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December

by Fr. Bill Van Oss

The December edition of the Red Door newsletter is out! It should have arrived in your inbox if you receive it via email. It will be in your mailbox shortly if you receive it from USPS. Please contact the office if you didn’t receive it. It is filled with many great offerings, including: 


  • Our parish office dedication and reception on December 9th at 5:00 pm
  • Our “Care of Creation” series on December 8th and 15th
  • A Service of Lessons and Carols on December 22nd
  • And much, much more…


Be sure to read this edition of the Red Door so you will know what’s happening this month of December. 

Last evening, we enjoyed a wonderful first Wednesday “Prayer and Potluck” gathering. We had a lovely Advent evening prayer service followed by a spirited potluck dinner. I am hoping that we can continue to offer Prayer and Potluck the first Wednesday of each month. I am looking for people who are willing to lead the prayer service at 6:00 pm. We have a number of prayer services to choose from here in the office. We also need to have people sign up to host the potluck supper. This involves set up and clean up. The sign up sheet is on the bulletin board outside the kitchen. Please let me know if you are interested in helping to lead the prayer service or host the potluck supper.


This Season of Advent is a time of waiting. I will leave you with a thought on Advent Waiting from Henri Nouwen (Weavings): 


“A waiting person is a patient person. The word patience means the willingness to sat where we are and live the situation out to the fullest in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. The moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there. Waiting, then, is not passive. It involves nurturing the moment, as a mother nurtures the child that is growing in her. Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary were present to the moment. That is why they could hear the angel. They were alert, attentive to the voice that spoke to them and said, “Do not be afraid. Something is happening to you. Pay attention…”


Happy Advent,

Bill+ 

Moving Forward Updates from Fr. Bill

Hope Rising Update #72

By Fr. Bill Van Oss • December 20, 2023
Today's Excitement Dear Friends, Today was a day to celebrate! LCEC trucks arrived to install the new meter and energize it so the new HVAC system in the sanctuary can be started up! Then a couple hours later, we passed the City of Sanibel final inspection and we were given the Certificate of Completion; the final step in our permit process which started last May. We are very grateful to Councilwoman Holly Smith, City Manager Dana Souza and all the city and LCEC employees who assisted in these final steps and of course to all the FP workers and their subs for all their hard work these past several months and the Property Restoration Team; the working group was there to receive the good news today. We are very busy getting the spaces ready for opening weekend starting with our 4th Advent services this Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 8am and 10:30am (livestreamed). Then we will have 3 Christmas Services at 4pm, 8pm (livestreamed) and 10:30am. Thanks to the volunteer teams who have been washing dishes in the kitchen, putting books on the bookshelf, hanging wreaths and a 100 other details. It is a stunningly beautiful space and we can't wait for all to experience it again for the first time in 15 months! Bill +

Hope Rising Update #71

By Fr. Bill Van Oss • December 13, 2023
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