An evening of friendships and reflections.
Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at the Country Church.
Each table is hosted by a woman from the parish. She may either invite her own guests to sit with her or open her table to any woman who would like to attend. Each table hostess provides the table setting and the food for her table. If you would like to host a table asking a friend to Co-Hostess with you is a great idea. After a time of food, tea and conversation there is a time of reflection on Advent which varies from year to year depending on the presenter.
The evening will be sure to provide you with a much needed break and a centering for the busy season of Advent and Christmas.
Ladies Advent Tea Hostess Social Graces
1. You may get into the Gathering Space at 5:15 p.m. to set up your table. We ask that you be done setting your table by 6:30 p.m. so that calm and welcoming hostesses meet those guests that begin to arrive around 6:45 p.m.
2. The table should be set for eight people using Holiday, Seasonal or just pretty dinnerware. This can be fine china, everyday dishes or fancy paper products. If you own a pretty Tea Pot and would like to use it instead of our Carafe, please feel free to bring that along. Our objective is to have a pleasant warm atmosphere where no one table outshines the others.
3. The table setting should include:
- Dessert plate
- Cup and saucer for tea (or mug)
- Water glass (wine glass or some sort of goblet is fine)
- Napkin, spoon, fork and knife
4. White fabric table cloths will be provided. For more color, you may use placemats on top of the tablecloth or a smaller colored or printed table cloth over the white one that is provided.
5. Be creative! Napkins can be folded “fancy” on top of the plate, placed in the water glass, in a napkin ring or any way you choose!
6. Parish Life will provide the centerpieces with a candle for your table.
7. Provide a small snack with dessert and/or fruit. Remember you are only serving 8 women.
8. Each table will be provided with a pitcher of ice water, a carafe of hot water for tea and a variety of tea bags.
9. At 7:00 pm sharp, the evening will begin with each table quietly going into the worship space to the pew marked with their table number. There we will have our opening prayer and the lighting of our table candles. This is a sacred time, so we ask that you prepare the women at your table to spend a few minutes in respectful silence. After the lighting of the candles we will process in respectful silence back into the Gathering Space to our tables.
10. Once everyone is quietly seated at their tables we will toast those women not with us and ask God to bless them.
10. We will eat, drink and chat until 8:00 pm and at that time we will go back into the Worship Space for our Reflection and Music by Steve Hinz and Ensemble
11. There is no fee for the Tea but we ask all women to bring one feminine hygiene product that will be donated to Faith in Action.
Please contact Marinell High at 734-426-8483 or at marinell_high@stjos.com if you have any questions.
