In our December series we celebrate Advent: the period of waiting and expectation of the birth of Jesus at Christmas. We will spend this time focusing on the personal, unconditional, passionate love of God for humans. Each Sunday we will celebrate the joy of the miracle of love incarnate at Christmas and consider what might hold us back from experiencing this love in all its liberating wonder. Specifically we will look at how God’s powerful love can overcome all our failure, suffering and shame.

DECEMBER SERVICES

Sunday, December 6th: Love is Stronger than Failure

Sunday, December 13th: Love is Stronger than Suffering

Sunday, December 20th: Love is Stronger than Shame

Thursday, December 24th: Christmas Eve Services, 4:30 and 6:30 pm

Sunday, December 27th: New Year's Message

Throughout Advent we will be using Advent Reflections -- readings, discussions and activities suitable for families and friends to do at home together.  We will also be referring back to the Gift of Enough series in November where we looked at alternatives to the rampant consumerism that so often entangles us during this time of year. We’ll focus on putting people first (rather than “stuff”) in our gift giving, celebrating and holiday activities as a means of heightening our awareness and experience of the mystery and magic of the incarnation of Christ that we celebrate at Christmas.

On Christmas Eve we will have two special services at 4:30PM and 6:30PM. Each service will last one hour and will be suitable for all ages, so bring along family and friends as we celebrate the birth of Christ together. At the end of each service there will be Christmas boxes (go to the Epost and check item #6 for more information) to deliver to people who have to work on Christmas Eve. These boxes will be prepared by our children on Sunday, December 20th, and are a simple way for us to share God’s love with others. Think of hospitals, fire stations, police stations, restaurants and stores that you pass on the way home and bring a little of God’s light into someone’s Christmas.