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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. The Importance of Reservations
2. Candlelight Services – Evenings Dec. 19 & 20, 6:30 p.m.
3. Service of Comfort and Hope – Monday, Dec. 21, 6:30 p.m.
4. Christmas Eve Services – Dec. 24, 6 & 8 p.m.
5. Worship Details for This Coming Sunday
6. Starting Local/Going Global – Financial Progress Update
7. Starting Local Additional Initiative
8. The New Life Cupboard is Bare
9. It’s Annual Report Time
10. This Week @ BSBC
1. The Importance of Making a Reservation
As you plan your Christmas and Sunday service attendance for the remainder of the year, can we ask for your help?
Please, make a reservation in advance.
This is exceptionally helpful in our planning. With limited seating for our special Christmas services, we want to be sure that everyone who wants to come can be seated and that we can contact people in advance if we can’t accommodate them.
And, if you have a change of plan, please email the church office to let us know. We look forward to a wonderful celebration of Jesus’ coming!
2. The Candlelight Services
Due to our limited sanctuary seating in observance of COVID-19 protocols, this year we will be offering two Candlelight Services.
Saturday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
The services will be identical, featuring instrumental/vocal soloists, small vocal ensembles and the Adult Handbell Choir – all following COVID-19 protocols under the guidance from the Department of Health.
Again, please make your reservation in advance.
What to expect
Plan on screening at the door, hand sanitizing, masking at all times and physical-distancing — while waiting to enter the building, in the building and while exiting. Coming early will ensure that you don’t have to wait in the cold as the screening process takes place.
Supporting Fredericton Community Kitchens
We will also observe a BSBC Candlelight Service tradition by taking an offering as you enter in support of the Fredericton Community Kitchens. In this way, our celebration of Jesus’ coming, touches lives with Jesus’ love.
3. Service of Comfort & Hope
Each advent, we set aside one evening for our Service of Comfort and Hope. This gentle service will include quiet carols, reflective readings from the Bible, solos by Margaret Geldart, a devotional message from Pastor Greg and a time to remember, by name, those who are no longer with us but who we remember with love. As each name is read, we light a candle to remind us of light that person brought to our world and the light that Jesus brings to the darkness of grief.
This is not just a service for the BSBC church family, anyone can attend. To have the name of your loved one added to the roll of honour, please contact the church office by noon on Monday, Dec. 21. To make your reservation to attend, please click below.
4. Christmas Eve Services
Following our usual pattern, we’re offering two Christmas Eve services at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Both services will be live-streamed on Facebook, so that you can attend in-person or from the comfort of your home. Just visit our website at 6 or 8 p.m. and you will be able to tune in to the live service. Otherwise, you can tune in anytime after.
Your pastors are “cooking up” something special that we hope will be memorable! Don’t forget to make your reservation for in-person attendance.
5. Worship this Sunday, Dec. 20
Do you find it hard to believe that we are about to gather for the final Sunday of Advent? This week's Comforting Christmas Tradition is the Christmas tree and decorations. Pastor Greg will be beginning in Genesis, with a stop in Matthew, before heading to Revelation. This ‘three stop tour’ of the Scriptures will invite us to focus on three important ‘trees’ that encapsulate God’s plan for humanity.
Musical leadership in the gym will be provided by Pastor Steve and friends. In the sanctuary, the JOY Trio and soloist, Beth Snow, will be ministering. The children’s time will be delivered by Alyse Wilton.
There are a few ways you can worship with us this Sunday:
Contemporary online worshippers: Tune in to Facebook Live just before 10:30 a.m.
Traditional online worshippers: Please note that the recording of the morning traditional service will be available on our website by 3 p.m. on Sunday. Thanks for noting this change.
In-person worshippers: Please make your reservation by clicking the button below.
6. Starting Local Going Global - Financial Update
As this annual BSBC event draws to a close, we praise God to report that the following has been received:
Staring Local Campaign: $7,330 (Goal of $8,100)
Going Global Campaign: $7,805 (Last Year’s Project Raised Just Under $9,000)
How to give
Thank you to all who have given so generously. We welcome contributions up to the end of the year. You can continue to give by simply identifying your gift as Starting Local or Going Global. Gifts that are identified Starting Local/Going Global will be equally divided between the funds.
More information
Please see the next newsletter article for an update on Starting Local from our Social Action Team. To hear more about the Global project, please enjoy the following video offered by John Stewart, chair of our Missions Committee.
7. Starting Local Additional Initiative
Thank you so much for your generous giving! We have surpassed our $6,100 goal to serve the Starting Local New Life and Benevolent family needs!
Gifts for our Third Sunday Supper friends
Now, if you have not given yet, we would love to invite you to help us expand the project and include our downtown friends. Due to Covid restrictions, we have not been able to engage with our friends at Third Sunday Suppers and so we would like to touch base with as many as we can and to bless them with the gift of giving this Christmas season.
We hope to purchase 80 Tim Hortons gift cards and include a small box of chocolates as well! This will cost approximately $1,170.
So, if there are any who wish to take this opportunity, we can make sure that more people will be blessed!
Thank you so much for helping us to reach our goal and, ideally, allow us to bless others connected with us through Third Sunday Supper in the Name of Jesus!
Pastor Steve
8. The New Life Cupboard is Bare
In January, New Life had enough non-perishable food stipends to last the rest of the year. Then COVID-19 hit, and the group shut down until this October.
Before we opened, we went through the dates on all the food and 3/4 of it was either past date or nearing. We made use of the near expired food but could not give away the majority. Thus, the cupboards are very, very bare at this time. We need your help.
To reopen in the new year, we need to restock the shelves and your help will be invaluable. We will need:
Kraft Dinner
cookies
canned veggies
canned tomatoes
canned ham, chicken, turkey, tuna, fruit
spaghetti sauce
dry pasta
cereal
crackers
canned pasta
canned brown beans
Cheese Whiz
peanut butter
canned/bottled/boxed fruit juices
toilet paper
Kleenex
paper towel
boxed potatoes.
Thank you, in advance, as the small bag of groceries we give each week helps our participants.
Rhonda MacLure-Perrin
9. It's Annual Report Time
Don’t forget that all Annual Reports are due before Friday, Jan. 4! Please be considerate of this deadline.
Report information can be emailed directly to the church office at bsbc@bsbc.nb.ca or dropped off at the office in typewritten form, if possible.
Thank you,
Janet Mitchell
10. This Week at BSBC
Wednesday, December 16
12:00 Prayer Time with Pastor Charles (Online)
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Choir Room)
6:30 Youth Bible Study with Pastor Charles (Third Floor)
Thursday, December 17
6:30 Adult Handbell Choir (KidzTown)
7:00 Chinese Ministry Christmas Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
Friday, December 18
7:00 Middle & High School Youth Christmas Party (Third Floor)
7:00 Chinese Ministry Christmas Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
Saturday, December 19
2:00 Candlelight Service Rehearsals (Sanctuary)
5:00 Adult Handbell Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
6:10 Pre-Service Music (Sanctuary)
6:30 Candlelight Service I (Sanctuary)
7:00 Just Church (Gym)
Sunday, December 20
10:30 Traditional Worship Service (Sanctuary/Online)
10:30 Contemporary Worship Service (Gym/Online)
6:10 Pre-Service Music (Sanctuary)
6:30 Candlelight Service 2 (Sanctuary)
Monday, December 21
6:30 Service of Comfort and Hope (Sanctuary)
Tuesday, December 22
No events
Wednesday, December 23
12:00 Prayer Time with Pastor Charles (Sanctuary/Facebook Live)
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Choir Room)
Thursday, December 24
12:00 Church Offices closed at noon
6:00 Christmas Eve Service 1 (Sanctuary/Facebook Live)
8:00 Christmas Eve Service 2 (Sanctuary/Facebook Live)
