Church News: December 2002 / February 2003

Our Church Services in December 2002/January 2003:

01. December
First Advent - Joint Service
3:00 p.m.(!)

Followed by coffee time and Advent Program  

08. December
Second Advent
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
With the Celebration of Holy Communion

15. December
Third Advent
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.

20. December
Friday -Candlelight-Service
English 7:30 p.m.

22. December
Fourth Advent - Family Service
English 11:00 a.m.

Performance of the Sunday School’s Christmas Play

24. December
Christmas Eve
German 5:00 p.m.
English 7:00 p.m.

25. December
Christmas Day
German 11:00 a.m.

29. December
First Sunday after Christmas
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.

31. December
New Year's Eve
German 7:00 p.m.
With the Celebration of Holy Communion

01. January
New Year's Day
German 11:00 a.m.

05. January
Second Sunday after Christmas
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.

12. January
First Sunday after Epiphany
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
With the Celebration of Holy Communion  

19. January
Second Sunday after Epiphany
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.

26. January
Third Sunday after Epiphany
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf

We express our thanks for all donations and for the active attendance of our Church Services, and cordially invite you to stay for a while after the  Services for a cup of coffee!

Devotion for the month of December

Dear Congregation,
in the small village Church everyone was full of anticipation, particularly the children. Weeks of practice lay behind them. Today, on Christmas Eve, it was happening: Finally, the Christmas Play was to be performed. They all had been involved: The mothers sewing the costumes, the fathers building the scenery, the grandmothers, who contributed the hats for the shepherds, the grandfathers who lent their walking canes so that the shepherds could at least hold something in their hands. Of course, everybody had stage fright. A hundred times the little actors had spoken their text, but at the crucial moment, the Christmas Angel, a 5-year old boy with black curly hair, named Matthew, was swept away by nervousness. He had totally forgotten his text. Filled with tension, in the total silence he suddenly saw that all eyes were on him. He sort of remembered that he had to announce something important. He was supposed to give the shepherds an extraordinary message. But what? – He began to sweat. He also had the feeling that his face turned so red that it could light the whole Church. After seconds of silence, he finally said: “The to You is born today. And there he lies in the manger. And his parents are terribly proud of him!” – “Who is the ‘To You’?, asked the other players and some Church visitors smiled to themselves. As pastor Blixel stepped unto the pulpit after the Christmas Play, the little angel feared the worst. The other players beside him on the bench had told him that he had messed up everything. “The You, said his bigger brother to him, he is called ‘Jesus’, not ‘the to You’!” Pastor Blixel looked around and his eyes focused on Matthew, the annunciation angel. Matthew looked back at him and swallowed hard. Pastor Blixel smiled and said with a loud voice: “Matthew, we have to thank you! Today, you have brought back to our memory something very important, when you announced the birth of the child Jesus to the shepherds in the Christmas Play a little while ago. You have said: “The to You is born today’ – and you know what, at that moment I have grasped the importance of this story. “To You” – hopefully we all have grasped this thanks to your help. To you is born the Saviour – to us! All of us had almost forgotten this in all the Christmas hustle and bustle. It is good that you said it. And you know what, I believe that your parents, too, have good reason to be proud of you.” – “Behold, this is your God”, says the Prophet Isaiah. This YOUR cannot be written large enough. What happens there in Bethlehem is truly for us. For us Christ is born, not only for the shepherds, not only for a group of initiated people, but actually for us, too. And it is so important to understand this, yes, to experience this once again at Christmas. And something else resonates in the verse for December: Say to the fearful hearts, meant are the sad and despondent, be strong, fear not. The Christmas message is, foremost, a message for all those who have to carry their load. It is a good message, but particularly for those who have few good things. Especially at Christmas, sadness and loneliness are doubly hard to bear. And therefore, an encouraging verse like this is doubly important. And even though some people do not find God in spite of searching ardently, and some regard Christmas as false sentimentality: Still, in the manger in the stable, there is always something to be discovered, even if it is just the modest comment: For you! I wish you that you discover Christmas anew for yourself, that you look, listen, what the annunciation angel tells us, what Isaiah writes, what happens year after year at Christmas, that God comes to you, is born in your life. Look, here is your God! 

Wishing you a blessed Advent- and Christmas Season and a good and blessed New Year

Your Pastor

Visit of Spadina House

A few ladies of our congregation spent a nice afternoon with tea and sandwiches. Spadina House had also organized a tour through the historic building for the group. All in all, a successful afternoon, which was ended toward evening with a meal at “Muddy Duck”.

I am a snowflake

In October, just a few enthusiastic book lovers met at the parsonage for the first time. We shared the joy of the German written word, but also exchanged ideas on the English literature of our chosen country. At our second meeting in November, the number of the participants had tripled already. For the book lovers there was a pleasant surprise, as the writer Daryl Clarke from Tobermory introduced her booklet “I am a Snowflake. In this “Snowflake”-Booklet – how appropriate for the approaching winter season – she addressed mainly the older children and youth to help them gain self-confidence. “Not one snowflake is like an other.” – each one is unique, as are also people, each one is unique in his own way. Are we not all God’s Snowflakes?

The Literary Circle meets again on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2002 , at 4:00 p.m. , at the parsonage. 

Astrid Rutsatz

Visit of the "Festival of Lights" at Cullen Gardens

Three generations met for a visit of the seasonally decorated and festively light Cullen Gardens in Whitby . After an extended walk, where even the Christmas story of Jesu birth could be seen in life-size figures, we ended the day in a German Restaurant. This was a great experience.

Joint Church Service and Pleasant Get-Together on the First of Advent

Our congregation extends an invitation for the First of Advent – December 1st!! – to a joint Service at 3:00 p.m. at the Church. During coffee time following the Service, there will be a short pre-Christmas program with singing of Advent songs, with the Choir of Children and Adults, with stories and poems. We will be together until approximately 5:30 p.m. and, hopefully, we will experience much joy in celebrating together!

 In the morning there will be no Church Service!!!

We like to ask you to bring cookies or cake!

Singing at the Christmas Market

The Church Choir and the Choir of Children and Adults is invited to sing at the German Christmas Market in Toronto on the stage. This will take place on December 7th, beginning at 12:00 o’clock . We want to use this opportunity to promote the activities of our congregation, particularly the Church Services during the Advent- and Christmas Season. It would be nice if a few members came along to distribute information sheets during the singing. We think it is a good opportunity to make our congregation better known.

Winter-Walk at Crawford Lake

On December 8th, we invite everyone to take part in a winter-walk at Crawford Lake . We leave immediately following the German Service. We hope that many will join us in this activity. During our last outings we have truly had very much fun. It is really nice to do things together with others.

Candlelight-Service on Friday December 20th

At 7:30 p.m. , we will celebrate a Candlelight-Service with the theme “Spreading the Light of Christmas”. For this, we will light the Church with candles and follow the “Light” according to Biblical texts. Following this, we have planned a program for young people. Information from Pastor Wolf, 416-567-2487.  

Our Groups and Circles

The Literary Circle
takes place on Tuesday, December 3rd, 4:00 p.m. , at the parsonage, 3203 Gatliff Ave. , Mississauga ( east of Dixie Rd, south of Bloor St .). This time, Mrs. Astrid Rutsatz will introduce her book of stories in German and English. In January, we meet on the 7th at 4:00 p.m.

The Board of Directors of the Nursery
meets on Tuesday, January 14th, at 6:00 p.m. , at the Church.

The Women’s Group
invites to the Advent Celebration on December 11th, at 7:30 p.m. , at the Church.

Meeting of the Choir for Children and Parents
We practice on December 1st, starting at 1:30 p.m. , before the Church Service, to prepare for our presentation on December 12th. The next practice is in January on the 19th, starting at 12:15 at the Church.

The Church Council
The next meeting takes place of December 4th, at 7:00 p.m. , at the parsonage(!).  In the new year, the first meeting will be on January 15th, at 7:00 p.m. , at the Church.

The Senior Care/Senior Residence Committee
Meeting on Monday, January 13th, at 7:00 p.m. , at the Church.

The Congregational Concept Committee
Meets on Tuesday, January 21st, at 7:00 p.m. , at the Church, and is busy with preparing the announcement of the results.

Games Night
Takes place on Thursday, January 30th, at 7:30 p.m. , at the Church

For Children

The story of Philip (Part 2)

Children's Christmas Play !!!
Sunday, December 22 @ 11:00 a.m.

Preparations have begun for our Children’s Christmas play, which takes place during the Family Service on December 22 at 11:00 a.m. The service will be directed to children, with the play, acting as the central theme. The play offers an excellent opportunity for the children to learn about the miracle of Christ’s birth and the true meaning of Christmas.

The play is called a Christmas Journey and will include the nativity story, songs and fun. Roles are being assigned and the children are having fun learning the songs and their parts. All children are welcome to participate. If your child would still like to join the play, please call Peggy.

We are practising during Sunday School from 9:45am until 11:15am . Please come downstairs for a coffee until the practice is finished. It is important for your child to feel comfortable. For that reason we ask you to bring your little actors to Church as often as possible to allow time for us to practice. We are also be practising Christmas songs for the play.

The remaining practices are as follows:

Practices                                 Dec. 8, 15

Dress rehearsal                      Dec. 21

Play:                                        Dec. 22

Please note we would like to have a dress rehearsal for the play on Sat. Dec 21^st, 3:30 p.m. If you can’t make this time please let Peggy know.

After the Service on the 22^nd we invite all to join us in the basement where we serve coffee, cake and refreshments. If children like to perform a song or a poem during our gathering they are cordially invited. We appreciate every form of participation.

For more information contact Peggy Seifert-Rabey (416) 253-1374.

Retreat for Adults at Camp Edgewood

From Friday, January 31st to Sunday, February 2nd, a retreat for adults takes place again at Camp Edgewood . This time, we will accompany a Biblical figure through the texts of the Bible and learn much about the circumstances during the times of Jesus. Please register as early as possible. We will, as before, arrive there around 2:00 p.m. on Friday and on Sunday, after attending Church Service together and eating lunch, we will drive back.

Further Dates at Camp Edgewood :
·        Retreat for Confirmands    April 12th and 13th, 2003
·        Congregational Picnic        June 15th, 2002

The Last Word

Christmas is a time for calmness and reflection, 
until someone come up with the idea that there must be presents.
(Anonymous)