Verse of the Week:
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Worship leader – Marilyn Dyck
Children’s song leader – Kathy Franz
Congregational song leader – Harley Dyck
Accompanist – Joshua Dyck
Welcome and announcements
Prayer
Fourth Sunday of Advent Reading – Jr High SS class
Congregational singing
Offertory and prayer
Congregational singing
The SS children present “For God So Loved the World”, written and directed by Luke Klassen
This sequel to last year’s Christmas in Heaven’s Airport is set in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Archangels Gabriel and Raphael set out to discover the purpose of Jesus’s trip to Earth.
Closing prayer – Pastor Rudy
Congregational song of response
Prayer & Praise
~ The Sunday school children and staff wish to express our gratitude to Luke Klassen for writing our Christmas play, and for making it so much fun to practice and perform. Thank you, Luke, for using your gifting and giving so much of your time and energy. You are truly appreciated! Donations to our mitten tree are gratefully welcomed, and will be distributed to various local schools. Thank you, in advance, for your generosity.
~ Thank you to the Music Committee for your planning of this year’s Candlelight service which will be held tonight beginning at 7:30pm. Thank you to others who provided help with costumes, decorating, sound and visuals. It is a wonderful opportunity to honor the God of Christmas, the Child in the Manger, Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
~Tyler Loewen is finalizing arrangements for a 3 year term with MCC in Cambodia, where he will serve as Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Co-ordinator. He is planning to leave on January 9, 2018. We want to wish you God’s blessings as you prepare for this commitment and immerse yourself in the many facets of this community based development program.
~ Take note of the recent newsletter sent to the church from Ryan Thiessen. It is on the bulletin board for your reading. He is grateful for the conference held on November 25 which brought together close to 50 church leaders. Also, the first day of a new school year begins with classes on January 15, 2018. A good number of students are already enrolled. Ryan and other leaders value our continued prayers on their behalf.
~ Take note also of the Christmas newsletter sent to our Church from Jim & Ann Peckham at Eagles Wings Children’s Village in Uganda. A copy is on the bulletin board. They write about the joys and challenges of providing food and housing in their own home for some very challenging situations when children struggle with malnourishment and life threatening diseases. They also value our prayers on their behalf, just as we are blest when they remember us in prayer.
~ We trust that all those students and teachers involved in the education system will enjoy a break from their studies, will be able to find time to reconnect with family and friends, and will also be able to be renewed in Spirit through the profound story of Emmanuel, God-with-us, which we commemorate during this season.
~ We trust that the message of the season, of God’s love come to earth, in the tangible form of a baby, in a manger, will in some way be able to find its way into the hearts and minds of Tenley Falk, Nettie Ginter and Tim Wiebe and their families. We also uphold Austin Penner, who continues his stay at the Agassiz Youth Centre in Portage la Prairie. Updates for Tenley can be found at: www.tenleysjourney.com
~ Those in various care homes that we remember in our prayers include: Trudy Harms, Helen Janzen, and Jake Rempel, Mary Klassen in the Rock Lake Personal Care Home in Pilot Mound, and Peter E Hildebrandt, who moved into room 103 in the Apartments at the Gardens on Tenth (Formerly known as the Ebenezer apartments).
~ 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, Jon & Natalie Neudorf in Chiang Mai, Thailand working with YWAM, and Andrea Fehr, working with YWAM in Hawai’I, and Tyler Loewen in Cambodia with MCC.
Prayer for the Week:
God who became as we are, may we become as You are. Amen.
Announcements:
~ Audio services and bulletins are now available at our CHURCH website. We are working at streamlining this, and keeping it current. Please be patient with us as we continue to update our web presence. Go to: http:.//www.blumenortchurch.com to see what’s new online.
~ Sunday, December 31 is the date of the last Sunday of the year as well as the time for our sharing Sunday. We invite anyone who has something to share, scripture, song, a story, instrumental, to feel free to do so.
~ Monday, January 1, 2018 we invite the congregation to gather for breakfast in the church basement at 9 am. This will be followed by an informal worship service. The food committee invites anyone who wants to help out in the kitchen to make yourself available.
~ Clubs will resume on January 10, 2018. Call Ang Driedger 204-327-6674, if you need more information.
Financial update:
Income to December 21, 2017 $ 311,834.11
Expenses to December 21, 2017 $ 339,073.74
Expected expenses to December 31 $ 12,700.00
Needed before year end: $ 40,000.00
Thank you for all your generous gifts throughout the year.
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
Youth Calendar:
Youth resumes on January 10, 2018
Community
~ Canadian Blood Services – Community Blood Donor Clinic will be held at Altona – Rhineland Pioneer Center, Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
~ TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES, ALTONA, is currently seeking a volunteer manager. Send applications to Altona@Villages.ca
~ SALT – If you’re interested in a yearlong cross-cultural internship or work experience in a faith-based context, consider applying for SALT 2017-18! We’re looking for communicators, educators, French or Spanish speakers, development grads, peacebuilders, nurses, IT experts, social workers, and more. Young adults ages 18-30, apply today at mccmb.ca/salt.
~ The Mennonite Disaster Service All-Unit Meeting is being hosted by Region 5 (Canada) from February 9-10, 2018 in Winkler, MB. This event is open to all who are interested in the work of MDS. For more information or to register for the event see our website mds.mennonite.net/all-unit-meeting or call our Winnipeg office at 1-866-261-1274.
~ Merry Christmas from MCC!
Thank you for the many ways you have supported and partnered with MCC this year. Your volunteered time, donations, and prayers are greatly appreciated. We pray you have a joyous Christmas!
Church Calendar
December 24 – Candlelight service at 7:30 pm
December 25 – Christmas Day worship service at 10:30 am
December 31 – Sharing Sunday, no Sunday school
January 1, 2018 – breakfast at 9 am with a short meditation to follow
January 7 – Speaker – Rudy Franz, we will also be having a service of Communion
January 14 – Speaker – Walter & Marilyn Dyck, reflections on their recent trip to Israel, Ethiopia and Uganda.