St. John s Tribune. Christmas 2018

Transcription

1 St. John s Tribune Christmas 2018 Special Interest Articles: Recent events Book Launch Advent and Christmas celebrations Individual Highlights: Book Launch 3 Council 3 Finances 4 M&P 5 Worship 6 From the Minister According to Boston Magazine, After a ship collision in Halifax Harbour on December 6, 1917, a French steamer caught fire and its cargo of 3,000 tons of explosives detonated, leveling most of downtown Halifax and killing some 2,000 people. Within 24 hours, Boston had dispatched supplies, money, and medical personnel in this time of darkest need. The following Christmas, Nova Scotia sent us a tree as thanks, and since 1971 we ve gotten one from up north every year. The Deputy Commissioner for Boston Parks and Recreation, Ryan Woods, said that the tradition is a chance to show our appreciation and continue our friendship. In a time of division between countries (including the testy relationship between the United States and Canada, and the Bruins and the Habs) isn t it hopeful to know that it s more than just hockey that brings our nations together? School children from Boston and Halifax write letters to each other because of the events from This year s 47-foot white spruce was proudly donated by a couple from Oxford, NS. 30,000 people watched it light up in Boston on November 29 th. Some of you will remember Ruth and Don Mitchell. Their son Jeff lives in Boston and told me he took his kids one year, and he felt immense pride to know the Maritimes were part of the city in which he now lived. There are things that unite us in this world, and things that will seek to divide us. The United Church of Canada s crest includes the Latin phrase of Jesus words, Ut Omnes Unum Sint that they may all be one. Traditions, like the Christmas tree in Boston, help unite us. I actually have a deep and abiding respect for things that have the courage to stay the same. For example, I ve never felt any particular desire to be the newest, coolest thing when it comes to church. I like pipe organs and pews. I like traditional worship and four hundred year old hymns. Our traditions keep us connected to each other by giving us something in common. Like the tradition of exchanging Christmas cards, or family gettogethers, or friendships rekindled by the spirit of Christmas. I hope and pray this Christmas that the spark of the star that shone bright so long ago inspires something greater within you to connect with the world around you. And I hope you are so inspired to continue to follow that star with a group of people known as the congregation called St. John s for the past 180 years. On behalf of the Church Council and staff of St. John s, Merry Christmas to you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you do to make this such a welcoming and warm church. On anniversary Sunday, London Bulmer described the church as a place where we help each other through stuff. That sounds just about right to me. I would like to invite you to our Christmas services, as things are a bit different this year. On December 23 rd, during the 11am Sunday morning worship, we will be presenting our children s Christmas pageant. On Christmas Eve, December 24 th, there will only be one family service at 7pm. This service will be kid-friendly and we will be sharing in lessons, carols, and sharing the Christ light as we sing Silent Night together, entering into the holy season of Christmas. To you and yours, Merry Christmas. The Rev. Aaron Billard, Minister

2 St. John s Tribune Page 2 of 8 Recent Events & Activities UCW Bazaar & Luncheon Nov. 3, 2018 Men s Chorus Nov. 4, 2018 Sheri Gould, Brenda McFarlane Joan Dunlap, June MacEachern, Eunice Burnes The Men s Chorus sang at Worship and then at the Drew Nursing Home Thank VBS Volunteers & Remembrance Sunday Nov. 4, 2018 Anniversary Sunday Nov. 25, 2018 Lois Weatherby, Gail O Brien, Phyllis Perry The Very Rev. Dr. Peter B. Short Joan LeBlanc, Ann Hanson Ethan being baptized

3 St. John s Tribune Page 3 of 8 Book Launch NEW CENTURY, NEW FUTURE A new book of our history, New Century, New Future is now on sale for $10.00 each. This book continues from our history book, A Monument of Faith and reminds us that by keeping alive the spirit and vision of who we are, we have been shaped by the people and events from our past 180 years. This new book makes a great Christmas present! We are also selling our earlier published history A Monument of Faith for $10.00 each. Books are for sale in the Owen Fraser Hall following Worship or at the church office. Church Council ST. JOHN S UNITED CHURCH ANNUAL MEETING Join us in February 24, 2019 for this important yearly meeting of the congregation. Deadline for reports from Committees and Groups is January 14, If you wish an item or issue to be on the agenda, the church office by February 11, The Annual Report will be distributed the Sunday before the AGM. LOOKING FOR COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS We have several openings at this time; including the Finance Committee, the Outreach Committee and the Worship & Music Committee. Why not consider volunteering and lending your voice as to the direction of our church. Your gift of 1-2 hours per month would be most appreciated. Contact Rev. Aaron Billard or the church office, if you are interested. Christian Development Committee SUNDAY SCHOOL The Sunday School is busy practising every Sunday morning for the Christmas Pageant. We will be holding our annual Pizza Party and Rehearsal (for the Christmas Concert) on Friday, Dec. 21, starting at 5:15 p.m. Pizza will be served at 5:30 p.m. and the rehearsal will follow. We expect to be finished by 7:30 p.m. Please feel free to drop your child off and take advantage of some last minute errands or enjoy an early supper out. For those with really young ones... please do not feel obligated to attend. Haven t been to church in awhile? No worries join us when you can either for the pizza party or the morning of the Concert. Remember, the Concert will take place as part of the regular Sunday morning Worship on Sunday, Dec. 23 at 11:00 a.m. Children are asked to arrive early - at 10:15 a.m. (to get dressed), meeting in the Sunday School room upstairs. Angel wings will be available for our very young ones. RSVP to the pizza party, so that we know how much pizza to buy by ing Kimberley Buck de Jesus at kabdj_nb@icloud.com Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; teach us to be patient and always to be kind. Helen Rice

4 St. John s Tribune Page 4 of 8 As of October 31, 2018 Revenue $ 187,974 Expenses $208,498 Donations for 2018 must be in the church office by December 31, Finance & Property Committee Entering the Advent and Christmas season, many of us have additional expenses. The church too is entering a challenging period over the winter and would ask you to keep us in mind if are able to do so. Many of us have not updated our giving s by even $2 a week for many, many years. Perhaps this year, you might be able to do so. For those of you on a Pre-authorized Payment Plan (PAR) perhaps you could review your givings and increase your monthly contribution in some small manner. Even the smallest of contributions can help maintain our St. John s community for years to come. If you are new to our St. John s family and would like a box of offering envelopes or info on Pre- Authorized Payments PAR including paying via credit card, please call or the church office. Christmas cards with a picture of our Sanctuary decorated for Christmas are now available at the grocery card sale table in the Great Hall on Sundays or the Church Office. Price: minimum $5:00 for 10 cards and envelopes. Are you thinking of donating money to the Karing Kitchen? Why not purchase a $25, $50 or $100 Grocery Card either from the Church Office or after Worship during coffee hour. Your purchase will provide a 4% profit to our Grocery Card sales, will provide the Karing Kitchen with much needed options for either Sobeys or Superstore groceries and will provide you with a year-end tax receipt for your donation. A win-winwin all around!! Snapshot Revenue and Expenses The Finance committee would like to thank each and every one of you for your generous donations this past year.

5 Ministry & Personnel Committee The Ministry and Personnel Committee are pleased to announce Bruce Lawson has been hired to serve as Property Manager for St. John s United Church. With an aging building in much need of repair, Church Council felt it both timely and critical that an on-site manager be hired to address property concerns, liaise with the Finance Committee and facilitate the required staff, volunteer and contract repair work. Pastoral Care & Membership Committee Visitation to 35 shut -ins continues to take place this fall. October 26 was our bi- monthly Church Service and Communion at Royal Court with 18 people in attendance, as well as Rev. Aaron Billard, Alvin Edgett - pianist, Susan Leighton, Barbara Tait and Roberta Bunker. Our next service will be in the New Year. The Pastoral Workshop was held Sunday, October 28 with 10 present. Rev. Aaron Billard s presentation was well received. He gave each of us a series of questions to follow through with our shut-ins as to their needs on behalf of the church. Rotation Prayer schedule continues weekly in the bulletin. Pictures and interesting articles are placed on the Bulletin Board as they are received. A Pastoral Care Workshop was St. John s Tribune Page 5 of 8 Some of you may know Bruce well, as the Manager of the Karing Kitchen. His duties with us will be in addition to those of the Karing Kitchen. Bruce joins us as of December 1 st and will report monthly to Church Council through the Finance and Property Committee. As the year draws to a close, the Ministry and Personnel Committee would like to extend a sincere thank-you to Rev. Aaron Billard, held at the Conference Office, Sackville, NB on November 3. Our church was represented by Roberta Bunker. Christmas cards, along with plants are expected to be delivered to shut-ins on December 16. On Nov. 25, Anniversary Sunday, we recognized Molly Chase for receiving a Master of Arts in School Psychology from Mount St. Vincent University. She is employed in The Anglophone East School District and is on track to become a licensed psychologist We also welcomed new members by transfer: Patricia Lockhart Hillsborough United Church Barbara Prosser Lakeburn United Church Stephen Stuart Central United Church Rev. Dr. Doug MacEachern, Branden Olsen, Milton Ingalls and Mike Day for their dedication and gifts towards making St. John s United Church such a warm and nurturing place in which to worship. As well, a big thanks to Karen Geldart, our office administrator; Pat Arsenault, our custodian, and Elsa Sage, our bookkeeper; for all they do behind the scenes to keep the church running efficiently. St. John s United Church Cares To notify the Minister of personal concerns, illnesses, hospitalizations or deaths, or to pass along a prayer request, or to arrange homebound communion, please contact the Rev. Aaron Billard at , or sjucrev@gmail.com Birthdays: Adeline Ramsay 85 Adell Keays - 94 Anniversaries: November Ralph & Ann Smith 64 Congratulations to all! Baptisms: Finlay Irene Roberts Hraynyk daughter of Roxanne Hraynyk & Dr. Carla Roberts Oct. 11 Henrik Arthur Berger, son of Drs. Magdalena & Robert Berger Nov. 25 Ethan Glen MacNairn, son of Jennifer Gallant & Scott MacNairn Nov. 25 Marriages: None Deaths: Ryan Dunphy Sept. 21 Candace Kennedy Sept. 26 Derrick Keith - Oct. 24 Sarah Sandieson Oct. 24 Laura Cook Oct. 25

6 St. John s Tribune Page 6 of 8 Worship & Music Committee Upcoming Advent & Christmas Worship December 9, 11:00 a.m. - 2 nd Sun. of Advent Peace - Communion - Poinsettia Memorials printed in bulletin - Christmas Newsletter distribution offering & PAR envelope distribution December 16, 11:00 a.m. 3 rd Sunday of Advent Joy - Poinsettias distributed to shut-ins December 16, 3:30 p.m. - Christmas Carol Sing-a-Long December 23, 11:00 a.m. - 4 th Sunday of Advent Love -Children s Christmas Pageant. This family service is tailored towards children and young families. December 24, 7:00 p.m. - Christmas Eve Worship Traditional Christmas Eve Service with lessons, carols and candle lighting Advent What Is Advent? Advent means to come or arrive at [venire arrive/come]. In the church, Advent most often means the coming of the Saviour. In Western Church tradition, it is the four Sundays before Christmas and the start of the liturgical church year. Why get ready? We often think of Advent as a time of preparation to get ready for Christmas. But it is more accurately a time to look forward to Christ s coming and Christ s reign. It s a time to get ready for (and look December 30, 11:00 a.m. - First Sunday after Christmas Worship - No Sunday School January 6, 2019, 11:00 a.m. Epiphany Sunday - No Sunday School forward to) Christ, and the holy ruckus that Christ could create in our lives if we let in Christ s radical message! Chocolate, Santa Claus, and Hallmark Specials have softened and domesticated the countercultural message of Advent: that until there is a just peace everywhere, the world is not as it should be nor as it will be. What are the Advent colours? Some communities use purple for the season of Advent; others use blue. Both are correct. Purple is a traditional liturgical For all the happenings at SJUC, check the bulletin online at - found under Sunday Bulletin & Announcements. Christmas special offering envelopes are located at each of the Church main entrances. If you use SJUC box offering envelopes, a Christmas envelope is in your box. If you use PAR, your Christmas envelope is in your packet of envelopes. The Church thanks you for your support CHURCH SNOW STORM POLICY In the event of a snow storm on a Sunday morning, the decision to cancel will be made by 9:00 a.m. by the Minister, the Chair of Worship & Music, and the Council Chair. Check the following places to see if the church is closed: 1. Church office telephone listen to the message 2. Church Facebook group at 3. Local radio stations 4. CBC storm centre at or search Moncton Cancellations colour for penitential seasons or seasons of preparation like Advent (which precedes Christmas) and Lent (which precedes Easter). Blue was adopted as an alternative colour for the season, separating it from Lent. Blue can often represent hope, the night sky, and Mother Mary.

7 St. John s Tribune Page 7 of 8 How to Survive a Winter Service when the Boiler has Broken Down Canada can be cold, and church heating systems are temperamental. It is circumstances like these that separate the average United Church member from the hardcore worship enthusiast. 1. Keep your parka on. The expression Sunday best should be expanded to include clothing that is well-insulated from the cold. Mittens, toques, down-filled coats, and boots say, I love my faith, but I m not willing to risk hypothermia for it. 2. Re-evaluate your need for personal space. Especially if only a small but faithful remnant have braved the cold, huddle together in one pew to share body heart. 3. Candles add warmth. Okay, not a lot of warmth light bulbs actually give off more heat but candles also give off a cheery glow that creates the impression of warmth. 4. Keep moving. Tap you feet. Clap. Dance. Let the Spirit move you, and in the process keep the blood moving to your extremities. The unofficial United Church Handbook The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we were intended to be. Max Lucado How to Listen to a Sermon The United Church places particular value on the preaching of the gospel. God s word comes to us through the Holy Spirit, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and preaching rooted in holy scripture. Getting something out of church includes diligent listing to the sermon and active mental participation. 1. Review active listening skills. While the listener in the case doesn t get to speak, the sermon is still a conversation. Make mental notes as you listen. Take notice of where and why you react and which emotions you experience. 2. Take notes. Note-taking promotes active listening and provides a good basis for later reflection. It also allows you to return to confusing or complicated parts at your own leisure. Some churches provide paper for notes. Jot down key phrases so you can inspire yourself (not so you can google them to see if the minister downloaded the sermon from 3. Listen for the good news and make connections with your own life. Ask yourself, what does this have to do with my experience and the issues in my own life? A good sermon can comfort, challenge, and help you to see options where previously you felt there were none. 4. Maintain good posture. Avoid slouching. Sit upright with your feet planted firmly on the ground and your palms on your thighs. Beware of the impulse to slouch, cross your arms, or lean against your neighbour, as these can encourage drowsiness. Sleep can cause snoring! 5. Review. If you ve taken written notes, read them later that day or the next day. If you ve taken mental notes, review them in a quiet moment. You may want to discuss the sermon with your family or others in your church. Consider sharing your review with others on a weekly basis. If you have questions or need clarification, talk with the preacher. Be Aware You may cry tears of joy during the sermon, or you may experience a feeling of conviction, or you may feel nothing in particular. This is all normal. The unofficial United Church Handbook

8 St. John s Tribune Page 8 of 8 St. John s United Church 75 Alma Street Moncton, NB E1C 4Y3 PHONE: (506) sjuc@nb.aibn.com Office hours: M-F, 9am-1pm We re on Facebook! Join us at: St. John s United Church, United Church of Canada We re on the Web! See us at: years