ANNOUNCEMENT sheet

Please contact the office for the contact information of our many volunteers.

December 8, 2019

Christmas Eve Services

6:00 pm Family Service will tell the Christmas story in a style suitable for children of all ages.

8:00 pm Community Service will celebrate Christ’s birth with traditional readings and joyous

carol singing.

11:00 pm Communion Service with choir will provide a peaceful, reflective opportunity to

worship our Saviour’s coming.

On Sunday, December 29^th, we will join with Kanata United Church and Bells Corners United Church for worship. The service will be held at Kanata United Church at 10:00 am. There will be NO worship at GCUC that day.

Offering Envelopes

The 2020 Offering Envelopes are now available in the hallway.

A huge thank you to everyone in the congregation for ensuring the 28th Annual Christmas Cookie Walk, Craft Fair, and Silent Auction was another wonderful success. More information to come next week.

The Oasis in Kanata Thanks You! A big thank you to the performers and others who contributed to the wonderful Advent concert. And thank you to all who so generously donated to The Oasis in Kanata. $1360 was raised to support this ongoing outreach program of Glen Cairn United Church.

Again this year we’ll be taking time to listen to God speaking through familiar Advent readings today and December 15^th after church in Room A. … Rev. Fred Milnes

UCW is having their annual Christmas potluck dinner on Monday, December 9^th at 6:30 pm. Please let Martha (mtcolford@yahoo.ca or 613-591-3694) know if you are coming and also if you can help set-up and clean-up. The food is always delicious and being able to donate our money to our church and other worthy causes is always an exhilarating feeling.

Lunch ‘n Such Christmas Dinner - Wednesday, December 11^th at noon

Join us for a delightful turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Good food and good friends. Tickets must be purchased in advance by December 8^th. The cost is $20. Tickets are available each Sunday after church during the fellowship time in the main hall, from the church office during regular business hours, or by calling Patricia Will. After dinner entertainment will be provided by the West Ottawa Ladies Chorus.

‘A Light in the Dark’ – Service of Hope and Healing – Monday, December 16^th at 7:00 pm

We warmly invite all those who are experiencing a difficult time this Christmas. This quiet service of hope and healing will be followed by refreshments and fellowship. Please join us and invite anyone you know who may appreciate this comforting and contemplative service. For further information or assistance, please contact the office at 613-836-4756 or office@gcuc.ca.

Fair Trade Coffee & Chocolate! Are you looking for that perfect gift for that person on your list who is hard to buy for? What about your children's teacher? Or the bus driver? How about purchasing fair trade coffee? Not only do you cross one (or more) person off the list, you help raise funds for the church and you help support a local company that supports fair trade in developing countries.

Drop by the main hall after church to check out the products (we even have CHOCOLATE!). The prices are $12.00 per bag of coffee and $5.00 for the chocolate bars.

Give Broadview Magazine! Special gift subscription discount – only $20 (plus tax). Offer valid until

January 31, 2020. Order forms are available in the foyer; gift orders can also be entered online at broadview.org/giftsubs For more details please see Barbara Reynolds.

Christmas Outreach

This year our Christmas outreach will be supporting Christmas Smiles for Seniors and the ALC Unit at the Queensway Carleton Hospital. The Smiles for Seniors program works with senior residences and communities in the Ottawa area serving all those who are receiving assistance from the City of Ottawa. The City of Ottawa senior residences also house adults with disabilities, who are included in the program. The Awaiting Placement Unit for Long Term Care (ALC) unit at the Queensway Carleton Hospital has 35 beds with a mix of patients, mostly seniors, awaiting placement in long term care facilities. The average stay in this unit is 6 – 8 weeks. Christmas is a difficult time to be in transition.

As an elf in this program, you will purchase, wrap, and label a ‘wish’ gift of approximately $25 to $35 in value. You will be provided with a list of possible gifts. Please include the Room# and/or Resident ID on the tag and you can sign the tag or card with your first name or “Santa’s Elf”. Please see Cathy Turner and Holly Egan to sign up. Wrapped and tagged gifts are to be returned to Cathy or Holly by Sunday December 15^th.

Property Management News

Special thanks to Wayne Johnston for his expertise in adapting the front flood light fixture to accommodate Christmas lights. It’s not easy in the cold to work on these configurations! Apologies for the late in season idea! We now have 6 sets of Christmas lights to work with. (Thank you Barb, Ulla and Faye)

Kudos also go to Jim Power for renovating and painting the portable fireplace mantle. It looks new again! In addition, a belated thank you goes out to the Power Family for their donation of the sturdy and smart-looking bicycle stand. (It has been tucked away for the winter for safe keeping!)

Work continues on installing new weather stripping to the external main hall doors. This should decrease the cool drafts as noted by our congregation and renters. (Thx, Pat Mc!)

Installation of sensor fans to the men’s and ladies’ washrooms have been completed. In addition, the sporadically working receptacle in the kitchen has been replaced. Thank you to Greg R. for recommending Centennial Electric!

Last but not least thank you to Chuck C. for his quick diagnosis & repair to the Sanctuary Projector Laptop!!! :-)

Mike and Susan McMullin

Book Club – next meeting on Tuesday, January 7^th The book is “still life” by Jeff Sutherland. Subsequent books are as follows: (Please purchase or borrow your own copy.)

February 4^th “Forgiveness” by Mark Sakamoto

March 3^rd “Following the path: The search for a life of Passion, Purpose and Joy” by Joan Chittister

April 7^th “Christianity’s search for new beginning: The Rebirthing of God” by John Phillip Newell

May 5^th “A Man called Ove” by Fredrik Backman

June 2^nd “Falling Upward” by Richard Rohr

“Love your neighbour as yourself.” As Jesus taught us, we are all called to care for one another. Working closely with the Minister, the Pastoral Care Team members support the congregation’s ministry of caring by focusing on responding to the pastoral, spiritual and emotional needs of the members of GCUC. Once we know of these needs, we can offer a confidential, caring visit or call at home or hospital, and prayers as requested. Please advise one of the Team members if you, or anyone you know of in our church family, would appreciate receiving pastoral care. The Pastoral Care contact for December is Bev Armbruster. . Alternatively, please leave a message at the NEW confidential Pastoral Care/Healing Pathway number: 613-435-4500.

The Healing Pathway Team offers healing sessions on Mondays at the church from 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and from 7:00-9:00 p.m. by appointment. Holiday Mondays are not included in this schedule. To make an appointment for a session, or to enquire about the ministry, please email Healingpathway.gcuc@gmail.com or call the new confidential phone number at 613-435-4500.

Holiday Office Hours: Please note that the church office will be closed between Christmas and New Years – December 24 to January 1^st. The phones will be checked daily, Tuesday - Friday; for Pastoral emergencies, please see the Pastoral Care contact information provided above. Have a very Merry Christmas, everyone, and all the best for a Happy New Year!

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