January 2, 2024
Calvary Compass – January 2, 2024 - Calvary United Church, www.calvaryuc.ca
Dear Friends of Calvary,
Happy New Year!! We wish you the very best for you and your family in 2024! Good Health and Happiness!
This week, the lower hall and meeting room will be busy with the happy sounds of children. Camp Kee-Mo-Kee is running a Day Camp for children in our community.
The church office will be open and Kim will be working her normal hours.
Rev. Kerry will be away from January 9th - 16th. He will be back January 17th. Rev. Wendy Noble will be providing Emergency Pastoral Care during that period.
Worship Services are all live-streamed:
January 7 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDWz3iY1LOo
Recorded service for December 31 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p42Uz17SZ5E
Friends in Christ,
To start the new year, John Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism, which is one of The United Church of Canada’s parent denominations, would invite Methodist disciples of Jesus, at the first of the year, to consider again what they believed and to pray a covenant prayer – a prayer to reaffirm a disciple’s commitment to their calling.
John Wesley's prayer, which follows at the end, has been adapted by the former moderator of the United Church of Canada, The Right Rev. Dr. Richard Bott.
In this coming Sunday's worship service, Rev. Kerry will remind us of our baptism vows and the significance of why, at the beginning of a new year, we are called to remember those sacred vows as we live into and throughout the year.
May peace, joy, love and hope be with you and yours in 2024,
Rev. Kerry (he, him)
Minster with the Congregation
MITTEN TREE
Thank you to all who have donated new hats, mittens, scarves and socks. We will be gathering together everything the week of January 8th to take to Southdale Chaplaincy for them to share with the families at Southdale Chaplaincy and Limberlost Chaplaincy. The 2024 calendars that were donated will also go to anyone at the chaplaincies that needs a calendar.
CHAMPION
CHAMPION will start again this Wednesday. Anyone who is 55 years old or older is welcome to join us for an afternoon of conversation, card playing, pickle ball, helping with the bedrolls and some refreshments. Once a month, we have a speaker on a variety of topics.
Family Skate
Wesley-Knox has rented ice at Farquharson Arena Wednesday from 3:30-4:30pm. All are welcome to come out for a family friendly skate. “All" includes friends and family of Wesley-Knox-ers/ knoxettes, and neighbouring congregations.
Photos from Christmas Eve Service
We are wondering if anyone has any photos from Calvary’s Christmas Eve service that they would be willing to share? It would be lovely to be able to include some photos in the next Catalyst or on the website. Please email the photos to Kim in the office at calvaryuc@execulink.com.
Meetings this Week
* CHAMPION - Wednesday - 1:00 - 3:30 pm
* Bible Study - Thursday - 11:00 am - 12 Noon via Zoom
* Affirming Committee - Friday - 7:00 pm via Zoom
Bible Study
Thursday - 11:00 am - 12 Noon
Scripture Reading: Psalm 29; Acts 19: 1 - 7;
Psalm for the Week
Psalm 148: 1 4 (New International Version translation)
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all angels;
praise him, all heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
Prayer for the Week
Almighty God,
you wonderfully created the dignity of human nature
and more wonderfully have blessed each of us.
In your mercy, let us share the divine life of the one who
came to share our humanity, Jesus Christ, your son, our Saviour,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God,
now and for ever. Amen and Amen.
“New Year Covenant Prayer” by John Wesley, adapted by the Rt Rev. Dr. Richard Bott, former Moderator of the United Church of Canada
“I am yours, God.
Completely yours.
Give me the work
that you need me to do.
Put me with the people
with whom you need
me to be.
Set me the tasks
you need done,
even if they are uncomfortable,
or painful for me.
Set me the tasks,
or set me aside,
as you need.
Lift me up or
set me low.
Fill me or empty me,
as you will.
Let me have,
or not.
I freely and joyfully
give all that I am,
to you.
And now,
God most holy,
Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit,
you are my God,
and I am your child.
May the promises
I have made here,
be made complete
by your witness.
And may it ever be so.
May it ever be so."