And . . .they're Off!

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

Sunday morning, we commissioned a new mission team to travel to the Dominican Republic. I can't help but remember we did the same thing in March of 2020 only to have everything cancelled by COVID-19.  I guess it is a sign that the pandemic no longer holds us in its grip, that, this time, there is no cancellation. 

For the past several months we've been collecting and storing supplies at SPPC. On Saturday, they were all hauled out and organized in preparation for packing into suitcases on Sunday after service.

The pictures at right show the wealth of school supplies donated by the congregation and the community. 

The pictures below show some of the medical supplies the team are taking to restock the medical clinic in Pedregal. In a lovely bit of synchronicity, many of those items came from the Compassionate Resource Warehouse, an organization that is supported by our congregation. The goal of the CRW is to get supplies to places in the world where they are needed. Often that means paying freight. In this case, our mission team will 

carry the goods in their bags, saving the cost of freight. It's a win-win-win. 

Note the lovingly assembled maternity kits. There is a package for the new baby including diapers, receiving blankets and a knitted cap and toy. A second package contains supplies for the mother, including some of those cotton dish clothes knitted so assiduously by members of our congregation.

I had to include this set of photos. Note the package of Tim Horton's coffee. How Canadian is that?

Volunteers can be few or many, but no one works well on an empty stomach.

There are six people going from SPPC are joining with volunteers from other congregations to form a large team of helpers. 

Packing -- Packed

Like the volunteers before them, our team expects to work to build brick houses, so much more durable than wooden ones, and to assist in the medical clinic. 

We wish them God speed, safe travels and the experience of a lifetime.

To cheer your spirit;

• Last week I dropped my Smile card outside of Thrifty's. When I realized it was missing, I called the store, but without much hope. As it turned out, some honest soul had found the card and turned it in, with the balance intact. How's that for an antidote to the endless bad news on our television sets?
• On Thursday this week, Friendship Coffee will be held at the church at 10:00 am. Come meet old friends, discover new ones, and enjoy a time of fellowship.
• Bible Study resumes at 10:00 am and 7:00 pm on Wednesday

Our mission team is ministering with the House Upon the Rock. To learn more about them follow this link. http://houseupontherock.net/  

Advent 4 2022

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

Whee, what a week! It seems SPPC is making up for time lost to the pandemic.

The beginning of the week, Monday, saw the Christmas edition of the Sunshine Lunch. People who live alone often miss out on Christmas parties; the Sunshine Lunch remedies that lack. The guests enjoyed good food, laughter, and companionship. Even Santa made an appearance.

On Friday 25 people rode the bus and went to the Legislature for lunch--we enjoyed the last outing of this sort so much, we asked for another. Most had the turkey dinner. Most also went for the fabulous dessert tray. One couple from Sidney got on a Langford bus when we were heading home but I saw them in church on Sunday, so they did find their way up the peninsula.

Sunday morning worship, the choir turn out was 100% and we sang a rouser of an anthem. If you missed it, listen to the YouTube version linked at the top of this page. Oh yeah, the sermon was pretty good too.

Also on Sunday was a bake sale to raise funds for our Mission Team that's heading to the Dominican Republic in the spring. It was a great opportunity for people who love homemade Christmas goodies but didn't want to make their own.

And . . . we had the blessing of White Gifts. These are items collected during December for the members of our congregation who find getting out and about difficult. As usual, the congregation was generous. At home, far away, or in the pew, we do not forget the members of our church family.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, we invited the community to join us for a carol sing. There was snow in the air so numbers were low but those who came were enthusiastic. 

Our emcee, Minister Emeritus, Rev. Kinnon

We had an abundance of cookies after the singing, and folks did stay around and visit. Shortbread, mince tarts, almond tarts, apricot balls . . . Why go out in the snow when you can stay in and get a sugar high instead. 

And now we wait, in anticipation of Christmas Eve, that Silent Night, Holy Night, that hails the birth of our Saviour. The One who came to bring us hope and peace and joy and love. 

Please join us at SPPC for the 7:00 pm service on Dec. 24th.

Spring -- New Life

Birds are singing, woods are ringing.
With they praises, blessed King;
Lake and mountain, field and fountain
To they throne their tributes bring.




We Thy children, join the chorus
Merrily, cheerily gladly praise Thee.
Glad Hosannas, glad Hosannas,                                                 
  Joyfully we lift to Thee
  -- L.F. Cole

According to the calendar we are now officially in the season of spring -- the time of new life.
We must have spring fever at SPPC for there is lots of life happening around our place in the next couple of weeks.

   This coming Sunday, March 29, is Palm Sunday.  We will celebrate holy communion during the worship.  Afterward, we'll gather for soup and a sandwich in the hall and hear a report from our mission team, about their time in the Dominican Replublic. (By the way, they arrived back in Canada, safe and sound, on Saturday, March 21, just in time for spring.)

    Palm Sunday launches us into Holy Week.  On Thursday, at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary, we will hold a Tenebrae service.  We have held this type of service in previous years, but if you want to learn more about it, click the link above.  After the excitement and hosannas of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday will set the tone for Good Friday.

    Previously we have joined with other peninsula congregations for a massed service on Good Friday.  This year, we're trying something different.  We will hold our own service on Good Friday, at 10:00 am in the Sanctuary  Die Mahler String Quartet as special guests.  The quartet will play Haydn's meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ  between gospel readings of Christ's passion and crucifixion.

   Then on Easter Sunday, all are invited to Cy Hampson park for our sunrise service.  Not exactly sunrise -- we're going for 8:00 am, but still early enough to get the feeling of "Very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun, ... and when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away;"  Mark 16:2, 4
  From the park, we head back to the church for breakfast -- thanks to the people who forego the sunrise in order to cook eggs.  
  Finally, at 10:00 am we have our Easter service in the sanctuary.  The Living Flame will sing an anthem, the senior choir will sing an anthem and an offertory and all the people will shout "He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed, Hallelujah!"

   Come join us for any or all of these services.  Our advertising says "a warm welcome awaits you" and it's true.

Count Down

   

 It's countdown time for our  team to the Dominican Republic.  They leave on their mission trip to Pedregal this Friday and will be gone until March 22.  How's that for a way to spend your March break?
           You may have seen advertisements for resorts in the Dominican but our team will be working away from the tourist areas, in the mountains. They will experience power outages that last from an hour to a whole day and no one will be able to tell them when it will come back on.  They will have only cold showers and eat rice, beans, plantain and chicken.  They will see lots and lots of flowers for export to our flower shops. The people around them will speak Spanish.    

       They will live in a "macho" culture where women and girls do not go out at night without an escort.  They will be offered extravagant hospitality from families whose average monthly income is $150.00 - $200.00 per month. They will have to tread a fine line between taking too little and being considered rude or taking too much and depriving their hosts.
         They may encounter wild boars but no snakes.  They may see frogs and cockroaches as pets.  Keeping a schedule will be a challenge since island time includes a two hour siesta in the afternoon and long visits and chats in the street.  Since most of the people in Pedregal only know North Americans from what they see on television, they will assume our team members live like movie stars in Canada.  They may experience theft -- after all, to the locals, our team is rich and won't miss whatever was taken. 
     They will experience a class society where those of European background are top of the heap while those descended from African slaves or Haitians are at the bottom.  The whiter your skin the more privileged you are.
      Family is the centre of society in the DR with three or four generations living together. The oldest male relative makes decisions for the entire clan. 
     Our team is going to help build a school.  In the Dominican Republic, school is compulsory until grade 8, although their definition of grade 8 is about the same as our grade 3 or 4.  The children must wear a uniform, including shoes.  Since many families are too poor to afford the uniform, children will stay home. The government supplies the school building and the teachers, but no supplies.  That's why our team is taking things like pencils and pens, rulers, erasers, glue sticks, markers, duo tangs, Geometry sets and backpacks.  There is a complete list in the narthex.
   The team will also help out at the medical clinic.  Since the clinic has very little in the way of supplies, our members will carry things like Tylenol and vitamins with them, as well as towels.  Again, a complete list is in the narthex if you wish to contribute.
    Our congregation has raised the funds for this trip, contributed supplies and encouraged our team members every step of the way. 
On Sunday morning we commissioned the team, sending them forth as ambassadors from our congregation to represent us in the work they do for God's glory.

 Now, while the team is in the field, we can continue to support them with prayer.  Pray for their health and well-being.  Pray that their work is useful.  Pray that they may model Christian love to all they meet.  Pray that God will use them and their gifts to His good purpose. Pray they return home safely.

Thanks be to God for his servants, Felicity, Diane, Maximilian and Linda.