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.