Message from Light of God Ministry • Reverend Mary White
Our cat, Jax, is an indoor cat who loves to go out on the deck several times throughout the day. This is to guard our home against neighbourhood outdoor cats.
She has always intensely disliked other cats as well as dogs. When they come near, her fur stands up and she hisses and snarls at them. But when it rains or snows, she will look outside, shake her paw, and run to her toy basket to toss and play with her various possessions.
Our back yard being open with a huge protective hedge attracts families of various wildlife. Usually bears and deer will come by at different times to play with their siblings on the grass. During a recent snowfall, a mother doe and yearling entertained us for about half an hour. The young one joyously ran and jumped playfully across the yard enjoying the snow as it fell through the air. As the yearling continued her play to exhaustion, the older doe lovingly watching her offspring stood on the sidelines with head moving back and forth as if observing a tennis match.
From older house cats to young wildlife, play is so natural which triggers me to wonder why not release the child within who yearns to play while waiting joyfully for Christmas Day.
With Love,
Rev. Mary
All Are Welcome With Love
In-person Worship ~ Sundays at 11am
The First Advent was well celebrated. The congregation participated in contributing to the Advent Wreath and the first candle was lit celebrating ‘HOPE’. Then we worked on decorations for the tree while the choir lead us in Christmas songs.
YOUNG FAMILY FUN WITH BRENDA PIELLE
Dear Friends:
When we have safety measures in place like good snow tires, I do find watching snow falling to be a lovely peaceful activity. This second week of Advent we are thinking about peace: the special peace Jesus' birth offers us, and the peace we can experience when we focus less on the material aspects of this season, and more on the "connecting with family and friends" aspect of this season.
The parent tot video includes the reading of two poems as well as these songs: The More We Sing Together, Light One Candle for Peace, It's About Peace, Here Comes Suzy Snowflake, and Still, Still, Still in the Ayajuthem language.
The Family Fun video has the reading of a story that is written in poem form about a special visit to a Great Aunt. It is called "A Cup of Christmas Tea". The songs include: Hope is a Star with the verse on peace added in, The First Noel, Go Tell it on the Mountain, and I am the Light of the World.
Peace be with you.
Brenda Pielle
Reaching Out to Families
Powell River United Church
Reading
From “A Play-Full Life: Slowing Down and Seeking Peace”
by Jaco J. Hamman.
We nurture play-fullness to feel and be different, and to do so as selves that engage others and God. We desire peace; we long to love in strong relationships; we wish to creatively engage the world and reach our potential; we hope to feel less anxious, less worried, less angry, less burdened, and less fearful. We want to have a different attitude toward life as we reclaim and awaken the image of God in us. In our anxious and uncertain times, a sense of play-fullness offers us new opportunities of engagement as well as a new attitude toward life. Imagine vitality returning to your being as you anticipate the next experience with a sense of hope! Play-fullness as a way of life is rooted, redeemed, and restored, a life that resonates with the desires of God.
Poem ~ Come
From “Pirate Jesus” by Thom Shuman
Come, God-with-us: who braves our rejections and hurt, to show your love and acceptance.
Come, God-under-us: who cradles us in arms that never grow weary; whose lap has room enough for all.
Come, God-over-us: who watches in the long silence of the night that we might rest in your peace.
Come, God-beside-us: who steadies us when we falter, who lifts us up when we fall.
Come, God-behind-us: who picks up all the faded dream we drop along the way, weaving them into your hope.
O come, O come, Immanuel: and we will rejoice forever.
Don’t forget, You’re Invited to the
Everyone Deserves a Smile Event this
Wednesday Dec. 7th at 6pm
PRAYER
Life Giver
We are waiting; for the Brussel sprouts to cook, for the decorations to come out, for the tree to go up, for the sales in the shops for the light to gather, for the time to pause, for the universe to hold its breath, for the baby to quicken, for the travellers to arrive, for the angels to clear their throats, for shepherds to hear the singing, for the prophets to be fulfilled, for the promise to be believed, for Incarnation, we are waiting.
And so be it.
Amen