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From Rev. JaylynnDecember 2024 Dear Friends, Greetings to you and yours during this holy Advent season, leading us to the marvel and miracle of Christ’s birth. This past year has been a year of new beginnings for our church family. We have a new children’s choir started by our own Paul Wisniewski, reaching families in our community beyond our church doors. We’ve also welcomed our wonderful, new church coordinator, Charlene Lyn. Kingsway-Lambton has newly become an affirming congregation and folks around the whole city sent congratulatory messages our way. What this means for us is that we publicly declare our commitment to inclusion and justice for all people. We are all created in God’s image. And God is bigger than any of our imaginations can fathom. Another new beginning has been the work of our Values Team and congregation this past year as we’ve come to name and embrace our new values: Belonging, Spirituality, Compassionate Service, and Relevance. These are words we pray and seek to live into each day, and we welcome you to join in the journey of faith as we walk together. And finally, we anticipate a new beginning with the calling of a lead minister sometime in 2025. Thank you for your prayers for our search team as they meet and discern. As your coordinating minister during this season of transition and expectation, I am so grateful for the gift to serve this congregation. You have shown great care and compassion for me and my family, as well as deep compassion and care for others. Bless you. Advent in the Christian year is also a new beginning, as we enter into the new church year. This is the time of year where we are invited to re-enter the story of Jesus’ birth with wide-eyed wonder and hopeful anticipation. We marvel at the miracle of this holy Christ-child. Year after year, season after season, as we embrace the holy mystery of Emmanuel—God with us—we can discover afresh the ways that Christ has been, is, and will continue to be our “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Advent can be a lonely and difficult time for some. You may have noticed our days growing darker earlier, and in this time of war and violence and hate crimes against peoples, we yearn for a deeper peace in our world. We need the peace of Christ to envelope the whole world. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom—meaning harmony and wholeness. In all that we do, may we greet one another and leave one another with shalom—that is our Advent calling for this season. We have many traditions here at Kingsway-Lambton, and one that shines bright amid a hurting world is our Benevolent Fund. Throughout the year, this fund is used to supply grocery money for the hungry, rent money for shelter, and other assistance for those who come to our doors as well as organizations who are reaching out to make a difference. Consider how you might give to another in need this year through this fund. We would like to extend a warm welcome and invitation to join us for our Christmas Services on both on Dec 22 (family friendly) with crafts and warm drink and song, and Christmas Eve on Dec 24th. Our Sunday services begin at 10 am, with music led by our beautiful choir. Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service this year is at a new time: 9pm. Please consider making someone’s Christmas merrier by participating in the work of our Benevolent Fund. With the ongoing Canada Post strike, we ask you to donate using the pew envelopes on Sundays (indicate Benevolent Fund), or by dropping a cheque (with memo Benevolent Fund) in our mailbox at the glass door entrance. You can also donate online at: www.kingswaylambton.ca. Click on Donate Now and indicate or select Benevolent Fund when making your donation. Donate today and help bring the Hope of Christ to a weary world. In and Through Christ,
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