December 17, 2024
Calvary Compass – December 17, 2024 - Calvary United Church, www.calvaryuc.ca
Dear Friends of Calvary,
Thank you to Rev. Kerry, Denise, the Senior Choir, the youth and our guest musicians - Anna Grigg and Stephanie O'Leary for a wonderful Music Sunday Worship Service. It definitely gets one in the mood for Christmas.
The coming Sunday which is the fourth Sunday in Advent and the theme is Love. Communion will be celebrated and a benevolent offering will be taken. There will be a Coffee Hour in the lower hall with cookies that the children have decorated. All are invited to come down to socialize after the worship service.
There is a Blue Christmas Worship Service tonight, December 17th at 7:00 pm. It is a quiet reflective service of prayers and readings. All are invited.
Our Christmas Eve Service will be a "Pageant in the Pews". Anyone, no matter their age, who wishes to participate is welcome. Karen Butt and Casey Lloyd are looking after the costumes. It is a fun way to participate and enjoy the service. If you have a cellphone or flashlight, please bring to the service. The service is at 7:00 pm and is a casual family service.
Worship Services are all live-streamed:
• December 22 – Communion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnP1qEgZYKc
• December 24 at 7pm - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLUZKyQImPk
• December 29 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ngOEP9_w7M
NOTE: The same links will work to view the recorded service, in case you are unable to watch the live-stream.
• Recorded service for December 8th – Music Sunday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA6EaadnXsc
Family Skating Event
Kilworth United Church would like to invite members of area churches to a skate on Sat. Dec. 28 at the Komoka Wellness Centre at 6:45. Please email joshua.macdougall@gmail.com to RSVP.
ADVENT PROJECTS
Part Two of the Outreach Committee's Advent project is sponsoring "Joan's Place - Youth Opportunities Unlimited". Part Two of the Outreach Committee's Advent Project is sponsoring "Joan's Place - Youth Opportunities Unlimited"
Joan's Place provides a safe and affordable home for youth, young mothers and mothers-to-be who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. We are collecting monetary donations throughout the Advent Season. If you would like to contribute, please make a cheque payable to "Youth Opportunities Unlimited" with Joan's Place noted on the memo line. Tax receipts for 2024 will be issued for the cheques dated on or before December 31, 2024. There are specially marked envelopes at the back of the sanctuary and close to the front to put your donation in.
Thank you for your donation.
TOURTIERES
If you wish a tourtiere, there are 5 left. Please contact Marg LaRocque at (mglarocque@rogers.com - 681-7810). There will not be any more made until next November 2025. The cost is $24/each.
CHAMPION
CHAMPION will have their regular meeting on Wednesday December 18th. The group will not meet over the Christmas/New Years holiday, but will reconvene on Wednesday, January 8th. 2025.
MITTEN TREE
Thank you to all who have already decorated the two trees with mittens, hats, gloves, scarves and socks. We will continue to decorate them until the New Year. All that we collect will be given to London Community Chaplaincy to be divided among the residents of Southdale and Limberlost.
Offering Envelopes for 2025 are available at the back of the Sanctuary.
2025 CALENDARS
Please save any unwanted 2025 calendars. The Outreach Committee will be collecting them for redistribution at the Community Breakfast, the London Community Chaplaincy, etc. Collection boxes are located at the back of the sanctuary and at the parking lot entrance.
Upcoming Bazaars and Events:
• Handel’s Messiah, December 21 at 7:30 pm, Knox Presbyterian, St. Thomas, www.choralconnection.ca
(for details on these events, see the posters on the bulletin board at the parking lot entrance)
Meetings this Week:
* Blue Christmas Worship Service - Tuesday- 7:00pm
* CHAMPION - Wednesday - 1:00 -3:30 pm
* Bible Study - Thursday - 11:00 am - 12 Noon via Zoom
* Community Breakfast - Saturday - 9:00 am
Bible Study:
Scripture Readings this week: Luke 1: 46b - 55; Luke 1: 39 -45;
Psalm for the Week:
Psalm 8 - selected verses from the Common English Bible translation
God, our God, how majestic
is your name throughout the earth!
You made your glory higher than heaven!
When I look up at your skies,
at what your fingers made--
the moon and the stars
that you set firmly in place--
what are human beings
that you think about the them;
what are human beings
that you pay attention to them?
You've made them only slightly less than divine,
crowning them with glory and grandeur.
God, our God, how majestic
is your name throughout the earth!
Prayer for the Week:
God and shepherd of all,
you have shown us glimpses of your glory that
then sustain us through times of wilderness
and in times of celebration. In this season of preparing,
open our hearts to see you in our midst.
Grant us hope, peace, joy and love in all that we encounter.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus for this week: Family, friends and neighbours.