Dear Church Family,
This week I have begun tackling our Christmas cards.  I enjoy  doing that each year.  We send only to  those we don’t see regularly,  as a way of keeping in touch with people who have been important at various points in our life—extended family members, friends from school, colleagues, parishioners from various parishes with whom we have maintained friendships.  I’m not good at keeping in touch throughout the year, as many of a younger generation do through social media, so I look forward to remembering how important they are to us.  I often offer a little prayer as I write.  I love receiving cards too---and those Christmas letters which bring us up to date with their activities, marking the passage of time.  Sadly, every year we remove several names of those who have joined the community of saints in heaven. 
This week marks the 3rd Sunday in Advent, known as  Gaudete or Joy Sunday.   Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice” and is the first word in the traditional introit for this day,  “rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice” (from Philippians  4).  We light the pink candle on the wreath to express that joy.  The sermon is “A Roman Holiday” and the  texts are Isaiah 61:1,10 and Luke 1: 39-52
For your planning, the Christmas Eve service will be at 7:30p.m.  Liz will be playing in person.
See you in church. 
Rich 
To livestream FVCC's service, or view an archived service, click here: https://thefvcc.cc/online-worship