December 18th, 2022 News
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MOUNTAINVIEW NEWS
Join us at 10 am Sunday morning via live-stream or in-person, or at any time throughout the week. This Sunday we continue our “Extra-ordinary Ordinary” advent series. Pastor Erick will present a message on the stories of “Anna and Simeon”.
In the middle of going about their religious duties, Mary and Joseph are surrounded by a devout Simeon filled with the Holy Spirit and a praying prophet Anna. They hear that God is on the move and that the pathway will be disturbing. No wonder they simply marvel. We will have the privilege of celebrating both the sacraments of Baptism and Communion.
We as a church are once again partnering with our neighbours to provide a COMMUNITY ICE RINK. We are currently in the planning stages and reaching out to all who would like to be involved. Would you be willing to support the project?
1. By signing up to lend a helping hand. Pick a day or time of day to help out! We need a person each day of the week to...
a) OPEN/INSPECT between 8-9 am
b) and a CLOSE/INSPECT between 8-9 pm
c) and an Afternoon Inspector @ 4 pm (ish)
d) Also needed are people to sign-up to be on call to help shovel or flood the rink
To sign up text, email or call Alice 905-516-4211 (cell); aposthumus@mountainviewcrc.org
2. With a financial donation to help cover expenses such as a tarp, fencing, lights, straw, water, insurance. How can you donate?
a) E-transfer: treasurer@mountainviewcrc.org
b) Online: https://crc.etadvance.com/churches/mountainview-crc/donate (select cause ‘Community Ice Rink’)
c) Drop a cheque off at the church make sure to indicate your donation for the “Community Ice Rink”
Questions? Please reach out at any time to… Pastor Erick ericks@mountainviewcrc.org or Alice aposthumus@mountainviewcrc.org
It's always good to hear how God is present in our lives: giving us peace, bearing us up with hope and love, and showing us how to find joy. There is still time to share your story in this Advent season! Send it to ruthanns@mountainviewcrc.org
ADVENT REFLECTIONS AND DEVOTIONS
Devotions for a Blue Christmas - In the midst of hard times, find strength and encouragement through God's word. A set of fourteen encouraging Today devotions reassure you that even during the darkest of Christmas seasons, you’re not alone. Receive this free email series and ebook when you subscribe to Today at todaydevotional.com/bluechristmas
"Prepare the Way" - Free Advent Email Devotion – A series put together by World Renew, Resonate, and CRCNA Social Justice that features reflections from people with CRC ministries around the world during Advent 2022. Sign up to receive the emails every Mon., Wed., and Fri. in Advent at crcna.org/advent
The Network has a great article titled, “Five ways Families Can Explore Waiting and Hope this Advent Season. Please check it out HERE. One suggestion is the Faith Formation - Jessie Tree below.
The Faith Formation team encourages and equips churches and individuals to practice lifelong faith and missional discipleship. We listen, provide consulting and resources that fit your unique context, and we walk alongside you and your church as you encounter the challenges and opportunities of growing in resilient, intentional, holistic faith. One way we do that is with Seasonal Family Devotionals such as : Jesse Tree: God’s Big Advent Story.
Finding Hope, Peace, Joy & Love – The Canadian Bible Society - Our exclusive series of videos and devotions by Canadian guest authors explores how the presence of the Christ child helps us find hope, peace, joy and love.
Christmas Hope and the Women in Jesus’ Family Tree - is a five-part Bible study podcast series and ebook from Groundwork exploring the stories of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Through their experiences, we hear the message that no matter how broken we may feel, Jesus Christ came into our world to conquer sin, the root cause of our brokenness. Get it when you subscribe to Groundwork at groundworkonline.com/christmashope
This year Focus on the Family is delighted to offer you a free Advent devotional download to help you and your family get ready for Christmas. This PDF devotional has daily readings to help you and your family grow in your faith, explore the four Gospels, and go beyond the Nativity scene. You’ll also enjoy a cut-out and colour-your-own Nativity scene. You can sign up right now for your free PDF Advent devotional by going to https://FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Advent. Advent starts on November 27 this year so download your devotional today and prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth!
Welcoming the Promised One – From Advent Meditation to Christmas Celebration – How to we prepare our hearts for the coming Christ? What does “God with us” mean for the church today? Join writers from CT’s 2022 Advent devotional, The Promised One, as they share reflections on the expectations and ultimate joy of this sacred season. Register HERE for the webcast or to receive a link to the recording.
Seminary Now (InterVarsity Press) offer a free resource to enter this season of hope. Christians throughout the world take time during Advent to reflect on how they may better welcome Christ into their homes and hearts in light of the state of the world today. Join the Seminary Now family in worship and reflection by meditating through the Great Expectations video series!
CLICK ON PIC TO PLAY YOUTUBE PLAYLIST
Hello Friends, I now have moved on to full-time fundraising for my new position with Global Aid Network, and am living in Owen Sound with my parents. I will be visiting Grimsby from Nov. 7-11 as well as Nov 21-25 in order to continue my ministry meetings. I'd love to meet with you and tell you about the exciting work that GAiN is doing in Ukraine. You can email me at Tyler.couperus@globalaid.net and also read my newsletter at TylerCouperus.com. I hope to hear from you soon, Tyler C.
JOYFUL GIVING
This Sunday’s Collection is for our Budget and for: Resonate Global Mission: Gail Gorfe
UPCOMING OFFERING: December 24th P.M. – Candlelight Service - Grimsby Life Centre is a ministry that is committed to providing help for the physical, social, and mental well-being of those in crisis. This loving care is demonstrated through on-going counseling, support and care. All services are free and confidential, and we depend solely on donations from individuals, churches, businesses, and fund-raising events. Thank-you for your support and prayers.
December 25th A.M. – Christmas Day – World Renew: Through the World Renew Gift Catalogue, your Christmas gift supports local churches and Christian partners worldwide in reaching out to vulnerable neighbours in their community. Your gifts for World Renew at Christmas help the world’s needy families with more food, better health, enough income, peace and justice, and recovery from disaster. The goat or rooster, kitchen garden kit, handwashing station, or bicycle that you add to your Christmas list this year for someone you may never know, may be just what they need. Because God knows them and will provide what they need to take the next step into the wholeness and wellbeing that God intends for them, for his glory. Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift. (2 Cor. 9:15).
TO GIVE:
1. Choose an ornament from the Giving Tree or review the Gift Catalogue online at
2. Complete the order form at the back of the gift catalogue OR give online at
3. Place cheque/cash and card/form in offering vase OR give online at worldrenew.ca/gifts
Merry Christmas and THANK YOU from the Bridge Church: This past year, in partnership with the Third Space Cafe, the Bridge Church had the privilege of serving over 10,000 warm, nutritious breakfasts to our unhoused and under-housed neighbours in Niagara Falls. We couldn't have done this 7-day-a-week mission without God's grace AND your generosity! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Want to learn more, stop by for a visit, or explore ways you can support us in the new year? Connect with Steve, our Mission Pastor at steve@thebridgenf.ca. The coffee is on! Again, thank you for your generosity. God's grace and peace to your home this Christmas!
"Rose City Kids is a place where children and youth belong; where they experience the love of Jesus and are encouraged and inspired to make a positive change in their world." It takes a Village MATCH CAMPAIGN. Every dollar will be matched up to $100,000 from now till December 31 by a generous supporter! This season consider giving to Rose City Kids to double your impact. Rose City Kids is able to offer all of its programs for free to all families living in Welland only because of the community rallying behind it. Your donations make it possible! Cash, cheque, credit card and etransfer accepted. Thank you! www.rosecitykids.com
Thanks to the generous support of readers like you, we are 90% of the way to our goal of $500,000 in support of this important journalistic ministry. Now, with the clock ticking down to the end of the year, we’re making one final push to hit our target. Will you give a year-end donation to help us meet this goal?
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Our DEACONS’ CORNER IS is posted on our website…
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS & OPPORTUNITIES…
Please note: World Renew’s Giving Tree, upcoming Alpha adventures, the Community Rink and Tropical Plant Christmas Drop Off under church news on the first page. Also, COME SEE OUR FLOAT, along with many others, IN THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE this Saturday evening.
Thank you to all who came to the Awake to Praise concerts and supported our collection for Roots Niagara! Through your support and generous donations, we raised $16,440.90 for this wonderful organization!
SoCo Property & Summer 2023 Applications: Friends, we have received 90% of the funding for our capital campaign. If you haven't yet, help us get to 100% so we can get a permanent SoCo home! Read more about it in the link below. If you are a young adult or know a young adult, check out the SoCo Beach Project for summer 2023. Applications for next summer's project 2023 are open! If you are interested to learn more about how you can donate to the campaign or apply to SoCo '23 contact Pastor Willemina at info@southcoastbeachproject.org. Here's the link to the latest newsletter.
https://mailchi.mp/0009fc8560aa/soco-capital-campaign-update-dec-15-22
We are so excited to be able to host a Young Adults Winter Retreat (YAWR) after a few years of not having one - we can’t wait to see what God has planned! We will be sending out another email including registration information and all the details around the event soon! Registration Link: https://forms.gle/ovHG7Ja45wrVr64d9; Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/30OMQxWat; Instagram: @yawinterretreat. early bird registration deadline ends on Christmas Eve; the price for early birds is $55. Following Christmas Eve, the price will increase to $65 with the registration deadline being January 13. We are praying for an amazing turnout of young adults!
Who: Young adults ages 18-30ish
What: A weekend retreat for young adults.
When: Friday January 20 - Sunday January 22, 2023
Where: Maranatha CRC, Woodstock, ON
Why: To help young adults (18-30ish) grow in their relationship with Jesus as well as with other young adults in the Southern Ontario region.
In Partnership with Edu-Deo and our Belize Bound Co-Impact team we will be going to Belize in February to work on a Presbyterian Day School in Cristo Rey. We will be helping to build some much-needed additional classrooms. Please pray for: safety, the plans that we are making, out team, the lives of those in Belize whom we hope to enrich as well as our families while we are away. We are required to pay for the supplies we will use while working there. So, on January 7th, we are planning a Bowling for Belize Fundraiser at Splitzville Bowling Alley in Stoney Creek. We are looking for teams for this event. It is sure to be a great afternoon of fun and fellowship. See attached flyer for info.
LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS: Shalom Manor and Gardens is currently looking for volunteers to assist in a variety of ways, such as helping at Meal Times, helping in the recreation department, and visiting and forming connections with residents one on one. If you are looking to spend your time in a meaningful way and make a difference in the lives of others, then this opportunity is for you. If you are interested in joining our Shalom family as a volunteer, please email Kristen at volunteercoord@shalommanor.ca or call at 905-945-9631 extension 1115.
Feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, stress or loneliness. Want to talk to one of our psychotherapists or counsellors? We are here to help ! Please call 905.309.0944. We will be answering the phones Monday - Friday daily between 9am – 4pm. Sessions typically run about an hour. All of our services are free and confidential. Sometimes we all need help!
NEWSLETTERS FROM OUR MINISTRY PARTNERS
Links are available on our website under
“Community Connections” - “Partnerships”
Paper copies can be requested from the church office.
LOCAL DENOMINATIONAL NEWS
At-home Faith Formation Tip - During Advent, we light the candle of Peace. Through Jesus Christ, God gives us peace. In what area of your life do you most need God’s peace? How might you be a peacemaker this week? Wonder and talk about that this week. (Tip from Faith Formation; bit.ly/CRCFaithFormation)
Groundwork: Joseph: The Virgin Birth and Prophecies Fulfilled - It isn’t until Joseph receives angelic confirmation that he believes the miracle of the virgin birth. Join Groundwork as we study Matthew 1:18-25 to discuss how this fulfills Old Testament prophecies and gives us confidence to trust in God’s continued presence and faithfulness in our lives as we prepare for his second coming. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.
Advent: Love as an Action - Check out the kids’ devotion at https://kidscorner.net. People usually think of love as a feeling. Did you ever think of love as an action? Well, God’s love is active! Listen now at kidscorner.net and check out all the new content. Listen now at kidscorner.net. Check out all the new content.
JOBS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Cairn Christian School is looking for a Bus Driver. Join our team of amazing drivers! Single route, private school, small company. Driver rates recently increased. Routes are available in Grimsby/Stoney Creek, Fenwick and Vineland (all terminating in Smithville). Please contact Kevin for more info or to apply. - khuinink@cairnchristianschool.ca or 519-546-9159
We Are hiring at Shalom! Working at Shalom is a great opportunity to share your gifts and talents in a wonderful workplace and to become involved in the community! We take pride in offering the best possible care and making Shalom home for our residents. How can you become part of this excellent team? Visit our website. Contact us at hr@shalommanor.ca for more information.
Shalom Manor Long Term Care Home is hiring! We are looking for people to join our team in the following roles:
• PSWs: full-time & part-time permanent lines
• RPNs: full-time night line; part-time afternoon line; casual staff
• Dietary Aides: part-time with a 10:30AM-2:30PM and a 4-8PM schedule available
• Life Enrichment Assistant: 2 positions, working 12-8PM, Week 1: Mon, Tues, Sat, Sun and Week 2: Wed, Thurs, Fri
• Recreation staff: 4-8PM shift available; casual staff
• Infection Control Attendant: 2 temporary positions, working 10:30AM-6:30PM, Week 1: Mon, Tues, Sat, Sun and Week 2: Wed, Thurs, Fri
CRCNA Position Opening - Resonate Global Mission has a part-time opening for a Member Care Coordinator. Candidates working from Grand Rapids, MI or Burlington, ON offices will be given preference; however, consideration will be given for remote work. Visit www.crcna.org/jobs for details or to apply.
World Renew, Canada Jobs - World Renew is hiring a Human Resource Manager and a Project Manager for the International Disaster Response team in our Burlington, Ontario. For more information regarding these positions, please go to https://worldrenew.net/careers