The altar hanging at an English Advent service was made of midnight blue, with these words across its top:  "We thank you that darkness reminds us of light."  Facing all who gathered there to give thanks were images of night creatures - a large moth, an owl, a badger, and a bat - cryptic and somewhat mysterious creatures that can only be encountered in the darkness.

As light ebbs from the days and the skies of fall, many in the Northern Hemisphere associate dark with the spooks and skeletons of secular Hallowe'en celebrations.  That English church has reclaimed the connection between creator, creation, and the potential holiness of all that is.  It is a fitting reorientation toward the coming of One who has altered those relationships toward new possibilities for healing and redemption.

Advent leads us into darkness and decreasing light.  Our bodies slow imperceptibly with shorter days and longer nights, and the merriness and frantic activity around us are often merely signs of eager hunger for light and healing and wholeness. 

The Incarnation, the coming of God among us in human flesh, happened in such a quiet and out of the way place that few noticed at first.  Yet the impact on human existence has been like a bolt of lightning that continues to grow and generate new life and fire in all who share that hunger.

Jesus is among us like a flitting moth - will we notice his presence in the street-sleeper?  He pierces the dark like a silent, streaking owl seeking food for hungry and defenseless nestlings.  He will overturn this world's unjust foundations like badgers undermining a crooked wall.  Like the bat's sonar, his call comes to each one uniquely - have we heard his urgent "come and follow"? 

God is among us, and within us, and around us, encountering, nudging, loving, transforming the world and its creatures toward the glorious dream the shepherds announced so many years ago, toward the beloved community of prophetic dreams, and the nightwatch that proclaims "all is well, fear not, the Lord is here." 

May Christ be born anew in you this Christmastide.  May his light burn in you, and may you labor to spread it in the darkness.  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, and it is the harbinger of peace for all creation.

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

Holiday Concert -- December 14, 2014-4:30PM

St. Christopher's Episcopal Church

7845 North River Road, River Hills, WI 53217

Questions? Please call the Church Office at 414-352-0380

St. Christopher's is delighted to host a benefit concert for the  

Sojourner Family Peace Center featuring the Collegium Ladyes singing a capella seasonal music.  

The Collegium Ladyes

Please join us for a chance to hear music that is well suited to our church season, sung by outstanding choral singers - and provide a freewill donation to benefit the Sojourner Family Peace Center. A reception will follow the hour long concert.

The mission of the Sojourner Family Peace Center, established in 1975, is to transform lives impacted by domestic violence. If you would like to make an online donation as part of this benefit concert click here and you will be routed to the proper donation site.

All are welcome on Saturday December 13th at 12:00 pm at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Whitewater for a Christmas Concert by Mukwonago Community Choir. Please bring a non-perishable food item for the Whitewater Food Pantry or a monetary donation to the Lutheran-Episcopal Campus Ministry (LECM) Spaghetti meals in lieu of admission. Remember, December 13th at 12:00 pm at St. Luke's Whitewater, which is located at 146 South Church Street, Whitewater, WI 53190.

Concert at St. Mark's, Milwaukee December 14 at 3pm 

Music at St. Mark's Concert Series: Emma Koi, St. Mark's Artist in Residence, Flute, along with Stephen Wolff, piano, and Todd Domenget, bass, on December 14 at 3 p.m at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 2618 N. Hackett Ave.  The concert will feature works by Gieseking, Bach, Carter, and Wolff, including jazz renditions of carols of the season. Please join us. 

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at Trinity, Janesville on December 21 at 7pm

Trinity Episcopal Church, Janesville, will present its 20th Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. The service follows the traditional pattern established in 1918 with choral anthems, readings and carols sung by the congregation. Please join us in this lovely candlelight service as we await the coming of our Lord.  Trinity Church, Janesville is located at 409 East Court Street, Janesville, WI 53545 

Guitar Concert Dec. 18 at St. Aidan's, Hartford features Kevin Sherwin

The windows, first located in the original Saint John's Chapel, have recently been reinstalled in the Chapel's Narthex.   

Proceeds from sale of the cards will be used to fund the training of nurses in the Diocese of Newala in Tanzania. To purchase cards, contact Chaplain Jana Troutman-Miller atjtroutman-miller@saintjohnsmilw.org or (414) 831-6885.

Click HERE for a flyer. 

Christ Church, an active Episcopal parish with many young families, is seeking a Children's Ministries Coordinator, to work as a member of a team that includes a Rector, Assistant Rector, and lay volunteers.

The Children's Ministries Coordinator will be someone who is has a passion for nurturing children into the full knowledge and stature of Christ. They will organize and facilitate lay involvement in a range of Children's formation activities, including Sunday School, intergenerational formation, annual events such as Blessing of the Backpacks and Christmas Pageant, as well as coordinate children's involvement in outreach and service opportunities.

This is a part-time position with a compensation of $15.00 per hour at an average of 10 hours per week, including presence at Sunday morning worship.

To express interest and to see a more detailed job description please contact The Rev. Seth A. Raymond at sethallen@christchurchwfb.org.

Click HERE  to register online to take a class or any of our online trainings offered by our diocese in Safeguarding God's Children (SGC) and Safeguarding God's People (SGP). Our next class with a trainer is scheduled for February 28 2015. There are two locations: St. Mark's, Milwaukee and Church of the Good Shepherd, Sun Prairie. Both locations begin at 9am and end at Noon. Remember that all Vestry and Clergy are required to complete all SafeGuarding Children/People courses.  

L.E.V. are required to complete SGP and anyone who is in ministry with children and youth are required to complete SGC. All certificates need to be renewed every 5 years.  See our website for details on trainings, to register for trainings and to see the Master List of all who have completed trainings since 2003.