Dear Friends,
I love Christmas. Period. The now deceased Nova Scotian Rita McNeil would keep her Christmas tree (I presume it was artificial) up for up to eights months of the year. I don’t like Christmas THAT much. There are many joys to be found here. The Advent season slows down the hype of the consumer juggernaut, for a time. Given the wealth of Advent resources there is an abundance of genuine, honest spiritual reflection as we anticipate the birth of Jesus. You will experience some of that on the sites I will mention later.
I sometimes suspect that Advent is to the culture of consumerism what diet pills are to continued over-eating. We continue to consume irresponsibly but take meds to reduce the effect. Some of our readers find comparisons and metaphors to be bewildering so let me be blunt: sometimes Advent is a season we engage as a penance or a ritual for continuing to behave in an ungodly way, like the rest of the culture. I find that in my own life…that may not be your experience; fair enough.
I would like to draw your attention to two Advent reader sites:
The first is the Canadian Baptist Collaborative offering that First Baptist Vancouver also uses:
The second is the church I attend; David Jenkins is the pastor and designer of the guide. The link is found within Carey Institutes website for Advent resources. A rich offering of resources as well as the reader from Kitsilano Christian Community Church:
http://www.carey-edu.ca/institute-resources/
Please pray for Rob Daley, the senior pastor of FBC Nanaimo. He had heart surgery last weekend and is stabilized and in recovery.
Sadly, William “Bill” Gietz passed away early November 21, 2013 at the age of 96. Wanting to note that amongst us all.
Please find this excellent summary of SERVE from Tammy Klassen at New Life in Duncan, BC. Should be another exciting year at SERVE.
Serve 2014 will take place in the beautiful Cowichan Valley, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia from July 6-12, 2014. The purpose of SERVE is to shine God’s light on this region known as “The Warmland” as we serve him and others in practical ways. The many projects could include gardening, painting, visiting seniors, kids’ camps, community cleanup, and simple construction jobs.
Youth age 12 and up from Canadian Baptist churches across all parts of Western Canada will have the opportunity to be a part of this event where they can make new friends, learn new skills, and have their lives transformed through worship with the Fraser Campbell Band and a nightly message from a top-notch speaker. And for those who have never been west there will be the opportunity to go for a swim in the Pacific Ocean.
Attending SERVE costs $225 per youth or leader, although any church sending five or more youth can send one youth leader for free. Mark the dates and watch for registration packets being sent out to the churches in the near future.
Warmly,
In Christ,
Jeremy