1st Sunday of Advent
November 27, 2016
Verse of the Week:
Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the Owner of the house will come back, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If He comes suddenly, do not let Him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone, “Watch.” Mark 13: 35-37
Worship Leader: Marilyn Dyck
Song Leader: Charlotte Klassen
Pianist: Ingrid Dyck
Welcome & Announcements
Prayer
Worship in Song
Lighting of the First Advent Candle
Offertory – Gary Klippenstein
Prayer Time
Children’s Story – Kelly McDonald
Worship in Song
Scripture Reading – Matthew 24: 36-44; Romans 13: 11-14 – Caroline Ens
Message –“Watch, Be Prepared” – Pastor Rudy
Service of Communion
Closing Song
Benediction
Prayer & Praise
~ Welcome to this first Sunday of Advent, the time when we are reminded of the words of the angels to the shepherds, “…to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”. We are also reminded of the promise of Christ’s return and look forward with anticipation when as Paul says to the church at Thessalonica, “We shall meet Him in the air and we shall be with Him always.”
~Thank you to all those who have signed up to bring cookies to our Clubs members. There are still a few open dates available. Check the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. If you have any questions, call Ang Driedger at 327-6674 or email angiedee4@hotmail.com
~ Congratulations to Melissa Penner and Jonathan Wiebe, who were married, Saturday, November 26. We trust that you will experience much joy as you live our your commitment which you have made to God and one another.
~ Let us continue to remember Tenley Falk and her family in our prayers during this time of isolation. May the Christ of Advent also come and be visible in your home and your hearts as you prepare for this Christmas season. Updates can be found at: http://www.tenleysjourney.wordpress.com
~ We as a congregation have been blessed by the ministry of dedicated and caring deacons. It continues to be an important ministry in the life of our congregation, even though much of the work is done behind the scenes. We seek to uphold one another in prayer, encourage each other, comfort and challenge each other, so that the body of Christ may be built up. Currently we have 3 positions which we would like to fill. We would ask you to prayerfully consider this matter. May God prepare all of our hearts as we seek to discern His will. We would like to proceed with nominations, next Sunday, December 4, 2016.
~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 updates: http://kendrafehr.weebly.com/blog
Prayer for the Week:
We come, our God, seeking light, to reveal Your majesty, to clear our blindness, to illumine our understanding. Come into our hearts and lives as we worship so that we may serve in Your kingdom as bearers of light and guide others to the light. Amen
Announcements
~ Clubs is on Wednesdays start time is 7 pm!!
~ Monday, November 28, Education Committee meeting at 7 pm followed by a Church Council meeting at 8 pm
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
~ Go Purple – November is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Manitoba. Help bring abuse out of the shadows and into the light. Find ideas for how to go purple at http://mccmb.ca/abuse.
- Join Emerging Voices Initiative (EVI) and Mennonite Church Canada, on Sunday, November 27 @ Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg Tuesday, December 6 @ Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Winkler at 7:30, for an evening of conversation about the future of our national and area churches. Come with your questions, your concerns, and your dreams for the future. We are excited to listen, to respond, and to dream together! Everyone is invited to this event, no matter their age or knowledge of the changes facing Mennonite Church Canada.
~ 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.
~ Hurricane Matthew – MCC welcomes donations for its disaster response in Haiti, where people are suffering the effects of Hurricane Matthew. To donate, visit http://mccmb.ca/hurricane-matthew, call 1-888-622-6337 or send a cheque to MCC, 134 Plaza Dr, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5K9.
~ 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.
~ Advent Service at Salem Home on Thursday, December 1, 2016 at 6:45 pm in the Salem Home Chapel. Everyone is invited to join the residents and staff for this special service and stay for refreshments.
Church Calendar
December 4 – Speaker – Jake Friesen
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
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):
November 28 – Bible Study
December 5 – Sledding and Skating
Senior Youth (Wednesdays 7pm-9:30pm):
November 30 – Bible Study
December 7 – Christmas Caroling
December Anniversaries
None
December Birthdays
1 – Alyssa (Friesen) Fehr
7- Tyson Fehr
8- Betty Ens, Kenleigh Friesen
11- Sara Ens
12- Ang Fehr
13- Sara Froese, Maury Peters
14 – Josh Driedger, Lauren Fehr
15 – Helen Friesen
17 – Lindsay Ginter
18 – Kelly McDonald
20 – Mary Fehr
21 – Ray Friesen
23- Margaret Dyck, Rudy Franz
24 – Bernie Kehler
25 – Cliff Peters, Robyn (Fehr) Voth
27 – Natalie (Rempel) Neudorf
28 – Jaime Falk
29 – Helena Falk
31 – Matthew Penner