Sunday, December 7, 2025 The Second Sunday of Advent
This past week has included a number of special days: December 1st, World AIDS Day, Saturday, December 6th is not only St Nicholas Day, but also National Day of Remembrance and Action against Violence against Women, recalling the events in the Ecole Polytechnique and a call to make this world safe for all people.
Hymn. Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus #2VU
Advent CandleLighting:
1: Today is the second Sunday of Advent.
2: Today we give thanks for God’s gift of hope, and we pray for peace.
1: Today we wait for the coming of God’s messenger who offers us a vision and calls us to dare to believe.
2: We watch and wait for signs of God with us.
(Light 2 purple candles)
1: Today we light the candles of hope and peace.
2: and we pray for peace in our hearts, in our homes, and in our world.
Prayer: Creator God, you have made this world for joy and justice, prepare us to live accordingly with hope and tenderness for those we share this world with. We pray with thanksgiving for all that is strong and beautiful, for all that is resilient and flourishing. And we pray for all that is polluted or drought-stricken or drowning. We pray for the strengthening of all who defend and protect your world, for those who seek to heal and to comfort. We pray for agencies of care and for the aid and encouragement they bring. Keep alive in us all the dream of justice and mercy.
( We pause to reflect on the gifts and needs of this created world.)
Jesus the gift of life and hope, we pray that all who pray in your name may be inspired and equipped to live lives of hope and encouragement. And we pray for those who do not have hope or purpose, for the lonely, the forgotten, the overlooked, and the exhausted. May the gift of your life and love bring good news to our community and world.
(We pause to reflect on the gifts and needs of all peoples, especially those known to us.)
Spirit of the Living God, who inspires and revives, help us live alert to the surprising gifts in every day life and help us see and reveal the possibilities of your dream for us hidden in the world as it is.
( We pause to reflect on those in need of inspiration and healing and entrust our beloved to the care of our God.)
Living God, Creator, Reconciling Lover of all, Spirit that sustains, we pray in the name of the Christ who came among us for us. Amen. (from companions on the way.com.)
This Sunday there will be services in Ormstown at 9:30 and 11:00 in Howick. In Howick, this will be our White Gift service, when we collect non-perishable food items for the Howick Christmas baskets. They will be filled and distributed next Saturday.
Many thanks to all who donated, worked, and supported Howick’s Book, Puzzle, and Bake Sale on Saturday, December 6th, from 11-1:30 in the church.
Howick UCW will meet on Wednesday, December 10th at 6pm for a Christmas Potluck Supper. Please let Marlene Stuckey know what you are planning on bringing for the supper. We will also be collecting gifts for women for the Christmas baskets in Howick.
On Friday, December 12th the Ormstown UCW will be holding its Christmas Turkey dinner at noon in the hall. Meals needed to be reserved by Friday, December 5th. We will also be collecting personal items for the residents of Residence-Elle. The items are not gifts and do not need to be gift-wrapped.
Sunday, December 14th will be the White Gift service in Ormstown. We will collect non-perishable food items and donations for La Bouffe Additionelle, our local food bank. The gifts of hats, mitts, scarves etc. will also be given away after this service.
The deadline for making a gift to Howick’s Memorial Fund is December 30th. Please get your donation to Grace Brown by or before that date.
Worship Schedule for theAdvent-Christmas season:
Sunday, December 21st 11:00. Communion Sunday in Ormstown
7pm Candlelight Christmas Communion service in Howick
Wednesday, December 24th Christmas Eve service in Ormstown 7:30pm
Sunday, December 28th Christmas Sunday Carol service in hall in Ormstown 11:00
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