Verse of the Week:
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage, wait for the Lord. Psalm 27: 13-14
Worship leader: Rudy Franz
Song Leader: Char Klassen
Pianist: Ingrid Dyck
Welcome & Announcements
Prayer
Worship in Song
Lighting of the Second Advent Candle – Dorothy Hildebrandt
Offertory – Taylor Peters
Prayer Time
Deacon Nominations
Children’s Story – Viola Fehr
Worship in Song
Scripture Reading – 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 – 11
Message –“Waiting: A never popular concept” – Jake Friesen
Closing Song
Benediction
Prayer & Praise
~ We are grateful that Mark Miller has been able to return home from the hospital. However, his continued recovery will take time, so we trust he will be given the strength and perseverance which will be needed, one day at a time.
~Tomorrow, December 5 is the date when the Dr.’s will test Tenley Falk’s blood to see if her levels have improved sufficiently to be able to come out of isolation. Trying to keep up with schoolwork at home becomes an added responsibility. We also trust that you as a family will continue to receive the necessary strength and perseverance required for each day. Updates can be found at: http://www.tenleysjourney.wordpress.com
~ Monday, December 5 marks the date for our 24 hour prayer vigil for Eagles Wings Children’s Village in Uganda. Let us continue to uphold one another in our prayers.
~ Those in various care homes that we remember in our prayers include: Susan Janzen, Trudy Harms, Helen Fehr, Helen Janzen, and Jake Rempel.
~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, Andrea Fehr with YWAM in Hawai’i, Kendra Fehr studying with YWAM in San Diego, CA
Prayer for the Week:
Christ our Advent Hope, bare brown trees, etched dark across a winter sky, leaves fallen, rustling, ground hard and cold, remind us to prepare for Your coming; remind us to prepare for the time when the soles of Your feet will touch the ground, when You will become one of us to be one with us. Amen
Announcements:
~ Clubs is on Wednesdays start time is 7 pm!!
~ “Thank you to all of you who were faithfully praying for us in these last several weeks!! The prayers carried us through many days! So much appreciated! Mark and Lori and family”
~ Contributions to the mitten tree are welcomed and very much appreciated. Mittens, scarves, toques, gloves, socks and slippers are welcomed to fill a need in our local schools. Each week, the tree will be emptied and its contents distributed to a different school in our community. Thank you for your generosity and kindness.
There will be no Sunday school on December 25 or January 1.
~ Each year we have a sharing Sunday on the last Sunday of the year. However this year the last Sunday of the year is on Christmas Day. Thus Church Council has suggested that our sharing Sunday take place on January 1, 2017. As we have in the past, we would invite the congregation to gather downstairs for breakfast at 9 am followed by our worship service to be held downstairs as well. We invite your participation by bringing items to share such as a story, poem, scripture verses, song, instrumental piece, whatever it is that would be important to share with the rest of the congregation.
Youth
~ Go to http://blumenortchurch.com for updates regarding youth events. For the most recent updates, check out the groups on Facebook named “BMC Youth”, and “BMC Jr Youth” or contact Youth Pastor Gerry Giesbrecht @ 204-362-7262
Junior Youth (Mondays 7pm-9pm):
December 5 – games night
December 12 – Christmas Caroling
December 19 – Christmas Party
Senior Youth (Wednesdays 7pm-9:30pm):
December 7 – Christmas Caroling
December 14 – Bible study
December 21 – Christmas Party
Church
~ 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://blumenortchurch.com to see what’s new online.
~ SAVE THE DATE! February 3 – 5, 2017! When planning your winter getaways, mark your calendar for the most fun, fellowship filled, learning, and economical holiday by joining the BMC retreat at Camp Assiniboia. Speaker: John Rempel.
Community
~ Mennonite Collegiate Institute (Gretna) invites you to attend our Christmas Concerts being held December 15 & 16 @ 7:30 in Buhler Hall.
Starting November 28 Mennonite Collegiate Institute (Gretna) Social and Sports Committee are hosting a Toy Drive. Please consider dropping off a new unused toy, or bring one to the MCI Christmas Concerts December 15 & 16. All gifts will be donated to the Children’s Hospital. If you would like more information about what kinds of toys are most required, you can view the Children’s hospital wish list here: http://goodbear.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Child-Life-Wish-List-2016.pdf
~ Faith and Life Male Choir and Women’s Chorus Christmas Concerts: Saturday, December 17, 2016, 7:00pm at Bethel Mennonite Church (Winnipeg); Sunday, December 18, 2016, 3:00pm at Emmanuel Mennonite Church (Winkler). A freewill offering will be taken.
- Members of MCM congregations are invited to a special meeting on Thursday, January 12, 2017 (7:00-9:15 PM) at the Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship, 150 Bayridge Ave, Winnipeg. Updates on various MCM matters will be provided followed by conversation about how the decisions of the Being a Faithful Church could be implemented by and within MCM. This will not be a decision-making business meeting and attendees do not need to be delegated by their congregation to participate. More specific information for attendees to prepare for the BFC conversation will follow soon.
~ Southern Manitoba Choral Society presents: A Christmas Choral Celebration featuring the choir along with Guest Conductor: Karis Wiebe, Pianist: Loren Hiebert, Percussionist: Derek Klassen, and Flautist: Tamara Franz. There are 2 concerts: Saturday, December 10 @ 7:30 pm in the Winkler Emmanuel Mennonite Church and on Sunday, December 11 @ 2:30 pm in the Altona Bergthaler Mennonite Church. No advance tickets needed. A freewill offering will be taken.
The Rhineland Empty Stocking Fund
– The RESF is now accepting referrals for Christmas Hampers. These referrals can be called in to 204-324-7167. When calling in referrals please have the following information: name of referral, number of children in the family with age and gender of child, address and phone number. Deadline for referrals is December 9. Just a friendly reminder that the referrals must live in the R.M. of Rhineland;
– December 10, at 9:00 a.m., volunteers will be needed to help wrap Christmas gifts for these hampers. This wrapping will take place at the former Sawatzky Furniture building across from the Altona Mall;
– December 17, at 9:00 a.m., volunteers will once again be needed to deliver these Christmas hampers to the recipients. Again these deliveries will be co-ordinated out of the former Sawatzky Furniture building across from the Altona Mall;
– Many people have reached out with a helping had over the years with the RESF, and we sincerely “Thank You”. If you would like to be a part of this mission, donations can be hand delivered to Rexall Drugs in the Altona Mall, at the Access Credit Union – Gretna, Altona or Plum Coulee locations or simply by mailing the donation to Rhineland Empty Stocking Fund, Box 2255, Altona, MB R0G 0B0.
Church Calendar
December 11 – Speaker – Gerry Giesbrecht
December 18 – Sunday school Christmas Program
December 24 – Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7:30 pm
December 25 – Christmas day worship service at 10:30 am