Parish Update
THE COLLECT FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and as we are sorely hindered by our sins from running the race that is set before us, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Well, I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Probably die in a small town
Oh, those small communities
So sang John Mellencamp in his 1985 single, “Small Town.” When it came out, residents of small towns everywhere embraced the song as their own. Even though I grew up in what many Kentuckians considered “the big city,” I still identified with the tune as a resident of a largely rural state.
In the Gospels, much is made of the fact that Jesus was from Nazareth in Galilee, which might as well have been Kentucky or Saskatchewan to the people living in the “big city” of Jerusalem.
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked when he first heard about Jesus of Nazareth.
And then at Christmastime, we sing about the “little town of Bethlehem” where Jesus was born, just 10 kilometers from Jerusalem and yet a world away.
Even the Messianic prophecy of Micah notes the humble nature of Bethlehem.
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days (Micah 5:2).
There is nothing particularly noble about being born or raised in a small town, but the fact that Jesus was associated with places that people had little regard for does speak to the way the Lord often chooses the lowly and forgotten to fulfill his purposes.
When the prophet Samuel came to Bethlehem about 1,000 years before the time of Jesus’ birth, he was led by the Lord to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to become the king of Israel.
Jesse had the rest of his sons with him, but he had not even bothered to ask his youngest son, David, to be present. It was only when Samuel insisted, “Are these all the sons you have?” that David, who was tending the sheep, was sent for and then anointed by Samuel.
Now, all these generations later, another king was being born in Bethlehem, even among animals and lying in a manger. He was visited by none other than shepherds who were tending their flocks nearby after angels alerted them to the significance of Jesus’ birth.
As Advent draws to a close and Christmas comes near (less than a week away!) I wonder if there is someone or something precious that I may be overlooking, that is hidden in plain sight.
A neighbour that I have never reached out to? A family that could use a helping hand? A child that needs a word of encouragement? Someone in need of prayer?
Or perhaps just recognition of and gratitude for the many kindnesses and mercies I have received.
Lord, open the eyes of my heart to see what you would have me see; to love as you would have me love; and to treasure the lowly, meek, poor, and forgotten. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
UPCOMING EVENTS – Mark Your Calendars
Ongoing: Christmas Dinner volunteer registration is now open. Sign up to help with our community Christmas Dinner here.
Ongoing: The church office is currently closed for Christmas break and will reopen on January 7. Pastoral emergencies can be sent to the clergy by calling the emergency cell phone listed on the answering machine or by emailing revbenspp@gmail.com.
December 22: Sunday Service with Junior Church and Nursery at 10:30 AM
December 24: Christmas Eve Family Service at 5 PM
December 24: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7 PM (Streaming online)
December 25: Christmas Day Service at 10 AM (Nursery open, but not staffed.)
December 25: Christmas Dinner. Doors open at Noon. Seatings at 1:30 PM and 4 PM.
December 29: Sunday Service with Junior Church at 10:30 AM (Nursery open, but not staffed.)
OFFERTORY ENVELOPES AVAILABLE:
Numbered envelopes are ready at the back of the church. If someone is expecting envelopes and they are not there, please contact the Envelope Secretary, Lori Rees, by emailing her at envsecretary@peterpaulottawa.com.
COAT AND MITT DRIVE
As part of our Place To Go ministry, we provide those coming in from the cold with items to keep them warm. The most requested items are coats, gloves, and mitts. If you have a new or gently used pair of gloves, mitts, or a coat that you could spare, that would go a long way in helping our neighbours stay warm this winter. Please place donated items in the box at the back of the sanctuary. You may also donate funds by marking them for the Mitt Drive.
Christmas Dinner Volunteer Sign Ups
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Every year, St Peter’s and St Paul’s is humbled and overjoyed to offer a grand celebration of our Saviour’s birth by serving our community a feast of food and fellowship.
We need people to bake pies, cookies and squares to drop off at the church on Christmas Eve between our services (from 12 PM to 4 PM) or on Christmas Day between 11 AM and 1 PM. We will need volunteers for our PREP TEAM on Tuesday, December 24 from 9 AM to 12 PM to help with advance food prep and set up. On Christmas Day there will be two dinner sittings: 1:30 PM and 4 PM, and we will need servers and cooks for each, as well as a cleanup crew afterwards.
This truly is one of the greatest days of the year and all are welcome and heartily invited to help serve and make it happen. Please register to serve and alert us to your preferred service using this form here. Thank you all!!
Midweek Eucharist Service: Noon on Wednesdays
On December 25, we will have our 10 AM Christmas Day service in lieu of our usual Midweek Service, and there will be no service on January 1. Join us in the new year for our Midweek Eucharist Services on Wednesdays beginning on January 8.
Please help us support the Centretown Community Food Centre!
Did you know that our church collects non-perishable food items for the Centretown Community Food Centre? We have a large wicker basket at the back of the church for collecting items and bring them forward with the rest of the tithes and offerings during our offertory hymn on Sundays, right before Holy Communion.
Ideas for food items or details for making a financial donation can be found at https://ccfcottawa.ca/donate.
ONLINE MORNING PRAYER
Please note that Online Morning Prayer will not be held over Christmas break (December 21- January 12). Join us again at 8 AM on January 13.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
This final week of Advent means our time of waiting and preparing is coming to an end. In anticipation of beginning our Christmas celebration, our Jr Church and Nursery program will learn how God fulfills His promise to send a child – not just any child but His very own Son who becomes man. This final sign is given by the Angels. “And this will be a sign to you. You will find the child wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger.”
A reminder we will have a Jr Church program on December 29 and will be looking at the story of Simeon and Anna. Our Nursery will be open but not staffed on December 29.
Please note we will not have a Nursery or Jr Church program on December 25. There will be activity packages available at the back of the church for children during the service.
PLAYGROUP ON TUESDAYS
Our Playgroup is paused for the Christmas break and will resume on Tuesday, January 21. We will gather in the Nursery space from 9:30 to 11:30 AM.
We wish all our Playgroup friends a safe and joyful Christmas Break!
STAYING CONNECTED
The best connections are made in person and we sincerely hope to see you here on Sunday mornings and for other ministry events. But when we can’t be together, there are a number of ways for you to stay connected with St Peter & St Paul’s.
Check out our Facebook page for livestreams of our services, audio recordings of our sermons, and other news and posts.
You can also listen to our Parish podcast and sermons on your favourite podcast app by searching for “peterpaulottawa” and subscribing.
And there is also our Website where you can listen to our sermons and podcasts, sign up for events, and read an extended cut of weekly parish update.
Church Office Hours
The church office is currently closed for Christmas break. It will reopen on January 7. You can reach the office by phone at 613-235-1636 or by email at admin@peterpaulottawa.com. Pastoral emergencies can be sent to the clergy by calling the emergency cell phone listed on the answering machine or by emailing revbenspp@gmail.com.
WORSHIP: 10:30 AM Sundays
We gather together for worship at 10:30 AM on Sundays, both in-person at the church and online on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/StPandPOttawa/)
Please use the Worship Guide to follow along with the service. You can join us in person at 152 Metcalfe Street.
Parking: There is a paid lot directly behind the church on Gloucester Street that offers all-day parking at a flat rate on Sundays. For street parking, please check posted signs and pay stations. Please note that City of Ottawa Pay & Display machines do NOT use QR codes. City Pay & Display machines accept coins, credit cards and payments via the PayByPhone app.