a message from rev. dr. david...

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Eastminster United Church 432 Bridge Street East

Belleville, Ontario K8N 1R1

Editor: Nicola Lupton Phone: (613) 969-5212 Fax: (613) 969-2800 Email: [email protected]

e a s t m i n s t e r . c a

Worship Services: every Sunday at 10:00am

Large Print This publication is available in

large print. Inquire at the office.

How to Contact our Ministers: at the church office, or by email

Rev. Dr. David McMaster: [email protected]

Rev. Frank Hamper [email protected]

December, 2019 The Link

A Message from Rev. Dr. David McMaster

I awoke and stretched upwards, pushing my head above the two pillows to my right, I peered through

the darkness toward the digital alarm clock on that side of the bed. Half past five! I had slept for six

hours, about a full night’s sleep these days. I crawled out of bed, stretched again, and raised one of

the window blinds in the bedroom. Six inches of freshly fallen snow greeted me as I peered into the

back yard. “It’s only the twelfth of November!” I thought, “This will be one, long winter … perhaps not

unlike the winter the children experienced in Narnia, where it was ‘always winter but never Christmas.’”

The Narnia Series is the creation of C. S. Lewis. The first book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,

follows the adventures of four children from London, who get

shipped out to more rural environs, away from the bombing of the

city during the War. They arrive at a beautiful, old country house

owned by a professor. It was a large, sprawling house that the

children couldn’t help but explore. Lucy was first to venture into the

wardrobe. She pushes through the old coats and at the back finds

an entrance to another world. She, and the others, will eventually

find there a parallel universe and adventures galore. It is the land of

Narnia ruled by a wicked witch in which all kinds of interesting

creatures and animals dwell.

C. S. Lewis did not set out to write “Christian” fairy tales about

Narnia. Apparently he started with an image of a faun with an

umbrella and his arms full of packages, walking under a lamp-post in

the middle of a snow-covered forest. He set out to write and said,

“At first there wasn’t anything Christian about it; that element

pushed itself in of its own accord.” The novel unfolded as a work of

imagination and faith.

Heidi Haverkamp in her book, Advent in Narnia: Reflections for the Season, suggests that, by placing

Christianity into another world, Lewis makes Christianity unfamiliar again. He gives us the chance to

feel a newfound wonder at the depth of God’s love, the power of Christ’s grace and sacrifice, and the

wonder of a world infused with the Holy Spirit. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe forces us into

the realm of the spiritual imagination and while the work may be a children’s fairy tale, reading it as an

adult can bring multiple and wonderful, new insights.

Haverkamp invites us to reflect on Narnia again as we journey through Advent. She has penned a

beautiful little book of devotions to get us thinking, to help us get the most out of Advent, and to

encourage us beyond the trappings of the secular season. She wants us to find “Aslan,” for “snow,

greenery, music, cookies, and gifts can all help us imagine the kingdom of God,” she writes, “but no

matter how big and beautiful the wreath is, walking through our front door is not going to transform


A Message from Rev. Dr. David McMaster (cont’d)

our lives the way walking through the door of Jesus himself will. It is he

who will lead us to that world we long for, where pain is turned to love and

death to life.”

Sunday, the first of December, marks the beginning of Advent. I encourage

you to do something to remind yourself of what Advent truly means.

Perhaps you could take a moment each day to read again the Christmas

stories in Matthew, Luke, and to some extent, John’s Gospel. Or, perhaps,

you could find your own Advent devotional reading. If you’re stuck, the

little book by Heidi Haverkamp is available through Chapters and Amazon

among other places. It may even be a good time to read or read again,

Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, or view one of the several

films that portray it. And if you do, don’t forget your imagination. Seek out

“Aslan;” I mean the One who is Immanuel, God with us.

Dr. David McMaster

In August, Kay Manderville was

celebrated as one of 100 Notable

Women of CFUW (Canadian

Federation of University Women)

because of her contributions to

community and advocacy of

education. She received this

honour in Winnipeg and had tea

with the Lieutenant Governor of

Manitoba.

GRIEF SUPPORT DROP-IN

The Christmas season can be especially difficult if you are faced with a loss - death of someone special; loss

of a relationship; loss of employment; loss of residence; loss of a cherished pet. If you are struggling with the journey through grief, you don’t have to travel alone.

Please join us from 6pm to 7pm every Tuesday,

beginning December 10th.

The group is an open gathering, so feel free to drop in as the need arises. We will meet in the “back office”

behind the reception area at Eastminster United Church. No cost.

Facilitators:

Rev. Jennifer Cameron, St. Columba Presbyterian Church

Rev. Frank Hamper, Eastminster United Church


A Message from the Chair of Council .

Another deadline hangs over my head for this Link submission but waiting until the last moments gives

me a chance to reflect on recent activities that have given me pause. I want to talk about community.

One of the many definitions of community I found online was “the condition of sharing or having

certain attitudes and interests in common“.

On November 9th

the East Central Ontario Region Council, ECORC, met at Eastminster to hold their

second meeting since the reorganization of the United Church of Canada. This council is the middle

level of UCC governance, sandwiched between the individual churches/pastoral charges and the UCC

General Council and head office.

Because the event was held in Belleville, I had the chance to arrive early and then sit in on the morning

portion of the day long set of meetings. It was great to see the buzz of activity on a Saturday morning

at EUC. I heard there were about 180 registrants. I was proud to see so many volunteer Eastminsterites

making the ECORC event run smoothly. In the morning, we had door people, greeters, elevator

operators, registration people, refreshment hosts, hospitality hosts, technicians plus many others. I

heard a few ECORC attendees comment on the help they encountered and/or the welcome they

received upon entering our church. At lunch in the Bentley Auditorium women from St Matthew’s

United Church had prepared a soup and sandwich meal for everyone.

This ECORC meeting brought out different communities. There were the ECORC members themselves

from a very far flung geographical area to discuss and find common ground to provide governance on

behalf of the UCC. There were the St Matt’s contingent freely giving of their gifts. And finally there was

the EUC group. What can I say!! You are awesome with your never-ending giving spirit. In the end we

are all members of the larger community of God We may refer to ourselves as United Church

members but more importantly we are all part of the community of our one Lord and Saviour Jesus

Christ. God Bless!!

Brian MacLellan

Church Council Chair

A Message from the Hospitality Coordinators

One of our roles is to oversee the work of all the hospitality volunteers ie: ushers, greeters, coffee hosts

and to assist where necessary. You will recognize us by the large yellow name tags. Murray and I are

trying to fill the big shoes of Bruce and Carolyn Goodman who for years have been our “coordinators”.

We welcome Jean and John Hopkins and Gord Graham to the HC group. With more volunteers it will

reduce the number of times we are on duty and, thus, enable HC’s to be able to volunteer in other

areas such as Communion, office, greeters etc.

One of our roles is when an emergency arises. The duty Hospitality Coordinators will assume charge

while other HC’s attending church will assist where needed.

Many thanks for all the positive comments received regarding the Fire Evacuation Awareness presenta-

tion.

Pat & Murray Hope

The Link December, 2019

24 2 boxes of stuffing

25 1 can of Cranberry sauce

26 1 box of candy canes

27 1 lb of butter or margarine

28 1 fruit cake

29 1 gravy mix

30 1 box of Christmas crackers

1 2 cans of corn

2 1 jar of pickles or beets

3 1 jug of juice

4 1 Christmas ornament

5 1 pkg of Christmas serviettes

6 1 pkg Christmas cookies

7 1 box of instant breakfast cereal

8 1 box of hot chocolate mix

9 1 carton of milk

10 1 5/10lb bag of potatoes

11 1 turnip

12 1 bag of oranges or crate of mandarins

13 1 bag of Carrots

14 1 pkg dinner rolls

Hunger can be a challenge at any time of year, but it can be especially difficult during Christmas time. This Christmas, why not try our Reverse Advent Calendar!

What is a reverse advent calendar? A Reverse Advent Calendar is a great way to share the Christmas spirit and help

Gleaners Food Bank provide food to those in need. Each day lists an item of food to donate that will go towards making up a Christmas Food basket that will be distributed to provide a lovely

Christmas dinner for families in our community.

In order to provide a food basket in time for Christmas, this Reverse Advent Calendar runs from Sunday, November 24 to December 14! For your convenience, we’ve provided a “shopping list” below. As there are “perishable” items listed, we are asking that your donation be dropped at

the Church Office on December 13 or we can arrange for someone to pick them up.

2 boxes of stuffing 2 cans of corn 1 box of hot chocolate mix

1 can of cranberry sauce 1 bag of oranges/crate of mandarins 1 box of Christmas crackers

1 5lb or 10lb bag of potatoes 1 lb of butter or margarine 1 jar of pickles or beets

1 bag of carrots 1 Christmas ornament 1 turnip

1 fruit cake 1 pkg of Christmas serviettes 1 box of candy canes

1 gravy mix 1 pkg of Christmas cookies 1 jug of juice (ie. Cranberry)

1 carton/bag of milk 1 box of instant breakfast cereal 1 pkg dinner rolls


December 1 @ 10:00 am - 1st Sunday in Advent with Communion December 2 @ 7:00 pm - Eastminster-UCW Vesper December 3 @ 6:00 pm - AOTS Christmas Dinner December 8 @ 10:00 am - 2nd Sunday in Advent, White Gift & Membership Sunday December 17 @ 10:00 am - 3rd Sunday in Advent December 18 @ 12 noon - Open Door Café Christmas Luncheon December 22 @ 10:00 am - 4th Sunday in Advent, Cantata with our Chancel Choir and special guests also, enhanced coffee time! December 24 @ 4:00pm - Christmas Eve Family Service December 24 @ 8:00pm - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with Communion December 29 @ 10:00am - Worship in the Christmas Season - Rev. Ed Bentley

We are currently running a deficit of approximately -$54,000 with year end predicted to yield a deficit of -$38,500. Your help in supporting Eastminster is always appreciated.


A Christmas Message from Rev. Frank & the Pastoral Care Team Luke 2: 10-11 “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for

all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’”

I invite you to reflect for a moment on the message brought to the shepherds on a cold night so long ago. At that

time, the status of the shepherds was a lowly one – it still is in many countries. Although they performed an im-

portant task, their position in society was an obscure and unrecognized one. The world passed them by. Yet it was

to such as these that the good news of Jesus’ birth was

announced.

We can picture them in the quiet countryside, keeping watch over their sheep. They were poor and in darkness. It

was while the shepherds were engaged in their ordinary task that

the great news came to them: “to you is born this day in the city

of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” God came to

them in the midst of life – as they were watching over their

flocks .

Having received the message of the angels, the shepherds did not

sit back. They made the journey to Bethlehem, and found that it

was as the angel said. With their outward eyes, all they saw was a

child “wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” But

with their inward eyes, the eyes of faith, they recognized this child

as the One sent by God.

Still, when the excitement died down, and the brightness faded,

they had to go back to the dark and the cold. But the Gospel tells

us they went back “glorifying and praising God for all they had

seen and heard.” They went back to their flocks. They went back

to the same ordinary work, the same humble life. Nothing had

changed, yet everything had changed. Life went on as before but

with one major difference: now their hearts were filled with won-

der.

Even though we haven’t seen the angels, we have heard the mes-

sage of the angels. Like the shepherds, we must try to see him

with the eyes of faith. In this way, we don’t just see a tiny baby.

We see God’s gift to us; God’s love made known to us. We see Emmanuel – God with us!

And, again like the shepherds, after Christmas Eve, we have to go back to our homes and get on with our ordinary

lives. But let us hope that we will go back glorifying and praising God for God’s goodness to us. Yes, we go back

to our work, to our commitments, to all the small and sometimes dreary tasks that go to make up our daily lives.

But we see them differently; because, we see ourselves differently. In the Divine Child, we see our own divinity.

This Christmas, may we experience some of the great joy announced to the shepherds. This joy springs from a

sense of God’s presence with us and God’s love for us. Joy is one of the greatest signs of the presence of God.

Somebody is watching over us; somebody is watching out for us; somebody is with us. God is with us. And if God

is with us who can be against us?

May the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love of Emmanuel be in your hearts today and every day. Rev Frank


It’s hard to believe another year has come, and almost, gone. Having been at Eastminster for a few

years now, I’ve gotten to work with and know many members of our church family and community.

It’s given me a greater understanding and appreciation of the hard work and dedication that makes

Eastminster a place “where faith comes to life”. It also has me reflecting on members we have lost

this past year whose presence I miss and remember.

Open Door Café continues to be a strong outreach to members of the Belleville community, thanks to

the efforts of the many volunteers and co-ordinator Janice Seaboyer. Janice has made a seamless

transition into the coordinator role which she took over at the beginning of this year. A BIG thanks to

Roli Tipper also. . . Roli has worked tirelessly raising funds for Open Door through a series of movies

and concerts. We were recipients of a grant from “New Horizons for Seniors” at the beginning of the

year. This grant allowed us (Carl Kap!) to finish replacing the countertops with stainless steel and pur-

chase a new dishwasher. We also received a second grant from the City of Belleville. These funds will

go towards the operation of the program and further renovations when time/money allow.

Our church groups have been busy this year also. Thanks go out to the Eastminster UCW and AOTS.

Both of these groups, as usual, have put in a great deal of work to raise funds and have contributed

generously towards our General Fund throughout the year. A special thanks to Evelyn Mitchell for en-

suring those famous and tasty meat pies were available this year, and to Carolyn Vanhorne-Coffey for,

yet again, a successful and delicious Victorian Tea!

Thanks to Maggie Chalk, a highlight for me this past year has been the formation of a children’s choir.

Look for a photo in the next issue of The Link. . . too cute! If you know of any children who may like

to join, please have them (or their parents!) contact the office.

Lastly, 2020 may bring some changes to our church. Discussions are taking place on how to generate

more income in order to balance our income/expense ratio. A new committee will be formed and any

ideas or suggestions will be welcomed.

On behalf of all of the staff, we wish you and yours a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Nicola Lupton

A Message from the Church Administrator

a message from rev. dr. david...

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