November 26th, 2022

While setting up my Christmas tree last night, I thought about how richly blessed we are to have a wonderful church family. We get to enjoy worship, fellowship, mission, our calling, purpose and every good gift in the Lord Jesus together. Others around us are not feeling as blessed this Christmas. Many feel lonely, rejected, sad and some are afraid. How does that make you feel? It fills me with compassion, and so I want to reach out to them. That is “WHY” we are hosting a “Christmas Carols and Community Lunch” on December 13th.

At this event we will enjoy a relaxed “Carols” sing-along around the piano beginning 11:30am, followed by loving fellowship over food (all food donations welcome!), and then a concert by the Peninsula Grammar teachers after they serve us lunch (with the food provided by God’s gracious hands – think loaves and fishes :).
This event is specifically planned for outreach to connect with the local community of Mount Eliza with the love of Jesus. Therefore, I encourage you to invite any unchurched or lonely persons you know to enjoy fellowship and fun with us.
We have invited people from Neighbourhood House and other local community connections. It’s our prayer that each of us may learn to love those who come (and all others) like God loves them. It is my hope that God will use us to draw others closer to Himself through this event. If you’d like to be more fully involved, please speak with me about it.

Now turning to our own Church Community; we have a wonderful month of celebrating the birth of our Saviour together. We have MEAC Munchies on the 14th for food and fellowship, and a month of celebratory Sundays, beginning December 4th.

This coming Sunday (Nov 27) is actually Advent 1, but since it’s also our APM day, I’m not ready to launch into full on Christmas Carols yet. We will make up for it in the coming month.

December 4th-  9:30am Lectionary readings, a reflection on a Christmas Carol, & Holy Communion.
December 11th – 9:30am; contemporary “lessons and carols service”
December 18th – 9:30am lectionary readings, a Carol reflection & Holy Communion.
December 24th – 7pm family service
-       11pm Holy Communion
December 25th – 9:30am; Lectionary readings, a Carol reflection & Holy Communion.

This coming Sunday as we prepare our hearts and minds for the coming Christmas season, we will reflect on Jesus' words in Matthew 22:15-22 “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s”, and consider especially “What is God’s?” It’s a timely reflection as we start to think about “gifts” and giving at Christmas time. I encourage us all to think more about what we give to God… not just what we offer our family and local community at Christmas time.

I look forward to worshipping together with you on Sunday,
Rev. Tanya