New Vision Notes |
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Thursday December 11, 2025 Welcome to a new edition of New Vision Notes! We are grateful to be reaching you each week. This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Advent. Our service will be led by Rev. Jennifer Henry, along with other super folks from our New Vision Community. Important Reminders: Advent 3 – This Sunday at 10:30am Advent 4 – December 21st at 10:30am Christmas Eve – December 24th at 4pm, with Christmas Eve Dinner to follow! Christmas Day – No Service Worship will be upstairs in the Music Hall during renovations! Please enter through the door at the corner of Main and MacNab. Seun has made a helpful poster that you may download by clicking here. *** NEW! Accessible Viewing Room! Our new Accessible Viewing Room is open!! Because of our current building renovations, our current worship space is not as accessible as we would like. In response to this, we invite anyone with any mobility needs to view worship from our Accessible Viewing Room. A large-screen tv provides a clear view of the service, and there is a coffee / tea station in the room as well as the weekly Prayers of the People sheet. Enter through the red pillar doors off MacNab St. The space will be open from 10am to the conclusion of the service.
Blue Christmas Service! ***If you choose to attend online, please use the regular Sunday morning worship link, found at the bottom of this email. Wesley Christmas Store! This coming Sunday (December 14th) is the final Sunday to bring in your Wesley donations! All items must be new. Items that are of greatest need: Gift cards $25- Walmart grocery stores. Dollarama. Giant Tiger Seeking Volunteers for Christmas Eve Dinner!!! Yusi is currently seeking volunteers to help with shopping, prepping, cooking and cleaning for our annual Christmas Eve Dinner. The current plan is to shop on December 22nd, prep on December 23rd, and cook/clean on December 24th. Please see Yusi during social time to find out how you can get involved in this cherished New Vision Tradition! Sponsorship Update! Our application to sponsor Sulah to settle in Canada has been submitted to the Refugee Program Coordinator at the UCC, and she sent it to the next Canadian authority. Thank you, everyone, for your support in getting us this far! Now we have to wait until we hear about the next step, which is that his application is forwarded to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) authorities overseas. But we and Sulah reached a significant milestone on the journey this week. Prayers of thankfulness and ongoing blessing are in order! In the new year, we will continue fundraising until we reach the target amount set by the Refugee Sponsorship and Training Program (the Canadian government’s advisory agency for sponsors).
If you feel so moved and are able to contribute to the sponsorship, please consider sending a tax-deductible donation to NVUC, ear-marked “Sponsorship” in a note or on a cheque. Questions? Please ask a member of the Refugee Sponsorship Committee: Karen, Jen, Diane, Miriam, Dixon, Helen, and Yusi. It’s time to order your 2026 United Church of Canada Calendars! These beautiful calendars that feature images from our United Church communities are available to order for only $10 each! Please see Arlene after worship if you would like to purchase one.
The Immigration and Citizenship Petition is still available for everyone to sign until February 4, 2026. It’s goals are to:
1. Create dedicated and expedited immigration pathways for LGBTQ+ individuals who face systemic discrimination, loss of rights, or threats to safety in their countries of residence;
2. Expand the use of humanitarian and compassionate grounds in immigration decisions where LGBTQ+ rights are under direct attack; and
3. Publicly reaffirm Canada’s role as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ people worldwide, ensuring that Canadian immigration policy reflects this commitment
As an Affirming congregation, we hope all citizens and Permanent Residents will support this petition: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-6864
A Song of Faith – A Song of Faith, adopted in 2006, seeks to provide a verbal picture of what The United Church of Canada understands its faith to be in the historical, political, social, and theological context of the early 21st century. It is also a means of ongoing reflection and an invitation for the church to live out its convictions in relation to the world in which we live. Please click here to view (and/or download) this important literature. Would you like to try leading a worship service? Our worship team is looking for some folks to consider leading worship. It’s a fun and meaningful way to contribute to our faith community! Please reach out to Julie or Dan to learn more about putting a service together. Enjoy Daily scripture readings from The Revised Common Lectionary: This three-year cycle of scripture readings is used by most churches in Canada and the US. Let the Word inspire you by visiting https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/daily.php?year=B#id79 You’re invited! Join us on Sunday mornings 10:30 am week to week either in person at 24 Main St. W. or on Zoom by clicking here. The link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/782292511. If you’re on Facebook, you may also want to consider joining our New Vision United Community Group , where we post updates and share with one another online. Together, let’s celebrate the gifts and graces of all! |
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