Advent and Christmas at Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Advent/Christmas 2024
Extended Advent begins November 10 and the church year comes to a close with Christ the King Sunday (November 24.) The traditional beginning of Advent (December 1) starts a new church year when we begin to light the candles of the Advent wreath anticipating the celebrations of Jesus’ birth.
Advent and Christmas – a season of endings and beginnings. As the calendar year comes to a close, a new church year rushes in. Christ’s birth ushers us into new ways of living and loving—and yet, we feel the weight of many things coming to an end. The world as we know it spins madly on. As we move through new chapters, we seek to be reminded of the ways we are called to live out our faith, grounding ourselves in familiar stories that bring peace, joy, hope, and love in the midst of uncertainly, like a well loved quilt.
Sunday worship with Communion each week
8:55am – Worship (in-person and livestream)
10:15am – Fellowship Enjoy a treat and conversation each Sunday after worship this Advent season. *Sign up on the Narthex kiosk if you’d like to bring cookies!
November 10 – Extended Advent begins Worship and Praise
November 17 – Confirmation Sunday Provoked to Love
November 24 – Christ the King Lessons and Hymns The Word for All Seasons
December 1 – Traditional Advent begins You are a Blessing
December 8 – We Can’t Go Alone
December 15 – Do the Good that is Yours
December 22 – Christmas Story told by Youth Hope is Worth the Risk
Longest Night Service – Tuesday, December 17, 7pm (in-person only)
This service makes space for difficult emotions like grief and anxiety during the holiday season. If you have lost a loved one, feel weighed down by worry, or if Christmas is a challenging season for you, this service is for you. Sanctuary opens at 6:30 pm for quiet reflection. Worship begins at 7:00 pm and includes prayer, communion, and candle lighting.
Christmas Eve Worship – Tuesday, December 24
5:30pm (in-person only) – We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel, with carols, the Christmas story, Communion, and candle lighting! Arrive early to grab your seat and enjoy an extended musical prelude.
6:30pm – 7:30pm Cookies and Cocoa – A chance to gather with community as you enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and cookies between worship opportunities!
6:45pm – 7pm Silent Night at the Christmas Tree (in-person) – We’ll gather on the corner of Church Street and Perrin to hear the story of Christ’s birth, light candles, and sing Silent Night! Dress for the weather! The entire community is welcome!
7:30pm (in-person and livestream) – We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel, with carols, the Christmas story, Sermon, Communion, and candle lighting! Arrive early to grab your seat and enjoy an extended musical prelude.
More Ways to Celebrate this Advent/Christmas Season!
Christmas Story told by Youth
Do you have a child in your life that would enjoy telling a part of the Christmas story? On Sunday, December 22, BLC’s youth will be telling the Christmas story in worship. Let Patty Chaffee (faithformation@blcfairport.org) know if you have a child in mind that might like to participate!
Poinsettia Orders
Poinsettia Orders Forms are due on Sunday, December 8.
Visit https://blcfairport.org/poinsettia-sale/ to place your order for poinsettias to adorn our sanctuary and/or donate to our Christmas Alternate Giving option to support Zimbabwe Ambulances. Bethlehem joins an effort of the Upstate New York Synod this Advent to invite support for the “Advent is for Ambulances” Giving Challenge. Throughout the Advent and Christmas season, congregations across the synod are invited to raise money for new ambulances for our companion church in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe. Each ambulance is $40,000 and the Synod is striving to raise enough support for up to four vehicles. Your support will save lives and support the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe.
Angel Tree
Share God’s love by fulfilling a need from the Angel Tree! Look for the Angel Tree in the narthex at the beginning of December with angel tags listing the requested gift item. Take a tag (or several if you’d like), purchase the gift, wrap and affix the angel tag to the outside of the package, and bring it back to BLC. Please contact the church office if you would like a tag mailed to you.
Decorate our Church Home after worship!
Sunday, December 15 at 10:15am
Grab a cup of coffee then help hang the greens, put the Chrismon ornaments on the tree, set up the nativity and otherwise help us deck our halls.