time during Advent? Join Rev. Pamela and others for Morning Prayer in the church on Wednesdays at 9am. The service lasts about 20 minutes.

Living Well through Advent Class, Mondays 2-3:30pm: Helen Campbell is leading a Living Well Through Advent class that continues on Mondays, December 8, 15, and 22. from 2-3:30pm on Zoom. The theme is Practicing Generosity with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind. Drop-ins are always welcome, but you’ll need the Zoom link from Helen or the church office.

Greening the Church, Las Posadas, and Christmas Service Schedule
Greening of the Church, Saturday, December 20, 10:30am – 12pm: Come lend a hand to make the church beautiful for Christmas. Share fellowship and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies.
Las Posadas, Sunday, December 21, 10am: A musical re-enactment of the Holy Family’s search for lodging before the baby Jesus was born. 
Blue Christmas, Sunday, December 21, 4pm: Designed for all but particularly for those who may be feeling “blue” this Christmas season. With music, prayer, optional candle-lighting and healing prayers.
Christmas Eve, December 24, 3pm: Christmas Eucharist with Children’s Pageant
Christmas Eve, December 24, 7pm and 10pm: Festive Choral Eucharists
Christmas Day, December 25, 10am: Holy Eucharist & Christmas Carols. One service
First Sunday after Christmas, December 28, 10am: Holy Eucharist & Christmas Carols

Christmas Flower Donations
If you would like to donate Christmas flowers in memory of or thanksgiving for loved ones this Christmas, we will list the names of your loved ones in the Christmas bulletins. This year, Christmas flower donations will go to the Flower Guild to help with the costs of greening of the church as well as flowers throughout the year. Please write a check to the Church of St. Martin with “Christmas Flower Donation” in the memo line. Or use the GIVE button on our website. Please write the office with the names of those you wish to have noted in the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day bulletins. Deadline: December 21

Service Opportunities
Food for Our Weekly Collection: Bring non-perishable food to the narthex so that we can distribute it to four local pantries: STEAC, Dixon Family Services, CA House, and The UC Davis Pantry. This week’s recipient is Dixon Family Services, with next week’s going to CA House.

Upcoming – Food for the Winter Shelter at Paul’s Place: Paul’s Place houses a winter shelter for 10 individuals and facilitates motel housing for six additional people. A variety of faith groups collaborate to provide nightly dinner and breakfast to-go for the shelter guests and staff. St. Martin’s is covering December 28 – January 4. We will need the help of many and will have sign-ups in the narthex soon, but if you know you are interested in helping, contact Janet in the office to sign up.

Diocesan-Wide Youth Service Project: All high-school students and/or chaperones are invited to join the Sierra Service Project on July 12-18 in Navajoland, Arizona or July 19-25 in Del Norte County, California. Scholarships available; no teen pays more than $500. More information HERE.

Nominate Yourself or Someone Else for Vestry
Vestry members serve for three years and have an important role in ensuring that St. Martin’s does its best to care for the parish, the larger church, and the community. We seek a diverse slate, hoping for balance with respect to age, gender, and ethnicity, as well as a mix of those new to St. Martin’s and longtime parishioners. To nominate yourself or another parishioner, e-mail the church office with a) name of nominee, b) nominee’s email & phone, c) ministries nominee has been involved in (St. Martin’s or elsewhere). If you are nominating someone other than yourself, please talk to them first to get their permission. We request nominations no later than December 31. Questions? Speak to a Vestry member or contact the church office. Once we have details on Diocesan Convention 2026, we will be seeking Convention Delegate nominations, too.

This Saturday! Chamber Music Society of Sacramento Concert
Saturday, December 6, 7:30pm at St. Martin’s
The Chamber Music Society is offering a series of concerts at St. Martin’s. This Saturday’s concert features violin, flute, and harpsichord in pieces by Bach, Leclair, Locatelli/Ysaye, and Jacquet de la Guerre. Tickets $35 (St. Martin’s parishioners $5 discount at the door). Ages 22 and under free. Information HERE.

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