Advent & Christmas Opportunities 2019

Advent Opportunities

The preparation season of Advent gets us ready to meet the Christ Child on Christmas. Advent is a season of joyous and solemn expectation, and to mark it, we will worship each Sunday in anticipation of the coming of Emmanuel, God with us. Advent is commemorated at FBC in Sunday worship with the Advent wreath, a circle of evergreens with four-colored candles, one lit each Sunday in Advent, representing Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. There is a fifth, white candle in the center of the wreath, the Christ Candle. The white candle is lit on Christmas Eve to commemorate the coming of the Christ child.

For Advent this year, we will gather not only on Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m., but also on Tuesdays at noon for and Advent devotion and lunch, which we will share with two other local congregations, Christ Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian Church.

We will also hold a Longest Night Service in our Chapel on a Wednesday evening near the longest, darkest night of the year. At this service, we recognize that the holidays are sometimes not joyful for everyone, as we are faced with the painful realities of this life: depression, loss of loved ones, grief, pain, divorce, job loss, fear, and so many other things. The service of the Longest Night allows us to sit together to remember, to mourn, and to see the Light who remains in our lives despite it all this season. We will offer a time of remembrance, a time of communion, and prayers and liturgy to attend to our souls.

Dec. 1st – Sunday Advent Worship 11:00 a.m., FBC Sanctuary – The Candle of Hope

Dec. 2nd – Advent Children’s Chapel (ELC) 10:00 a.m., FBC Chapel

Dec. 3rd –  Advent Devotion & Lunch 12:00 p.m., Christ Episcopal Church

Dec. 9th – Sunday Advent Worship 11:00 a.m., FBC Sanctuary – The Candle of Peace

Dec. 9th – Advent Children’s Chapel (ELC) 10:00 a.m., FBC Chapel

Dec. 10th – Advent Devotion & Lunch 12:00 p.m., First Presbyterian Church

Dec. 15th – Sunday Advent Worship 11:00 a.m., FBC Sanctuary – The Candle of Joy

Dec. 16th – Advent Children’s Chapel (ELC) 10:00 a.m., FBC Chapel

Dec. 17th – Advent Devotion & Lunch 12:00 p.m., First Baptist Church

Dec. 18th – Advent Children’s Chapel (ELC) 10:00 a.m., FBC Chapel

Dec. 18th – Longest Night Service 6:00 p.m., FBC Chapel

Dec. 22nd – Sunday Advent Worship 11:00 a.m., FBC Sanctuary – The Candle of Love

 

Christmas Opportunities

Throughout December and all the way to the Feast of the Epiphany, which we will celebrate the first Sunday in January, FBC will come together to tell the Christmas story, to share in giving and fellowship, to listen to beautiful music, and to serve our neighbors. See below for Christmas opportunities with the FBC church family.

Dec. 8th –   Library Bake Sale 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

Dec. 9th –   Smith River Singers Concert 7:00 p.m., Galilean House of Worship

Dec. 10th  – XYZ Outing 10:00 a.m., Roanoke

Dec. 14th – Martinsville Handbell Ensemble 7:00 p.m., Broad Street Christian Church

Dec. 15th –  Pastor’s Drop-in 3:00-5:00 p.m., Pastor’s Home

Dec. 19th – ELC Christmas Program 7:00 p.m., Sanctuary

Dec. 24th – Christmas Candlelight Service 5:00 p.m., Sanctuary

Dec. 25th – Richard’s Dinner 10:00-2:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

Jan. 5th –  Church Christmas Dinner 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

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