THE 4TH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

29 January 2023

Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service. We thank Lisa Sneesby for hosting today.

The Greeter this morning is Bruce and Lisa Sneesby.

The Reader today is Ruth Buan.

Scripture Readings – The readings for today’s service are

– Genesis 15.3-4; 16.1-4; 21.1-2, 8-11

– Psalm 23

– Acts 5.1-11

– Matthew 7.24-27

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible Study – by Zoom

Coming Up

– 8 February – Finance and Maintenance Committee Meeting

Full announcements here

THE 3RD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

22 January 2023

Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service. We thank Margaret McNutt-Reichelt for hosting today.

The Greeter this morning is Brian Yeo.

We thank the Rev. Laura Hargrove for leading the service this morning.

The Reader today is Keith Kelly.

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible Study – by Zoom

– Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. – Meal-in-a-Bowl

– Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – Session Meeting – by Zoom

Full announcements here

THE 2ND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

15 January 2023

Welcome!  We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary.  Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service.  We thank Lisa Sneesby for hosting today.

The Greeters this month are Bruce and Lisa Sneesby.

We thank Raymond Reichelt for leading the service this morning.

The Readers today are Bruce and Lisa Sneesby.

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible Study – by Zoom

Coming Up:

• 25 January – Meal-in-a-Bowl

Full announcements here

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

THE 1ST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

8 January 2023

Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service. We thank Lisa Sneesby for hosting today.

The Greeters this month are Bruce and Lisa Sneesby.

We thank the Rev. John Zondag for leading the service this morning.

The Reader today is Philip Dunn.

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible Study – by Zoom

– Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – Finance & Maintenance Committee meeting

– Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – Men’s Breakfast

Recognition – We will have a recognition of retiring Soup Kitchen treasurer Henry Riendeau in our service, including coffee and cake following the service. Henry has been the treasurer of the Soup Kitchen since 2005.

Full announcements here

NEW YEAR’S DAY

EPIPHANY SUNDAY

1 January 2023

Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service. We thank Margaret Dunn for hosting today.

The Greeters this month are Bruce and Lisa Sneesby.

We thank Raymond Reichelt for leading the service this morning.

The Reader today is Lalaine Buan.

Coming Up:

– Tuesday, 10 Jan., 7:00 p.m. – First session of a new Bible study

– Wednesday, 11 Jan., 6:30 p.m. – F&M Committee meeting, by Zoom

Full announcements here

This month’s prayer calendar is here

4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

18 December 2022

Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service. We thank Mardine Garnham for hosting today.

This Week in First Church:

– Saturday, 7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve service

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 25 December – No service (Christmas Day)

– Wednesday, 28 December, 10:00 a.m. – Presbytery meeting (Zoom)

– Sunday, 1 January – Service as usual

Candle lighting – We are looking for one or two people to do the lighting of the Christ Candle in the Christmas Eve service, and two people to assist with the candle-lighting at the end of that same service. If you are interested, please speak to John.

No Service on the 25th – With Christmas Day falling on a Sunday this year, the Session has decided not to have a service on Christmas morning. Regular Sunday services will resume the following Sunday, 1 January 2023. There will therefore not be an Announcements Sheet for next Sunday, but there will be one for Sunday, 1 January.

Office Hours – In the week of the 25th of December, John will be in the office from Wednesday the 28th to Saturday the 31st, except that he will be out of town for a while on Friday the 30th for a Presbytery farewell lunch for Glenn Ball, in Brandon.

Full announcements here

THE 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

COMMUNION SUNDAY

ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY

11 December 2022

Welcome!  We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary.  Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service.  We thank Brian Yeo for hosting today.

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. – Finance & Maintenance Committee (by Zoom)

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study (by Zoom)

– Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – Men’s Breakfast

Coming Up:

– Saturday, 24 December, 7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve service

– Sunday, 25 December – No service (Christmas Day)

Today is our congregation’s Anniversary Sunday.  2022 marks the following anniversaries:

– the 160th anniversary of the first Presbyterian worship service held in Portage la Prairie (1862)

– the 149th anniversary of the establishing of the original Presbyterian congregation in Portage la Prairie, called Knox Presbyterian Church (1873)

– the 97th anniversary of the establishing of our current congregation, when Knox Church chose to become part of the new United Church of Canada (1925)

– the 95th anniversary of the construction of our current building (1927)

– the 35th anniversary of the construction of the addition to our building that comprises the south entrance, kitchen, washrooms, and classroom (1987)

Full announcements here

THE 2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

THE HANGING OF THE CHRISTMAS GREENS

4 December 2022

Welcome! Welcome to our annual Hanging-of-the-Greens service! Many thanks to everyone who is assisting in leading the service today! We invite our guests to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for lunch, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service.

The Greeters this month are Lalaine and Ruth Buan.

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 11 December – Communion service; Anniversary Sunday

– Saturday, 24 December, 7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve service

– Sunday, 25 December – No service (Christmas Day)

Our Sympathy – We extend our sympathy to Debbi Miles and her extended family, in the death of Wally Kimpton on the 26th of November.

Newsletter – The December issue of the Newsletter has been sent out by e-mail, and hard copies will be mailed this week to those who don’t have e-mail. Many thanks to everyone who contributed an item to this issue, to Lisa Sneesby for putting the Newsletter together, and to Mardine Garnham for printing and mailing the hard copies!

Full announcements here

THE 1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

27 November 2022

Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service.

The Greeters this month are Bruce and Lisa Sneesby.

The Reader today is Keith Kelly.

This Week in First Church:

– Today – Deadline for submissions for the December Newsletter

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study (by Zoom)

– Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – Men’s Breakfast

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 4 December – Hanging-of-the-Greens service and pot-luck lunch

– Sunday, 11 December – Communion service; Anniversary Sunday

– Saturday, 24 December, 7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve service

The Christian Year – Today is the first Sunday of Advent, which is the first of the six seasons of the Christian Year. Advent is a season of preparation for Christmas, the festival of the birth of Jesus. It always has four Sundays.

The name “Advent” comes from the Latin word advenire, which means “to come to”. Advent is a season distinct from Christmas. It has to do with preparing ourselves for God’s coming into the world in Jesus Christ. That is, we recall how the ancient Israelites anticipated the coming of the Messiah, how God announced to Mary and Joseph that they would become the earthly parents of Jesus, and how John the Baptist called on the people of his day to repent (turn away from sin), in preparation for Jesus’ ministry. At the same time, we focus on Jesus’ promised Second Coming at the end of the age, and prepare ourselves for it by turning away from sin, and renewing our commitment to God.

The symbolic color for Advent is purple, signifying repentance and preparation.

Full announcements here

CHRIST THE KING

THE FINAL SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

20 November 2022

Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service.

This Week in First Church:

– Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. – Meal-in-a-Bowl Supper

– Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – Session meeting (by Zoom)

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 27 November – First Sunday of Advent

– Sunday, 27 November – Deadline for submissions for the December Newsletter

– Sunday, 4 December – Hanging-of-the-Greens service

The Christian Year – Today is Christ the King, the final Sunday of the Season after Pentecost, and the final Sunday of the Christian Year. A new Christian Year begins next Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent.

Christ the King affirms and celebrates Jesus’ kingship over the world and over the church, as well as in the lives of individual Christians. Today’s scripture readings lead us to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ kingship. In the Gospel reading, he is derisively called “the Messiah” and “the king of the Jews” at his crucifixion by people who don’t accept him as such; while in the reading from the Letters, he is portrayed as possessing great authority and power.

The symbolic color for Christ the King is white, symbolizing joy and celebration.

Full announcements here