Online Worship and Newsletter

‘He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 

Proclaim freedom for the captives….

To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ Isaiah 61

These words of Isaiah the prophet are words Jesus used to point to his ministry and reason for coming.  This is news of great joy for all.  In our advent waiting, may the reason for our joy and hope be expressed in our words and actions. 

Our  Sunday worship begins @ 10:30.  Sunday School is available for children ages 3 to grade 3 with childcare available for those younger.  All children will be dismissed partway through the service. 

The worship service streams on youtube beginning at 10:25  and can be watched later as a video at:    Bethlehem CRC – Thunder Bay – YouTube  

WORD & WORSHIP :    Called to Dream:  Prophetic Joy as demonstrated by Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-55) 

NEWS, THANKS and PRAYERS:

• Bram’s father passed away last week.  Our prayers of comfort are with the Drost family as they gathered together.    Our prayers of comfort continue for the many others in our church family hurting and grieving the loss of someone loved and missed. 
• The dark days of winter and a season expecting ‘joy’ can be hard for those who struggle with depression or loneliness.   Let’s continue to connect and encourage each other.  
• Simon and Audrey have moved to Roseview Manor.  Though they are in separate rooms, we give thanks that spaces in the same facility were available and pray for them as they adjust to another new place.   

Live stream information is available for anyone who would like to attend the funeral service virtually for Mr. Peter Drost.  The  link for the service can be found at the bottom of the page following the obituary.  

Obituary information for Peter James Drost

DEACONS’ OFFERINGS: 

This Week:    Dew Drop In

Next Week:   The Gathering Place

For e-transfer: giving@bethlehemcrc.ca

E-transfers can be used for the deacon’s offering, church budget, ministry shares, or work of the deacons (blessing/bread box).  Please make sure to indicate this in your e-transfer. You can also leave an offering in the collection plate.  Unless otherwise designated, it will go to the deacon’s offering for that particular Sunday.

DUTY LIST: 

If you’re not on the list and wish to be added contact Mari-Lou by emailing her at Office@bethlehemcrc.ca. If you’re on the duty list and do not plan on attending church at this time please find your replacement. 

UPDATED: Duty List Updated.xlsx

PRAISE AND PRAYER:  Wednesday at 7 pm, please join us as we come together in praise and prayer to our Father in heaven, looking to Jesus, and led by the Spirit. 

FROM THE DEACONS: For the month of December the Deacons  will be collecting school snacks for the Bread Box.

Each Bread Box Food Day we hand out packages of school snacks to families with children in Elementary school.  Granola bars, juice boxes, pudding cups and  fruit cups are the kinds of items we are looking for.  Please ensure all items are nut free!

Thank you for your generosity- it is greatly appreciated.

The Deacons would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who played a part in our very successful Christmas Friends and Family potluck dinner last Sunday.  It was a huge success with almost 100 people in attendance.

Special thanks to:

The Fellowship Committee for providing the main course, punch and coffee.  You all make it look so easy each year but we know it isn’t!

Lou Kok for a masterful job as Emcee – you kept us all on track.

Laura Heerema for a wonderful job with the children’s story.  You are so warm and inviting with the children.

Jennifer Drost for playing the piano so the singing could be joyful.

Thanks to everyone who helped with setup, decorating and cleanup especially Fred who had a little busier janitorial week after.

Thanks to everyone who shared delicious food and who created a welcoming atmosphere among our members and visitors.

Most of all thanks to God for the gift of His Son, the reason for all our Christmas celebrations.

MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE:  2025.11 Monthly Financial Update for Bethlehem CRC.docx

HATS AND SCARVES:  We give thanks to the Willing Hands Knitters (Sarnia), Country Yarns (Petrolia) and our own Bethlehem knitters for all the  hats, mitts and scarves donated to hand out to anyone in need.  

You’ll find a sampling in the fellowship hall – please take what you need as well as sharing with anyone else who would be blessed with something warm. 

HEALING WITH JESUS PRAYER MINISTRY:  If you desire prayer, are struggling with unforgiveness, need healing in a relationship or healing from a hurt you’ve experienced, if you are finding it hard to know God’s love then please consider making a prayer appointment.   In this time, a team of people will pray with you as we look to Jesus who is the great physician. 

Brochures are available in the church foyer that explains inner healing prayer and what happens at a prayer session.To make a prayer appointment, please connect with Pastor Marg

or send an email TBhealingprayer@gmail.com.  

NORTH OF 60:  Our Christmas lunch will be held on Thursday, December 18th at Hope Church.  Come 15 minutes early for some Christmas Cider and Christmas  Carols along with Bram VandenBroeke.  The menu sounds yummy and the elves are busy getting ready for a large turnout!!

HOPE CHURCH: Save the Date: Grab your broom and get ready to slide into some fun!  We’re hosting a Bonspiel on Saturday, December 27th at 6:00 PM at Kakabeka Curling Club to raise funds for The Gathering Place, and we’d love for you to be a part of it! More details to come next week!

Blue Christmas: Hope Church will once again be hosting a Blue Christmas service on

Sunday December 21st at 7:00pm. This service is for people to pause during this

busy time of the year to reflect and acknowledge that Christmas is not a happy time

for everyone. During this service we will honour our loved ones that have passed away,

as well as those that are experiencing grief due to job loss, illness, family

disconnect etc. We will also receive comfort in knowing that God is with us in our

pain. There will be desserts, coffee and fellowship afterwards. Everyone is welcome to

attend.

THUNDER BAY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: The Thunder Bay Christian School Christmas Program this year will be led by grades 7-10 with all grades being involved. The theme will be Jesus is the Light! It will be held at First Church at 7pm, December 18th. Grandparents and family are all welcome to attend!

TBCS is also still accepting applicants for the custodian position. The hours can be flexible, full-time or part-time, but some duties will have to be done outside of school hours (after 3:30pm). Please forward resumes to the school at office@tbcs.school.

THE GATHERING PLACE: The Gathering Place Bonspiel

Get ready to rock the ice and sweep up some good times while supporting The Gathering Place. 

Date: Saturday, December 27th

Location: Kakabeka Curling Club

Cost per Team: $260 (includes dinner)  Space is filling up quickly!!

A Christmas Party Invitation and a Big THANK YOU – An Update from The Gathering Place: The board of The Gathering Place would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the congregations of First, Hope, and Bethlehem CRC for another year of incredible support for TGP. Through financial gifts, food donations, countless volunteer hours and constant prayers you continue to make this joint initiative a place of love, hope, and support for those that we have the privilege to serve, and we could not be more grateful. 

We would like to invite you all to join us at The Gathering Place for our Christmas party on December 19, 2025 from 6:00-8:00 PM for a time of coffee, cookies, conversation, and games! We are also looking for several volunteers to help assist our board and staff in facilitating this event; if you are able to volunteer on this date (or are interested in other TGP volunteer opportunities!) please email Fred Rekman (fmrekman@gmail.com) or speak to any of your church’s board representatives.

Job Opportunity – The Gathering Place Executive Director: The Gathering Place is looking to hire their next Executive Director! This is a key leadership role for the non-profit organization that has served some of Thunder Bay’s most challenged neighbourhoods over the past 40 years through food and clothing distribution, community building, personal supports, and more. This is a full-time position (35 hours per week) at a wage of $30.00 per hour. A complete description of the role can be found on our website: https://www.thegatheringplacetbay.ca/volunteer-careers.

If you feel that God may be calling you to this position, apply by submitting a copy of your resume to the chair of The Gathering Place’s board of directors, Fred Rekman, at fmrekman@gmail.com. We would also appreciate your prayers during this search process, as well as your support in helping share this position opening with those who may be equipped for this role and encouraging them to consider applying. God has blessed this joint initiative of the Christian Reformed Churches of Thunder Bay for decades and we can’t wait to see what God has in store for The Gathering Place in the decades to come!

PRAYER CORNER:  

  ” JOY TO THE WORLD “

“the Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his rightlessness to the world ” psalm 98;2

Joy to the world ” is not only a well-known Christmas song, it is one of the first songs people want to sing on Christmas day to celebrate Christ’s birth.

The song was written by Isaac Watts in 1719, and it is a Christological interpretation of Psalm 98

When we sing Joy to the World, we are proclaiming that Christ is the fulfilment of what the psalmist writes ‘The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. In the birth of Christ, we see God’s salvation plan being made known. In the life and death of Christ, we see the revelation and rightlessness for all people.

The psalmist calls for the whole earth to respond with a “shout of joy’. And as “Joy to the world” puts it , both heaven and nature sing, and ” fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy”, God’s salvation is made known with the coming of His Son to bring salvation.

We are called to make room in our hearts for the coming of the Lord. And we can join together with all creation in singing our praise to GOD for revealing his salvation everywhere.  

Prayer:  Lord God, we join with all creation in singing your praise for revealing your salvation through Christ our Lord, Amen.                                                                                                ~Hank

BETHLEHEM CONNECTIONS: 

Bulletin announcements or ‘Family News’: Please submit to Mari-Lou by Thursdays at 6:00 pm bulletin@bethlehemcrc.ca 

Pastor Marg welcomes your calls or visits.   Please reach out to her or stop by the office: 

pastor@bethlehemcrc.ca or (807) 767 3961.   

Clerk of Council: Greg Kok clerk@bethlehemcrc.ca

Elders:  Corinne Hoogsteen, Sharon Jaspers, Abraham Drost and Greg Kok

Deacons:  Erica Snippe-Juurakko, Lori Lawrence, Mark Heerema and Mikaela Hummel