Goodness - is it already so close to Christmas Day!!!  I do hope I will see many familiar faces at our Christmas Eve Zoom service (December 24th, 7 p.m.)  Just think, this year you will not need to rush dinner, put on coats and boots, and find a place to park.  You and those who live with you can gather at the computer and join the service!  Feel free to share the link with friends and family.

Just think of the generations of Christians who have celebrated the birth of God's son since the first Christmas Day - through wars and communist eras and strife, sometimes with many others; sometimes all alone.  

As we are all God's children, then does that mean we are brothers and sisters of Christ or many times removed cousins!  I like to think of us as one big family, a family like many others with good times and bad ones, agreements and disagreements, and sharing and caring, whether close together or far apart.  I'm reminded of that on Sunday's when Marjorie Moir joins our Zoom services from her home in Florida.  We are family with the same father.

How life has changed for us since last Christmas!  Who would have thought then that we would be able to attend church at home.   I know that people will miss sharing the turkey and trimmings, pies and other baking with family and friends the way they used to. Those with grandchildren not living in the same home or living in non-red zones are no doubt grieving not being able to get together to see them open their gifts.  However, with the magic of the internet and services like Zoom and Facetime and other software, you can share the day with family near and far around the globe and show each other your trees and gifts.  

This has been a year of learning to do old things new ways.  What will 2021 bring?  Will you want to continue to go to church from the comfort of your home or will you want to gather together in person with your church family?

As we listen to the familiar Christmas (and maybe some new ones) carols and hymns, may the Christmas (as in the birth of Christ) spirit seep into our hearts and souls.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2021 from me and on behalf of your Church Council,

​Ellen

Those 35 who were at the Zoom church service on November 22nd will realize that I have not lost my marbles!  Sunday, November 22nd, was Reign of Christ Sunday, the last Sunday in the church year.  This coming Sunday will be the first Sunday in the church new year, the Sunday we know as Advent Sunday.  Even though I started going to church as a baby in Mom's arms, I still learn new things, or at least am reminded of things I have forgotten or just not thought about.

While we are not in the building, lots of things are going on behind the scene - Sunday School activities (if your children are not involved, please contact Trudy, Mia or Vivian) are happening; there will be decorations at the front of the church; Anne, Trudy and Neil are working on changes for the sign on the front lawn; Council continues meeting; we still support the Food Bank (there is more about this later in the Weekly Message).

With all the things going on, we are also looking to the future and ways in which we can be more effective in terms of technology.  There are grants for many things and hopefully there are those in the congregation who will volunteer to help us apply for some of them by sharing expertise in writing grant information, brainstorming ideas, or checking out information.

Though we cannot be together to share hugs and sing together and share sweets at Coffee Fellowship, in years to come, 2020 and Covid-19 will be but a memory.  How many survived the power outages during the Ice Storm with lasting damages to their spirits?  I expect that in years to come, it will be the same for Covid-19.  

So, have a Happy New Year!

Ellen

Everyone likes good news.  When it comes a long time before the event, it can seem like forever before the event arrives.  I think it will be like that for the vaccine for Covid-19.  So far we've made it through last winter, spring, and summer.  With winter pretty much here, there is yet another season to get through.  Who knows how long before you and I and our friends have been vaccinated?  Will we ever return to what we thought of as "normal"?

Do you remember as a child waiting for Christmas?  Mom would let us go through the Sears and Eaton catalogues (hmmm, I guess they no longer exist - a sign of my age, I guess!) to choose a "family" gift for we three kids, my older brother and younger sister and I.  One year, we chose a record player.  Most of our other gifts seemed to be pjs and winter clothes and a toy.  We were happy with what we received.  It seemed that our friends had about the same in terms of gifts.  That was the old "normal" - Christmas being more about family, church life, and friends than about how many gifts we received.  Hmmm, perhaps a new normal where the volume and cost of gifts was less important and new ways of connecting with family, church and friends was more important would be an improvement.

On Sunday, there were 33 of us at the Zoom service.  It's nice going to church via Zoom.  Instead of seeing the backs of the heads of the people in the pews in front of us and not even that of the ones behind us, we can see each other's faces.  The Coffee Fellowship afterwards gives us lots of time to chat and share - this past Sunday, it seemed that stuffed animals were the theme as several people brought out theirs to show off.  Real ones join, too, usually cats and dogs. Why not join us this coming Sunday and bring a stuffed animal or pet!

In the meantime, I invite you to read the rest of this Weekly Message. Stephanie Wakelin pulls together the information sent to her and does a great job at keeping us informed about not only  our church, but so much more. 

Do you have any questions or ideas to share, please let Stephanie or I know.

​God bless,
Ellen