Christmas Season, which lasts from December 25th to to the Epiphany on January 6th celberates the birth of Jesus. After the wonder of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it is helpful to take this time to slow down and remember the reason for the season. Above is a infographic from Forward Movement, which talks about some of the other celberations and memorials that take place during the Christmas Season. A Merry Christmas and Happy Hoildays to you all from Calvary Episcopal Church.

Action for Happiness has provided us with a way to bring more Joy in the world and to remind us to be grateful this Advent Season. Joining us in following the

“Kindness Calendar.”

Advent is here. We have a lot of opportunities to celebrate the advent season and connect with others. This year Deacon Olivia is hosting Advent Prayer Partners. This is an opportunity to pray intentionally with another person. If your interested in learning more about this oppurtinity, contact Deacon Olivia at olivia@nullcalvaryclifton.org

We will also making gifts Dec 14th a. More information on both these events will be coming soon. Watch this space or follow calvary on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/CalvaryClifton/

In addition, our weekday servives continue, with Morning Prayer on Mondays 8:15 AM, Evening Prayer on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM, and Gospel Meditations on Thursday 8:00 AM. Hope to see you all soon! Happy almost Advent!

A lot goes on at Calvary, here’s a snap shot of what goes on at Calvary on Sunday and during the Week

We gather more than 200 times for worship at Calvary, from our quiet, family, and choral services on Sunday, to our weekday prayer services. Interested in joining us for worship, find out more here  http://calvaryclifton.org/worship/

Our commitment does not stop at the church door however. Our outreach ministries serve 220 hot meals a year, reach 20 homeless families in Cincinnati, 140 mentally ill persons in Over-the-Rhine, and provide 54 Christmas gifts to children through Lighthouse Youth Services. To find out more about our outreach programs, click on this link  http://calvaryclifton.org/serve/

Our active music ministry hosts six concerts on campus to support the Cincinnati Fusion Ensembles mission to foster young musicians through high level music education. Our twenty person choir prepares thirty six anthems for worship, and supports 5 choral scholars and 1 organ scholar. To find out more about our music program, click this link http://calvaryclifton.org/music-and-arts/

Our youth ministries support 47 active children and youth through Sunday school, youth group, and family ministry. To find out more about your children and youth ministries, click on this link http://calvaryclifton.org/formation/

On October 21st, 7:30 PM the Cincinnati Fushion Ensemble will be at Calvary. They will be playing Ein Deuteches Requiem, by Johannes Brahms. It will be a lovely night of live music. Come and join us!

Sunday is a great time to worship God, receive the holy Eucharist, and connect with others. However we have many other chances to pray and connect with God. Join us for

1. Morning Prayer: 8:15 AM every Monday.  Morning Prayer follows the form set out in the Book of Common Prayer. It includes a psalm, several readings from scripture, and prayers for guidance and protection during the coming day.
2. Evening Prayer: 6:30 PM every Tuesday: Evening prayer also follows the Book of Common Prayer. Like morning prayer, it includes scripture readings and a reflection focused on them. The prayers however focus on giving God thanks for the day that has past, and asking God’s protection for the coming night.
3. Gospel Meditations: 8:00 AM every Thursday: In a more contemplative tradition, Gospel Meditations focusing on centering prayer around Sunday’s Gospel Reading. We spend about half an hour sitting in quiet prayer and reading the Gospel. Than the last half hour is focused on discussing on Gospel reading and sharing our experinces during that prayer time.

All of these opportunities take place in the main sanctuary of the church. All our welcome

There is a lot of activities going on at Calvary in the next few weeks, and lots of opportunities to get involved!

1. Family movie night on October 25th. We will be eating pizza and watching Coco. Pizza is served at 5:00 PM and the movie starts at 5:20 PM
2. On Sunday October 27th after the service, come and learn more about Calvary’s mission in Honduras, supporting the education of children in extreme poverty. Your sponsorship of a child directly impacts the life of a child and their future life trajectory in Central America
3.  Join team “Pray on It” for the Matthew 25 Ministries Hunger 5K on November 9th. Registration Closes Nov. 3rd. Register at  https://m25m.org/event/fh5k/
4. Come on November 10th after the 10:30 service, join the Rev. Bill Scrivener for a forum on Life Transitions and a light lunch.

 Thank you to our Acolytes. Acolytes light the candles, carry the cross, ring the bells, and enhance the worship experience for everyone.  Acolyte’s play a vital role in worship, and service would not be the same without them. Interested in joining? We invite 8th graders through adults to contact Miriam McKenny at miriam@nullcalvaryclifton.org

The Annual Calvary Blessing of the Animals will be held on October 6th at 4:00 P.M. All People, dogs, cats, and other animal friends are welcome. The short, family friendly service will be held on the Church Lawn or (in case of rain) in the main sanctuary. Collar Tags will be available for all animals.

The Blessing of the Animals is a tradition in many Episcopal Churches (as well as many others), and honors St. Francis of Assisi, who was known not only for his love of animals and devotion to simple living. Hope to see y’all there.