Online Worship and Newsletter

A voice of one calling:  “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord];

Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;

And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”   (Isaiah 40:1,3,5)

Advent is waiting and preparing for the coming of Christ. May we be found faithful in the waiting, and may we be a voice calling out ‘Jesus is coming again.’  Praise be to our Lord.

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 :    We continue with our advent series ‘Called to Dream’ by looking at the prophetic voice of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12, Malachi 3:3:1-6) 

NEWS, THANKS and PRAYERS:

• I will never be able to thank you all enough for the meals, donations, support, hugs and prayers from this caring church family. I truly believe that God had been working in my life and Scott’s bringing us to Bethlehem knowing how loved and supported we would be during his illness and passing. Blessings, Mari-Lou and family. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) 
• We continue to uphold in prayer:  Simon & Audrey, Alice, Sandra, Hank, Darcy, Barb J. 
• Grief is hard, holidays like Christmas can make it even harder.   Please continue to uphold the Lawrence family, Jorgenson’s, family of Dale M., and the Stronks in your prayers.   As well, Murray L.’s brother passed away this week.   May God’s comfort abound. 

DEACONS’ OFFERINGS: 

This Week:    Salvation Army Journey to Life Centre

Next Week:  Dew Drop In

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

BETHLEHEM CHRISTMAS DINNER: The annual  Bethlehem Friends and Family Christmas Dinner will be held this Sunday, December 7.  Doors open at 4:30 with dinner at 5.

The main course will be provided by the Fellowship Committee with dessert provided by the Deacons.  Please bring a side dish to share and plates and cutlery if you are able.

We are planning some fun activities, carols and a children’s activity as we prepare to celebrate Our Saviour’s birth.  Hope to see you there!

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.

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

THE SUMMIT:  As mentioned at the congregational meeting, Pastor Marg recently attended a conference in Waterloo.   Shiao Chong, the former editor of the Banner, was one of the keynote speakers.  His address ‘God with Us: A Christianity Canada Needs’ is well worth a listen. 

Here is a link, his address begins at minute 38 (after worship) :  The Summit: Shiao Chong

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!

FIRST CHURCH: Hymn singing at Jasper Place on Wednesday, December 10,  2025 at 2:00 p.m. Please come and share the love of the Lord to the shut-ins.  Hope to see you there.

THUNDER BAY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: TBCS Christmas Program:  The Christmas Program will take place at First CRC on December 18th at 7:00 PM. It will be led by our students in Grades 7-12 with all grades involved. Everyone is invited to attend, please join us!

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.

WORLD RENEW:  The 2025 Gift Catalogue is Available

As we enter the Christmas season, World Renew’s Gift Catalog offers a meaningful way to share Christ’s love with those in need. From a goat to disaster recovery supplies, each gift brings hope and lasting change for families around the world. Explore the catalog at worldrenew.net/gift-catalog.

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:  

” All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ ”   2 Cor 5: 18.

           HARK, THE HERALD ANGELS SING

That night the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the field of Bethlehem.

That’s why we have a great song of that line from the angels that has a lot of meaning.

Four words in the middle of the first stanza could easily be overlooked ………God and sinners reconciled , this profound truth speaks volumes about Jesus’ mission and God’s great plan  to save us from sin and death.

Paul explained in 2 Cor 5 that God has reconciled us to himself through Christ.  Ever since the fall of humanity into sin our relationship with God was broken, Yet God wanted to restore that relationship. And the only way to do that was through the gift  of His Son Jesus Christ.

When the angels announced the birth of Jesus, they spoke about the peace that Jesus brings.

And with that peace comes reconsolidation between God and all who believe in Jesus, God comes to us, to reconcile us to himself so that we can live in relationship with Him again.

Paul says that because we are reconciled with God, we also have the task of sharing the message of reconciliation .We are ” Gods ambassadors” , Having been reconciled ,we can share with others the good news that our relationship with God is restored , Jesus , who had no sin ,became sin for us so that we may live for him and thank Him , We can pray then: Jesus , thank you for coming to reconcile us with the Father. May we be your ambassadors, sharing the good news of reconciliation with Him, 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