I just love being able to start a New Year at a time when, for the secular world, everyone is still talking about the old year winding down etc
Yesterday was New Year’s Day, Advent 1. At my new Home Church, St. Stephen’s, we lit the first candle on the Advent wreath and sang “O come, O come Emmanuel”.
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| Our Advent Wreath |
On Saturday afternoon I made a new Advent Wreath for home use. We have never had a permanent one but for many years at my lifelong Church, St. Matthew’s (now, so sadly, closed) we would gather for a family activity on the Saturday before the first Sunday in Advent and make Advent Wreathes or Advent Candles for families to take home and use throughout the season.
I lined a metal tray with small pebbles and sand and sat a homemade grapevine wreath on it. Then I carefully opened up 4 gaps in the vines and placed a white taper in each hole.. next I put a fat white pillar candle on a glass stand in the centre. I then cut small clusters of dried sedum spectable and inserted them all around the wreath. Finally I cut a long length of pinky-mauve ribbon, with little gold starts on it and “wove ” it in and out around the wreath.
I am quite pleased with the result and have placed it on the dining room table. We should have lit the first candle at dinner last evening but some family friends came for High Tea which we had in the livingroom, so I’m going to save the lighting, with its accompanying prayers and reading, for dinner time tonight!!
And, yes, this is a segue into Day Camps, as now I’m considering adding a Creative Connection component on making either wreathes or a special candle holder to fit with the “One of Us” theme.
Last Monday we had our November Day Camp Committee Meeting. I’m happy to report that we now have 5 Churches booked for Day Camps 2012, so if you are reading this and considering having your church sign up, I would suggest you get cracking! as we are filling up fast!!
At the meeting we reviewed the Coffee House. I understand that pictures are up somewhere (probably Facebook) and am hoping to track them down and get a link here too.
Emma has suggested we might try and hold a Spring Coffee House for everyone who missed our Fall one and we may consider this if we can find a suitable date. Watch this Blog for updates!!!!
Everyone is making progress on the Manual Chapters and other aspects of Program prep.
There are rumours of 5 or 6 possible Team Members, which is also encouraging. We still need someone to take on the job of “Supply Person”.
Our next Team Gathering is planned for Saturday January 7th, I will be putting up a poster both here and on Facebook next week and hope we will have a great turnout of Team Members at that event.
I think those are the principle highlights from our meeting……. And what did we EAT your ask??
Well, we had Turkey Noodle Soup and drop biscuits, followed by carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and lemon-ginger tea.
In the interests of of emphasizing healthy, low- calorie, eating I’m going to include the soup recipe and not the cake!!!
Turkey Noodle Soup
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 Tbsps. olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
- 1 1/2cups sliced celery
- 1 cup cubed celeriac
- 8 cups chicken or turkey stock (preferably homemade)
- 2 cups diced cooked turkey ( or chicken)
- 2 cups uncooked egg noodles
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Heat oil in a large soup pot and gently fry onion until soft. Add other vegs. and fry over med-low heat for 10mins. stirring occasionally.
Add stock and bring to the boil. reduce heat and simmer approx 20-30mins or until vegetable are tender. Return to the boil and add noodles, cook until pasta is al dente. Add turkey and parsley and heat through.
Sevres 4-6
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