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The Monthly NEWSLETTER OF:
(Grace, Augsburg, Bonnechere) Pastor Ralph Weigold
Lutheran Churches. Parsonage: 613-628-2867
Office Location: 14 Bonnechere St. W., Office: 613-628-1392
P.O. Box 129, Fax 613-628-9534
Eganville, Ontario. K0J 1T0 Office Hours: Wed. & Fri.
E-mail: gracelutheran @nrtco.net 9 a.m. to 2:30 pm.
Website: gracelutheraneganville.ca
Facebook: Three in the Valley Grace Augsburg Bonnechere
| THE Guidepost is now available by email. Please call the office 613-628-1392 and give Lorna your email address or email the office at gracelutheran@nrtco.net |
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From the Desk of Pastor Ralph A Time to Remember
November marks a time to remember all the saints who have gone before us. It all starts out with “All Saints Day” on November 3rd, 2019. On this day, we take a few minutes during our worship service to remember those loved ones who are now at rest with our Lord in the dwelling place that he has built for them.
Of course then we have November 11th, “Remembrance Day” a day to take a few minutes of our busy lives to remember all of the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we all enjoy today. Originally this was a day to celebrate the Armistice that ended World War One. But, this day is now for those who have died in all the wars ever since. Throughout our country, people of every age will take a minute to remember them, even though we may not know their name.
These moments in our lives are important for all of us. When we celebrate the life of a loved one who has departed us, it gives us an opportunity to think about all the good times we had.
I have added the poem “In Flanders Field” for you to meditate on.
In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Just a reminder that Grace still has an active prayer chain. If anyone in the three Parishes wishes to add someone to the prayer chain – please contact Malinda Kuehl at 613-628-2137 to have someone added to the list.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Please remember you your prayers from Grace: Evelyn Jobin, Earl Hein, Natasha Gagnon-Burchat, Arlene Smith, Marion Wisotzke, Eileen Warlich, Barbara Zomers, Ernie Plotz, Barbara Kant, Karen Weigold, Darlene Bimm, Bruce McFarlane and from Augsburg/ Bonnechere: Ken Roesner, Ellie Sommerville, Myles Newman, Don Musclow, Franklyn Bramburger, Leah Pringle, Delroy Hein, Cyril Waito Courtney Schruder, Gord Grant, Shirley Glickman, Marilyn Schneider, Donna Hoffmann, Gail Hein, Emily Rhode Stephanie Yourth, Christopher Yourth, Lorna Turner, Loretta Handke, Karen Weigold, Joan Green and Violet Tubby.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Reminder from Witness Committee:
If you have not already filled out an address update form, could you please do so as soon as possible. Forms are available on the table in the hall. When you have completed the form please put it in the white basket. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Notes from Grace
From the Treasurer - 2020 Committee Budgets due Wednesday November 13th
From the Harvest Dinner Committee. We wish to extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all those who volunteered, donated food or money, and assisted us in any way with our Harvest Dinner. The Dinner was a success, and we are grateful for all the help that made it possible.
--The Harvest Dinner Committee.
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Coming Events
December 22 10:30 AM – Sunday School Program, followed by Fellowship hosted by the Sunday School. December 22 – 7:00 PM – Grace – From Our House to Yours.
December 24th –Christmas Eve Services
4:00 PM – Augsburg
6:00 PM – Bonnechere
8:00 PM - Grace
Dear Friends,
Over the past year, one of the initiatives the Eastern Synod Youth and Young Adult Ministry Committee has been funding is the 35 Under 35 Project. Kristina Kuhnert is the coordinator of this initiative which seeks to uphold the lives, passions and varying expressions of ministry of the young adults among us.
Please keep liking and sharing the biographies of these amazing young people on social media, and invite any young people you know to be in touch with Kristina to share their stories so that the wider church may lift them up and celebrate the extraordinary youth and young adults among us.
Blessings to you.
Rev. Christie Morrow-Wolfe
Director - Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Eastern Synod, ELCIC
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From the Sunday School
Sunday School will be breaking for the month of November and return December 1st.
We are busy planning for our Christmas program which will be held on Sunday December 22. We will once again be asking our grandmothers to share some of their famous cookies for our coffee time after our program.
All three congregations are invited to join our Advent Food and Toy Drive. This will run from November 24 to December 15 with baskets going to deserving families on December 22. We hope you will help us fill our baskets to the brim!
Sunday School will break December 29 to January 26 and restart February 2.
We are busy planning for our Christmas program which will be held on Sunday December 22. We will once again be asking our grandmothers to share some of their famous cookies for our coffee time after our program.
Sunday School will break December 29 to January 26 and restart February 2.
All three congregations are invited to join our Advent Food and Toy Drive. This will run from November 24 to December 15 with baskets going to deserving families on December 22. We hope you will help us fill our baskets to the brim!
----- See list on the next page.
Please Join Grace Sunday School in an
Advent Food and Toy Drive
Just a reminder that Grace still has an active prayer chain. If anyone in the three Parishes wishes to add someone to the prayer chain – please contact Malinda Kuehl at 613-628-2137 to have someone added to the list.
A Special Gift.
Jesus is the reason for the Season.
Without Christ – there is no Christmas.
Two familiar statements –but come Christmas time – not familiar enough. As Christians
we know that we are coming to the time of year when we are about to relive the most beautiful
story and receive the most previous gift of all. As human beings we are about to get more
caught up in the commercial side of Christmas. The shopping, gift wrapping, cooking, baking,
hustle and bustle. Busy- busy time of year. So much to do and so very little time to do it.
The gift exchanges always bring stress and worry – will it be the right thing, the right size,
the right brand, and unfortunately in a lot of cases will also bring a lot of debt.
Let us go back to the real reason for it all – Jesus.
The world on the day of Jesus birth received the most precious gift of all. A saviour for the world. Our Heavenly Father bestowed on us His most precious gift. His son. Who would live among us, preach to us, teach us, love us, be with us and then finally give his life for us. God asked nothing in return, no conditions, no gift exchanges, no expectations, just a gift to us of this most precious thing by a loving father, and it cost us absolutely nothing. God gave of himself.
I wonder what kind of Christmas we would have if we concentrated more on giving of ourselves and less of our cash. Would we get more satisfaction out of giving our families gifts from the heart – home made products – like bread, buns, pickles, home canned goods, hand made towels,
pillowcases, aprons (does anyone use them anymore?) Things made with and given with love. I know – our families would be ready to have us booked into the closest Nursing Home – sure that we were loosing it. Instead, we will exchange gifts and get that sweater that will sit unused in the drawer because we already have 5, or another pair of gloves to go with the other 6 pr. we already have and are not using. What if we gave our children a day of baby sitting – free so that they could go shopping, travelling, visiting, or just relaxing. Give the grandchildren a day to spend with us like we did as kids. Helping in the kitchen or outside, playing good old board or card games. What about trying to have a family day – just like Christmas Day in the middle of summer – where we all get together and celebrate love and life. What if we put more of the money we spend on big gifts to use by buying needy families groceries, or preparing a meal for a needy family. What if we spent some time with a Service Group or Club that prepares baskets for the needy or why not make up our own baskets for the needy. What if we got gifts for the Womens Shelters, single parents with families, people with no families and needy families. You can bet the sweater would not end up in the back of the drawer or the gloves stored beside other unused or unworn ones.
As I get older it just hurts more and more to see that Christmas is being abused by us so badly. The
idea of being thankful for this wonderful gift of a Saviour is so overlooked, and the commercial side
of Christmas is being dwelled on so much. Let us see if we cannot change this. Let us try to put Christ back into Christmas and remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
A blessed Christmas to you all.
Lorna Turner
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2020
The Legend of the Candy Cane
A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols from the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.
He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God.
The candy maker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.
Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the bloodshed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.