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Zechariah and the
Angel by
Hannah Garrity
First
Sunday of Advent
November 30 @ 10:00am
Luke 1:5-13 - "We Long for God
to Break In"
Pastor Julia Burkley
preaching
About the
art: Zechariah and the
Angel by Hannah Garrity (Inspired by Luke 1:5-13) 32”x20”
Paper lace & graphite drawing, backed with cyanotype print.
"Within the political landscape of Herod's
time, hope was not on the horizon—that’s the point. And Elizabeth
had been barren for many years. This miracle visited her—in her
body, in her womb—because it was so unexpected. In this piece, I
imagine the angel in a female form arriving close to Zechariah in
the darkened Temple, surprising him by her presence. His reaction
is a fearful one in this image. He leans away, squints his eyes,
and covers his head. He protects himself from her, from her
presence, from her power, from her words, from her gaze. He hides.
The incense swirls around them.
In contrast to his fear, her message is one of
hope: long-yearned-for-joy and family security. Here the
angel’s message is represented by the doves and the stars. Her
message flows into his space with the same power that invoked his
fear. I imagine Zechariah lets his guard down then, and listens to
her in shock. I imagine he takes in her words, lets his arm down,
meets her gaze, and holds onto joy, despite his ongoing
apprehension.
In this image, I placed my paper lace over a
cyanotype print, which is created using photosensitive paper,
objects, and sunlight... The movement in the cyanotype is
horizontal—perfect for the lateral conversation between the angel
and Zechariah. Pine needles created shapes that appear to reiterate
the angel’s words as they are leaving her mouth toward Zechariah’s
ear. These words, this unexpected and miraculous hope, are the
focal point in the text and the art. In the cyanotype, there are
deep blues with silhouettes of leaves and stems, but nothing so
powerful as these words, these pine needles creating a
high-contrast focal point. God is
breaking in."
Join us for
IN-PERSON WORSHIP on Sunday at 10:00am; doors open at
9:40am.
To join in
WORSHIP ONLINE this Sunday, November 30, click on the picture above to go
to our Concord website. Near the bottom of the home page, click on
the same picture to connect with the worship video. The worship
service will be available live at 10:00am Sunday morning or later
in the day to view at your convenience.
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SUNDAY
SCHOOL PROGRAMS
J.A.M. (Jesus and Me)
Pre-K through Grade 5
Children are led through activities and crafts
provided in the PCUSA lectionary curriculum, Feasting on the Word, that are in response to the scripture shared during
Wondering Time.
SUNDAY SEEKERS
Grade 6 -12
This class includes sharing joys & concerns,
reading scripture together, and then sharing responses in a safe
and welcoming environment. Please bring your Bible!
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Prayer
List
Prayers for Jim
Miller, receiving hospice
care.
Prayers & blessings for Liz Rowe as
she moves to her new home in Lewes.
Prayers of rejoicing
for Joyce Johnson's new
great-granddaughter Bridget!
Prayers for Libby Harding - discharged
from hospital last week & recovering at home from Lyme disease.
Prayers for Gayle Hazel's daughter Sherry Spina, struggling
with eye issues.
Prayers of comfort during this season for all who have
lost loved ones.
Prayers for all the folks traveling for Thanksgiving.
Prayers for Thanksgiving as a whole &
for those for whom the Thanksgiving table is not a safe place.
Prayers for the following list of people who are in our
hearts as they deal with ongoing health struggles - Lexi, Edee, Felleng, Ginnie,
Chip Miller, Jo Ann, June,
Duane, Rita
***
If you would like to add names/needs to
this list and our ministry of prayer, please email info@concordpc.org or
fill out a "Prayers of the People" card at the Sunday
service and hand to a greeter during the offering.
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Java
with Julia
Friday, December
12 (Please note date change)
Join Pastor Julia for open office hours
9:00 - 11:00am
Brew Haha @ 1000 Renaissance Way off of Rt. 202
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Hark! Help Needed for Christmas
Decorating!
It’s time to get creative and deck the halls again! Please join us
to help dress up the Sanctuary for the Christmas season. We’ll
be gathering at 9:00am on Friday, December 5 to
work some magic and would love to have helping hands, even if you
can only spare an hour. Gardening gloves and clippers are suggested
but not necessary. Please contact Dottie Harding (302) 584-3852 or
Carol Schlegel (302) 757-5215 if you have any questions.
Holiday Greens Needed!
Please consider donating greens for use in the Sanctuary during the
holidays. Yew, magnolia, cedar, holly, ivy, juniper, winterberry,
and nandina are all good candidates and would be much appreciated!
The more, the better! These can be delivered either to church on
the morning of December 5 or to Dottie Harding’s house at 12
Wellington Road, Wilmington DE 19803 prior to the 5th
- just call to make sure she knows you are coming! (302)
584-3852.
Contributions for the Flower Fund for Christmas
If you would like to contribute to the Flower Fund for the upcoming
holiday season, please make your check for $20/poinsettia payable
to Concord Presbyterian Church, memo: “Christmas Flowers.” Place it
in a designated envelope in the offering or the Church Office
mailbox. Be sure to include a note stating how you wish the
acknowledgment to read in the bulletin. Contributing to the grace
and beauty of our Christmas decorations is a lovely way to remember
or honor a loved one.
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Join
Pastor Julia and Christina for a time of fellowship, food, and
preparing the way for Jesus for all ages. We will gather together
for dinner, talk about getting ready for Jesus, do an activity,
and have time to feed ourselves and our hearts during this busy
and sacred season.
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Weds. @ 10:00am via
Zoom
Our weekly MUG &
MUFFIN Bible study meets again on Wed.,
December 3 from 10:00-11:00am, led by Pastor
Julia. To join the Zoom gathering ONLINE,
click on this link.
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Christmas Gala
Reception - Cookie Bakers Needed!
After the Christmas Gala Concert, there is
a reception in Fellowship Hall featuring homemade
Christmas cookies. We need anyone who can to help
us bake. There are two nights this year, so that's a lot of
cookies! If you can help, please let Dottie Lund know: dottielund@comcast.net,
302-230-1533 or sign up at church on the clipboard on the
Gathering Time coffee table. We will also need five
pound cakes for each night and monetary donations
for the punch ingredients. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Mission &
Congregational Life Committee
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ADVENT GIVING
Give the gift of literacy in Guatemala this Christmas!
Last year, Concord
Presbyterian Church funded a brand-new literacy program for 20
students in Guatemala. This year, there are plans to add a second
class to teach a total of 40 adult students. The Guatemala
Partnership needs your help to make this dream a reality and your
Mission & Congregational Life Committee has chosen this project
as an alternative giving opportunity for Advent 2025.
Each gift of $100 will sponsor an adult student
for a full year. This makes a great Christmas gift to honor your
loved one that doesn’t need one more “thing.” And we have
lovely gift cards to put in their stocking!
This new literacy program is taking place in a
very remote village in Guatemala. Tucked away in
lush mountains, this community feels somewhat forgotten, like
the end of the earth. For residents of this community to attend
school, especially after the elementary grades, they have to travel
quite far which is not always possible. This means that
literacy rates and education levels in the community are low:
people speak and understand their indigenous language but do not
know how to read, speak or understand Spanish, so it is difficult
to operate on any level outside their own community. Most of the
people living here work on one of the eight surrounding coffee
fincas (plantations); the majority of them are women since many of
the men have migrated to the U.S. to find work.
Sessions are held for 10 hours per week in the
afternoon, from March to October. The afternoon schedule allows
students to come to class after they return from working on the
fincas.
Classes start at the first and second grade
level where students learn how to write their name, do basic
math, and master the alphabet, and will receive an official
government “diploma" as long as they pass the final test at
the end of the year. Students are asked to pay a small fee for
their materials as a demonstration of their commitment. But no one
is turned away due to lack of finances.
Last year's class had a 100% pass rate! As an added bonus, this
program is also providing a source of income for two teachers who
both live in the community.
This wonderful new program is building
confidence and transforming lives. The students share, "we
thank God for the opportunity to learn and gain knowledge.” We
are grateful for your generous donations to keep the program going
for years to come. Thank you!
Physical forms will be in the back of the
sanctuary, or you can donate via our website: concordpc.org/give/donate/. We
will be accepting donations from now until 12/28/2025 online, by
check, or via the QR code. Please indicate “Guatemalan Literacy” on
your donation. Reach out to Marj Johnson if you need more
information or gift cards.
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Joyful
Sharing
Did you know?
- The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished
Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s.
- The Offering distributes gifts equally to the
Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to
Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping
communities of color.
- The Assistance Program provides critical
financial suppport to church workers and their families.
- Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide
education and leadership development while nurturing racial
and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment
for nearly 140 years.
Thank
you for your support of the Christmas Joy Offering.
Envelopes will be available in the pews.
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Thank you to all who have submitted
their pledges for the coming year. Every pledge allows this church
to continue supporting the ministry of Christ in the church
and the world. If you have not yet pledged, please feel free to
drop off or mail your pledge to the church office or pledge online.
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Volunteer
Opportunity
Friendship House has
resumed a hot Sunday breakfast program for the homeless. Each
Sunday they will be serving a hot quiche breakfast at the
Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew, 719 North
Shipley St., downtown Wilmington.
Volunteers are needed for two
hours on Friday mornings to make vegetable and protein quiches.
They have a chef to give instructions, and you can also donate
the cheese, vegetables, and meat to be used in the quiche.
There are two volunteer shifts for
prep and serving on Sunday morning, one early and one
later. If you work the early shift, you can be back in time
for our church service.
If you would like to sign up for Dec 7, Dec 14, Dec 21 or Dec 28, click on
the links. If you wish join the volunteer list and receive
texts of what they need and when, contact Volunteer Coordinator
Jayla Hill at jayla.hill@friendshiphousede.org. This is an ongoing program each Sunday morning and
you can volunteer whenever you are available or would like to
donate food.
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