Port Nelson United Church 3132 South Drive, Burlington ON L7N 1H7 Phone: 905 637-5631 Website: www.portnelsonunitedchurch.com WiFi Guest Internet password: Guest1234 Port Nelson Notebook www.portnelsonunitedchurch.com Week of November 16, 2014 OUR MISSION To reach out to one another and our world as we grow spiritually in a caring, inclusive, Christian community enriched by meaningful worship OUR VISION “Anchored in God~ Sheltered by Christ ~Sailing with the Spirit” OUR VALUES A Sense of Community ~ Being Inclusive ~ Caring ~ OUR VISION Growing Spiritually ~ Meaningful Worship “Anchored in God~ Sheltered by Christ ~Sailing with the Spirit” ~ Reaching Out Assisting with Worship today: Ushers: Ken & Susan Posgate; Gord & Pat Gilmore Greeters: Bill & Joyce Wallace; Don McMillan & Sylvia Johnstone Coffee: John & Cathy Greven; Elizabeth Campbell; Lorraine MacMaster Flowers: Diane Whiskin; Zilla Myers Sound System Bill Leithead Assisting with Worship today: Birthday Celebration Greeters:today’s Don & Mimi Following service, the Gillies family of Eric Sigvaldason Hal you & Lynda Rossera piece of birthday would like to invite to enjoy Coffee: Henk & Beth Kuiper cake in the O’Brien room to celebrate Eric’s 90th Barry & Carol Acheson birthday. Flowers: Joan & Jim Thomblison Sound SystemPreacher Ross Hicks This Morning’s Saturday, November 22nd at 7pm SANTA’S ELVES Are you enjoying the beautiful Christmas decorations throughout the church? Did you notice the stage in the upper auditorium? Thank you to the ladies of Elaine’s Vision! The elves’ names are Carol Acheson, Joan Cassidy, Donna Duncombe, Leslie Harrison, Sharon Ife, Phyl Jenson, Nancy Leithead, Susan O'Neill, Bev Osborne, Carolyn Petrie, Shirley Sloan, Dorothy Stansfield, Marilyn Webb, and Susanne Zinkie. A task well done! Specials this month are Petro Canada 2.5%; WaySpa 13%; Sears 5% –All proceeds go directly to our food voucher program. We welcome The Very Rev. the Hon. Lois M. Wilson C.C. as our guest preacher. Introducing her is Joan Crittenden. Lois will be available following worship to sign copies of her books. Food Bank Reminder The need is still great in Burlington. Collections for Partnership West Food Bank, continues on the third Sunday of each month. As before, the need is greatest for canned meats and fish, canned fruit and vegetables, and toiletries such as soaps, toothpaste and shampoos and diapers size 5/6. Cash donations are used for purchase of fresh foods and are receipted for tax purposes. DURING TODAY’S WORSHIP     LARGE PRINT bulletins and music books, and assistive hearing devices for improved sound are available at the back Offering envelopes are available in the seats; if you would like your own set of envelopes, or if you would like to begin pre-authorized remittance (PAR), contact the church office A Supervised Nursery for Infants and Toddlers is available; speak to an usher for assistance Other children and youth are invited to proceed to programs during the Peace Greeting IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME – WELCOME!   We invite you to record your name in our Guest Book on your way out so that we may welcome you this coming week We invite you to stay after worship for coffee, tea, Juice, cookies and conversation This Week at a Glance Monday, November 17  Campaign Meeting – Chapel at 3pm  Travel Crafts – O’Brien Room at 1:30pm  Teleministry – Accounting Office at 7pm  Library Meeting – Library at 7:30pm Tuesday, November 18  Teleministry – Accounting Office at 9:30am  Unit A3 Women’s Group – O’Brien Rm at 11am  Staff Meeting - Chapel at 1:30pm  Reflection Group – Library at 1:30pm  Reaching Out Meeting – Library at 7pm  Reiki Circle – Nursery at 7pm Thursday, November 20  Prayer Group – O’Brien Room at 9am  Food Vouchers Lower Gathering Place at 10am  Youth Movie & Pizza Night – Classroom 5 at 6:30pm  Chancel Choir – Choir Rm/Sanctuary at 7:30pm Friday, November21  PA Day Camp – Upper Aud. at 8:30am Saturday November 22  Hot Five Jazz Concert – Sanctuary at 7pm Carpenter Hospice – Coming NOVEMBER 23, just in time for Christmas and the entertainment season! For just $22.50, you may purchase a wonderful gift. There is hand blended, hand packed tea and beautiful soap! Packed by volunteers, $10 almost covers the cost of the materials, $2.50 is HST and $10 goes directly to Carpenter Hospice. Look for Nancy Scott in the Upper Gathering Area November 23! Help this wonderful cause! Sound Board Operators Wanted We are in need of a couple of people who would be willing to operate the sound board during Sunday services (average once per month) and other occasional events. Full training will be provided. For further information or to volunteer please contact Ross Hicks at 905-639-6406 or e-mail at [email protected]. Hungry, Hungry Students They fly from our nests to attend university or college. Freedom! Adulthood! Study! Though they may not tell us, they miss us. Let them know we continue to care for them by donating money to purchase a $25.00 gift card to Subway or to Starbucks. We will send the cards to them just in time for exams. Please make your cheques out to “Port Nelson United Church” and label it “Student Gift Cards.” Thank you. They’ll love you for it! Port Nelson Church Staff Michael Brooks, Minister Gord Dunbar, Associate Minister Stillman Matheson, Director of Music Sharon Holmes, Developer of Children’s Ministry Jay Poitras, Developer of Youth Ministry Rebecca Murphy, Church Administrator Rick Tucker, Church Custodian Theresa Woolley, Bookkeeper Christian Boin, Security Lock-up Supplies Needed For PA Day Camp We are looking for 8 hammers; light weight fabric for crafts (colour, size and pattern not important). If you are able to help please bring in your labeled hammers and pieces of cloth to Sharon Holmes. Drop off in the church office before Friday, November 21st or email [email protected] PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS IN THE MIDST OF LOSS So often in life we wrestle with loss. It could be loss of a job, loss of income, loss of a relationship, loss of independence, loss of a loved one, loss of youth, loss of enthusiasm, or even a loss of purpose. At Christmas our losses seem even more difficult to bear. You are not alone. On Sunday, November 30th at 7:30 p.m. in the O’Brien Room, Gord Dunbar will be hosting a small group to explore these challenges. It will be a place of safety, of confidentiality, of sharing, of comfort, of prayer and of conversation. There are diamonds in the dark. Book Discussion Group in Advent “From earliest times, Christians have used ‘darkness’ as a synonym for sin, ignorance, spiritual blindness, and death.” This historical language creates problems – dividing every day in two, “pitting the light part against the dark part.” (Barbara Brown Taylor, in Learning to Walk in the Dark, 2014). As the days become shorter and the nights longer, come to discuss Barbara Brown Taylor’s new discoveries of the blessings of darkness in her latest book. Led by Michael Brooks; Thursdays: December 4 – December 11 from 7.30pm to 8.30pm in the O’Brien Room. Upcoming Worship at 10.30 am November 23  Reign of Christ  7:30pm – Prayer with the Songs of Taize November 30  Advent 1 December 7  Advent II - Formal Communion served in the pews December 10, at 8pm  Women's Communion Service December 14, 10:30 AM  Advent III - White Gift Service - Toys and nonperishable food items will be received for Wesley Urban Ministries