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Ralph Connor Memorial United Church Weekly
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SECTIONS
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Greetings!
We hope to
see you at Church on Sunday December 23
, 2018
Fourth Sunday of Advent - Lighting the Candle of
LOVE
CONTRIBUTING TO SUNDAY 10:00 AM WORSHIP
Greeters: Isabelle Ramsay & Brian Fell
Worship Leader: Cathy Harrop
Advent Candle Lighters: Charlene & Dale Stanway
Fellowship/Coffee Time: Cathy Harrop & Jim Ridley
Pianist: Jan Tissandier
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NEWS & COMING EVENTS
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SPECIAL INVITATION
Christmas Greetings,
This past Sunday, we received a very special invitation: a
Stoney tradition from long ago is being revived, and the people of Ralph Connor are invited!
Sunday, December 23, from 3:00 to about 7:00
, there will be a Feast along with a program at the Morley Gym: Stoney Christmas Carols, crafts, activities for children and, of course, Christmas Dinner.
We are delighted to hear that this tradition is being revived, and that our connections with Morley are continuing to deepen.
A request: the organizers want to make sure that each child and youth attending this event receives a Christmas gift, and are well on their way to meeting this goal. With this in mind, we would like to bring some gifts from Ralph Connor. Would you be able to help with this?
If so...anytime the Church is open between now and Sunday, gifts could be dropped off at the Office or in the Narthex. There won't be time to wrap them on Sunday when we head out to the event, so please wrap the gift and indicate the age of child (and if gender-specific, please note that too).
Thank you so much!
Hope to see you on Sunday (and Christmas Eve Monday).
Blessings,
Rev Greg
PS - Thank you to everyone for the great support of this year's Mitten Tree. Collection has now ended as the items donated to the tree, and the food collection box, have been delivered to the Eagle's Nest Safe House and the Iyahrhe Food Bank, with a few extra items being used as gifts for the December 23 event.
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STAFF TIME OFF AND NEWSLETTER
Greg, Tanya and Sondy will be taking time off once December 24th services are complete. We will all be back to work in the New Year.
There will be no newsletter on December 27th. We will return with our weekly news in the New Year.
Worship on Sunday December 30 at 10:00 am will be a Lay-led service with Hot Cider offered before service. Fellowship will not be held after service.
Greg will still be on deck for pastoral emergencies during this time.
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THANK YOU
To all the hard working dessert makers each month.
This month for Food & Friends desserts we thank:
Barb Profitt,
Judy Keyser,
Cathy Harrop,
Deb Mayberry,
Charlene Stanwick,
Susan Dorian,
Pat Grayling,
Sue Murray.
Also - thanks to Janis Dougall and everyone who shared in the fun of the Family Christmas Craft Day: Cindy McKay, Marg Suurallik, Allison Edwards, Isabelle Ramsay, Barb Profitt, Sue Nichols, Faye Forbes-Anderson, Donna & Marshall Kennedy, Greg Wooley.
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COIN CATCHERS FOR M&S
Throughout Advent the children are helping to relieve you of your pocket change to benefit the Mission and Service fund.
So bring your coins to Worship and Jingle all the Way on December 23rd, this last Sunday of Advent.
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POINSETTIAS
Thank you to everyone who ordered these beautiful flowers!
You may take your poinsettia home on Christmas Eve after service.
Many thanks to John & Ann and their Elves for all their hard work making our Church Beautiful for the Christmas season.
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CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Thank you to all volunteers for our two Christmas Eve services!
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CHILDREN'S MINISTRY
Children's Church and Toddler care for Sunday Services are key ways that we support the faith development of children, and hospitality to young families.
Children may go to Children's Church after the first hymn and return later in the service in time for the anthem. We are making a couple of adjustments to the Sunday service to give a bit more time for the Children's Church lesson, and a bit less back-in-the service time.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 23.
Easy to lead lessons are ready for use, in the upstairs cupboard.
Please sign up on the Sunday clipboard to help!
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CHOIR REHEARSAL
Choir rehearsal each
Thursday at 7:30 pm.
New members are welcome to join us!
Choir will take a break on December 27 & 30. Choir will resume on January 3 at 7:30 pm
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Evensong, our contemplative mid-week service, will take a break on
December 26 & January 2.
Evensong will resume on
Wednesday January 9th at 7:15.
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HEALING PATHWAY
To book a session or inquire about this gentle healing ministry p
lease contact: Sue Nichols at [email protected]
or call her at 403-678-4536
Continues throughout the Christmas Season.
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ALPINE VOICES THRESHOLD CHOIR
Rehearses the second and fourth Monday of each month from 7:30 - 9:00 pm in the sanctuary. Threshold Choir singing is described as "kindness made audible".
Threshold Choir will take a break from December 23 resuming on January 14th.
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CYAN - Canmore Young Adult Network
(an Outreach Ministry of RCMUC)
CYAN Wishes everyone a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season.
See you in the New Year!
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BOW VALLEY SYRIA REFUGEE PROJECT UPDATE
Support for the Tatari family
Just over a year ago, we celebrated the success of our first Syrian sponsorship, and began raising funds for our second family. We want to bring you up to date on the Tatari family.Very sadly, Salma passed away in May due to a long-standing medical condition. Salma's son Waill Tatari and his wife Dana are bereft, and finding it increasingly difficult to keep their spirits up. Without papers, they cannot work in Malaysia, where they fled after receiving death threats in Syria. We are continuing to lobby on Waill and Dana's behalf, and are hopeful that their refugee applications will be approved and that they will arrive in Canmore sometime in 2019.
Our fundraising target to raise an additional $25,000 will enable us to complete the funding needed for the one-year sponsorship period and provide seed funding for future sponsorships. Please consider giving the gift of Canada this Christmas. For more information or to donate:
bowvalleysyria.ca/donate
Best wishes from all of us at the Bow Valley Syria project - an Outreach Ministry of Ralph Connor Memorial United Church
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MISSED A SUNDAY SERMON?
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Click to go to Sunday Sermons
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Away for a while? Missed a Sunday?
You can the latest Sunday Sermon on our web page.
Each Sermon is uploaded on Sunday afternoon.
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HAVE YOU VOLUNTEERED AS A SUNDAY HELPER?
Help us weekly and contribute to our Sunday Service, it is easy!
Just sign up on the clipboard during Sunday Worship or after at Coffee time, then go to our website at
http://ralphconnor.ca/volunteering/ and
view or download the duty sheet for the position you have selected for instructions.
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click on the image to go to the webpage
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COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
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PRESBYTERY UPDATE
As 2018 draws to a close, so does the work of the Presbyteries and Conferences of The United Church of Canada. Foothills Presbytery and Alberta Northwest Conference both cease to be entities on December 31, 2018, and folks like Greg (Secretary of Foothills Presbyery) have been busily passing files along to the newly-formed Regions. With the new, trimmer structure, many of Presbytery's responsibilities (and obligations) will now be handled by local congregations.
RCMUC now is part of the Chinook Winds Regional Council, which consists of southern Alberta communities of faith from the Montana border, then north to Rimbey and Ponoka. (Rundle Memorial UC in Banff has chosen to be part of the Pacific Mountain Region). News from the new Region is posted on the bulletin board outside Sondy's Office or you can read the December newsletter
here.
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SNOWBIRD HOUSE SITTER
Heading away after Christmas? Need a house sitter? Karen needs a place to live. Win, Win!
Snowbird House Sitter available on or before JANUARY 10th. Can supply two references.
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UKULELE
Takes a break until the New Year.
Stay Strong and Ukulele On!!!
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GIFTS WITH VISION
A great alternative to giving "stuff" at Christmas (or anytime!)
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