The larger context for this post is our weekly Advent gatherings leading up to Christmas.  The following is a message from Laura McNeel:

REFRESHMENTS for Advent Gatherings

Last Sunday night was the start of our four week series of Advent celebrations, leading up to Christmas and birth of our King. Thank you to all our friends and neighbors who made this beautiful time of worship and fellowship possible.

As the Advent season continues, we hope to draw even closer together as a family of Christ. One way you can contribute is by sharing the gift of hospitality through food and drink. Refreshments for the remaining 3 Advent evenings can be light and simple, and should easily be covered by a few willing volunteers ( one person for food, one person for drinks each week.)
Whether you have a talent for baking, coffee brewing, or just the extra time and resources to buy a few pre-made items from the grocery, your gifts will be gladly received and appreciated.

To sign-up (and to ensure that all our ducks are covered), follow this doodle link, type your name to the left, and check the box for the corresponding date and item you are willing to bring.

Blessings and Thanks,
Laura McNeel

(If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a note on Facebook!)

The following is a message from Jeremiah Griswold:

Over the past couple years so many incredible connections have been made between people in the Cincinnati area and La Limonada.

So we thought it would be great to invite everyone to join together for a potluck dinner and Christmas party to benefit Lemonade International’s “Navidad En La Limonada” campaign.  The event will be Friday, Dec 3, from 6-8pm.

We’re looking forward to a great time… including live music, open mic for people who’ve spent time in La Limonada, and an opportunity to learn more about plans for Christmas in La Limonada.

Bill & Cherie Cummings from Lemonade Int’l are excited to be in town for this special event and look forward to meeting/getting to know you.

Bring a dish to share, invite your friends & we’ll see you there!

Contact Jeremiah at jeremiahgriswold@mac.com if you have questions or would like to help with the event.

Click here for the Facebook page.

The Advent season is upon us (a week away) and, for most of us, this sacred time of year can often creep up undetected and slip by without catching our eye.  This year, we want to create space to pause and press in, and to experience Advent as a family.  Together.

Join us for weekly Advent services every Sunday evening during Advent from 7-8pm (Nov 28 and Dec 5, 12 and 19).  We’ll gather in the “upper room” (studio space on the 2nd floor in back of St. E’s) to share in fellowship, reflection and worship as we prepare our hearts to welcome the Savior.  There will be time in each service geared toward our kids (after which we’ll have loving, responsible adults lined up to share the rest of the hour with them just downstairs from our gathering).  We’ll share in Advent readings and hear from some of the writers in the VC body, and we’ll have extended times of worship for leaning into the holy hush of the season. Coffee and tea will be available (BYOMug to help lower supply costs).  Bring a friend.

Come, thou long expected Jesus.

The newly formed Courtland Ave. house church would like to invite folks to join us for an advent wreath making activity in Studio E: Thursday November 18 6:30- 8:30 pm. We will provide dinner. This activity is kid friendly and free.

Please RSVP to mary ellen at maryellenmitchell@gmail.com before November 17 so we can buy supplies and food.

Check out THIS new page, which will link to short articles written by our pastors.  This is intended to be something pastoral, encouraging and envisioning.  The first post, “The Saint is a Medicine” is already up!

The following announcement is from Dave Nixon:

In late June of this year it was announced that an ad hoc committee was forming to explore how to move forward with the St. Elizabeth property. As was stated at the time:

This team isn’t a decision-making body. Instead it will generate ideas and attach some levels of feasibility to each of the ideas based on research that it does. At the end of the summer it will present its ideas and suggestions to the Board of Trustees and Pastoral Council. Those two groups will then determine how best to present the committee’s work to the rest of the community, soliciting input and further ideas.

Although we haven’t met the “end of the summer” deadline, we have, to date, considered a wide number of ideas. We’ve narrowed these down to what we think are the best options for moving forward. We’re now in the process of engaging some contractors to attach real numbers to each of the options. We expect this will take until mid-December to wrap up.

Save the dates! This year the four Sundays of Advent are: November 28, December 5, 12, 19. Our community will gather either in the Speckled Bird Café or St. Elizabeth’s — somewhere on the corner of Carter / Mills — from 7:00-8:30 on those evenings for common prayers, reflections on the themes of Advent, and a time to connect. One exception: our Advent celebration on December 5 will start at 6:30 and serve as a release party for Common Prayer: Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals.
For more info.

Hearth House Church Ready to Birth
By the end of November Hearth will become 2 distinct house churches. One group will realign itself with Hearth’s original focus on hospitality. The second group will continue to meet as a worshiping community to explore its mission. Start-ups and re-starts are an great time to roll up your sleeves and get involved. Likely meeting times for both churches will continue to be Tuesday evening from 6:30-8:30. (We’ll solidify that soon and get the word out.) If you’re looking to join a house church, please know that our doors are open.

New: Spencer Avenue House Church
Starting Thursday evening, Nov. 11, Joshua & Maurie Hanauer will serve as hosts for the new Spencer Avenue HC. Newcomers and oldcomers are welcome. Start time will be 8:00 p.m. (They need to get their kids settled first.) Directions and contact info will follow in the “comment section” for this announcement on the VC website. If you have questions you can post them there as well.

New: Courtland Avenue House Church
Starting Thursday evening, Nov. 11, Ben and Mary Ellen Eilerman will serve as hosts for the new Courtland Avenue HC, led by Daniel & Laura (Tucker) Tegge. Start time will be 6:30 p.m. If you’re interested in joining this group, please contact Dave Nixon directly or leave a comment for this announcement on the VC website.

First of all, remember to set your clocks back 1 hour this Saturday night! Wouldn’t want you to find an empty house when you arrive.

Breakfast (9:00-10:00)
Light breakfast of bagels and coffee, but you supply the fruit, cheese, juice or some other breakfast food.

Worship (10:00-11:15)
We’ll sing “in-the-round,” reflect on scripture, have conversational team teaching led by Joshua Hanauer (+ guest) followed by communion and offering.

Lunch
This, of course, stands or falls on participation. We value living as a community, and to be a part of a community means participation. Let’s lean into it. Bring something for yourself (or family) and a little extra for someone else. If we all offer a sacrifice of love, then there will be a lot of love expressed in what we eat together. (Invite a neighbor!)