~ a publication of ~

Port Wallis United Church

ADVENT SCHEDULE OF SERVICES November 27th – Advent 1 - Hope 9:15 am Morning Praise – Communion 10:30 am Worship 3:00 pm Family Advent Event December 4th - Advent 2 – Peace 9:15 am Morning Praise 10:30 am White Gift Service 7:30 pm Choir Christmas Cantata December 11th – Advent 3 – Joy 9:15 am Morning Praise 10:30 am Worship 7:00 pm Celtic Christmas December 18th – Advent 4 – Love 9:15 am Morning Praise 10:30 am Worship – Communion 7:00 pm Dartmouth Community Band Concert – Christmas Carols December 21st—Blue Christmas 7:00 pm Quiet Worship December 24th - Christmas Eve Services 4:00 pm Children’s Service 7:30 pm Family Worship Service 11:00 pm Candlelight Service — Communion with Christ December 25th – Christmas Day 10:30 am Worship Service

Advent is a time of contradiction. As the days grow shorter, we talk about the coming of Light. As the days grow colder, we speak of the warmth of a stable. As fear mongers speak of hate, we speak of the Prince of Peace. As the stores prompt us to ‘buy, buy, buy’, God calls us to give ourselves in service to others. As a ‘powerful, mighty king’ appears on the horizon, the King of the Universe is born in humble surroundings. Before the secular year comes to its end, the Christian year begins. God has always contradicted the prevailing winds of the world. When God’s Children were in exile in Babylon, the darkness of despair surrounded them. They fell under the prevailing winds of their time. The presumption was that they would integrate into Babylonian society and the people of God would fade from existence. The Babylonians taunted them. “Sing us one of your songs of Zion!” They asked each other, “How can we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?” In their midst, stood a preacher by the name of Isaiah. He shouted to the people, “A young woman shall conceive and bear a son.” A liberator, a counselor, a leader, a Messiah will come among us – don’t give up! “And you shall call him “Emmanuel” meaning “God is with us.” No one would believe Isaiah at the time. But a leader did arise and he brought the people back to the promised land. This same text is read in Advent. It still speaks to a people who walk in darkness. It still reminds us that God is with us. Even in the midst of feeling that we are in exile from all that we knew, God is already dreaming up, imagining and planning our salvation. God never gives up.

As a Church Community, we must stand up as an alternative voice. Like Isaiah, we must proclaim that God holds us and, moreover, that God will see us through into a new life. What that new life will be, one never knows. This past year has re-shaped each of our lives. All of us have gone through unexpected events, are going through life changing situations or are anticipating what was previously unimagined. We remember the life that was, just as the people of God before us remembered their life before Exile in Babylon. They remembered and they wept. But God refused to leave them there. A Messiah arose and brought them from that land of slavery and death into a new land of promise and dream. The Messiah comes each Christmas to liberate us from exile and bring us back to the side of God who breathes hope, peace, joy and love. The Lights of Advent are often thought of as being candles in Churches but the true lights are each of you who read these words. Through you, God comes to the exiles of the world and seeks to bring them back to that mystical existence where life is filled with possibilities. Go to be the light of the world. Go to contradict the darkness with the brightness of your faith. Go to be God’s ambassador to the people who are far off. Go to be an incarnation of the Messiah. Go and proclaim “God is with us.” May you have a blessed Christmas. The Rev. Ivan Gregan, Minister at Port Wallis

Volume 38, Issue 4 Advent 2016

Mind and Soul ...

Nous parlons français.

Hablamos español.

Wir sprechen Deutsche.

Tha Gaidhlig againn…

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MAJOR SUPPERS 2016

Major Suppers, Nov 2016: Well we finished the year on a great note; our turkey supper was a sell-out. The turkey supper is our largest supper of the year and takes may hands to pull it off, thanks to all who participated in some way. This ends the suppers for the 2016 season.

For the past several years the major supper committee has coordinated the Dinner Theater meals as well as the Evans and Doherty, Lobster, Blueberry and Turkey suppers.

We are looking for coordinators for some of these meals to ease the workload from the committee members.

If you would like to try on one of these suppers please come and see Wally, Heather K or Marie B and we’ll be delighted in assisting you to get started and work beside you in your first dinner or two. You would not be alone as these dinners are a team made up of congregation members and the coordinator’s duties include the overseeing and purchasing of most of the supplies for the dinner. I know there are many in our church family that can do this task. Come and see us.

Suppers in 2017 are as follows:

Evans & Doherty – March 24th Lobster – May 13th Fishcake/Blueberry – Sept 16th Turkey – Nov 4th Thank you for all you do for our suppers at Port Wallis. Without your participation and support, we would not have been able to feed the 1000 folks we host at these events.

God Bless, Wally Chivers, Major Suppers Committee Chair

ADVENT EVENINGS AT PORT WALLIS

December 4th at 7:30 PM

Come and enjoy the choirs of Hope and Port Wallis United Churches, as we present a Christmas in Song. Good music and great singing.

December 11th at 7:00 PM

Celtic Christmas with Evans and Doherty and Connie MacAskill.

December 18th at 7:00 PM

Big band music with the Dartmouth City Band! A fantastic hour of Christmas favourites.

December 21 at 7:00 PM

Blue Christmas – come and de-burden your soul.

December 24th ~ Christmas Eve!!!

4:00 PM Children and children at heart!

7:30 PM Family Service

11:00 PM Communion w ith Christ

December 25th ~ Christmas Morning

10:30 AM – Join your family of faith.

CELTIC CHRISTMAS

Do you want a different way to celebrate Christmas? Come, invite your friends and join us on December 11th at 7:00 PM for a unique and thrilling experience of a powerful celebration.

Music will be led by Kevin Evans and Brian Doherty and singing will be led by Connie MacAskill. Guaranteed to lift your soul, your voice and your spirits.

CHRISTMAS MORNING AT 10:30!

Join us for a short service of Thanksgiving where we all become a family of faith and laugh with each

other as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Come and share the gift of Christ.

SMALL LUNCH COMMITTEE REQUEST

As many of you know the small lunch committee provides tea, coffee, juice and a small snack after church each morning. Our committee is looking for people to help with this ministry.

If you are able to drop off juice, napkins, or an item to share after Sunday services, it would be greatly appreciated.

We would appreciate having items without nuts or peanut butter.

We are able to freeze items for later use so if you would like to drop off things for the freezer that would also be a big help.

WHITE GIFT SERVICE—SUNDAY DECEMBER 4th

The White Gift Service, led by the Sunday School at Port Wallis is a time we offer gifts needed for our mission in the city and the world.

At one time, they were wrapped in white tissue paper hence the title of the service - White Gift! Great items for the White Gift Service are toiletries such as; toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, disposable razors and socks, hats or toques, mittens, bus tickets, canned goods (especially meats), tins of milk and other food items.

If you offer a gift of money, please put your envelope number on it so you will receive a tax credit. Your contributions will go either into the benevolent fund for dispersion throughout the year or be converted into Sobeys/Superstore gift cards.

Thanks for your support!

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TOT TIME PROGRAM

HRM Recreation Program Tot Time is offered at Port Wallis United Church in the Multi Purpose Room in the basement.

Preschool Program for children ages 3 to 5 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 – 11:30 am.

Winter Term – Begins Monday, January 9th.

For more information or to register, call 490-6666

If you are seeking inspiring new gift ideas or per-haps would rather not give family and friends the same old clothes/toys/chocolates.

Gifts with Vision presents a new way to celebrate special occasions. Give a gift that can help change people's lives!

The United Church of Canada developed this giving catalogue Gifts with Vision in response to member requests to be able to give gifts to relatives, friends, and loved ones that are in direct support of the church's Mission & Service partners across Canada and around the world.

Visit www.GiftswithVision.ca for more info

BLUE CHRISTMAS

It’s hard to be happy with those around you while your heart is broken.

It’s hard to be light and cheery when you carry unseen burdens and worries.

It’s hard to look forward to Christmas with a smile when you want to cry.

It’s hard to talk about family and friends when you are alone.

The Church recognizes this and makes a quiet space for you to come before God and be real. On the longest night (December 21st) representing the darkness of your world, the church hosts a “Blue Christmas.”

The Church Community makes a place for everyone to lay their burdens down, get their worries out and have a conversation with God.

~ Blue Christmas is a quiet space for you ~ December 21st at 7:00 PM

PORT WALLIS UNITED CHURCH 263 Waverley Road Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2X 2C8

Telephone: 902-435-3644 Email: port.wallis.uc@ns.sympatico.ca

Website: www.portwallisunitedchurch.ca

www.Facebook.com/portwallisunitedchurch

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F.O.O.D. (Feeding Others of Dartmouth)

This group faithfully meets the first Thursday of the month in the Kitchen to prepare food for Margaret’s House (an outreach depot in Downtown Dartmouth) and for our brothers and sisters in need.

Before Christmas we will also be gathering Rolls, Biscuits, and Butter as our contribution to a Christmas Dinner for these friends, too.

GROCERY GIFT CARD PROGRAM AT PORT WALLIS UNITED CHURCH

MAKE GROCERY SHOPPING EASIER!

Sobeys & Superstore Grocery Gift Cards are available for sale in the hall after Sunday

morning services, and at the Church office during regular church office hours.

“The Perfect Gift for those Hard to Buy for on your shopping list” and the Church benefits too!

CHURCH ENVELOPES/DONATIONS

Notes from the Envelope Secretary:

1. If you have a new address this year, please contact the Church Office (435-3644) to update our records.

2. All cash donations must be received at the Church by December 31, 2016 to be included in your 2016 Income Tax Receipt.

3. All non-liquid donations must be received at the Church office by January 5, 2017, to be included in your 2016 Tax Receipt.

4. Advent Coin Cards are available at the back of the Sanctuary.

WHAT ARE “NON-LIQUID” DONATIONS?

Non-Liquid Donations' are non-cash donations that are purchased for the Church and donated to use in it's various activities.

For example: Throughout the year many of us buy groceries for the various dinners that are put on at our church. Those purchases entitle us to receive receipts at the end of each taxation year from the church - in the same way as we do for our weekly offerings.

In order for this to happen, you need to submit to the church your receipts for such purchases.

All receipts submitted should be "intact” so that the tax auditor will know it is a valid donation. It should show from which store, on what date, what it is for, how much and whether it is taxable. Bits and ripped off pieces of receipts are not acceptable.

People should write their envelope # (if they have one) and the Event / Description on the receipt e.g.: #138 Turkey Supper.

You can submit the receipts in an envelope marked "Non-Liquid donation”, drop it in the offering tray along with your regular donation / PAR slip or bring it to the church office.

If someone does not have an envelope #: please put your name, address in full and phone number on the envelope and write: “Non-Liquid Donation.”

Finally - the receipts should be brought to the church as soon as possible after the event - please do not wait until the end of the year.

Every donation makes a difference!

~ The Finance Committee

LET’S TALK ABOUT FUNERALS

Four evenings of discussion around funerals.

What to do before we die. Write a Will? What to do after a person dies. Cremation? Wake? Ashes? Visitation? Burial plot?

The funeral industry…. What is the cost of a funeral? Theology of a Funeral Worship Service? What is the purpose of a funeral? Hymns? It’s not over until it’s over.

While these might sound rather morbid, where else can we discuss these questions in a Christian family setting?

Come let us learn together.

Jan. 11th, 18th, 25th, and Feb. 1st

7:00—8:00 pm

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We thank the following businesses, and all who have helped during the year

to cover the cost of printing our newsletter.