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Our Church
Services in December 2003 and January 2004:
November
30th
1st Sunday in Advent
Joint
Service
English /German 3:00 p.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf
With
Church Choir and Band
Coffee time and Program after the Service
December
7th
2nd Sunday
in Advent
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
With
the Celebration of Holy Communion
December 14th
3rd Sunday
in Advent
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
December
19th
Candlelight
Service
Friday!!
English 7:30 p.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf and the Youth Group
December
21st
4th
Sunday in Advent
Family
Service
English 11:00 a.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
With Christmas Play of the Sunday School!
With
Family Choir
December 24th
Christmas
Eve
German 5:00 p.m.!!
English 7:00 p.m. !!
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
With
Church Choir
December 25th
Christmas
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
With
Church Choir
December 28th
1st Sunday
after Christmas
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
December 31st
New
Year's Eve
German 5:00 p.m. !!
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
January 1st
New
Year's Day
German 5:00 p.m.!!
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
January
4th
2nd Sunday
after Christmas
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
January
11th
1st Sunday
after Epiphany
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
With
the Celebration of Holy Communion
January
18th
2nd Sunday
after Epiphany
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor
Stefan Wolf
January
25th
3rd 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! |
Our Groups and Circles
Board
of Directors of the Nursery meets on Monday,
December 1 and Thursday, December 8. at 6:00 p.m., Church.
The
Literary Circle takes
place on
Tuesday, December 2. And
January
13., 4:00 p.m., Parsonage. This time, I
ask everyone to bring some literature for Advent or Christmas. (Poems,
stories)
The
Church Council The next meeting takes place
on December 3., at 7:00 p.m., at the Parsonage(!). In the new year, our
first meeting will be on January 14, 7:00 p.m., at the Church.
The
Family Choir meets for and Advent sing-along
on December 5., in the building “Marina Del Ray at 6:30 p.m.
Furthermore, we accompany the congregation during the program after the
Service on the 1st Sunday of Advent (November 30) and the
Family Service on the 4th of Advent (Dec. 21, 11:00 a.m.) at the
Church.
Dress rehearsal of the Sunday School Christmas play will take place on
Thursday December 18 at 5:30 followed by pizza
Confirmation
Instruction
takes place on Monday, December 8 and January 12+26,
7:00 p.m. at the parsonage.
Congregational
Concept Committee
meets on Tuesday, December 9., and on January 21., 7:00 p.m. at the
church and is occupied with drafting the Congregational Concept.
The
Women’s Group invites to an Advent
Celebration on December 10, at 7:00 p.m., at the Church. The first
meeting next year is on January 14, at 7:30 p.m., Church.
Senior
Care/Senior Residence Committee meeting
will be arranged.
Youth
Group meets on Monday, December 15, 7:00
p.m. at the Parsonage, to prepare the Candlelight Service on December 19.
Mission
Circle
every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m., not Dec 11th!
Radioandacht
in German
every Friday 11:00 a.m., Ciao Radio AM 530.
Kirchenchor
every Friday at 7:30 p.m., Church.
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Behold,
I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way
in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah
43, Verse 19
Meditation
on the Verse for the Month of December
Dear
Congregation,
 What is this new thing, I ask myself? What is actually
changing in my life, just because Christmas is approaching again? Is it
not the same again every year? Is Christmas with the remembrance of
Christ’s birth in the manger actually a surprising news, which changes
everything? – It almost seems as if God had waited for this objection,
and therefore, supplied the Prophet Isaiah immediately with he fitting
answer in the form of a question:...Do you not perceive it?” – Are we
blind? Have we become so insensitive already, so immersed in our daily
life? Do we, perhaps, besides all the hustle and bustle, the shopping, the
rushing about, not notice anything of the new thing that God wants to
create? – The new thing in Advent and at Christmas is not that we do the
same things again every year, sing the same songs, hear the same stories.
The new thing is that this message wants to reach us basically every day
anew. A professor of theology has once said: “ On Sunday, it does not
matter whether you always say something new, but that you say the old in a
new way.” For us listeners to God’s word, it is not about the
sensational, the message never heard before, but about this: that at all
times of our life, under all circumstances, even if many things change, we
grow older, are ill, happy or sad, this message stands: “For to you is
born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”
There is something that is unchanging in our life, and that is God’s
love for us. Let’s be quite honest, exactly because we are so taken in
by everything that goes on in our life, it is still like an Aha-Experience
when we are told once again: “I, your God, am here for you always. You
did not think of me. You were so preoccupied with other things – in
spite of this, here I am.” – I read the following story: “You look
so dissatisfied”, remarked one pail to his companion, when they came to
the well. “O, said the other, I just though about how useless it is to
be always filled anew, and we still return always empty.” – “Now,
think of that, said the first one, I have never looked at it that way. I
am always glad thinking, that we, though we come back empty, we still
always leave filled.” – With the Verse for this month, God announces
that he is back in our life. But he gives decisive indications:
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold,
I am doing a new thing...” God wants to fill our life with light and
warmth. We, however, must have the ability to look forward. Things shall
yet improve. God wants to make us joyous, wants to grant us hope and
contentment. That, however, will only happen when we rediscover him in our
every day life. Even though we are “empty”,
he fills our hands and hearts, strengthens our faith. And we can always
come to him. And even though we cannot muster the energy, God announces,
sooner or later, that he is back. Suddenly, he is here again, as he
returns regularly at Christmas. – What is new? We shall not live our
life as a “dissatisfied pail”, which is angry because of his alleged
uselessness, but look gladly forward to God enriching our life, granting
us his grace daily anew and raising us up time and again. I can only hope
that the Christmas season is a time of renewal for you, that you can
marvel again at what God is doing in your life.
A blessed Advent- and Christmas Season and a good and blessed New Year
wishes you
Your Pastor and Family
Joint
Service and a Get-together on the First Sunday in Advent
 On
the 1. of Advent – November 30! our congregation invites to a joint
Service at 3:00 p.m. at the Church. During coffee-time afterwards, there
will be a serious and an amusing program with singing and presentations
from the children for the adults. Perhaps you, too, would like to present
something? Let us know. We will be together until about 5:30 p.m., and
will, hopefully, find much joy in celebrating together. This program is
for all generations. Please invite your children and grandchildren!
There
will be no Church Service in the morning!!!
We would like to ask you to bring cookies or cake!
Candlelight
Service on December 19th, 7:30 p.m.
At 7:30 p.m. we will celebrate a
Candlelight-Service. Everyone
is cordially invited. We will light the Church again with candles and
follow the prophecies of Christ’s birth according to Biblical texts.
For our youth, there is a
program planned following the Service. Information from Pastor Wolf,
416-567-2487.
Christmas
Play during the Service on the 4th Sunday in Advent
The practices for the Christmas
play have begun, which we want to present on December
21., during the Service at 11:00
a.m. The play is called: “The
Message and the Messengers” and relates how the message of Jesus'
birth came into this world, who brought it and what else was happening
around Jesus' birth. Look forward to it!
Additional
practices take place on December 7. and 14.
For
further information contact Peggy Seifert-Rabey (416) 253-1374
Baptized
were ...
Jacob Alexander Wilson
Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God!
Let thy good spirit lead me on a level path!
Psalm 143, Verse 10
A
Good Start for the Sunday School - A Report by Monika Schmidt
 The
Sunday school year began officially on September 28 and groups of 6 to 20
children participate each Sunday. It’s a lively group with lots of
smiles and enthusiasm. The overlap of the Sunday school with the English
and German services is working well. All of the children from both
services are together from 10:30 to 11:00 am for the bible lesson and an
activity. We are working with the book “God Feeds Us” which consists
of 4 bible stories. We study each story over 4 Sundays with activities and
crafts related to the story. Crafts from the first story, “Jesus Feeds
5,000” are now decorating the Sunday school room and we hope to add more
over the course of the year. Please drop by to enjoy the children’s
work. At the November 2 family service the children put on an excellent
play about our stewardship of the earth and the animals. After the service
enough money was raised to adopt 3 animals from the World Wildlife
Federation. We will follow up on this theme when the certificates for our
adopted animals arrive. Our next challenge is the Christmas play. We’ve
already started practising songs and play rehearsals will begin soon.
Exciting things are happening in the basement. Dress rehearsal of the
Sunday School Christmas play will take place on Thursday December 18 at
5:30 followed by pizza
Two
Hikes for Those Who Want Some Exercise After the Holidays
Hans
Vetter invites all young people and interested congregational members
to participate in two hikes.
An invitation is extended to the Martin Luther Church Youth Group
and Congregation stating that on
Boxing Day, Friday Dec 26/03, we are conducting a Health and History
Hike at the Toronto Islands!! We will meet at 11am at the Ferry Docks at
the foot of Bay Street downtown. We will be catching the next Ferry Boat
over to Ward's Island after 11. Please dress warmly and wear appropriate
footwear for the weather and the walk. The hike is totally a flat one, but
it may be slippery. We will have lunch halfway through the hike, so please
bring a lunch and drinks/coffee/camera etc. The hike itself will be 10-12
km.
To
the Youth Group and Congregation, please be advised that on the last Saturday of January or the first Saturday of February, we
are planning a Health and History Urban Hike in Toronto, specifically the
Beltline Railway Hiking path to the Toronto Brickyards off of lower
Bayview Ave and the Don River. There will be more info to follow, but in
the New Year.
For
further info contact Hans Vetter (416) 367-0378
Nursery
News
 First
of all, our heartfelt thanks go
out to all who have supported the Nursery financially during the past
months. It was and still is a great help, for we now can support children
to participate in the Before-and-after School Program. The fees per child
per month are $340.-. Our Nursery is full, at the moment. There is even
the problem of having to let children go, because of lack of spaces in the
pre-schooler group. To do justice to all children, we would have to extend
the program, which is, because of technical reasons in the Nursery
building, not possible, yet, it would be in the Church basement. At the
moment, the Nursery Board is looking into this possibility and will, of
course, keep the congregation continually informed. – We are very proud
of the feedback from the parents and of the excellent inspection report
which we received from the City recently. We have also achieved to relieve
the tight financial situation, which was caused by the changing
regulations regarding subsidy and the resulting gaps in our groups. On
Halloween we had a BBQ and costume party as last year. Now, the children
are looking forward to the Advent- and Christmas Season. We would like to
organize a Christmas party, at which interested congregational members are
welcome and can enjoy the children. We also hope that Nursery children
will participate in our Christmas play. On the whole, we have done much
during the past few months, to bring Nursery and Church closer together.
Christmas
Parade on December 6th, 10:00 a.m. along Lake Shore Boulevard
At
the moment we are getting ready for the Christmas Parade along Lake Shore
Blvd. We are very happy about the co-operation between Nursery and Sunday
School, which organize this jointly. We will have many little angels on
our float. Furthermore, we will call attention to our congregation through
a banner. It is the first time that our Church is taking part in this
parade.
A
Thank You from our Organist Heike Eble
I want to say Thank You for the wonderful Baby
Shower, which was put on by the congregation on July 20. Everything was so
beautifully organized with coffee and tea, sandwiches and delicious cakes.
Even though I have been with you as organist for almost 15 years,
unfortunately, I don’t know, everyone by name. Therefore, I want to
thank you all – especially Mrs. Weigelin for the nice readings, a Thank
You also to all the ladies who brought food and helped with the clean-up.
Russ and I were caught by surprise by this unexpected party, and I am sure
that our baby will be happy with all the presents. We want to bring our
child up in a house filled with love, joy, laughter and faith. For me,
Martin Luther Church is a part of this. My love for music has brought me,
as your organist, much joy throughout the past 15 years, and I will miss
it, while I have to take care of our baby at home. I am certain that the
congregation has a good supply organist in Klaus Schneeberger. I am
looking forward already, to play for you again, after I am used to the
baby! In the mean time, I wish you all God’s blessing and loving
thoughts for every day.
Yours,
Heike Eble
Youth
Group
 Very
surprised were we at the participation at the first Youth Group meeting
after the summer in the basement of the parsonage. On November 1., 25
young people came to spend an evening together with lots of fun and
entertainment. On November 22., we went out together for bowling. Tanya
Zielke and Gregory White are planning the meetings, which is quite a bit
of work. But, as one can see: The effort is worthwhile!
Next
on the program is the preparation for the Candlelight Service. A Preparations Meeting will take place at the parsonage on December 15, at 7:00 p.m.
Sermons
on CD
Sermons on CD are always available at the beginning
of each month in German and English for $ 5.00 per CD.
Retreat
for Adults at Camp Edgewood
From Friday,
January 30. to Sunday, February 1., a retreat for adults takes place
again. Please register as soon as possible. We will, as usually, get there
around 2:00 p.m. and on Sunday, after visiting Sunday Service together and
after lunch will be on our way home again. The topic is: “A
song of trust and faith – Psalm 23”.
Further booked dates in Camp
Edgewood:
Congregational
Picnic June 27th, 2004 (this time not on Father’s Day)
Summer
Camp throws its First Shadow
The dates for the summer camp of
our congregation are set. We will be at Camp Lutherlyn on Golden Lake from
Sunday, August 1. to Saturday, August 8., and we ask you to include this
date in your planning for next year already. We will have a bus going to
the Camp like this year.
Please mark down that there will
be a Camp Reunion of the 2003
Camp on February 15, 2004!
The
Contact Circle of the German speaking, Lutheran Congregations
Takes
place on December 4. at St. George's Church at 8:00 p.m.
DELKINA
Conference in Florida
I
will report in more detail on the Meeting of the Interest Conference of
the German-speaking Congregations in North America, which took place at
the beginning of November in Florida, in the next Congregational Bulletin,
as there is not enough space here!
Please
let us hear from you...!
We
are still looking for someone to organize the Games Night and to bring
people together, who enjoy playing games. It would be nice if we could
find someone, so that we can continue to offer Games Night. Please do
contact Pastor Wolf if you are interested.
A
'Thank you' from the Pastor's Family
 An
exciting year is almost over. We have good reason to be thankful and also
to thank you as congregation for all the support and gestures of kindness
and appreciation. It was always nice to know, that you have included us as
a family in your thoughts, your talks and prayers. We wish you a happy and
blessed time of Advent and a blessed New Year of 2004
All
Dates at a Glance
Mission Circle
every Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., not on December 10 + January 14!
Church
Choir
every Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Church
Nursery
Board of Directors
Monday,
Dec. 1 + Thursday, Jan. 8, 6:00 p.m., Church.
Church
Council
Wednesday,
Dec. 3, 7:00 p.m. Parsonage!
Wed., January 14, 7:00
p.m.Church
Family
Choir
Friday, December 5, 6:30 p.m. Marina
del Ray!
Confirmation
Instruction Class
Monday, Dec 8+Jan 12+26, 7:00 p.m.
Parsonage!
Congregational
Concept Committee
Tuesday,
December 9 + Jan 20, 7:00 p.m. Church.
Women’s
Group
Wednesday, December 10 + January 14,
7:00 p.m. Church.
Youth
Group
Monday, December
15, 7:00 p.m. Parsonage!
Senior
Care/Senior Residence Committee
Date to be set!
The
Last Word
My fondest wish: Cain and Abel negotiate a cease-fire
And all people become brothers and sisters.
(Marianne
Sägebrecht (*1945), dt. Schauspielerin u. Kabarettistin) |
