Advent and Christmas

9:15–10:15 a.m. in the Parish Hall
Bring the whole family as we prepare our hearts for the Christmas season! Join us for this festive annual event and make your own beautiful Advent wreath to take home! Cookies, cocoa, and coffee will be served, and you’re welcome to bring some of your favorite Christmas cookies to share, too!

Do you have greenery you can share? We invite you to bring in boxwood, rosemary, holly, ivy, or other cuttings from your yard to share with other Advent Wreaths makers!

Are you looking for a daily Advent practice to help keep you grounded in the season of hopeful expectation? This year, we’ve got a great selection of devotionals for all ages! Beginning Sunday, November 30, we’ll have the Let Your Light Shine booklet available for adults, a special teen devotional called Heads Up, and Waiting in Wonder, a devotional and sticker activity for families with younger children. Pick these up on November 30 at the Advent Wreath Workshop, or after November 30 in the back of the church.

Experience the beauty of Advent at St. Paul’s, Ivy, with glorious choral and organ music in a gentle candlelit setting. Choral Evensong, offered on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of each month, invites us to pause and reflect three times during this holy season.

Choral Evensong for Advent 1 | Sunday, November 30, 5:30 p.m.
Sung by the Parish Choir
For our first fifth-Sunday evensong of the season and the first Sunday of Advent, the Parish Choir will make a special appearance and sing repertoire for Advent and evening, including Herbert Brewer’s Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D, Daniel Gawtrhop’s “Come, thou long-expected Jesus,” and William Bradley Roberts’s “Christ Church Responses.” The service will also begin our haunting Advent practice of singing the Blessing of Light.

Choral Evensong for Advent 2 | Sunday, December 7, 5:30 p.m.
Sung by the Schola Cantorum
Join us for a unique evensong for upper voices – soprano and alto – as we explore the rich diversity of the evening repertoire and the sounds of Advent.

Choral Evensong for Advent 4 | Sunday, December 21, 5:30 p.m.
Sung by the Schola Cantorum
As the world shifts quickly to a Christmas frame of mind, observe one last sigh of Advent at this evensong which will feature the sublime “A tender shoot” of contemporary composer Kerensa Briggs alongside perennial seasonal favorites.

Kick off the Christmas season with Fr. Justin, Mthr. Amanda, and your SPIvy friends, as we march in the Crozet Fire Department Christmas Parade! Everyone’s welcome — kids, grown-ups, and all lovers of Christmas cheer!

1:00 p.m. We’ll join the line-up at Crozet Elementary School. Order is first-come first first-served!
2:00 p.m. The parade begins! We’ll finish behind the firehouse with a festive open house full of holiday fun. Let’s show Crozet some St. Paul’s joy and sparkle!

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall, Neve Hall
Join the women of St. Paul’s for a festive Advent party featuring ornament making, food and drink, fellowship, and a simple White Elephant gift exchange. Attendees are invited to bring food or beverage to share, as well as a White Elephant gift that you already have around your home. No spending allowed! All are welcome, no RSVP required.

Help adorn our church with beautiful flowers for the Christmas services by making a donation to our Memorial Flowers Fund in honor of the memory of loved ones, to thank God for blessings, or in honor of the special work of family and friends. Donations can be made online through our Give page (being sure to indicate your loved ones’ names in the comment section) or by check with a form available in the back of the church, parish hall, and church office. Checks should be made out to St. Paul’s Church with “Christmas flowers” noted on the memo line. Donations can be made “In memory of” or “In thanksgiving for,” and will be printed in the Christmas Eve bulletins. Forms and payment are due no later than Friday, December 12.

Spread Christmas joy this year by being a Christmas Angel for one of our Food Pantry families. Being a Christmas Angel is easy – we’ve compiled an online list of kids and their gift requests for you. Gifts should remain unwrapped, in a bag or box labeled with the letter and number on the sign-up, and be returned to Kirklea by Sunday, December 14. Gifts will be distributed during Food Pantry on Wednesday, December 17. Monetary donations are also welcome; checks may be made payable to St. Paul’s, Ivy, with “Christmas Angels” written in the memo line. Have questions? Click here to ask! Thank you for contributing to this important ministry. Click here now to become a Christmas Angel!

9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m, meet in the Parish Hall
Join us for our Christmas Pageant Rehearsal as we get ready to share the story of Jesus’ birth! All children and youth participating in the pageant are encouraged to attend for practice, costumes, and lots of Christmas cheer. Lunch will be provided afterwards for kids, youth, and parents! For more information, please email Austin Geelhoed.

10:30 a.m. Worship Service
Celebrate the joy of Christmas with our annual Christmas Pageant! Join us as our children and youth share the story of Jesus’ birth through scripture, song, and story — a beautiful reminder of God’s love come to life. (participating kids and Youth, please arrive by 9:30 a.m.)

After the service, all are invited to gather in our Parish Hall for some holiday cheer with Christmas Cookies and Cocoa, hosted by our Pageant Parents.

All participants are required to attend the Dress Rehearsal on Saturday, December 20 (see above). For more information, please email Austin Geelhoed.

5:00 p.m., in the Parish Hall
All Youth in grades 6-12 are invited to celebrate the season at the annual S’Mores & More Youth Christmas Party! Enjoy games, snacks, music, and a festive White Elephant Gift Exchange — bring a wrapped gift (around $10 or less) and get ready for some holiday laughs and surprises! To learn how to join the fun or for more information, please email Austin Geelhoed.

New this year, we’re excited to offer a Children’s Christmas Eve Service at 1:00 p.m.! This Rite II (contemporary language) service will feature a children’s homily, classic Christmas hymns, and Holy Communion. We’ll even have a chance to enjoy a performance by our own Children’s Choir!
Nursery care is provided for infants and toddlers.

This Rite II (contemporary language) service will feature Children’s Chapel for our younger parishioners, a Christmas sermon, classic Christmas hymns, and Holy Communion.
Nursery care is provided for infants and toddlers.

At 5:30 p.m. our Rite II (contemporary language) service will feature choral music from our St. Paul’s, Ivy Choir as well as a Christmas sermon, classic Christmas hymns and Holy Communion.
Nursery care is provided for infants and toddlers.

This Rite II (contemporary language) service will feature choral music, Christmas hymns, Holy Communion, incense, and a candlelight singing of Silent Night.
Please note that incense will be used in this service. Nursery Not Available.

Join us in our beautiful sanctuary for this service of Holy Eucharist Rite I using traditional Elizabethan language with instrumental music from our organ and piano. Coffee will be available in the Parish Hall following this service.

Join us for this service, featuring contemporary language, and music from our parish choir, organ and piano. Children will be invited to come forward to hear the Children’s Homily. Coffee will be available in the Parish Hall prior to this service.