Sunday, December 1, 2024 The First Sunday of Advent

 This Sunday is also World AIDS Day. We hold those who have been living with AIDS in our thoughts and prayers. We give thanks for the work of scientists and medical workers who have changed and saved lives. 

Hymn.      Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Scripture Lessons:       Jeremiah 33:14-16

                                     Psalm 25 p. 752VU

                                     I Thessalonians 3:9-13

Message

Prayers:   O come, o come Emmanuel, 

   To the empty-handed and the heavy-hearted, to the despairing and the despised. 

Enter this world, 

   Giving love to the lowly and hope to the downcast. 

Dwell among us, and teach us your ways, 

   Saving the lost and strengthening the weak. 

Be made the incarnate within us, 

   That we might cast away fear and live boldly by faith. 

With gratitude that you come to be with us, we worship joyfully this day. (from the United Church’s worship resource, Celebrate God’s Presence) 

Hymn.      O Come O Come Emmanuel

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. There will be craft activities in both congregations. The services will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. Today is also the deadline for applying for a bursary from Howick United Church for Howick postsecondary students. 

St Paul’s Stewards will meet in the hall on Tuesday, December 3rd at 7:45pm. We will be setting up the tables for the Ladies’ Christmas dinner as well as holding our monthly meeting. 

The Ladies’ Christmas Dinner will be held on Wednesday, December 4th beginning at 11:30 in the hall. We will be collecting items for residents of Residence-Elle. 

Next Sunday December 8th will be White Gift Sunday in both our churches. We will be collecting non-perishable food items for local Christmas baskets and for La Bouffe in the new year. In Ormstown, items from the Mitten Tree will also be delivered following this service. 

Next Sunday will be Communion Sunday in Ormstown. This will be an 11:00 service. 

For Howick, we are combining the Sunday December 22nd with our Christmas Eve service in a family Candlelight Christmas Communion service at 7pm on Sunday December 22nd at 7pm. There will be no morning service on December 22nd or Christmas Eve service on the 24th. There will be a Christmas Eve service in Ormstown at 7:30pm. Please let us know whether you would like us to do this another year. 

We hold Klaasje Ness in our thoughts and prayers following the death of her brother last month. 

Sunday, November 24, 2024 Reign of Christ Sunday

 

Hymn      Come Now Almighty King #314 VU

Scripture Lessons: Revelation 1:4b-8

                               Psalm  138 p.860VU

                               John 18:33-37

Message

Prayer:  Christ our Brother, Christ our Beginning, Christ our End. 

Known in Jesus, Word made flesh; known as Logos, Hidden Wholeness; Pattern within the Chaos; Wisdom, calling from city streets for justice and compassion. 

Christ beyond all names, Deepest Mystery, Depth of Our Own Being, awaken us, enfold us, impel us to realize the dream that is ours to birth. Amen. (a prayer by Bruce Sanguin printed in If Darwin Prayed. Reformatted for the blog.) 

Hymn        Rejoice the Lord is King #213V U

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. In Howick we will be following the 11:00 service with a soup luncheon. Please plan on joining us if you can. We will continue to make Christmas crafts in Howick as well. 

We continue to hold in our thoughts and prayers the family of Marina Templeton following her mother’s death and memorial service held on Saturday. 

This Sunday November 24th is the deadline for signing up to attend Ormstown’s Ladies’ Christmas Dinner to be held on Wednesday, December 4th at 11:30 in the hall at a cost of $23. To reserve a meal please call Lynn Bryson or Shirley Vandor or Wendy Dennison by November 24th. We will also be collecting items or donations to Residence-Elle at the dinner. 

For those who would like to have envelopes for Howick United Church, please contact Wilene Cullen. 

The Mitten Trees are up in both churches now (though in Ormstown, they are actually baskets). Mittens, gloves, hats and scarves would be gratefully received. In Ormstown we will be sending them off after the White Gift service on December 8th, so please drop them off soon. 

Next Sunday December 1st there will be craft activities during the 9:30 service in Ormstown. All welcome. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers the family and friends of Betty Stevenson. For a long time she was the pianist for Franklin’s services. 

A new newsletter has been printed. It is available in the churches or Barbara can send you a copy. 

Sunday, November 17, 2024 Children’s Sabbath

 

Hymn       Take Time To Be Holy #672VU

Scripture Lessons:       I Samuel 2:1-10

                                     Psalm 127 p. 851VU

                                     Hebrews 10:11-14, 19-25

Message

Prayer:  Saviour, teach me, day by day, love’s sweet lesson— to obey;

Sweeter lesson cannot be, loving God who first loved me. 

With a child’s glad heart of love at thy bidding may I move, 

Prompt to serve and follow thee, loving God who first loved me. 

Teach me thus thy steps to trace, strong to follow in thy grace, 

Learning how to love from thee, loving God who first loved me. 

Love in loving finds employ, in obedience all her joy; 

Ever knew that joy will be, loving God who first loved me. 

Thus May I rejoice to show that I feel the love I owe; 

Singing, till thy face I see, of the one who first loved me.

( hymn by Jane Eliza Leeson, those who sing pray twice!)

Hymn        Blest be the Tie that Binds #602VU

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Howick. This will be a craft activity Sunday in Howick, making decorations for the church for Advent and Christmas. 

Next Sunday we will be bringing our campaign for the Canadian Food Grains Bank to an end. In Howick we are planning a Soup Lunch following the 11:00 service. 

Barbara is planning to produce a (paper) newsletter next week. If you have news to share, please let Barbara know by Thursday, November 21st. 

Please keep in mind the Rudolph Run that will be held on Saturday, November 30th from 9:00-11:00 beginning from the Rec Centre in Ormstown. You can walk or run do courses of 1, 2, 5, 10km. A minimum donation of $5 is requested. The proceeds go to local food banks for Christmas baskets. 

St Paul’s is once again holding a Ladies’ Christmas Dinner, on Wednesday, December 4th at 11:30 in the hall. The cost is $23 and the deadline for reserving a meal is Sunday, November 24th. All welcome. We will also be collecting items for Residence-Elle. To reserve a meal, please call Lynn Bryson, Wendy Denison, or Shirley Vandor. 

Sunday, November 10, 2024 Remembrance Sunday

 

Hymn       O God our Help in Ages Past #806VU

Scripture Lessons:      Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17

                                   Psalm 127 p.851VU

                                    Mark 12:38-44

Message

Prayer:  O God, whose heart is broken by the violence in the human race, forgive us that we have lacked the imagination and collective will to create a war less world. 

Forgive us for breaking faith with those who gave their lives, for the unconscionable gap between the rich and poor, for corruption and deceit in high places, for the profit gained by the sale of weapons, for the spirit of domination in our world leaders, for learning so little from the deaths of 100 million in the past century. 

In you alone is our hope; in your power, which can purify the human heart and set our feet upon the path of peace, do we trust. You can do great things in willing hearts. Break, then, our hardened hearts. Break them with grief, with memory, and with hope. In the name of the Prince of Peace. Amen. ( a prayer by Bruce Sanguin printed in If Darwin Prayed.) 

Hymn      God of Grace and God of Glory #686

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. Both will be Remembrance Sunday services. In Howick we are welcoming members of the Georgetown Church and members of the local Guiding and possibly Scouting groups as well.

The Session of Howick United Church will meet on Tuesday, November 12th at 7pm in the church hall. 

St Paul’s Session will meet on Wednesday, November 13th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

The Trustees of Howick United Church are inviting applications from students in post-secondary educational programs from the Howick congregation. Applications are available at the church or on the congregational website. The deadline will be December 1, 2024 and the bursaries will be presented later in the month of December. 

Next Sunday November 17th, will be a craft activity day in Howick, during its 9:30 service. We will be making Christmas decorations to decorate either our church or our homes. 

We are planning to hold a Soup Luncheon on Sunday, November 24th following the 11:00 service in Howick. This will bring our campaign for the Canadian Food Grains Bank to an end, though envelopes for donations may still be available. 

A new (paper) newsletter will be produced later this month. Please let Barbara know if you have items to be included. 

St Paul’s will be holding a Christmas Dinner on Wednesday, December 4th beginning at 11:30am, in the church hall. The cost will be $23.00. If you wish to attend, please reserve a meal by calling either Shirley Vandor at 450-829-2518 or Lynn Bryson at 450-829-3011 or Wendy Denison at 450-829-3419.