Reference

The Fourth Sunday of Advent “A Mother, Once Dreaming”

December 20, 2020

Sunday, December 20, 2020

This Sunday is our last Sunday before Christmas. We light our final candle, the candle of Love. Today parents and their kid’s and youth will lead us in our Advent wreath candle lighting.

Our service this morning will include hearing Mary’s song (The Magnificat), along with a quartet by our section leads of an arrangement of “Away in A Manger.”

For those joining on Zoom, we will be greeting one another with the Peace of Christ, and also hearing Dr. Maya Angelou’s poem “Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem.”

Our Stories and Crafts program will be shared at 9:50am on Zoom – a little earlier because it is slightly longer than usual. It can also be watched any time on YouTube. We hear the story of the birth of Jesus, and features a finger puppet nativity set.

Don’t forget about our Carols by Candlelight service tonight at 7pm! Friday’s email includes information on how to give to Out of the Cold at Eastminster, as well as the Service Order.

Look for emails on Tuesday and Thursday for more about:

Christmas Eve for the Littlest Ones (available on YouTube all day)

Christmas Eve Service (7pm Zoom or YouTube)

Christmas Eve Communion (10pm on Zoom)

Christmas Day (10:30am on Zoom)

Dec 27 and Jan 3
We will be sharing short times of worship on Zoom and YouTube. We will not have a Stories and Crafts program on Dec 27.

Hiring Announcement!

December 18, 2020
Rebecca Whiting

We’re pleased to share that Rebecca Whiting has been hired in the interim role of Young Families and Youth Program Lead, starting December 14 to June 30, 2021.

Rebecca is currently in the candidacy process for the United Church of Canada in the Designated Lay Ministry stream. She brings a music therapy background, including time working with children and with L’Arche. She has spent 3 summers as staff with the GO Project, which is one of the largest Youth programs within the United Church, with a focus on involving youth with community engagement and service. She is currently volunteering with Affirm United, as part of the team that created and is leading The Kitchen Sink series, a 6-part series this fall to address a need for remote affirming programing in the United Church. Rebecca’s background in the United Church, with Affirm United, and working with children and youth make her a valuable addition to our team.

~ The Hiring Team (Cathy, Nancy, Allison, and Emily)

The COVID Commandments

November 1, 2020

What might the Ten Commandments be for these times? Here’s one suggestion… (from Rev. Emily Gordon’s reflection October 25, 2020)

Ten COVID Commandments – Sunday October 25, 2020

November 1, 2020

21st Sunday After Pentecost
The Ten COVID Commandments

What might be the Ten Commandments for these COVID times? This morning we’ll hear one possibility…

On YouTube we will end with our leads singing the quartet “If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments.” On Zoom, we will then end with with prayer and the hymn “Love Divine.”

Our Stories and Crafts program will start to reflect on the Ten Commandments as well, along with a craft you might “heart.” You can join Zoom at 9:45am to watch together at 9:55am, or at any time on YouTube.

Next Sunday
On November 1 we will mark All Saints’ Day with a service on “A Moment Between” when we spend a moment with Moses looking out over the Promised Land. We will have time to light candles for those no longer with us, as well as for other joys and sorrows, and we will end with a spooky postlude. Don’t forget we’ll “fall back” an hour next Sunday as well!