Does it feel like Christmas yet? Do you know what you will be doing? (I’m not sure yet.) Maybe that brings us closer to the Christmas story, to Mary and Joseph, who really didn’t know what was going to happen, but who just moved forward, trying to do their best. Have a good week!
As we continue through the season of Advent, we prepare to celebrate. We celebrate light in a season of darkness.
We prepare to welcome Jesus who comes to be the light of the world.
We pray for God’s light to guide us and lead us and we seek to let our light shine for others so they may know God’s love and grace.
Today we light a candle of joy.
May God’s light shine upon us and fill us with joy, this day and forevermore. Amen.
Hymn Joy to the World #59VU
Scripture Lessons: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Luke 1:46-55 p.898VU
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Hymn Joy is Now in Every Place #45VU
Message:
Prayer: You came as a baby, Lord, as a little helpless child who relied on a human family to care for him.
You cried because you were hungry, because you were homeless, because you were a stranger far away from home.
You still cry with hunger, Lord,in the voices of the many starving; your tears still flow: for the homeless, the lonely and the forgotten; you still rely on human families to care for you.
And so this Christmas, Lord, we pray: help us to be the kind of people who look for you in the world, and joyfully discover you as we care for one another. (a prayer from the Iona Community’s Candles and Conifers, written byCarol Dixon.)
Hymn Go Tell it on the Mountain #43VU
This week we wish our Jewish friends and neighbours a happy Hanukkah as the week of celebrations continue.
We offer our sympathy to the family of Alice Irving who died this past week. A service will be held in New Brunswick at a later date.
We also offer our sympathy and prayers to the family and friends of Cindy Milne, who died this past week.
We also hold in our thoughts and prayers the family of Jacqueline Coghlan and M. S. Maheu who also died this past week.
We are making some plans for a couple of Christmas services. We will be holding drive in church, where people stay in their cars and tune in to the service on your car radios. In Ormstown the service will be held on Sunday, December 20th at 11am. In Howick the service will be held the Sunday after Christmas at 11am. The frequency for this will be 93.9.
Many thanks to the Cameron family who refurbished the wreath mounted on the steeple at St Paul’s and have now hung it on the church. It looks lovely, especially with the the lights around the doors as well.
If you are looking for a gift idea, especially for someone who is far away, or doesn’t need a lot for themselves, consider Gifts with Vision, gifts that support United Church ministries. You can find more information on the website, giftswithvision.ca.
We are still collecting food for La Bouffe Additionelle, for Christmas baskets or for food needs in the new year. You can drop them off at the manse and I will get them to La Bouffe. They will be delivered by the end of the week.
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