Please join us for worship this Sunday in person at 9:30 or 11:00 am or online at 11:00 am when Pastor Rob will continue the Advent sermon series The Wonder of Advent. Nursery, Preschool, and Kids Ministry groups are available for both services. Those joining us in person have the option of socially distanced seating. You are welcome to wear a mask, but it is not required.
Blue Christmas Service Knowing that Christmas, and the anticipation of the Christmas season, is difficult for anyone who has had a family member die, we are offering a Blue Christmas service. A Blue Christmas service includes opportunities to express grief and pain and heartbreak from your loss and the opportunity to focus on the promise of hope. It is open to anyone who has lost a loved one, and who needs to have a safe space to process that grief. The service will be on Wednesday, December 21st at 7 pm in the Worship Centre and will include singing, scripture, prayers and a time to remember our loved ones by lighting a candle in their memory.
Christmas Offering Several weeks ago, we announced that RiverCross Church will be sending a Mission Team to El Salvador in late 2023. This is a very exciting opportunity! This team of 8 - 10 people will partner with Bruno and Kathleen Soucy, Latin America Team Leaders for Canadian Baptist Ministries, and together, over a two-week period, the team will be involved in local church work in both rural and urban settings in the country. The cost of this mission experience will be approximately $3500 per person. We as a congregation have committed to helping meet these financial costs both through regular giving to the church, and by supporting fundraiser events. Our Christmas Offering this year will be a first step in meeting this commitment. Please be prayerfully thinking about how you might financially contribute to supporting our church's El Salvador Mission Team through the Christmas Offering. Thanks!
Deadline for 2022 Giving Just a heads up that all donations to RiverCross Church must be received by the church no later than Friday, December 30th at 12 noon. Donations received after that will be allocated to 2023 giving. Donations for 2022 can be given at the church on Sundays December 18th and 25th or at the church office during office hours (or click here for details on how to give online).
Giving Envelopes If you plan to give your donations to the church using offering envelopes in 2023, you can pick them up from Elaine in the church lobby this Sunday, December 18th (do not use these before January 2023). Please email elaine.rivercross@gmail.com or call the church office to request them if you haven’t already. If you normally give by debit or E-Transfer, you do not need envelopes; you just need to provide your current mailing address to Elaine so she can send you a charitable tax receipt. (Receipts for 2022 will be sent by the end of February 2023).
Bruno and Kathleen Soucy Prayer Requests This winter we will be sharing prayer requests/ thanksgiving from our Partners in Mission, Bruno and Kathleen Soucy, who serve as Latin American Team Leaders for CBM. A full prayer list is available at the Welcome Centre. Click here for their bio and to learn more. “This week, please pray for us as we seek God’s direction for new staff, and for the new leaders who have emerged in our Bolivian partnership.”
Our deepest condolences to Mary Mahar on the death of her brother James Mahar on Friday, December 9th. Our prayers are with you and your family in your time of loss.
Our sympathy to Fran and Joel Johnston and family on the loss of Fran’s mother Velma Fraser, who died on Friday, December 9th. Praying that you will feel God’s loving embrace in this time of grief.
News from around the Church Office We would like to sincerely thank Dale Taber for serving as our Administrative Assistant while Marlee Learmonth has been on maternity leave. Dale has fit seamlessly into our staff team and has done such an excellent job in this role. Her helpful spirit has been a huge blessing. Dale’s last day will be Friday, and Marlee will be back in the office starting Monday morning.
Opportunities for This Week (see write-ups above for upcoming events) Sunday December 18
8:15 am Worship Team Preparation
9:30 am Worship Service (In-person)
9:30 am Mandarin Adult Sunday School (in person) 成人主日学
Young Adult Fellowship (in person) 青年团契
Youth Sunday School in English for the Chinese Community (in person) 青少年主日学
9:30 am Youth Sunday School
11:00 am Worship Service (In-person and livestream)
1-888-506-7561 for call-in service
11:00 am “6 Ways to Get Involved in Missions” Study Group – John Knight
12 Noon English Bible Study - Reading (for the Mandarin Community and anyone else who wants to join)
Wednesday December 21
9:30 am Staff Meeting
7:00 pm Blue Christmas Service
7:30 pm Mandarin Life Group (Zoom) 生命小组
Friday December 23
Morning and/or afternoon - Chair set-up for Sunday Worship
8:00 pm Mandarin Prayer Meeting (Zoom) 中文祷告会
All programs will be closed from Christmas until school restarts the week of January 9th.
