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“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Blessed Advent Greetings, everyone!

My Christmas music is playing in the background, my tea needs to be warmed up, and we are now entering the liturgical season of Advent—the four weeks preceding the birth of Jesus. It’s often referred to as the new year for the church. Advent is to Christmas what Lent is to Easter—a time of preparation, reflection, and waiting.

Waiting is exactly what so many people did yesterday as Advent was ushered in with our first winter wallop! Some of us got a better wallop than others. I am told Bracebridge had nearly four feet! Here at my place, I figure we had a little more than a foot of the white stuff. While it may look like a true winter wonderland, it was more of a nightmare for those stranded on the highways at the height of the storm. It was heartening to see the human spirit rise to the occasion as people came out of their homes to help the stranded drivers on the highways. I am relieved that things are slowly but surely returning to normal today.

Because the power was out in Huntsville yesterday, church had to be cancelled. Our phone tree was activated, but clearly, there are a few branches that are in need of our attention. Unfortunately, we had a dozen or more faithful souls who made it to the church only to be told that church was cancelled due to no electricity. Rest assured that the powers to be are on it and working diligently to ensure these problems are solved before the next time our communication tree is put into motion. Please let Lynda Arnold know if you did not get a call. Thank you to Colleen and Larry Mitchell for being our gracious hosts who had to be the bearers of this less-than-desirable news. Your stocking will be extra full this year- Ho Ho Ho! And a big shout out to Judy Hall, who was already shovelling the pathways before 7 am.

This coming Sunday- December 8th- our White Gifts will be received, and Holy Communion will be going ahead as was planned for this past Sunday. We will be lighting two Advent candles. The candles of peace and hope. Hope, especially when life is filled with uncertainty and division, may feel like a hard thing to hold onto. But true hope- the kind Advent calls us to- is not shallow optimism. Rev. Cameron Trimble says “it’s a theological declaration, rooted in the reality of this broken world and God’s promises to love us into wholeness.” Hope is the assurance that, even in the darkest night, the light will come. Rev. Cameron says hope is not a denial of the pain we carry or the brokenness we see. It’s a refusal to let that brokenness have the last world. What are some of the challenges making it harder for you to hold hope right now? Where are you being called to act on behalf of hope, creating a more just and generous world? Let’s take a moment out of our day and make a prayer for hope.

God of Advent,
You see the brokenness of this world,
And You meet us in the midst of it with love and promise.
Help us to pay witness to the suffering and to be a healing presence of hope.
Strengthen us to act with compassion and to trust in Your abiding presence.
May the light of this Advent season guide us
And remind us that, even in the darkness, You are near. Amen.
Together, let us embrace this Advent season with eyes wide open and hearts ready to receive whatever comes. May we hold onto a hope that holds space for all that needs to be repaired while believing in a love that one day will make everything right.

With Christmas a little less than a month away, our Christmas Elves have been busy decking our halls with boughs of holly! A warm shout out to Jim Schiedel, Gord and Jane Booker, Lynda Arnold and Sheila Petch. Thank you for your time and gift of creativity in transforming our sanctuary for both our Advent and Christmas seasons. You will see it all this coming Sunday morning! “Hopefully!”

Speaking of Christmas season, Santa Claus came to town on Friday night and our Christmas Elves welcomed him and all the parade goers with piping hot cups of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and a candy cane to go! A tip of our cup to Barb and Rob Dalziel, Annie and Norm Mino, Pat Crawford and double duty elves Gord and Jane Booker.

Sally McClelland sent along a Christmas Kindness calendar today which she posted on Facebook. Because I know there are some of you who do not “do” Facebook I have decided to include it in this Advent newsletter. I am renaming it “the be good to one another” calendar!

Birthday wishes this week going out to Nancy Waxl, Colleen Mitchell, Grant Wager and Ethel Robinson who is celebrating her birthday on December 4th. Happy birthday from all your friends here at Trinity United Church and here’s to another trip around the sun!

In our Prayer Circle this week, please keep David and Thelma Beaudry, Rick and Sandra Wearing, Wanda Tizzard, Lynn Montgomery, and Caroline O’Driscoll in your healing meditations and prayers. If you have somebody you would like included in our community prayers just let myself of Suzy at the office know and we will do just that.
And for those of you who ordered those delicious meat pies from Lynne Doyle- you can pick them up in church this coming Sunday too. 25 dollars each. They sold out quickly and a second batch had to be made! Fabulous fundraiser!
Hoping to see you in church this coming Sunday- After all, Tis the season! Come feel the joy as we await the birth of the Spirit of Christ in the mangers of our hearts once again.
Christmas is waiting to be born in you, in me, in everybody!
Advent Blessings and warm cozy hugs from my home to yours,
Rev. D