ACP This Week - 2 December 2025

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ACP This Week

Hello ACP Family,

Please view this video message from Pastors Paul and Elizabeth reflecting on ACP's Generosity Campaign and our many opportunities for mission, prayer, and celebration.

They highlight our:

Generosity Campaign 2026
100NOW Winter Shelter for refugees in Paris
First Sunday Food Drive, this month supporting 100NOW
Auction of MLK Live Art entitled, 'Beloved Community”
Christian Education Conversation, featuring the ACP Mission of "100 Now": Thursday evening
7 minutes with God: Advent prayer with pastor Rebecca: 7h-7h07 tomorrow and Wednesdays December 10, 17, and 24 December via Zoom.
Christmas Candlelight Concert: Saturday, 13 December
Christmas Eve Services, Wednesday, 24 December.

Details below.

Tomorrow Morning (Wednesday)

7 minutes with God: Advent prayer with Pastor Rebecca: 7h-7h07 Wednesdays December 3, 10, 17, and 24 December via Zoom. To lead us through Advent, Pastor Rebecca will guide us with a short reflection and prayer to go deeper into God's peace and transformative presence. Sign up at acparis.org/7minutes.

Thursday Evening

Christian Education Conversation, featuring the ACP Mission of '100NOW’: 19h-20h45. As we continue our theme of being Woven Together through Inclusion, join us as the ACP Mission Engagement Committee presents Missiology: the study and practice of mission. Why should God's people be engaged in missions? What does it look like for the Church to meet the needs of the community? What is our responsibility? Where might the Church do harm? What is your personal experience of mission work? Sign up at acparis.org/ce-conversations.

Silent Prayer Thursdays: Thursdays 18h-19h via Zoom. Join us for prayer in silence every Thursday evening. We will practice 25 minutes of praying together in stillness according to the method of Centering Prayer. This period is followed by the reading of a short sacred text according to the method of Lectio Divina. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity for sharing. The prayer will be led by ACP staff member, Jörg Kaldewey. Sign up at acparis.org/groups.

Young Professionals: 19h30-21h in the Library (2nd floor). Join us for our last meeting for the year, where we will be having a Christmas party! Sign up at acparis.org/groups.

100NOW Winter Shelter: 100 Nights of Welcome (100NOW) is the American Church's winter shelter for refugees in Paris. Each winter, in the gymnasium of ACP, we host 10-15 guests nightly. The guests can shower, wash clothes and sleep in the basketball court. Two nightly volunteers ensure that everyone is safe and well provided for. We're now in our 8th winter of 100NOW (2026). You can support this vital ministry by donating money for new items here: acparis.org/100NOWdonate. We will start to collect food donations of tea bags, sugar cubes, and protein bars.You can also help by volunteering overnight here: acparis.org/100NOWvolunteer.

Christmas Candlelight Concert: Saturday, 13 December 17h30 in the Sanctuary. The Beauty of Christmas shines forth in the ACP Candlelight Concert featuring Youth, Handbell, and Adult Choirs, Alexia Rabé singing popular carols, and organ improvisations by Samuel Gaskin, joined by a host of guest artists. Upbeat Christmas anthems from around the world lead to a grand finale sing-along of traditional French carols in our beautifully decorated sanctuary. Tickets are limited so please join us now for this amazing annual holiday tradition! Tickets available at acparis.org/christmasconcert.

Building the Beloved Community (2026 Generosity Campaign). As we continue our “Journey of Faith,” we want to encourage everyone to use our Generosity Campaign as an opportunity to do your part to help build up ACP as Christ’s Beloved Community. Please make your 2026 financial commitment to ACP at acparis.org/generosity2026.

This Sunday

Scripture Reading
- 1 Corinthians 2:12-16
- Ephesians 4:17-27
Communion Sunday
First Sunday Food Drive. As we experience the abundant feast of Christ’s last supper, you are invited to bring non-perishable food items for our 100NOW winter shelter. Collection boxes are in the sanctuary and narthex. Requested items: black and mint tea in individual sachets; granola bars with high protein.
Coffee Hour Nametag Initiative: Join us in the Theater for coffee hour. Grab a name tag at the designated tables and meet someone new!
Auction of MLK Live Art entitled, 'Beloved Community”: 12h30 in the Theater, following the morning worship service: Inspired by the vibrant jazz music, warm fellowship and the sharing of delicious dishes from different cultures during the MLK Jazz Brunch, Antonio Penido, a member of Artist Collective, created a contemporary acrylic on canvas painting (click here for information). Proceeds will go to ACP's 100NOW mission. Bids will start at 100€. Cash or card payment accepted.
Love in a Box: Last day to bring your box back to ACP. You are invited to participate in Love in a Box (L'Amour en boîte) for the holiday season. This is a non-profit association that for over 20 years has worked with volunteers to provide holiday presents to children in local homeless shelters, children’s homes, and community centers mostly in the Ile-de-France region. Get instructions at acparis.org/liab or at the Welcome Table during coffee hour.
Sunday Adult Bible Study: 15h30-17h in the 2nd Floor Library or on Zoom. All are welcome. This Sunday, we'll discuss the Book of Acts. Drop by or sign up at acparis.org/groups.

Please Support the ACP

Save the Dates

Full list of weekly announcements here.

Christmas Eve Poinsettias: Participate tangibly in our Christmas Eve worship services by providing a poinsettia for the ACP sanctuary and making a dedication in honor or memory of a loved one in our worship bulletins. The suggested donation is 25€ per plant. Order today at acparis.org/poinsettias. Last day to order: 21 Dec.

Longest Night Service: 21 December, 17h30 in the Sanctuary. A service for loneliness, grief, and loss. All are welcome.

Christmas Eve and Christmastide services:

Christmas Eve Family Service: 24 December at 16h
Candlelight Services (identical): 24 December at 18h30 & 20h30 - musical prelude 30 minutes before service start times
Christmastide Service: 28 December at 11h only (no 14h service that day)

Your ACP Council is here for you! For any questions or concerns about ACP, please feel free to reach out to councilmoderators@acparis.org, the Council would love to hear from you.

ACP is searching for a new, permanent Director of Music Ministries! Our spring survey gave us your input on ACP’s music ministry, and we’ve received applications from across the globe. The search task force, led by Council members, is currently narrowing down the group of applicants. They hope to make a hire later this fall. Thanks for your prayers! Info at: acparis.org/dmm.

Previous Weeks' Sermons

In case you missed it, Sermon - 30 November 2025 - The Necessity of Silence. Sermons are available at acparis.org/sermons. Other previous worship livestreams are available on YouTube.

ACP's services are available with subtitles in English and other languages, beginning on Tuesdays, on ACP’s YouTube channel youtube.com/c/TheAmericanChurchinParis. Click the CC button on the video to enable closed-captioning and translations.

Announcements & Opportunities to Serve

Full list of weekly announcements here.

In need of prayer? If you are in need of prayer, a lay caregiver is available in the chapel on Sundays to pray with you. If you would like members of the lay care ministry team, members of the prayer chain, and the pastoral team to uphold you in prayer, you may contact us at acparis.org/prayers.

Sandwich Ministry: Thursdays promptly at 17h. Our ACP sandwich ministry meets weekly to make sandwiches to help feed over 100 unhoused persons a week. All materials are provided. Join our listserv at acparis.org/sandwich.

Food Box: To serve our neighbors who seek help from our church, you are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the box (located in reception). The food box is open to anyone in need of food and additional supplies go to Serve the City-Paris.

Christian Education volunteers: Do you enjoy coming to the various learning opportunities such as Bible studies and Thurber Conversations? Interested in helping with set-up, attendance, technical assistance, etc.? Please contact christianeducation@acparis.org.

Nursery volunteers: We need many new volunteers to welcome children (ages 0-2) in our nursery at both the 11h and 14h services! Without volunteers, we don’t have a nursery. If you would like to serve, contact Grace Archer at nursery@acparis.org.

Ushers and Greeters needed: It takes a team of volunteers to welcome our Sunday attendees with love, and help them feel connected and ready to worship together. Contact: welcoming@acparis.org.

Docent Team volunteers: Would you like to learn about the rich heritage of ACP and share it with our members, neighbors, and the wider Paris community? Docents give tours after the 11h service on the second Sunday of every month and make open-door visits of the sanctuary possible on most Thursday mornings. If you are interested, please contact docents@acparis.org.

Audio Visual Ministry volunteers: If you’d like to be a part of our worship tech and A/V team for both Sunday services, we welcome your help. Contact: avm@acparis.org.