Christmas is just around the corner, and as you navigate the busy days ahead and look forward to annual traditions with family and friends, our prayer is that you would find time to rest in the confident hope and expectancy of this season. To help celebrate, we want to share these resources to help make Christmas even more meaningful in 2023.
BEGINS NOVEMBER 18
Our Advent Outreach this year is in support of the Stoney Nakoda Mini Thni Food Bank.
The Stoney Nakoda are the original “peoples of the mountains” known in the Nakoda language as the Iyarhe Nakoda. Their traditional territory ranges from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountain foothills and watersheds. The Stoney Nakoda Nations (“SNN”) are comprised of the Bearspaw First Nation, Chiniki First Nation and Goodstoney First Nation. Today, the Stoney Nakoda peoples reside primarily on six reserves in southern Alberta.
The Mini Thni Food Bank provides services to the Morley reserve, located between Calgary and Kananaskis. Please join us in this outreach as we celebrate Christmas with our neighbours to the west.
The Food Bank Drive will begin on November 18 and conclude on December 3. Please bring your non-perishable items and leave them in the foyer during this time.
Donation Items:
Canned beans with or without pork
Boxed macaroni and cheese
Pasta and pasta sauce
Canned fish or meat
Peanut butter
Canned soup or raman
Canned fruit or vegetables
Granola bars
Flour
Sugar
Baking soda
Juice boxes or other items for school lunches
Packaged oatmeal
Root vegetables: potatoes, carrots
DECEMBER 6 | 6:30 PM
Southview Kids invites all families to join us for a night of exploring the season of Advent. Hands on activities will lead kids and their parents through the stations of Advent using various mediums. This is a great way to kick off the Christmas season and continue the conversation, as we anticipate the coming of Jesus. We hope you can join us! Please register by December 4.
We invite you to join us to celebrate the great joy of Christmas! Services will be offered at the following times:
Please Note: There will be no services on December 23 or 25.
CHRISTMAS 2023
Advent Art Project
Southview is home to many talented and creative minds. This Christmas, we want to share with you the work of several Southview artists. Their pieces will be on display in the Cardo hall throughout the season of Advent. May these beautiful and unique works of art guide you to a deeper meditation in this season of expectancy.
As you light each candle, read the comments and verse aloud.
2000 years ago, the people of Israel lived in a time of great turmoil and change. But during the wars with other nations and conflict with each other, their prophets began to speak a new message of hope. They prophesied that a special child would be born who would lead them out of the turmoil.
God told them that this child would come from the line of King David. So, these ancient people began to place their hope in this child. Thank you God, for your message of hope.
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.” LUKE 1: 68-69
Why did God send his own Son, the seed of David, into our world where there were so many broken relationships and so much division? God did this to remind us of one of the most important things about Him: He loves everyone! God came to love Roman centurions, Samaritan women, Pharisees, political leaders like Pontius Pilate and each one of us as well. Thank you God, that you extend your love to everyone.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” JOHN 3:17
Jesus was born in a world full of fear. People were afraid of political leaders, of famine, and of other nations. How could God help people with these fears? Jesus came from the line of King David, so he had power and authority to help. One of the key things King Jesus did was to accept and bless all sorts of people with one simple word: peace. Thank you God, that you give us your incredible peace.
“And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” ISAIAH 2:4
One of the people most excited about Jesus coming to the world was his cousin John. We know this because we read in Luke that Mary went to visit Elizabeth her cousin when she was first pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth was pregnant too and the child IN her womb greeted the arrival of Mary and Jesus with joy. Thank you God, that you give us joy!
“And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.” LUKE 1:41
Jesus, thank you that your light shines bright in our world. Give us eyes to see you this Christmas Day and throughout the year. Thank you Jesus, for giving yourself to us.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” JOHN 1:14
To mark the day, we encourage you to take a few minutes to participate in a Christmas Day reading with family or friends.
These readings can be used anytime on Christmas Day but perhaps are best used right before a meal. The Advent candle reading is for families or friends to read through together and can be accompanied by successively lighting a candle with each reading. Simply arrange four candles into a circle and place a special candle in the middle as the “Christ candle,” and proceed with the reading.
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