Southminster United Church, Lethbridge
1011 4 Ave S, T1J 0P7 Lethbridge, AB, Canada

Did you notice we made the CTV news this week? Wednesday, December 9 at 5pm - You can find our coverage starting at 11:30 in the saved news video under Lethbridge news; featuring different ways people have discovered to celebrate Christmas in unusual but safe ways.

Rev. Taylor Croissant leads Virtual Worship Service from Southminster United Church on December 2020; the Second Sunday of Advent, in this pre-recorded video. The four Sundays of Advent that eventually lead to Christmas morning, are called Sundays of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. On this Sunday of Peace, we hear scriptures according to Isaiah and Mark. Rev. Taylor talks about the frustrations many of us share these days. Why are some people acting in an irresponsible way? How ...can we maintain hope and find peace in our daily lives that have been interrupted in so many ways by the pandemic? This Sunday, we will also celebrate at-home Communion. Rev. Taylor has invited two young sisters, both dancers and members of our congregation, to create and perform an interpretive dance to accompany the spoken words to illustrate the story before we share the Sacrament of Communion. You are welcome to prepare your own elements (juice and crackers, or any other elements you have at home) and join us at the Lord’s table, virtually. In her Children’s Time, Hilary looks at Joseph and his feelings of confusion after learning about baby Jesus’ upcoming arrival before he marries Mary. Where did he find the necessary peace to accept the most likely unsettling news so long ago? For Prelude, Chris Dittmann plays an arrangement of the old-time favourite Christmas Time is Here Again. Special music during Offertory is song by Kade Hogg: O Christmas Tree. After the service, he closes the hour with another lovely Christmas Classic, The Christmas Song. Our beautiful historic church remains empty on Sunday mornings due to COVID-19, but the broadcast takes you right into the familiar worship space. From the safety and comfort of your home, we welcome you to join us and make yourself at home! Friends and family from near and far join with us in the service, and feel the closeness regardless of social distancing, miles and time zones separating us. Please know you are always welcome here! We would really enjoy hearing from you as well. Church address 1011 - 4th Ave S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0P7 Email address [email protected] Office phone number 1.403.327.3404 See more

Rev. Ruth Preston Schilk leads Virtual worship at Southminster on Reign of Christ Sunday Nov 22 at 10:30 a.m. Join us from the safety and comfort of your home! Pyjamas welcome!

Rev. Ruth leads Virtual Worship Service from Southminster United Church on November 22, 2020; the Reign of Christ Sunday the last Sunday of the Church year before we enter into the new year and the season of Advent. Our Hebrew scripture reading from Ezekiel brings us sheep, goats, and shepherds, and a discussion of right and wrong; good and bad. Rev. Ruth reflects on the difficult subject of judgement; but she comforts us by reminding us that with Jesus as our judge, ther...e will always be hope. The Text in Context prior to our weekly Bible passages by Rev. Ruth helps us to better understand the scriptures and their symbolism. In her Children’s Time, Hilary is also thinking about sheep and what it takes to be a good shepherd. Know of anyone who might love a smelly sheep that has lost its way? Hilary tells you who will! For Offertory, Chris Dittmann plays an arrangement of "Jesus Loves Me" by Joel Raney. This week, Kade Hogg takes a turn at the pipe organ for Postlude by J. Cramer, arr. Frank W. Asper. Watch Kade play not only with the four manuals of the organ, but also with his feet! Our beautiful historic church remains empty on Sunday mornings due to COVID-19, but the broadcast takes you right into the familiar worship space. From the safety and comfort of your home, we welcome you to join us and make yourself at home! Friends and family from near and far join with us in the service, and feel the closeness regardless of social distancing, miles and time zones separating us. Please know you are always welcome here! We would really enjoy hearing from you as well. Church address 1011 - 4th Ave S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0P7 Email address [email protected] Office phone number 1.403.327.3404

Our friends at McKillop United Church are offering a Remembrance Day Service on November 11 at 11 a.m.

We are sorry! Our Dec. 6th Virtual Worship service is temporarily off line. The service, including the at-home Communion, will be back by 4 p.m. Alberta time today!

Bridge City News today featuring our 100-year-old organ, and commentary by Rev. Taylor.

The Church office will be closed today, November 9, for a snow day! Let's stay off the roads today and let the snow removal crews do their work. In any pastoral care emergencies, please email the office at [email protected] Take care and see you tomorrow!

Rev. Taylor Croissant leads Virtual Worship Service from Southminster United Church on November 15th. Today, we celebrate many women in the service. The youngest one is baby Nataliya we are very pleased that her family decided to have her baptised at our church. As you can imagine, the COVID-19 protocols make for a very memorable and untraditional baptism. However, there is one old tradition that returns during the pandemic: Instead of using his hands to bless the baby with... water, Rev. Taylor pours water with a seashell (an ancient practice, John is said to have baptized Jesus with water from a scallop shell). Our scripture reading from the Book of Judges features Deborah, one of the most powerful women of the Bible. Rev. Taylor reflects on Deborah’s strong character, and he discusses how modern women are successfully challenging men in academia and most workplaces, and how their positive impact is visible in the political scene as well. He continues to share historic and situational background with us in The Text in Context prior to our weekly Bible passages which helps us to better understand the scriptures and their symbolism. Hilary is also talking about strong influential women, both local, national and international. These role models will hopefully foster many new generations of powerful women. For Offertory, we hear Samantha Scott sing "Ave Maria" by Schubert. She is a familiar face at Southminster, during her years at U of Lethbridge she has often sung in our Chancel Choir. Welcome back! Our beautiful historic church remains empty on Sunday mornings due to COVID-19, but the broadcast takes you right into the familiar worship space. From the safety and comfort of your home, we welcome you to join us and make yourself at home! Friends and family from near and far join with us in the service, and feel the closeness regardless of social distancing, miles and time zones separating us. Please know you are always welcome here! We would really enjoy hearing from you as well. Church address 1011 - 4th Ave S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0P7 Email address [email protected] Office phone number 1.403.327.3404

Virtual Worship and Baptism, with Rev. Croissant on Sunday, November 15 at 10:30 a.m.

Rev. Taylor Croissant leads Virtual Worship Service from Southminster United Church on November 8th, Remembrance Sunday. This year on Remembrance Day, we pay special attention to the Memorial Casavant pipe organ of our church. Members of this congregation donated the funds to build the instrument in memory of the twelve men from Lethbridge District that gave their lives in the Great War, or WWI. This organ is 100 years old in 2020, but the memorial recitals are on hold due to... Covid-19. Today, we enjoy Peace in our country, allowing us many freedoms, such as worshipping at the church of our choice. This Sunday, Rev. Taylor lifts up the men who gave their lives for freedom the government called them to duty overseas and many didn’t return home to their families. He continues to share historic and situational background with us in The Text in Context prior to our weekly Bible passages which helps us to better understand the scriptures and their symbolism. It is a Southminster tradition to invite a trumpet player to our Remembrance service. This year, the Last Post and Reveille will be played by a talented U of Lethbridge student Claire McMahon. For Offertory, Chris Dittmann plays Be Still My Soul. While many know this music as a hymn from Voices United, the story behind it is actually a great collaboration of artists from different nations: The original composition is by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (the Hymnal part of the Finlandia Suite from 1899); the words are originally German but translated into English by a Scottish lady from Edinburgh, and Chris’ arrangement is by American Larry R. Beebe. We pray for peace all over the globe. Hilary highlights her appreciation of peace, and reads us a children’s book called Peace is an Offering by Canadian author Annette LeBox during Children’s Time, with great everyday examples of what peace means to us. Our beautiful historic church remains empty on Sunday mornings due to COVID-19, but the broadcast takes you right into the familiar worship space. From the safety and comfort of your home, we welcome you to join us and make yourself at home! Friends and family from near and far join with us in the service, and feel the closeness regardless of social distancing, miles and time zones separating us. Please know you are always welcome here! We would really enjoy hearing from you as well. Church address 1011 - 4th Ave S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0P7 Email address [email protected] Office phone number 1.403.327.3404