Trinity United Church Listowel
230 Barber Ave N N4W 1R7 Listowel, ON, Canada

I received a call from a friend, who was commenting on the fact that our bubbles are getting smaller, and that that they were hearing more often that people are... "cancelling Christmas." They asked me what I'd say, if I were told that I had to cancel Christmas this year. What I said was, "It is impossible to cancel Christmas. Christmas is celebrated each time a disciple of Jesus lives love. Christmas isn't an event. Christmas *is*." Christmas is. (Thanks for the cool graphic, Fey!)

For those who missed it in person or just want to catch it again, here's the link to this week's service. https://youtu.be/HcxcqqqLpig

As our Public Health Region moves to Orange on Monday, we will suspend in-person worship and return to on-line worship offerings only (Zoom and Youtube) starting next Sunday, November 29. For those who wish, there will be one final in-person service at this time at both churches this Sunday, November 22 at the usual times. The health of our congregations and community is vitally important to us and we want to do our part to reduce the number of in-person contacts in our circles to help quash the rising caseloads in our region and province. In-person worship will resume when we move to a lower level on the pandemic response scale again.

Since we cannot see fully the light in one another's faces when we are together in person because of masks, we'd like to end each week in the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany seasons with a photomontage of Trinity and Atwood folks with lit candles. To do that, we need your help. Please send us a picture of your household with one or more lit candles. The first Sunday of Advent is Nov. 29 and photos to be used in the first week need to be received by November 25. If that doesn't work for you, photos can be added throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons. Thanks for your help.

Here's a link to the Canadian Food Grains Bank video we watched during worship. It features Carrie Newcomer's "Room at the Table" https://youtu.be/tN-NTWZvgoI

Here's a photo of communion at our house that Sarah Bruer took

Happy World Communion Sunday. Here is this morning’s sermon. Join us for communion on Zoom at 10. Have some bread or crackers handy and something to drink. https://youtu.be/U4vbV7xnvSY

I am starting to get in some short videos and photos for our Thanksgiving video. Thank you to those who have submitted them. If you have not submitted one yet, there's still time. If possible, I'd like to have them by Sunday so I have time to put them together creatively. You have options. a. Take a short video describing something you are grateful for. b. Make a sign of what you are grateful for and take a picture of yourself holding it. c. Take a picture of what you are grateful for. Send any of those to me via Facebook message, email ([email protected]) or text (204-872-2370). Thanks for helping to make our Thanksgiving service more personal.

Here's a sneak preview of what's to come for our #OrangeShirtDay virtual event on Sept 30th. A full version of the broadcast will be available for all viewers o...n September 30th at education.nctr.ca. Did you know educators can get an early copy of the broadcast by registering their class on Eventbrite? See more details about the event and register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/every-child-matters-chaque-enfa

Were you thinking of joining our Thursday evening study group starting at the end of October on I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. Angie Lannin has figured out how to order the book through the Resource Centre in Mitchell if you are interested in going that way to get the book. I hope you will consider joining us.

#60secondsforasoulfulseptember Today is Orange Shirt Day. Find out more at https://www.orangeshirtday.org/. Take a moment today to remember the children who were sent to Residential Schools and to pray for truth and reconciliation. (Extra practice -- Wear orange today if you can)

#60secondsforasoulfulseptember Embrace the Box - We are often told to "get out of our box" which is important for abundant living but today, give yourself permission in one area of your life to stay joyfully in your box. Do something in the easiest, most familiar way and allow yourself the comfort of the ordinary and predictable. (Extra practice - As you go about your day, notice how routines help you not to have to think about everything all the time. Are there other areas of your life where you would like to develop routines? Are there routines you have that no longer serve you as well as they once did?)

Dear friends, please hold the folks of Wesley United on Saugeen First Nation in Ontario in your thoughts and prayers as they respond to this devastating occurence. May Creator surround them all with strength and courage.

Thoughts and prayers this day for Saugeen First Nation https://owensoundhub.org//10139-opp-investigating-several-

#60secondsforasoulfulseptember Find the beauty in endings. "How beautiful the leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days. John Burroughs Where do you see beauty in things growing old or ending in your life? How can you honour those endings? (Extra practice - Pay attention to the leaves today. Allow yourself to marvel at the way in which they turn glorious colours, fall to the ground and become compost for next year's growth)

Donkey picnic at our outdoor Sunday School gathering in Listowel

Zoom link for worship at 10 a.m. this morning https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5657608465