Verse of the Week:
Rejoice in Your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12: 12
Worship leader: Gerry Giesbrecht
Song Leader & Pianist: Riley Dyck & Band
Welcome and announcements
Call to worship
Prayer
Worship in song
Lighting of the Third Advent Candle
Offertory –
Prayer Time
Children’s Story – Caroline Ens
Worship in song
Scripture reading – Philippians 4: 4 – 9
Message –“Take Courage in the Blessing” –Cheryl Pauls
Closing song
Benediction
Prayer & Praise
~ The results of last Sunday’s vote of affirmation, was that there was overwhelming support for Jake & Agatha Falk to serve as deacons for a three year term. Thank you for your participation in the vote of affirmation and thank you to Jake & Agatha for your willingness to serve.
~ A special welcome to Cheryl Pauls, President of Canadian Mennonite University for your willingness to come and participate with us in our worship service. We want to wish you God’s blessings in your continued ministry of post-secondary education in all its various forms.
~ Clubs for Boys and Girls from Grades 3 – 6 is on Wednesdays from 7 – 8:30pm. All are welcome. We will resume January 9, 2019. Thanks to everyone who has signed up for baking cookies for clubs, there are still a few open slots. Thank you to all who have provided leadership for this program. It is greatly appreciated! If there are any questions, feel free to contact Rachelle Loewen 362-8323.
~ Continue in prayer for Tenley Falk and family, and Nettie Ginter and family, Tim Wiebe and family as they continue to deal with the challenges of after effects of treatments.
~ Dave Rempel as he continues to recover from knee surgery.
~ Bernie Kehler as he continues to recover from heart surgery.
~ Kelly Fehr as she continues to build up strength and energy.
– Austin Penner, as he rejoins the PASS program in Winnipeg in December
~ The keeping of traditions is important, and all the more so when such traditions bring blessings to those less fortunate. The dressing of the mitten tree provides warm mittens/toques/scarves/socks/slippers for local children in need. Thank you, in advance, for your generosity.
~ Those in various care homes that we remember in our prayers include: Helen Janzen at Bethania Mennonite Personal care home and Jake Rempel at Donwood Personal Care Home.
~We continue to offer our prayer support for Laure and her family, as well as for the Paroisse Missionaire Congregation in Kinshasa, DR Congo; Ryan Thiessen in San Carlos, Mexico, Murray and Carol Honsberger in Papua New Guinea, Eagles Wings Children’s Village in Uganda, Andrea Fehr in Hawai’i and Tyler Loewen in Cambodia with MCC
Prayer for the Week:
God of all hope and joy, open our hearts in welcome, that Your Son Jesus Christ at His coming may find in us a dwelling prepared for Himself; Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.
Announcements:
~ Audio services and bulletins are now available at our Church website. The address is http://blumenortchurch.com
~ Please get your announcements in early. Call and leave a message, or email blumenortmc@gmail.com. For any rentals of the church basement or the youth centre, please call Dorothy Hildebrandt at 204-324-4426. Remember to clean up after your event!! Thank you.
~ It is good to ive to our God the praise that is his. Are you interested in sharing your musical gifts? We are looking for people willing to play offertory & prelude, special music, etc.
There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board in the foyer. You can also contact the music committee members – Angela Fehr, Ravae Wiebe, Harley Dyck, and Corinne Peters with any questions.
~ We will be having a 24 Hour Worship and Prayer day, January 5, 2019 beginning at 8:15 am, with group prayer and ending January 6 at 8:30am with group prayer.
See Gerry Giesbrecht to sign up for prayer or leading worship through music. You are welcome to come anytime to pray throughout the day, evening or night.
~ Church Retreat is happening on February 8 – 10, 2019, at Camp Assiniboia. More details to follow. Save the dates. Sign-up sheet coming soon!!
~ Church Council and the Ministerial have suggested that we gather together for Breakfast on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2019 at 9 am, in the basement of the church. This would be followed be an informal time of worship. We invite all those who are interested and able to join us for breakfast on that morning and begin the New Year, with a time of Fellowship, prayer and worship.
~ In preparation for the Sunday School Christmas Program, taking place next Sunday morning, December 23, there will be a rehearsal on Saturday, December 22 beginning at 9:30 am. We invite all those who are involved to attend this rehearsal so we can be prepared for the Sunday morning presentation.
From the Finance Committee
Budget for 2018 (passed at the March, 2018 annual Meeting): $ 375,000.00
Income to December 14, 2018: $ 301,057.05
Expenses to December 7, 2018: $ 318,261.32
Needed to meet the projected Budget: $ 73,943.00
Thanks for your gifts and continued giving.
Youth
~ BMC Youth is for youth in grades 7-12, and happens Wednesdays from 7:00pm-9:15pm
~ For updates follow us on Social Media:
instagram: @bmcyouthmin
facebook: facebook.com/groups/BMCYouth (Group)
facebook.com/bmcyouthmin (Page)
twitter: @bmcyouthmin
or contact Gerry Giesbrecht @ 204-362-7262
Youth Calendar:
Youth Calendar:
December 19 – Christmas Party – dress up
Community
~ Ten Thousand Villages Altona is currently looking for volunteers to work in the store, operating the cash register and assisting customers, and one or two volunteers to open and close the store on a rotating basis. If you are interested in volunteering in our store and would like more information or to apply, please contact Sara Wall at the store on Monday or Thursday afternoons, or by email at altona@villages.ca.
~ Canadian Blood Services – will hold a Community Blood Donor Clinic at Altona Rhineland Pioneer Centre
Wednesday, December 19th, 2018 2:00 – 7:00 pm
~ “Altona Palliative Care annual Longest Night Service, December 21 @ 7:00 @ Altona United Church.
All who are grieving the loss of a loved one or any other losses are welcome.”
~ MCI invites all to attend the Christmas Program on Thursday, December 20 at 7:30 m. at Buhler Hall. There are also many other school Christmas concerts and events to attend and we trust that these will all contribute to our preparation for the birth of the Christ Child.
~ Faith & Life Male Choir and Women’s Chorus Christmas Concert, December 16, 2018 at 3 pm at the Altona Bergthaler Mennonite Church. A freewill offering to support the choir ministry will be taken. All are invited.
~ The Winkler Community Male Choir will be presenting their Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 22 at 7pm at the Winkler EMMC. All are invited to attend.
~ Mennonite Collegiate Institute, Gretna MB, invites applications for the position of Principal commencing August, 2019. For more information or to submit a resume, please email searchteam@mciblues.net. More information can be found at www.mciblues.net.
SALT positions are open! What are your plans for 2019? How about spending a year immersed in another culture, serving the local community, and getting real-world work experience? SALT is an 11-month program open to young adults aged 18-30. For more information and to apply visit mccmb.ca/salt.
Church Calendar
December 22 – Rehearsal for Sunday school Program at 9:30 am
December 23 – Sunday school Christmas Program at 10:30am
December 24 – Candlelight Service at 7:30 pm
December 25 – Christmas Day Worship Service at 10:30 am
December 30 – Sharing Sunday, No Sunday School this morning
January 1, 2019 – Breakfast at 9 am, followed by an informal worship service
January 6 – Speaker – Jake Friesen. We will also be sharing a communion service on this Sunday of Epiphany.