Tag: Christmas

PRESENCE | 27 December

welcome

We are glad you are here. We trust and pray that as you read and listen that you will be blessed.
On this the 1st Sunday after Christmas. we are continuing in our series: THIS [Peace, Wonder, King, Hope, Invitation, Presence] Changes Everything.

We encourage you to take a few minutes as you prepare to watch the video

  • sit still,
  • breathe in, breath out a couple of times
  • invite the Lord to make himself present with you as you watch – he is with you – it’s just that sometimes we are not aware that he is.
  • prepare your heart to listen and receive
  • Read Matthew 1:18-23 as you enter into our time together.

teaching

Here is the service for Sunday 27 December. The Adams family – Dan, Sue, Sophia and Casey lead us in worship today. Pastor Mike’s message focuses on Emmanuel: God with Us.

We had some difficulties with the sound for the opening video… you will want to skip ahead to 1:50. You can find a working version here: https://www.facebook.com/mbells/videos/10159096618099540

OCCkids have moved to being online again. The zoom link and other resources are present are available from pastor Brent.

giving

In this new way of being the church, we don’t practice giving by placing our offering in a basket as it is passed. OCCers are generous people. Thank you for your gifts.

  • Some of you give when you attend a service (there is an offering box)
  • Many give online – etransfer or paypal
  • Others mail or drop off cheques

You can find all the ways you can give here. The deadline for making donations for 2020 receitable giving is:

  • cash/cheques dropped off at the church is Tuesday, 29 December
  • online donations can be made until Thursday, 31 December

 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve this year is going to look different than we planned.

  • The weather outside is frightful… cold and wet right now (3:20pm) and we are getting more rain and possibly freezing rain and then maybe some snow.
  • We are moving into a provincial lockdown beginning on boxing day.
  • Are you feeling bummed out about not being able to celebrate Christmas Eve outdoors at OCC? (We are too, except for the part of being cold and wet!)
  • But none of that will stop Christmas.
  • But we are still celebrating the birth of our Saviour.
  • Join us from the comfort of your home…
    have a cup of cocoa, coffee, tea
    maybe light a candle

We are going to be meeting on-line. Log on to our zoom room just before 4:30pm, so we can celebrate together as a church family.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99304927397?pwd=UkpQNDZYZGwxQTZjKzI5VEFxNy9oUT09

Meeting ID: 993 0492 7397
Passcode: 594078

If you can’t join us then, the video will be available here.

The Risk of Birth

Madeleine L’Engle’s poem “The Risk of Birth”

This is no time for a child to be born,
With the earth betrayed by war & hate
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out & the sun burns late.
That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honour & truth were trampled by scorn–
Yet here did the Saviour make his home.
When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn–
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.