What's Going on in the Neighbourhood
These last weeks have been busy ones around the neighbourhood, and we are delighted to be a part of that busyness, even with our church sanctuaries closed for Sunday worship. The pandemic continues to keep us home as much as possible, but still it is amazing what continues to carry on.
Our Christmas newsletter went out in printed form this week, and we have it here in digital form as well. Remember that we have a Christmas Eve podcast coming up, and there is lots to read about what is going on in our WOW region and beyond.
Please continue to keep yourselves safe and well, and home as much as possible. Look after your own household as best you can, and extend grace to everyone else’s. Or, in other words, love God and love your neighbour as yourself.
Every blessing as we head into the last week of Advent, and the beginning of Christmastide,
Candice
“O Love, that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be..”
Hampers, Toys, Shoes, and Shepherd’s Cupboard
Trinity United Church was delighted to be able to offer their sanctuary space to Bobbi Johnson, who was organizing the toys that went out to families who were gifted with hampers in the community. With the pandemic, Bobbi and her team of volunteers needed a large space in which to spread things out, as only two families could come in to choose the toys at a time. And while our sanctuary was put to good use upstairs, Alexandra Georgakopoulos and her team from Shelburne Chiropractic were busy collecting and organizing close to 2000 pairs of shoes downstairs. Similarly, they needed space to spread out the shoes so parents could select them safely. So grateful to be able to offer our space to help the neighbourhood initiatives.
Beth Brown and Gwynn McGhee
Primrose United Church was also busy in the neighbourhood, donating $1700 to our local food bank, Shepherd’s Cupboard. This was the proceeds from their wonderfully successful - and beautiful - Christmas Country Market. Grateful thanks to Gwynn McGhee, Faye Allen, and Phylis Robinson who organized the market. The food bank, as you may imagine, is being well used these days, and all donations are much appreciated.
Our Advent Jars
A special thank you to our care group leaders from both churches who put our advent mason jars together. I hope that you have been taking them out each day through the season. I have heard from so many of you about your little daily routines. Here is a little note I received from someone really enjoying their advent days.
Here's my little Advent Corner. (see in photo above) I love the concept of being able to observe Advent when we can't be in Church. I love to listen to you and Bruce sing in the podcasts. I even love the podcasts and I love that I can listen to them anytime I want and anywhere I want. I love this little corner and the little elf that found me under a tree waiting for you to come out so I could talk to you at the Christmas market. I love the person in the workshop who put the mason jars together. I love pulling out a new tag each day. I especially love the tag I pulled out on Thursday that said I should drink some hot peppermint cocoa. I love the fact that I had just bought some white chocolate peppermint cocoa. I also love that Gwynn gave me a peppermint candy cane at the market to stir my hot chocolate.
I have lost count but I think I have enough love things "noted" here to finish off my tag from Friday which said to send 10 notes of love out with abandon and now that is actually what I am going to do now.
WOW And Mission and Service
Here is our United Church of Canada Mission and Service Advent Christmas Appeal. Our Shelburne Primrose Pastoral Charge is committed to giving close to $7,000 to Mission and Service, so if you would like to contribute to this valuable work, you can designate that giving with any Christmas gifts you may have in mind.
Here is our Western Ontario Waterways Region Newsletter. Take a look at what is going on. Your can read Mary Hawthorne’s report in our Christmas newsletter. Both Mary and Shirley Farnell are our two WOW representatives. They attend the bi yearly conferences, and keep us up to date on what is going on in the region.
UpComing This Week
CHECK THE CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS ETC.
Sunday December 20 4:30 - 5:30 on Zoom, Sunday Afternoon Reflection on the Podcast
Also, note that Ann and Jamie will be at Trinity United Church on December 23rd from 4 - 6 pm for a little outdoor Christmas hello and to collect any December special offerings for Trinity. This will be the last opportunity to give to Trinity for the 2020 year. Note: If you are wishing to bless Trinity this year with a special gift, you may consider the work that is being done on the building. Trinity Environmental Fundraiser DETAILS HERE. If you wish to give Christmas donations to Primrose before the year ends, you can call Fran or Gail, and they can arrange to pick up envelopes from your home.
