Family Newsletter:

Advent One

Week of November 27, 2022

Family Calendar

Sun, Nov 27  :  9:50-10:100am  :  Church School Drop Off

Sun, Nov 27    :    10:00am   :  Church School (Storymakers & Godly Play)

Sun, Nov 27    :    11:15am   :   Advent Wreath Making

Wed, Nov 30   :    5:15-6:15pm  :  Choristers Children's Choir Rehearsal

Sun, Dec 4      :     10:00am  :   First Sunday Worship (Intergenerational)

Sun, Dec 4      :     11:15am   :   Pageant Rehearsal (character & speaking parts only)

Wed, Dec 7     :    5:15-6:15pm  :  Choristers Children's Choir Rehearsal

Wed, Dec 7     :     6:15-7:30pm  :  Midweek Dinner & Advent Party

Three Things of Note

Advent begins this Sunday!

Pageant Sign-ups are open now and parts will be assigned on Monday, so please sign up now. SIGN-UP FORM

Stagehands are needed for this year's pageant -- please email Bryn if you can help move sets during the pageant, or during our Sunday morning rehearsals in December!

Dear families,

Welcome to Advent! We refer to the four weeks before Christmas Day as the "Season of Advent," and we use these weeks to prepare--our hearts, our minds, our homes--for the coming of Jesus. 

We have Church School this Sunday, and we are jumping into the Christmas story. You may bring your children to their classes (Upper Parish Hall for those in preschool through 1st grade, and the Suter Room for those in 2nd through 5th grade) beginning at 9:50am. Advent is always a fun and exciting time for Church Schoolers!

Speaking of exciting times: Pageant sign-ups are open. Please take a moment to sign-up your child and tell us their role preferences. (Here's the LINK) We'll assign roles on Monday, and rehearsals for those with speaking/character parts begin on December 4. Rehearsals for everyone (all our little sheep and angels and shepherds) are December 11 and 18. Please remember that if you can't make the rehearsal times, you may still be in the pageant! The pageant is on Christmas Eve, during our 4pm service. 

Happy Advent!

Bryn

Stagehands are Needed for Our Christmas Pageant: Can You Move Sets?

Our pageant is growing this year, and we need several "stagehands" to help. At the end of the pageant, which is during the 4pm Christmas Eve Service, we need to move four heavy risers and one large (but not heavy) screen. We are looking for eight people who can lift. You won't miss any of the pageant (the moving happens quickly, during the Peace and a Hymn, before Communion). 

How heavy are the risers? They take two adults to carry, and I (Bryn) just managed as Rev. Nick's "second" when we were testing them out. The screen is not very heavy, it just takes maneuvering. 

We also need stagehand help for our pageant rehearsals. We would like to place (and then put away) our risers and screen on Dec. 4, 11, and 18 for our 11:15-12:00 rehearsals, so the children can get used to them. 

Please email Bryn if you can help! 

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal Schedule

Pageant Rehearsals will be:

Sunday, December 4 at 11:15am (speaking & character parts only)

Sunday, December 11 at 11:15am (all participants)

Sunday, December 18 at 11:15am (all participants--dress rehearsal!)

Saturday, December 24: 3pm call time

Children may still participate even if they can not attend rehearsals!

Please email Bryn your schedule and we will find the right part.

The Christmas Pageant is December 24 at 4pm.

Children's Christmas Pageant: Sign Ups are Open!

Our children's Christmas pageant this year will be held during the 4pm Christmas Eve Service. This year we'll have more, shorter speaking parts, and--new this year, by popular demand!--the magi (aka wise men/three kings/stargazers). 

Sign-ups are now open. Please talk with your child about whether they would like to memorize a line, read, act (with no lines), or be part of a larger flock (of sheep, shepherds, or angels). 

Pageant Signups

Please sign up and indicate your child's part preferences. Please indicate three specific choices. Parts are not restricted by gender. 


Speaking roles: each part has one line; we will try to memorize the line but children can hold a paper to read it if they would like.

Mary

Gabriel

Head Shepherd

Head Angel

Prophet

Magi

Non-speaking character roles: these characters have no lines, but they will move about and pantomime. 

Joseph

Donkey

Barn Animal

Caesar Augustus

Innkeeper

Star Bearer

Ensemble roles: these children are together in a group, and are "shepherded" by an adult or teen. This is perfect for our littlest participants and those who want to be part of a flock. Even the littlest toddlers can give this a try! Older children in the ensemble help to direct and encourage the littler ones. 

Shepherds

Sheep

Angels

Thank you to our Storymakers for packing Christmas boxes with toys, school supplies, and personal items for children in need this Christmas! And a big thank you to our teachers, Elizabeth, Annie & Sue, for leading the children through this project.

Church School: Parent Helpers Appreciated!

We ask each family with children in Church School to have a grown up (parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle) volunteer with us at least one Sunday per trimester to help support our classes.

We have openings throughout Advent. Please choose your Sunday HERE. Thank you!

This is a great opportunity to be with your child and see what they are learning, and it helps our amazing Children's Ministry volunteer team to keep our classes supported and running smoothly. 

Church School Registration

Church School registration is always open! This gives us important information like allergies and opting into/out of photo permissions. We re-register each year to keep our information current. Thank you! 

Church School Registration

Upcoming Youth Events

Please mark your calendars for the following upcoming youth activities!

  • December 10: Christmas Movie Night, 7:00 - 9:00 pm Note new date!

Choristers: This Wednesday Evening

The Chorister choir program at Epiphany is for children entering grades 2-8. Our weekly rehearsals are on Wednesdays from 5:15-6:15pm (a snack and optional skills session will also be offered from 6:15-7:00pm on many Wednesdays). Children will receive professional music theory and vocal training, and will sing in church monthly (on First Sundays). 

This program isn’t just for Epiphany parishioners—children are welcome and encouraged to bring friends along to try out the program. It is perfectly acceptable to try out the program for a few weeks without committing to the entire season. Please reach out to Jeremy Bruns, Director of Music & Organist at jbruns@3crowns.org with any questions.

Important Dates for Families

Sunday, Dec 4  :  11:15am  :  Christmas Pageant Rehearsal for Speaking Roles

Wednesday, Dec 7  :  6:15-7:30pm  :  Midweek Dinner and Formation (Advent Style!)

Saturday, Dec 10  :  7:00-9:00pm  :  Youth Christmas Movie Night

Sunday, Dec 11  :  11:15am   :  Christmas Pageant Rehearsal for All Participants

Sunday, Dec 18  :  11:15am   :  Christmas Pageant Rehearsal for All Participants

Sunday, Dec 18  :  5:00pm   :  Lessons & Carols Service and Reception

Saturday, Dec 24  :  3:00pm  :  Christmas Pageant Call Time

Saturday, Dec 24  :  4:00pm  :  Christmas Pageant & Christmas Eve Service

Saturday, Jan 21  :  9:00am  :  Communion Enrichment Program (grades 2-5)

Sunday, Jan 22  :  10:00am  :  Communion Enrichment Sunday

Sunday, May 21 : 10:00am  :  Church School's Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Coat 

Bryn Hollenbeck, Director of Children's Ministries and Parish Life: bhollenbeck@3crowsn.org

Janelle Hiroshige, Associate for Youth and Community Partnerships: jhiroshige@3crowns.org

Jeremy Bruns, Director of Music and Organist: jbruns@3crowns.org

Nick Myers, Rector: nmyers@3crowns.org

 

70 Church Street, Winchester, MA  01890
781-729-1922
www.3crowns.org

A WELCOMING COMMUNITY