Faith in Action – December 11, 2024 🎄

It’s a busy time of year – please help out where you are able!

CHRISTMAS HAMPER SEASON – Our Outreach Group and friends (led by Gwen Polak), packed Christmas Hampers for 12 families/individuals this year.  Thank you to everyone who helped with the hamper packing or delivery!

Click below for a short “Behind the Scenes” look at the Hamper packing!

We are also collecting donations to offset the cost of items that we have been purchased for the hampers.  To donate, please place your donation in an envelope along with a note indicating the # of your offering envelope and the amount you are donating.  Please label the envelope “CHRISTMAS HAMPERS” and place it in the offering plate or drop it off in the office during the week.

Thank you in advance for helping us share our gifts with others far and near.  It is a time-honoured tradition at WPUC and a fitting way to share the spirit of the season with our neighbours!

Hamper Packers 2024!

Join the WPUC Pop-up Christmas Eve Choir!
You are invited to sing for our Christmas Eve service.  Please arrive by 5:45 p.m. and help lead the carols during the service at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24.  All welcome!

MITTEN TREE – The Annual Mitten Tree is set up at the church!  We invite you to donate new or gently-used winter accessories for children and teens.  Needed items include:  mittens, gloves, scarves, neck-warmers, socks, tuques and ear muffs.  In early January, all donations will be gathered and delivered to Rossbrook House and Splash Day Care for distribution to children in need.

FOOD CUPBOARD – Our food cupboard can always use a little extra, especially at this time of year.  Items appreciated are peanut butter, soup, juice boxes, canned tuna, canned chicken, canned ham, pasta, pasta sauces, coffee, canned beans, canned vegetables, instant potatoes, granola bars, etc.

Pastoral Care Group –  Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Thinking of You baskets this year.  Pat Lumsden and friends packed and delivered 21 baskets this year.  They also hand-delivered 50 Christmas cards, which we were unable to mail due to the postal strike!

Blue Christmas Service – The Christmas season can be a time of stress, loneliness and grief for many people.  Please help spread the word that our Blue Christmas service will be posted online on Wednesday, December 18 at 7 p.m.  This is an online service only – no need to come out in the dark and snow.

Craft Sale – Thank you to everyone who helped with and supported the Craft Sale this year!  A lovely time was had as for the first time, we had the Craft Sale in the sanctuary space.  A special thank you to Jan Nazarko, who once again organized the sale.

Dressing the Sanctuary – Thank you to Gloria Saindon who stopped by to trim the tree while Laura was setting up the sanctuary for Advent.

Some of our Cookie Walk volunteers!

Cookie Walk – Thank you to the organizers, bakers, workers and supporters of the Cookie Walk for all their help in making this year’s walk a success, with over $2000 being made!!  The volunteers were amazing – many hands make light work! Special thanks to Deanna Kernaghan for heading the team again this year!  In case you missed it, here is a short video celebrating the event:

Kitchen Cleaning – Thank you to the ladies of U.C.W. Unit 2 who recently spent a morning cleaning the downstairs kitchen.  This is one of our main rental spaces and we appreciated your help in keeping the area “spic n span!”

Behind the Scenes – A special thank you to Gina, our custodian, for all of her extra work due to all of the events during the month of December!  As we are trying new set-ups for events, Gina is always willing to help set-up, take-down and, as always, keeps the building looking beautiful!

Unusual Request – Did you know that our outside garbage can was recently stolen?  While we wait for the city to deliver a new one, we have a special request.  If you have room in your bin at home, and notice a black garbage bag between the front doors, we would love for you to take the bag home with you and put it in your home bin!  Otherwise we could end up with a mountain of garbage before the new bin arrives and how would that look? Thanks in advance to those who accept the challenge!

After church coffee – Thank you to those who have hosted coffee time after church and also to those who have donated treats and helped out with serving!  Also, a big thank you to everyone who helps by putting away their chair after coffee time.

Offering counters – Thank you to those who continue to answer this call!  Reminder to sign-up for the weeks you would like to count.  Sign-up sheets for January are by the office.

Greeters  & Liturgists – Thank you to everyone who has welcomed people to church on Sunday mornings in the role of greeter and to those who are on our list of liturgists to help lead worship and work with the pulpit supply on Sunday morning!

Snow Angels – If you arrive and notice that the steps need shoveling or sweeping, you are invited to help out those coming after you by doing a little light shoveling/sweeping.  The shovels are just inside the door.  Please do not shovel if, for health reasons, it is not advised for you to do so.  

“Curl Up With a Good Book” sale – Our next used book sale will be on Sunday, January 12th before and after church.  Bring some spare change and grab a book or two to enjoy through the month of January.

Soup Lunch – Our next soup lunch will be on Sunday, January 19th after worship. More details to follow!

The New Photocopier is Here! – If you are someone who uses the church photocopier, please check in with Sue for tips on using it as there may be some changes from the old one.

Faith Beyond Our Walls: