Advent at PHPC

In the Celtic tradition, Advent was a forty-day journey through the darkest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the darkness of the winter solstice, the Celts came to know the promise of Christ reflected throughout all of creation. Through this season, the Celts came to see Advent not as a singular journey but as three Advents. This season, we will explore and journey through the three Advents of the Celts and will come to know Christ, who is waiting to be born again.

Christmas Eve Worship Schedule

Morning Services

Contemporary Worship Service | 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. | Founders Hall
Join us for our Contemporary Sunday Worship Service as we observe the final Sunday of Advent.

Traditional Worship Service | 11 a.m. | Sanctuary
Join us for our Traditional Sunday Worship Service as we observe the final Sunday of Advent, with special music by Sanctuary Choir Cantor Natalie Arduino and her daughter, Julia Arduino.

Evening Services

Christmas Eve Family Service | 4 p.m. | Sanctuary
Children are invited to come early and join the multitude of angels, shepherds, and kings as the Christmas story is told in the service. No preparation is required; costumes are provided. Everyone participates as we sing familiar carols.

Christmas Eve Contemporary Candlelight Service | 5 p.m. | Founders Hall
Join us for our Contemporary worship service with Christmas carols, communion, and candlelight.

Christmas Eve Traditional Candlelight Service | 6 p.m. | Sanctuary
A warm way to welcome the fullness of Christmas Eve, the 6 p.m. service will feature the Sanctuary Choir, chamber orchestra, and candlelight.

Christmas Eve Traditional Communion and Candlelight Service | 8 p.m. | Sanctuary
A warm way to welcome the fullness of Christmas Eve, the 8 p.m. service will feature the Sanctuary Choir, chamber orchestra, candlelight, and all will be invited to partake in communion.

Advent Events

Adult Faith Formation

A Celtic Christmas | Sunday, Dec. 3 & 10 | 10 a.m. | Jubilee Hall B
Advent for the Celts lasted forty days, which shows how much this season was filled with purpose and joy for them! Come and learn more about Celtic Christmas traditions, many of which continue to this day. Danielle Shroyer will share how these practices around the celebration of the Christ Child bring new layers of meaning to this ancient story.

Special Events

Intergenerational Celtic Advent Workshop | Sunday, Nov. 26 | 10 a.m. | Jubilee Hall
Join us as we prepare for the season of Advent together. Come and make new PHPC friends of all ages and stages! You are invited to make Advent wreaths for your homes, create holiday crafts, write cards for our home-centered members, enjoy interactive musical fun, and fellowship with each other. Please bring your favorite Christmas treat to share.

Carolfest and Souper Happy Grilled Cheese Dinner | Sunday, Dec. 3 | 5:30 p.m. | Sanctuary
The Sanctuary Choir, Sanctuary Ringers, and Artist-in-Residence Bradley Hunter Welch will share festive music of the Christmas season and provide opportunities for the congregation to sing-along throughout the program. Afterwards, a dinner of grilled cheese and tomato soup will be served for all to enjoy. This event is free and open to all!

Senior Adult Christmas Party | Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 2 p.m. | Jubilee Hall
This year Senior Adult Ministries is hosting a time of fellowship, connection, and celebration as we begin the holiday season. There will be delicious food, fun entertainment, and lots of door prizes, so make your reservation ($15/per person) at phpc.org or contact Loretta Daughters at ldaughters@phpc.org for more information.

Pathways of Remembrance: Blue Christmas | Monday, Dec. 4 | 7 p.m. | Founders Hall
The holiday season means different things to different people, and those things change throughout our lives, depending on our circumstances. This service provides space for comfort and reflection for those who are experiencing a season of loss, sadness or anxiety because of the many issues facing our world. Blue Christmas is a place to bring all of those feelings and through prayers, readings, music and candlelight begin to consider what it means to move from darkness into light. We look forward to seeing you.

Christmas Movie Night | Friday, Dec. 8 | 6 p.m. | Atrium Courtyard
All are invited to our family-friendly movie night to watch The Grinch (2018). Pizza, popcorn, and hot chocolate will be provided. Bring your favorite Christmas cookies to share. If the weather does not cooperate, we will move into Jubilee Hall.

Route 56 Cookie Decorating and Lunch | Sunday, Dec. 10 | 12 p.m. | Youth House
All 5th and 6th graders are invited to join us for an afternoon of Christmas joy! Meet Lauren Hood and Sarah Hammontree in the Youth House right after 11 a.m. worship to enjoy lunch and decorate cookies together. Parents are invited to join us for lunch and conversation about family faith formation during the holidays with Caroline Braskamp. Contact lhood@phpc.org or shammontree@phpc.org for more information.

Sounding Joy Handbell Concert | Sunday, Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Sanctuary
Hear the Concert Bells of Fort Worth and the Sanctuary Ringers of PHPC led by Stephanie Rhoades, Conductor. The event is free, but a love offering will be collected.

A PHPC Christmas Concert on PBS | KERA-PBS, local channel 13
Tuesday, Dec. 12 | 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 23  | 2 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 24 | 11 a.m. & 8 p.m.

Tune in to KERA to see and hear our famed 125-voice Sanctuary Choir, our handbell choir, the Boys’ Choir of St. Mark’s School of Texas, soloists Josefina Maldonado and Erin Hannigan, and professional orchestra conducted by world renowned composer/conductor John Rutter. The production will feature a new Gary Fry Christmas work for the organ and orchestra, as well as Rutter favorites and beloved traditional carols.

Contemporary Lessons and Carols for Christmas Music Sunday | Sunday, Dec. 17 | 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. | Founders Hall
The worship band will lead us in beloved songs of the Christmas season. Come join your voices to the song!

Christmas Music Sunday | Sunday, Dec. 17 | 11 a.m. | Sanctuary
Join us for a festive service of Christmas music led by the Sanctuary Choir, Sanctuary Ringers, and full orchestra featuring congregational carols and anthems arranged by John Rutter, Dan Forrest, Gary Fry, Ryan Murphy and Ola Gjeilo. This is one celebration you won’t want to miss!

New Year Intention Setting | Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 | 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. | Founders Hall
The new year brings an opportunity for a fresh start and a mindful approach to the coming months. Often, we long for time and space to reflect on what we need, what needs changing, and what matters most. These two hours are set apart for you to do just that. We will offer prompts for reflection, space to journal and pray, and time to enter this new year with faithful intention. Come and go as you please. This event is open to everyone.

Opportunities to Serve

Malawi Christmas Gifts for Hope
The PHPC Malawi Mission Team invites you to give the Gift of Hope this December by making an impact in this world through our friends and partners in mission in Malawi, Africa. Your gifts supporting our Malawian partner ministries are more than financial gifts. These gifts create joy, strengthen community and, of course, fuel an abiding sense of hope in God’s nearness with us all in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. To learn more, visit www.phpc.org/malawi.

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Christmas Angels | Nov. 9 - Dec. 11
New name, same idea: Angel Tree is now called Christmas Angels! We invite you to shop this season either in person or online. Pick up a shopping list and drop off donated unwrapped toys in the Atrium or Founders Hall. You may also choose a gift from our Amazon Wishlist, and it will be sent directly to the Church. Donated gifts support children and families of Literacy Achieves, McShan Elementary, Dr. MLK Jr. Arts Academy, and TR Hoover. To learn more, visit www.phpc.org/christmasangels.

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Service Around the Service | Sunday, Dec. 31 | The Atrium
Wrap up your year by serving our neighbors. For December’s fifth Sunday, we will have a service opportunity before and after the combined 10 a.m. service. You are invited come early or stay after the service to put together a Manna or Winter Relief Bag for our partners at The Stewpot. All supplies will be provided but you are welcome to bring a card to put in the bag.