The Year that Was

 Link for our live-streamed service is here.

On the world stage, 2025 was a tumultuous year--wars, tariffs, natural disasters, an election, a new pope . . . Is it any wonder that at SPPC we turned to the comforts of food and fellowship?

We ended the year with a sunshine lunch, the fifth such gathering of the year. Joan kindly sent along a few pictures.

Friendship coffee met eight times in the church building. Congregants and community members enjoyed a cuppa and goodies, but mostly they enjoyed each other's company, setting the world to rights around a table and sharing a laugh.

We also broke bread together to raise funds for the new heat pump. It had a hiccup in the beginning, but all seems to be in order now. We were cool on the hottest days of summer and warm now that winter has arrived.

Our church building turned 35 this year. So, we celebrated that anniversary with lunch. The mission team to the DR reported back over lunch, and in September we had a potluck lunch to celebrate the return to "school" and to hear about Diane and Rev. Irwin's trip to S. Africa.

In December we had a carol-singalong, but boosted the occasion with the first ever Great Peninsula Shortbread Bakeoff -- with hot chocolate and cookies.

All this in addition to our usual fellowship time following service on Sunday morning! I didn't count the number of Sundays where we had a cake to celebrate a special occasion, but on the last Sunday of 2025 we had a 90th birthday cake for Syd. 

Mission

I mentioned that we celebrated the return of our mission team with lunch (peanut butter sandwiches) but we also give thanks for the work they did in the Dominican Republic. Joan, Diane and Jerusha are old hands at this but it was the first year that Rev. Irwin made the journey. They all came back glowing with joy, and nursing callouses -- hard, physical labour in Christ's name bears its own rewards.

Certificate for Missional Leadership- several people from both session and the congregation have signed on to a church renewal project sponsored by Vancouver School of Theology. We expect to hear an update from them in January. Of course, lunch will be served.

We support the Peninsula Food Bank all through the year, but in 2025 we ran two "drives" to bring extra goods and cash. 

Our cozy toes project supported the Mustard Seed Street Church with warm socks and other articles of clothing for the unhoused.

Study

Our Wednesday Study tackled several topics in 2025. We did "Drive Thru' History," a video series with Dave Stotts in the lead up to Easter. Doing a virtual walk with him through the Holy land and Jesus' journey to the cross brought many insights. 

While Rev. Irwin was mixing cement in the DR we watched a couple of movies, "God is not Dead," "Luther" and "Bonhoeffer."  All of these told the story of people who had stood firm on the Gospel in the face of ridicule, persecution and death. A reminder that the church has survived turmoil for centuries. 

Currently, the group is taking a crash course in Biblical understanding through semantics via video with Tim Mackie of the Bible Project.

Pulpit Supply

This was also a year of guest preachers. Rev. Irwin took leave to do mission work in the Dominican Republic, to wash dishes at Camp Imodene, and for medical issues. He also had study leave and his own vacation time. In his absence we enjoyed a parade of substitute teachers on Sunday mornings. George Hodgson, Rick Wismer (Blue Bus), Harold McNabb, and Arnie Alksne are old friends of the congregation. We were also blessed with visits from Byron Knight, Grant Wilson, Ray Sanford, Wes Dyer, and Mitch Coggin. We are grateful for these fresh voices from the pulpit. Praise God for His many servants.

Worship

The items listed above stand out because they are out of the ordinary. Worship, on the other hand, is what we do, week in and week out. It is at the heart of our reality. The mission work, the fellowship, the fun stuff, they are all grounded in our faith, nurtured by worship and preaching. Sunday morning binds us together with "saints above and saints below."

There are also special times of worship at Easter-- a Good Friday service, a Maundy Thursday communion, and Sunrise service in the park. 

Our Christmas Eve, with candles and carols is always a highlight of the season. 2025 was no different. 

2026?

At this time of year the pundits are invited to make predictions for the coming months. I wouldn't dare. After all, we sing "my life is in your hands, O Lord." But, I expect that SPPC will continue to worship, eat cake, make music, and enjoy our fellowship, rejoicing in Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

The Shortbread Contest

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here..

Our extra services this week are available on-line. Christmas Eve is here.

                                                                                   Christmas morning is here.

The Great Peninsula Shortbread Bake-off and Carol Sing and Bake Sale is over. Sunday was the "pilot" for this project. If we were a prospective television show, I'm sure the network would pick us up for the whole season.

Pictured at left is the set up crew who spent Saturday morning readying the hall.

There were over 50 at the singalong -- well beyond expectations. We ran out of song sheets and had to hastily print off more.

The tables groaned under the weight of all the donated baking.

All the goodies refreshed our coffers by a little over six hundred dollars. Thanks to our "money-changer" for keeping track of the finances.  

The contest produced endless laughter and five winners.  The voting was intense. Everyone present took their role in "people's choice" seriously, although I'm not sure what to make of the Scotch mint in one of the voting jars.

As a surprise, an engineer in our congregation arrived with trophies he had made especially for the event, one for each category. Winners got a certificate AND a one-of-a-kind trophy.

And the Winners Are. . .

Norma for Scottish Shortbread. 

Pam for whipped shortbread.

Ann for flavoured (she used lemon.)

Emily for decorated -- espresso shortbread dipped in chocolate!

And the one everyone waited for ... Men's! Won by Alan

What a way to start Christmas week -- with carols, shortbread, laughter and friends. Thanks to everyone who made it possible.

Please, Sir, More

The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

This week at SPPC meant, food, food and more food. We began on Sunday with the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. We ate of the living bread, refreshing our souls and ministering to our spiritual hunger.

Even though I am reporting on the feasting for this week, I must mention that Norma, Pam, Elizabeth and Darlene started off the month of December with a quiche luncheon the folk in their elders districts.

Mid-week, the "out to lunch bunch" treated themselves to what has become a popular tradition, Christmas dinner at the B.C. Legislature. The pictures tell the story of beautifully decorated surroundings, good company and delicious food.

On Friday, there was food, fun and music in the Ross Lounge as Joan and Janet hosted a Christmas lunch for their elder districts. The music was a real treat as, Greg, our piano tuner, was in the church and accompanied our carols. The only payment we offered was a cup of tea and a mini-quiche. Fortunately, Greg loves to play and encourage others to make music, so we were all happy.

Today, Monday Dec 22, is the sunshine lunch, so more food for the body and friendship for the soul.

When Oliver Twist held out his empty bowl and asked for more gruel, the stewards of the orphanage were horrified. 

The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear. 

We don't live in Dickensian England, but, sadly, the need for "more" in children's bowls has not gone away. The Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank responds to hungry folk with compassion and a hamper.

At SPPC we support the Food Bank all year long, but particularly at Christmas. On Sunday, we wrapped our current food drive with several boxes of donations along with cash. 

Also, during the service the "white gifts" for our shut-ins were dedicated.

Just because it is Christmas we made the occasion more festive, entering the names of those who donated to the food bank into a draw. Rebekah performed the honours during coffee hour and Emily S. was the winner.  

Even though our official food drive has ended for this season, we encourage all who are able to remember the food bank on a regular basis. We can accept donations at SPPC, or you can drop into their location at 9586 Fifth St, Sidney, BC V8L 2W5  

Phone: (250) 655-0679

Next week, all are invited to our Advent 3 service at 10:00 am on Dec. 21.

The Great Peninsula Shortbread Bakeoff and Carol Sing takes place on the same day at 2:00 pm. Please join us.

Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, at 7:00 pm we hold our annual Carols by Candlelight service. This is a very special time of music and lessons, fellowship and joy. Please come, and bring your friends and family. There is room for all.

Christmas morning, Dec. 25 at 10:30 we gather once again for a short service of carols to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel - God with us.

Christmas Creep

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

No, I'm not talking about the Grinch or Ebenezer Scrooge. The creep in the heading is the extended shopping season that tacks itself onto Christmas and puts "Deck the Halls" into shopping malls while the Hallowe'en pumpkins are still sitting by the till. 

12 Days

The length of the Christmas season has varied through the ages. In Medieval times, it started on the afternoon of 24 December and consisted of 12 full days of revelry, including much drinking and dancing and feasting. The Twelve Days of Christmas ended on January 6, Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Three Kings to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem. 

0 Days

When the Puritans, under Oliver Cromwell, gained control of parliament in England and Scotland, they objected to the unbridled partying of the Christmas season and banned its observance altogether. In 1647 they passed an Ordinance that outlawed not only Christmas but Easter and Whitsuntide and all other festival days, commonly called Holy-dayes.

The Puritans in Massachusetts followed suit in 1659. On the understanding that Christmas was ". . . a great dishonour to God and an offence to others. . . " The Colony imposed a penalty of five shillings on anyone who failed to show up for work, feasted, or in any other way celebrated Christmas. 

12 Days Again

If you want to lose an election, tell the voters they can't party, especially at Christmas. By the nineteenth century the Puritans were out of office. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were in the vanguard of most of the Christmas traditions we know today. 

Christmas trees, an import from Germany were popularised by Albert and the royal family. As parents of nine children, the royal couple were quick to focus the festivities on family and gave their children presents, such as sweets, nuts and fruit. As time passed, toys became a prized gift.

Charles Dickens

Some have credited Charles Dickens with inventing our modern Christmas but he merely wrote a story that reflected the prevailing culture of the time with its emphasis on family, food, and charitable acts. In fact, we can look at Dickens as the beginning of the Christmas creep. His family was expanding and he was short of cash, so he wrote a new story, "A Christmas Carol." It was immensely popular and brought in goodly amounts of cash to its author.  The season was still only 12 days long, but money-making ideas were now part of the traditions.

The Great Depression 42 Days

In 1939, the world was in the grip of the Great Depression. American thanksgiving fell on November 30. President Franklin Roosevelt moved the date to November 23 so that merchants would have one more week of sales. The experiment failed,  but illustrates how Christmas and selling have become inextricably entwined.

Boxing Day

By the late 20th century, Boxing Day in many parts of the world, including Canada, had ceased to be a day marked by gifts to servants and became, instead, a huge shopping extravaganza. Intent on securing the best post-Christmas deal, consumers lined up in the dark in order to be first though the door when stores opened. 

The 12 days of Christmas became a song, rather than a season. Christmas happened on Dec. 25 and was over on Dec. 26. Some folk took down their decorations immediately.

Black Friday

In the 1980's marketers hit on another selling buzz word, Black Friday. It fell on the day after American Thanksgiving and denoted the day retailers accounts went into the black, as opposed to red. If enough shoppers spent money on Black Friday, stores would turn a profit for the year.

Cyber Monday

In 2005 the National Retail Federation (the world's largest retail trade association) decided to cash in on the growing on-line sales trend by creating an event like Black Friday, for cyber sales. It is now a huge shopping day with revenue equal to or surpassing that of Black Friday.

No Limits

The Christmas season with lights and decorations and sales and events has expanded from December 24, to December 1, to mid-November, to end of October . . . Who knows where it will go next?

Advent

With the shopping frenzy beginning earlier and earlier in the calendar, the sense of Advent as a season of waiting with bated breath has been lost in the secular world. But there is good news! At SPPC we come together each Sunday for a time of worship, a time of reflection, a time of fellowship. On Sunday, Dec. 14 at 10:00 am we celebrate the coming of Joy, on Dec. 21, 10:00am we look for Love come down at Christmas and on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, at 7:00 pm, we gather in candlelight to hear the old, old story of shepherds and angels and the birth of a Babe in Bethlehem. We sing Silent Night and O Little Town of Bethlehem. 

On Christmas morning, Dec. 25, at 10:30 am  we come together once again to sing Joy to the World and greet Emmanuel, God with us.

All are invited to step away from the busy world of commerce and join us for these times of worship and prayer and song and thanksgiving.

Prepare the Way

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here..

The choir anthem on Sunday contained the line "Jesus is coming, prepare!" A crew of volunteers had prepared the sanctuary on Saturday. The Advent Wreath was in place, ready for the lighting of the first Advent Candle on Sunday.

The tree was up and decorated. Lights shone along the walls.

Nativity scenes graced the narthex and the hall as well as the sanctuary.

Angels and sheep statues marched along the upper window sills.

Candles and poinsettias added the festive touch to the sanctuary. 

The front door announced the season.

And the candles and messages of Advent shone from the roof!

Decorating the sanctuary takes many hands.

And lots of laughterI

  And some muscle and elbow grease

 And patience!

When I got home the voice on the radio was talking about Advent as a season of waiting and listening and anticipation. My wish is that, even when we are all super busy with the preparations for the "holiday season," we find time to Prepare the Way of the Lord!