Growing relationships, in Christ.

Transcription

1 Sunday, December 3, 2017 First Sunday of Advent and Communion Worship Service 10 am Worship Leader: Joanne Brown Speaker: Jim Loepp Thiessen Growing relationships, in Christ. NLUMC Vision Statement, 2011 Bring it on, God! Welcome and announcements Children s feature Children go to Sunday school STS #1, Praise the One who breaks the darkness Call to worship (on screen) Hymn #172, O come, O come, Immanuel Opening prayer Offering with STS #49, I will come to you in the silence Offertory prayer Scripture reading Mark 13:24-37 Message Are you Watching? STJ #81, Take, O take me as I am (sing through 2 times) Communion STJ #58, Who has known the mind of Jesus? Sharing time Sending song #359, Lead us, O Father Benediction Sending blessing Please join us for coffee and fellowship after the worship service. Today... There will be a brief meeting after church today regarding the Learning and Service Tour July We will be travelling to Timmins, Ontario where we will be hosted by MCC Ontario s Indigenous Neighbours Program. We will be learning about Indigenous culture and building a raised bed garden for a local health center. Contact Pastor Alicia for more information. 1

2 Second Sunday of Advent, December am, join us for worship as we continue in our Advent series: Bring it on, God! Pastor Jim will bring the message: Finding the centre. Church Life... From Pastor Jim Loepp Thiessen I ll be in the area Wednesday to Sunday this coming week. You are welcome to me at: jim@nlumc.com. Children s Sunday School News We are looking for teachers for our Grade 4/5/6 class. If you are available for the position, please contact June DeVries. Wednesday, December 6 Quilting, 1-5 pm. All are welcome to join us for quilting blankets in the church basement. Leadership Team meeting, 7 pm. Hanan's Cookies will be available for $20 per box on Sunday, December 10 after the service. You may also order directly from Hanan. Budget Update, December 1, 2016 November 30, 2017 $300, (83.28%) of our $360,279 unified church budget was donated. Thank you for your generosity. Donations to NLUMC Setting up an automatic transfer is a convenient way to make regular donations to the church. If you would like to participate in this program, please contact Susan at the church office to complete the necessary paperwork and provide a void cheque. These donations will be processed on the 15 th of each month. NLUMC depends on your help to thrive. We are looking for the following volunteer positions: Longer term commitment positions: - Church Treasurer - 2 Sunday School teachers for the grade 4-6 class - 1 sound and AV operator (we will train you!) Please contact Pastors Alicia or Jim if you would like more information about any of these positions. 2

3 In the new Mennonite Church Canada structure 13 representatives, some from each regional church, MC Eastern Canada (MCEC), MC Manitoba, MC Saskatchewan, MC Alberta, MC British Columbia, will be forming the new Joint Council. Each region will be able to bring its own agenda to Joint Council meetings to discuss how we can set goals together for the Mennonite Church on a national level. MCEC has requested that Pastor Alicia be appointed to represent MCEC on the new Joint Council. This means she will be attending meetings for MC Canada about three or four times a year in other provinces. This is an opportunity for NLUMC to have its voice represented at a national level, and to become more aware and informed about how our congregation is part of a larger network of churches across Canada. Next week Pastor Alicia will be in Calgary for Joint Council meetings from Thursday, December 7 until Monday, December 11. She will return to the office on Wednesday, December 13. Upcoming Events Sunday, December 17 Third Advent Sunday, December 24 Fourth Advent Sunday, December 24 Christmas Eve Service, 7 pm Monday, December 25 Christmas Day Service, 10 am Community/Conference Events... UMEI Christian High School News Grade 11 Drama Class presents: The Lost Boy - today at 2 pm. Join James M. Barrie as he returns to his hometown to confront his family s tragic past with the help of an unexpected friendship and his own gift for storytelling. This fictionalized account of the birth of Peter Pan will warm the hearts of audiences who remember the magic and mystery of The Boy Who Wouldn t Grow Up. Tickets for the play are available at the door Adults $10; Students $6; Children 5 years and under Free. Before the play on today, come out and enjoy a chili lunch in the auditorium at the students Annual Chili Cookoff from 11:30 am 1:30 pm. Admission by donation. Shop UMEI Vista Christmas Order. Retail card orders are due in the office by noon Monday, December 4. Cards will be ready for pick up Friday, December 8. This will be the last order before Christmas. Zwieback and raisin bread orders are due in the office by noon Monday, December 11 and will be ready to pick up Wednesday, December 13. Ground beef orders are due in the office Wednesday, December 13 and will be ready to pick up Thursday, December 21. UMEI s Annual Christmas Concert will take place Friday, December 15 at 7 pm in the auditorium. Everyone is welcome. 3

4 Leamington Mennonite Home News Family and friends of the Home are invited to the annual Christmas Open House today from 2:30-3:30 pm at the Retirement Residence at 22 Garrison. The Heritage Choir will be singing and Santa promises to visit. A volunteer is needed to file medical documents once per month for three hours. The specific time for this volunteer work can be arranged with the Home s Nursing Department. Please contact Linda Tiessen at lindatiessen@mennonitehome.ca or by phone at if you are able to assist our ministry of eldercare in this way. No previous experience is needed. At Christmas time, we gift those who are special in our lives. Please give the gift of visitation over the holidays to our residents. The joy which a visitation can bring is the best Christmas gift ever. Lights of Life. For over 20 years the Lights of Life tree lighting program has paid tribute to those who have recently passed away. Hearing a loved one s name, and knowing that a light is burning in their memory, brings the true spirit of this season to life. We would like to invite you to be part of our tree lighting service tonight at 7 pm. The event will be located at 194 Talbot St., Leamington, just outside the main entrance doors, facing Fader Street. Since this is an outdoor event please dress for the weather. Heritage Choir practice, Monday, December 4, 2 pm at the Heritage Center. The Giving Spoon Fundraiser, Saturday, December 9 & Sunday, December 10 at The Bridge, 302 Sherk Street, Leamington, 11 am 2 pm. All proceeds support The Bridge. The Innkeeper s Son, a community children s musical presented by Faith Mennonite Church in participation with The Bank Theatre on December 16 & 17, 6:30 pm at Faith Mennonite Church, 269 Sherk Street. Written by Barry Bergen. Free will offering. Heritage Choir Annual Christmas Concert Saturday, December 16, 7 pm at the Heritage Centre. Old and new carols will be sung for your enjoyment to honour God at this time of Advent. Free will offering for the Music Therapy Program at the Leamington Mennonite Home. See bulletin board for the following... Mennonite Disaster Service, November 30 update 4

5 St. John s Anglican Church Christmas Dinner, December 25 See brochure rack for the following... The Marketplace, MEDA, November/December 2017 The Blazer, Canadian Mennonite University, Fall 2017 Youth... Youth Sunday School in the youth room today. Jr. and Sr. Youth Christmas Party Friday, December 8 at the home of Shauna and Zoe Driedger from 6-9 pm. This event will be a potluck supper, so please bring some food to share with the group! You can also bring a small, wrapped-up silly gift to exchange, like something you don't need from around your house. Bring your friends! Photography and Media Policy North Leamington United Mennonite Church (NLUMC) takes photographs/videos of participants at various church services and events. NLUMC may use any photos/videos taken from any service and events for promoting, publicizing or explaining NLUMC and its activities in the form of print, broadcast, website and social media, or in any manner deemed appropriate without prior notification to the participants. Photos could be used in these public forums without consideration and/or compensation. If church members/or participants consent to the use of their photo/or their child s photo to be included in any church broadcasts, they are asked to contact the church office and sign the appropriate Photography and Media Consent Form. The NLUMC Photography and Media Policy has been implemented to inform church participants that NLUMC is committed to a safe environment for all. Prayer List... Neighbouring Congregation Today area churches are praying for The Seventh Day Adventist Church and their pastor Dirk Zinner. Please pray for Margaret Braun, in palliative care. Please pray for God s leading in our church s staffing transitions. Pastors Kendall and Charleen Jongejan Harder from Valleyview Mennonite Church in London, will be candidating at NLUMC on Sunday, January 14, They would share one pastoral full-time position. Pastor Jim Loepp Thiessen will be candidating at Floradale Mennonite Church on the same weekend. 5

6 Thank you to everyone who participated in the NLUMC Christmas party and contributed donations for a total of $5,620 going towards the Church Fund. Special thanks to Spencer and Mandi Horne for opening their home for the event. Pastor Alicia will be attending MC Canada Joint Council meetings December For pastoral concerns, contact Pastor Jim. We invite you to let the church office know of any requests for visitation you might have by calling or ing the church office, or office@nlumc.com, Tuesday, 9 am through Friday, 3 pm. In case of emergency, contact Pastor Alicia at Pastors (cell )... Alicia Good... alicia@nlumc.com (cell )... Jim Loepp Thiessen... jim@nlumc.com Church Phone: office@nlumc.com... Website: Facebook: North Leamington United Mennonite Church Office hours: Tuesday Friday, 9 am 3 pm 6