Church News: November 2003

Last updated:  Sunday, September 11, 2011                                                                                 November 2003

Our Church Services in November 2003:

November  2nd
20th Sunday after Trinity
Family Service!
English 11:00 a.m. (!)
Pastor Stefan Wolf and the Sunday School

November  9th
Third Last Sunday of the Church Year
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf
With the Celebration of Holy Communion in both Services!  

November 16th
Sr
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf

November 19th
Buß -und Bettag
Wednesday!!
German 7:00 p.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf
With the Celebration of Holy Communion

November 23rd
Eternity Sunday (Remembering the Dead)
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf
With Church Choir

November 30th
Ft Sunday in Advent
Joint Service
English and German 
3:00 p.m. !!
Pastor Stefan Wolf
With Church Choir
With coffee hour afterwards and an Advent Program

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!

Our Groups and Circles

Confirmation Instruction  takes place on Monday, November 10 and 24, 7:00 p.m., Parsonage, 3203 Gatliff Ave., Mississauga (east of Dixie Rd., south of Bloor St.)

The Literary Circle  takes place on Tuesday, November 11, 4:00 p.m., Parsonage. Please bring your favourite books or poems.

Board of Directors  of the Nursery meets on Tuesday, November 11, 6:00 p.m. at the Church.

Ladies’ Group invites on Wednesday, November 12, at the Church.

Church Council  meets also on Wednesday, November 12, at 7:00 p.m., at the Church.

The Senior Care/Senior Residence Committee takes place on Monday, November 17, 7:00 p.m., Church

The Congregational Concept Committee  meets on Tuesday, November 18, at 7:30, Church.

The Family Choir practices on Sunday, November 16, 12:30 p.m., after the German Church Service at the Church.

The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
(Isaiah 40, 8)

Dear Congregation,
a radio station in Missouri was very popular because it played good music.  The listeners were faithful to the program, and some remained sitting by the radio until late at night, just to listen to the music. One day, the station received a letter from a farmer who wrote: “I live alone on my farm. My wife died a few years ago, and my children live far away. There are three things in my life which comfort me and help me in my loneliness. The first is my farm, the second your radio program and the third my violin. Sometimes I know the music which you play, and then I take out my violin and just play along. I have only one problem: My violin is so out of tune in the meantime, that I can no longer play along. Furthermore, I have no tuning-fork, therefore, I ask you whether you could simply send an “A” over the radio, so that I can tune my violin again and play the songs. Many thanks in advance, yours...” – And, indeed: The station played the note and the farmer was able to tune his violin. – I would wish that the people in the Bible had such a note, according to which they could “tune” their lives. Various things cause upheavals in our lives. I really don’t have to list  them. And added to this, November is a month when a number of difficult memories awaken. The dark season depresses some people. The difficult things are often felt much more intense than at other times during the year. Therefore, it is all the more important, that we can intone a “melody” in our life, different from the “Blues” on loneliness and sadness. We need a joyous song which puts us in a better mood. What about: “God’s word will stand forever!” This is lasting, this counts, this is something on which one can depend, this is what God promises to you: He does not leave you, he stands by your side with his word, his word of comfort! – My understanding of the verse for the month is: It points out to us, there is not just the withering, but always life as well, the flowering and the joyousness. – The farmer in the story had three things which helped him in his situation: His farm, the radio program and his violin. The farm. I think, being occupied is an important point. To be able to do something meaningful, not just to be alone with oneself, but being active, being together with others, has a big influence on our spirits. – The radio program. It isn’t good to have our ear tuned inwardly only and pay fearful attention to every noise of our soul. We also need things which reach us from the outside. There must be something that breaks through the cycle of negative thoughts and pessimistic feelings. – The violin. “Play along”, be with others, community is so important. Doing something that we like to do, something that lends a balance, that lets us forget what hurts us. – At the moment, I am thinking about the fact that we must do more in this respect, bring lonely people together, take care of diversions and activities, joint meals, perhaps, at least once a month. The trips were clearly a positive example, how people experience something interesting together and have much fun. – All in all, I think, that true joy comes from within. Joy in faith, the joy in being connected to God, the joy in his word. Perhaps, this dimension does not reveal itself to us immediately, and sometimes not easily. Yet, God plays his tune day and night. It is my hope that God will help you to remove the dissonance from your life so that you will be able to intone a joyous melody.
With best wishes for November
I remain with kind regards,
your Pastor

Two trips we have already undertaken this fall: to the Niagara Wine Region and to the Cranberry Festival in Bala. Both times we started out with a tour, being informed how wine is produced and stored, and getting information about cranberry fields, the harvesting method and the products on a cranberry farm. Also beautiful were, each time, the conclusions of the day in Churches, which have been made available to our group by the congregations. The Church on Lake Joseph has, by the way, a breathtaking location on the shore, it can also be reached by boat. Come along with us (again) the next time. It was a joy, every time, to be together with so many others. Here are a few pictures. There are more on our web-site (www.martinluther.ca):

... we are looking for someone to organize the evenings and to bring people, who enjoy playing games, together. It would be nice if we could find someone, so that we can continue to offer Games Night. Please contact Pastor Wolf if you are interested.

If Nature could talk ..., what would we hear? On November 2^nd, in our Family Service at 11:00 a.m., in the English language, we will answer this question. Please take note that there will be no Church Service at 9:45 (!) Children will participate in the Church Service in animal costumes, performing a short play. We know how much joy the children find in participating; we also know how much joy adults have in watching the children. Therefore, please bring your children and grandchildren with you; if the children like, they can also come in animal costumes. Tell others about it! Families are cordially invited!!!

Our Congregation invites everyone to a joint Service at 3:00 p.m. on the First Sunday in Advent – November 30! During the coffee time afterwards, there will be a serious and amusing program with singing and presentations for children and adults. Perhaps you can also contribute something. Let us know. We will be together till about 5:30 p.m. and will, hopefully, have much joy in celebrating together!  This program is for all generations. Please invite your children and grandchildren, too.

There will be no Church Service in the morning!!!

We ask you to bring cookies or cake!!!

Christopher Eble-Scott  
Ekatarina Todorovic

   Jesus says: “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; 
For to such belongs the kingdom of God. (Luke 18, 16)

Flowered Place Mats
Use a wilting bouquet or gather flowers and leaves (with permission, of course!) to make beautiful place mats. Colors eventually fade to browns for a truly elegant look.

You need:

·        Clear Contact Paper

·        Flowers and Leaves

·        Scissors

Instructions:

For each place mat, cut 2 pieces of contact paper approximately 12" x 18". Peel the backing off one piece and lay it sticky side up on the table. Remove blossoms and leaves from their stems and arrange them on the sticky side of the contact paper. Press everything flat with your fingers. Some flowers will work better if you remove the petals and use them individually.

Peel the backing off the 2nd piece of contact paper. Place it sticky side down over your arrangement. Do not worry about lining up edges exactly. You will probably get some wrinkles. Just press everything down as flat as possible and your place mat will look beautiful. Trim around all edges with scissors.

TIP:            Have someone help with the contact paper. You can each hold 2 corners and it will be easier to apply.

IDEA:         Make decorative edges by cutting scallops or applying colored tape.

IDEA:         Cut into several different shapes pieces and make a mobile to hang in front of a window.

In our festively decorated Church we have celebrated more than “just” Thanksgiving this year. We have also dedicated ten new Church windows in a ceremony and have thanked those who have helped us to get these wonderful windows: The committee: Sieghard Schmidt, Olaf Weigelin, Heinz Gutsch, Edmund Scholz, Horst Zimmer; Repla Windows: Walter Peterson, Klaus Buchholz and Barry Ayers; the artists of Red Dala Glassworks: Lea and Ken Redmayne. Special thanks are also due to those who donated the windows, the families and friends of congregational members who have passed away. After this festive Service, we had a BBQ-Lunch. Thanks go to the Wienecke Family, Mr. Zabel, Mrs. Wiegers, and also to Mrs. Weigelin and the ladies of the Women’s Group for serving and organizing lunch. In a brief presentation, Mrs. Redmayne explained the production and the meaning of the windows. As soon as all windows are installed, there will be a small brochure available with the explanations of the symbols.

Thanks to the numerous donations, it is possible to give the commission to the artists for the remaining ten widows. This has happened. Furthermore, we have to point out, that all windows in the nave of the Church have been assigned. We are sorry not to be able to have more windows of this type made, for the interest of the congregation was overwhelming. We did not expect this. Therefore we are sorry that we had to give a negative answer to some people who asked for windows. Please understand. We have, however, spoken to the artists concerning a new design for the cross at the entrance to the Church. In the gable, there is, barely visible, a cross in darker glass, which should be newly designed in colour. There is, furthermore, the idea, to replace a total of four coloured windows, at the stairway to the organ, in the cloakroom and in the nursery, with bright, simple windows. With this, the project “Church Windows” would be completed. I want to add that we certainly will have to commit to new projects in the coming year. The washrooms in the basement have to be renovated urgently, the rooms for the congregation in the basement made user-friendly. There are certainly things to be done, and we will be dependent on donations in the coming year.

takes place on December 4, in the St. George’s congregation at 8:00 p.m.

“Unfortunately, no one can answer your call at the moment ...” Something like this on our voice mail, where you can leave messages after the tone. These messages are listened to every day, except Saturday. We try to call back as soon as possible in emergencies, in less urgent cases, within 24 hours. Therefore, don’t worry, your message reaches us in any case.

We can now put sermons on CD. At the beginning of every month, you can get the sermons of the previous month. One CD contains all English, another, all German sermons. As the production costs money and the costs of the computer program have to be covered, I want to ask you for a donation of about $ 3-5 per CD. CDs are more suited than cassettes, they are more durable and hold more recording time.  One CD holds four sermons.

Preparations are beginning for our Christmas play on December 21. The play will offer an excellent opportunity for the everyone to participate in the miracle of Christ’s birth and the true meaning of Christmas. Everyone is welcome to participate.

We will start by practicing some songs at Sunday School on November 16^th at 9.45 am. We will begin assigning parts the following Sunday, in order to allow everyone sufficient time to learn their lines. If you can’t come to Church on the 23^th, please call Peggy if you would like to take part.

Practices are as follows:

Practices Nov. 23, Dec. 7, 14

There will be a Dress Rehearsal prior to the play.

Play: Sunday Dec. 21

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

Mission Circle               every Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., but not on Nov. 12!

Church Choir                every Friday 7:30 p.m. Church.

Literary Circle              Tuesday,  November 11, 4:00 p.m. Parsonage!

Nursery Board of Directors   Tuesday, November 11,  6:00 p.m. Church.

Women’s Group         Wednesday, November 12,  7:00 p.m. Church.

Church Council          Wednesday, November 12,  7:00 p.m. Church.

Family Choir                    Sunday, November 16,  12:15p.m. Church.

Senior Care/Senior Residence Committee Monday, Nov.17, 7:00 p.m., Church.

Congregational Concept Committee  Tuesday, November 18, 7:00p.m.Church.

Biblestudy Group         Wednesday, November 26, 1:30 p.m. !, Church.

Some one who is always treated like a raw egg,
must become rotten with time.
(Lore Krainer)