Whew, got the bulletin done for tomorrow. Here's part of the cover and a bit from inside. Guess we'll have to have a service after all!

The Longest Night Service

  While a lot of people get caught up in the hustle and bustle and joy of the season, others struggle.  It is a difficult time of the year for some.  Some people are grieving, some have experienced family challenges and tragedies, with others deal with the loss of a job.

The Longest Night Service is a beautiful, contemplative experience in a quiet, dignified setting.

Please join us tonight as we worship together at 7:30 pm.

An Advent Meditation ...

  ... from Our Light and Our Salvation – Advent reflections from the works of Henri J. M. Nouwen. A timely meditation ...

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”  John 9:3

We spend a lot of energy wondering who can be blamed for our own or other people’s tragedies, and there is a strange satisfaction in being able to point our finger at someone, even ourselves.  It gives us some sort of explanation and offers us some form of clarity.
But Jesus doesn’t allow us to solve our own or other people’s problems through blame.  The challenge he poses is to discern in the midst of our darkness the light of God.  In Jesus’ vision everything, even the greatest tragedy, can be an occasion in which God’s works can be revealed.
How radically new my life would be if I were willing to move beyond blaming to proclaiming the works of God in our midst.  All of us have tragedies.  We seldom have control over them.  But do we choose to live them as occasions to blame, or as occasions to see God at work?

Prayer – Lord, instead of blaming others, may we spend that energy seeking God and being grateful for God’s many works of grace and nature.  Amen.

And now, folks, here are the results of the third round of voting! Thanks to everyone who participated. One more week of voting to come and the race can still change substantially!

These were our previous winners:

January 6: "How can we learn to forgive others, "as the Lord has forgiven us"?"
January 13: "What do I say to my Atheist friend? (Ammunition for a friendly debate)"

9 votes	Where is Eden? (Divine  Geography)
12 votes	Have you ever known God?? How do we find him? Where do we find him?
10 votes	"Sometimes I wish I could be like a preacher in the movies"
11 votes	I think you should preach about what led you to this ministry
26 votes	Prove Jesus exists without using the Bible as a Reference
36 votes	Why do good things happen to bad people?
16 votes	Modern Day Prophecy
18 votes	How does God hear all our prayers?
59 votes	"Don’t look back cause you’re not going that way"
40 votes	Preach about the significance and symbolism of the numbers 3, 7, 12, 40 and how they unify the Old and New Testaments
15 votes	Prayer
7 votes	The encounter of Jesus with the woman at the well (John 4) – how does it relate to other stories in the Bible that take place at wells?
15 votes	"Out of Egypt I have called my Son." What role does Egypt play in the birth of Christianity?
50 votes	Depression and Anxiety: How to bring hope peace and comfort to the people we love who suffer through times of darkness.

And the winning suggestion, chosen for January 20 with 59 votes is "Don’t look back cause you’re not going that way"

Here it is, folks, the amazing four part Christmas drama created by the St. Andrew's Stars at Crieff Hills Community. The following link will take you to a Youtube page with all four parts of the story!

Link to Four Part Video: "A Stranger Came to Bethlehem"

Sunday School Christmas Service!

 Thank you to all of our wonderful young people ...... a fantastic movie, "A Stranger Came to Bethlehem" ..... the Jr & Sr. Youth Choruses for their wonderful anthems ... Soulidified working so hard for our lunch and the clean up ..... everyone who brought food to share for lunch .... Cake Sunday .... and a special visitor.

Motion Picture Premiere

 .... the excitement is building ...... the premiere of the Major Motion Picture "A Stranger Came to Bethlehem is almost here ..... Sunday, December 16th, 10:00 am ..... with many of our talented actors and actresses re-enacting the story right in our sanctuary .... and then lunch (please bring a finger food type of lunch to share; peanut and tree nut free, of course) ..... Cake Sunday celebrating October, November & December birthdays ...... and finally a very special visitor for our young and young at heart!  Bring your friends and extended family.  The more the merrier!

Welcome ...

 On Sunday, December 9th our worship service was all about Baptism and Public Profession of Faith.  We were blessed with 3 adult doing their Public Profession of Faith (2 by Baptism) and 2 children being baptized.  Here is a picture Andrea & Scott.  Andrea joined our church by Baptism!  Congratulations and welcome to Andrea and Nancy & Trent and family!

And now, folks, here are the results of the second round of voting! Thanks to everyone who participated. Two more weeks of voting to come and the race can still change substantially!

Remember, folks, that the winner last week (and the sermon topic selected for January 6 was "How can we learn to forgive others, "as the Lord has forgiven us"?"

8 votes	Where is Eden? (Divine  Geography)
2 votes	Have you ever known God?? How do we find him? Where do we find him?
9 votes	“Sometimes I wish I could be like a preacher in the movies”
8 votes	I think you should preach about what led you to this ministry
18 votes	Prove Jesus exists without using the Bible as a Reference
28 votes	Why do good things happen to bad people?
11 votes	Modern Day Prophecy
11 votes	How does God hear all our prayers?
31 votes	"Don’t look back cause you’re not going that way"
22 votes	Preach about the significance and symbolism of the numbers 3, 7, 12, 40 and how they unify the Old and New Testaments?
11 votes	Prayer
4 vote	The encounter of Jesus with the woman at the well (John 4) – how does it relate to other stories in the Bible that take place at wells?
38 votes	What do I say to my Atheist friend? (Ammunition for a friendly debate)
12 votes	"Out of Egypt I have called my Son." What role does Egypt play in the birth of Christianity?
29 votes	Depression and Anxiety: How to bring hope peace and comfort to the people we love who suffer through times of darkness.

 

And the winning suggestion, chosen for January 13 with 38 votes is "What do I say to my Atheist friend? (Ammunition for a friendly debate)"

SHUTTERBUGS NEEDED!

 It's time for another photography assignment.  This one should be fun and easy.  Please share your favourite winter/Christmas photo with us.  Photos may be submitted throughout December and January.  The photos can be ones you've already taken or will take.  Please submit your jpeg file to Joni (jsmith@standrewshespeler.ca) as soon as possible.  Photos will be posted on the bulletin board at church, on our website, and on facebook, and whenever possible on the screen before worship services.

ATTENTION SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS

 We need your help on Sunday, December 16th!  Please meet Scott & I in the foyer between 9:30 - 9:45 am.  We are doing something special for the worship service.  We NEED everyone's help!  If you want to know what we're doing or what's happening please talk to me.  We just don't want to tell everyone (especially your parents!).  See you in the foyer!  Joni   jsmith@standrewshespeler.ca

Pagers for Sunday School!

 Our Christian Education Committee is pleased to say that we now have another set of pagers.  The first set of pagers is for use with our families who have babies in the Nursery.  The second set of pagers is for families in Sunday School.  Now parents with babies, toddlers and other Sunday School children may rest a little easier knowing that if you are needed you are only a "buzz" away!

First round of voting has been counted!

 And here, folks, are the results of the first round of voting! Thanks to everyone who participated. Three more weeks of voting to come and anything can happen!

1 vote	Where is Eden? (Divine  Geography)
0 votes	Have you ever known God?? How do we find him? Where do we find him?
8 votes	“Sometimes I wish I could be like a preacher in the movies”
5 votes	I think you should preach about what led you to this ministry
14 votes	Prove Jesus exists without using the Bible as a Reference
17 votes	Why do good things happen to bad people?
6 votes	Modern Day Prophecy
3 votes	How does God hear all our prayers?
18 votes	“Don’t look back cause you’re not going that way”
16 votes	Preach about the significance and symbolism of the numbers 3, 7, 12, 40 and how they unify the Old and New Testaments?
5 votes	Prayer
1 vote	The encounter of Jesus with the woman at the well (John 4) – how does it relate to other stories in the Bible that take place at wells?
21 votes	What do I say to my Atheist friend? (Ammunition for a friendly debate)
6 votes	“Out of Egypt I have called my Son.” What role does Egypt play in the birth of Christianity?
17 votes	Depression and Anxiety: How to bring hope peace and comfort to the people we love who suffer through times of darkness.

And the winning suggestion, chosen for January 6 with 22 votes is “How can we learn to forgive others, "as the Lord has forgiven us"?”

Soulidified!

 Fun at Soulidified (Youth Group) Sunday, December 2nd!  Secretly decorating the minister's study.

St. Andrew's Float

 A great float in the Hespeler Santa Claus Parade earlier today.  Thanks to EVERYONE who helped out.