Westminster United Church Embracing Our Community Weekly Worship Service each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. December 23, 2018 The Fourth Sunday of Advent Westminster United Church is a Christian family sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the congregation, the community and the world at large. We provide a spiritual home for worship, celebration of the sacraments, and Christian Education. We embrace people of all ages, gender, race, sexual orientations, gender identity, abilities, ethnicity, social and economic circumstances, in the membership, ministry, leadership and life of this congregation. We are so glad you came! Thank you for worshipping at Westminster. We hope you will be encouraged by the teaching you hear and by the people you meet. Please take a moment to fill out A Westminster Welcome! card located in the seat pocket in front of you and place it in the offering plate. To stay connected with us, see our Facebook page, website www.westminster-uc.ca or sign up for our weekly email at wuc@westminster-uc.ca. 1850 Rossland Road East, Whitby, L1N 3P2 905 723-6442 wuc@westminster-uc.ca The United Church of Canada Lakeridge Presbytery
A children s program is available for your baby/toddler in the nursery down the hall. Children will be invited to head to J.a.M. during the service after the Children s Time. Please speak to an usher or greeter for directions or more information. Music for Gathering (* Indicates to please stand as you are able.) Welcome and Announcements We Gather Together Call to Worship and Lighting of the Advent Candle Gathering Verse Opening Prayer * Greeting One Another - The Love of Christ be with you * Hymn: VU 9 People Look East Invitation to Offering The Bible is placed, candles lit To Offer Ourselves Tyler Tran Offertory - "Winter" from The Four Seasons - Vivaldi Kathy Coltof, violin * Sung Response Offering Prayer To Hear God s Word Jr. Choir How Could It Be a Silent Night? Time with all God s Children Song while children leave for J.a.M. Now the Heavens Start to Whisper vs. 1 Ministry of Music - Angels From the Realms of Glory - arr. Forrest (Kathy Coltof, violin, Milos Rudolf, percussion, Jennifer Tilk, Marg Motum, 4-hand piano, Katie Bonikowsky, director) Scripture Background Scripture: Luke 1:26-45 A Sermon on the Advent Way of Blessing Bev Crumb Rev. Michelle Robinson
Time of Silent Reflection To Respond in Faith * Hymn: MV 120 My Soul Cries Out Prayers of the People and The Lord s Prayer * Hymn: Love Has Come * Blessing and Sending Forth * Closing Sung Response To Go Into the World * Postlude - Pat-a-Pan - French Carol Kathy and Ron Coltof Upcoming Services Monday, December 24 2:00, 4:00 and 6:30 pm Christmas Play with live animals Monday, December 24 Candlelight Communion Service 10:00 pm Sunday, December 30 Pulpit Supply John & Helen Bowman Sunday, January 6, 2019 First Worship Service of the New Year Epiphany Sunday Church on our Conference Prayer Cycle Northminster UC, Shining Waters Many thanks to the members of the congregation who joined the expanded choir this morning. It was wonderful having you join us! We are so happy to welcome Kathy Coltof, local string and piano teacher and member of the Ontario Philharmonic Orchestra to our service this morning. We also welcome Ron Coltof. Thank you both for your gift of music today! Prayer Requests during the Service // Our weekly worship service provides a time for submitting prayers of concern, thanksgiving and praise. You will find prayer forms in the pew pockets. Prayer & praise requests are collected along with the offering. Please place the completed prayer cards in the baskets as they are circulated and your weekly offering in the plates. The requests are read in the service during our prayer time together and then forwarded to our Prayer Team who will continue to pray for each concern.
Coffee and tea served after worship in the gym // Join us! Come to the gym to visit our organic coffee and tea table and satisfy your sweet tooth with a choice of 12 flavours of organic Fair Trade chocolate bars. Reasonably priced Christmas gift baskets are available in the gym today. Your purchases help to cover the cost of serving beverages each week. Thank you and enjoy! Please note // There will not be J.a.M. or Nursery during service, next Sunday, December 30 th, programming will resume Sunday, January 6, 2019. If you have questions or concerns regarding our J.a.M. program, contact: Cathy Shaw, Minister of Faith Formation (cshaw@westminster-uc.ca or 905-723-6442) Please note that Westminster will be closed from Tuesday, December 25 to Tuesday, January 1 with the exception of the worship service held on Sunday, December 30 at 10:30 a.m. The office will re-open on Wednesday, January 2, 2019. See you in the New Year! Christmas Hampers // THANK YOU for all of the contributions towards this year s Christmas Hampers! We helped to make Christmas happen for 75 families in our community or 274 individuals which includes 143 children. Also a huge THANKS to all the volunteers and drivers who helped out last Sunday! We couldn t have done this without YOU! Merry Christmas!! Pies! Pies! // UCW Catering has a few pumpkin pies available for sale at $10 each. An easy Christmas dessert plan, all you have to do is thaw and serve. Speak to Sue Neil after service Dec. 23rd. Thank you for supporting our enthusiastic pie making. Blessings for a wonderful holy Christmas. Westminster Advent Mitten Tree // The Outreach Committee invites everyone to take part in our annual ADVENT MITTEN TREE. Please hang your donations of mittens and gloves for both CHILDREN and ADULTS on the tree in the Narthex. All donations will be given out in January, to area schools and community groups that have expressed a need.
Men s and Women s Toiletries // We are collecting NEW toiletry items for local shelters. Please place your items in the bin found in front of the office in the narthex. A reminder that the toiletries must be unused and new. Thank you! Directory 2018 // If you have not yet picked up your free directory or you wish to purchase one for $10.00, please contact Bev at bcrumb@sympatico.ca New Name, Same Great Program! // Our Seniors Fellowship group is now called Faith and Fellowship. This monthly come as you can group brings adults of all ages together for a time of prayer, devotion, food and fellowship. Upcoming Dates and Times: January 9, February 13, March 13, April 10 and May 8 1:30pm 3:00pm Worship & Events at Westminster United Church Christmas Eve Play Family Services Bound for Bethlehem Monday, December 24 2:00, 4:00 & 6:30pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service Monday, December 24 10:00pm Sunday Worship Sunday, December 30 10:30am Pulpit Supply John & Helen Bowman
St. Vincent Pallotti's Kitchen // Great News! The construction has commenced on a new home for St. Vincent Pallotti s Kitchen. The new facility will be on one level so that everyone will have access to a low cost, nutritious meal every day of the year! Both patrons and volunteers will appreciate a bright new kitchen, no steep stairs to climb and on-site parking. Westminster has a team of 30 dedicated volunteers that serve meals and clean up on the first Wednesday of each month. We have been helping at the Kitchen since it opened 25 years ago! If you would like to help support the construction of this new space, there is an opportunity to do so with the Foundation Stones Fundraising Pledge Program. All donations will be greatly received and a Foundation Stone will be purchased. A permanent Foundation Stone plaque will be placed to show Westminster s commitment to serving others. Donations will be accepted until Sunday, March 3, 2019. Please add your donation to the Offering plate during Sunday Worship or drop it into the Church Office during the week (Mon.-Fri: 9:00am 3:00pm). Please make cheques payable to Westminster United Church, with St. Vincent s Kitchen noted on the memo line and/or on the envelope. For more information, contact Gail Wild. Grocery Cards // We all buy groceries, so why not support Westminster at the same time? Grocery gift cards are available for purchase at face value after service on Sunday or in the church office during the week. 5% of the proceeds go to Westminster U.C. Save the DATE // Our next Friday Flicks... Our next movie night for Adults will be on: Friday, January 18, 2019 @ 7:00pm Hope to see you there!
YOUTH CORNER Sharing our gifts with others - that s what we re called to do! May you know the spirit of sharing, caring and love this Christmas Season. Blessings from all of our Westminster Youth! Greeters and Candle Lighter Ushers Tech Booth Volunteer Custodian(s) Coffee & Tea Joanne Brown & Pat Weldon Team 2 - Carol O Neil & Mark Clarke, Clarence MacPherson, Don Fry Barb Auchterlonie, Dave Summers, Jim Fielder & Brock Fielder Team 2 - Dave Summers* (leader) Ava Tomlinson, Don Fry Team 1 - Emma Lovasz, Joyce Lowe, Liz Robinson Rev. Michelle Robinson, Minister of Word, Sacrament and Pastoral Care mrobinson@westminster-uc.ca Cathy Shaw, Minister of Faith Formation cshaw@westminster-uc.ca Margaret Motum, Minister of Music Beth Navarro, Office Administrator wuc@westminster-uc.ca Ronell Paguio, Custodian All words reproduced with permission under LicenSing license 605640-Copyright Cleared Music for Churches and OneLicense.net A-724362