Hello Trinity Friends,

As you gather with friends and family this Christmas, may your hearts and homes be filled with joyful laughter, happy memories and love.  For those of you who are travelling, safe travels!  Please remember to hold those who are alone or hurting in prayer and love.

This Sunday December 24th at 10:30 am, we celebrate Fourth Advent. During the morning service we will share in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.  Following Communion, the children will be invited down to Sunday School for a Christmas story and a craft.  

Christmas Eve Service Sunday, December 24th, 7pm

The All ages Family service begins at 7 pm.  We celebrate the Christmas story with scripture and carols.  There will be no Sunday School or Nursery care this evening but there are activities at the back of the Sanctuary to keep hands busy! 

Christmas Office Closures

The offices will be closed Monday December 25th and will re-open on Tuesday January 2nd.  For emergency pastoral care, phones and THIS email will be checked periodically.

Fifth Sunday Worship – Sunday December 31st, 9:30 am

Area United Churches will gather together for worship at Omond Memorial Church.  (319 McKenzie Ave) Worship begins at 9:30 am.  There will be no church service at Trinity that morning.

​Save the Date!

• Sunday Jan 7th- Baptism Sunday (contact the office ASAP with your interest) 10:30 am.
• Sunday Jan 21st – Robbie Burns Sunday
• Friday Jan 26th – Trinity Soup Tasting Night hosted by Trinity AOTS!
• Sunday Jan 28th – after church will be a “Lunch and Learn” event about Wills and Legacy Giving.
• Friday Feb 9th- “Red Hot Chili Cook-Off” Dinner
• Tuesday Feb 13th- Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• Sunday Feb 18th – Communion service, beginning the season of Lent
• Feb 17-19th- the Trinity Families annual Retreat at “Spirit Point”!

​On behalf of the staff at Trinity United Church, we would like to thank you for your thoughtful gifts and cards and the lovely expressions of gratitude. We truly feel blessed to serve the Trinity family! Thank-you and Merry Christmas to all!  

Hello Trinity Friends,

Please join us this third Sunday in Advent as we celebrate “JOY” The Trinity Choir will bring us into the joy of the Christmas season with their wonderful Choir Cantata – Love: A Gospel Christmas Celebration. Come early for a good seat and to join in the Carol Sing!  We are encouraging young people to remain in the sanctuary for worship to enjoy the musical celebration.  There will be “busy” bags at the back of the Sanctuary for anyone to grab (colouring pages, Christmas stories, word searches, etc.)  The nursery will be available for younger children.

Celebrations

Trinity has been a very busy place these last few weeks.  It is heartwarming to know how generous our Trinity Congregation is! Here are just some of the events worth celebrating this month!
• Near North Voices along with celebrity readers performed to a full house for a wonderfully successful Dickens’ Christmas Carol reading!  We were able to raise over $8000 for the Gathering Place!
• Trinity youth just finished packing over 150 Christmas Bags for the Christmas Bag Outreach. Your generosity has helped to provide Christmas gifts to Children, Youth and Adults at several organizations. Thank-you!
• The UCW has prepared 40 Cheer Plates for people who are not able to get out of their homes or not well. The UCW have been providing hospitality and refreshments for many joyous celebrations and sad farewells this season – Thank you to the UCW for all you do!
• The Christian Education Committee hosted a Messy Church event for families to get into the Christmas Spirit with crafts, activities, storytelling and a hot meal.  There were over 60 people in attendance – including several new Canadian Families from Ukraine!  Thank-you to the Christian Education Committee for this wonderful outreach!

Christmas Worship Services

As we journey through the week of Christmas, there are a couple of special worship opportunities to share with you.

The LONGEST NIGHT Service – Thursday December 21st, 7 pm.

Our friends from St. Andrew’s United Church join us to host a “Longest Night” service of candlelit prayer and of heartfelt string music with “Depatie and Hyatt” in the Trinity sanctuary. Join us Thursday Dec. 21st at 7pm, when we embrace a holiday opportunity of spacious prayerful pause, to contemplate the hopes and fears that fill the actual longest night of the year! 

ADVENT 4 WORSHIP – Sunday December 24th, 10:30 am

Advent/Christmas Communion.  Sunday School will include an informal Christmas activity.

CHRISTMAS EVE FAMILY SERVICE – Sunday December 24th, 7 pm
Our service will include the scripture story and lively singing of many Christmas favourites.

FIFTH SUNDAY SERVICE – Sunday December 31st 9:30 am
Area United Churches will gather together for worship at Omond Memorial Church.  (319 McKenzie Ave) Worship begins at 9:30 am.  There will be no church service at Trinity that morning.

OFFICE HOURS DURING THE HOLIDAY

Please note that Trinity Offices will be closed on December 22nd and will re-open on Tuesday January 2nd. The answering machine and email will be checked periodically.

See you Sunday!

Hello Trinity Families,

This second Sunday in Advent we light the candle of Peace. We also celebrate White Gift Sunday and enjoy the Sunday School Christmas Pageant. It will be a joyous service that you will not want to miss!  This newsletter is jam packed – please read through so you don’t miss anything!

But first, join us tonight, Friday December 8th,  7 pm (6:30 for a sing-a-long) for Christmas, A Humbug?! A dramatic reading of Dickens’ Classic “A Christmas Carol”.  Come out and join your friends for an enchanting evening sure to put you into the seasonal spirit. Charles Dickens’ timeless classic “A Christmas Carol” is a story of laughter and redemption, enriched with victorian Christmas music courtesy of the Near North Voices under the direction of Dr. Adam Adler. All shared with great “Dickensian” atmosphere, humour, and warmth!  
Celebrity readers include: CBC Radio’s Markus Schwabe, Darlene Leferriere, Rod Carley, Doctor Joe Madden, John Powers, Maureen Cassidy, and Reverend Ted Harrison. “God bless us, every one!”

In true Dickens fashion, all ticket proceeds go to North Bay’s soup kitchen, “The Gathering Place.” Tickets are $20 and available at the door.

This Sunday the Sunday School present their pageant “A Shepherd’s Christmas Story” written by Brenda McLay and Directed by Darlene Laferriere with musical accompaniment by Sophia Karasseva.  The Sunday School pageant is always a delight. 

Immediately following the pageant, the Sunday School children will gather white gift donations from the congregation.  Gifts of non-perishable food items, money and other items that may bring comfort to those in need will be gathered by the Sunday School children during the service.  Donations will be received to Trinity’s Food Shelf and the Christmas Bag Outreach Programs.  Of particular need: toothbrushes, toothpaste, playing cards, puzzle books, magazines or comics and toiletries for men. A full list of needed items is posted in the Sunday School Room.

Next Sunday, Trinity’s Choir will present their Cantata: Love!  A Gospel Christmas Celebration during worship.  Be sure to come early for a good seat.  You will not want to miss this!

TRINITY YOUTH GROUP – Cheesy (and Heartwarming) Christmas Movie Night – Friday December 15th 6 – 10 pm
We will watch a Christmas movie (or two), eat snacks and get our Christmas spirit on! Feel free to wear an ugly Christmas sweater or your Christmas PJ’s. All youth in Grade 7 and up are welcome! Please RSVP to Lisa Blais or Marcel MacDonald.

The LONGEST NIGHT Service – Thursday December 21st, 7 pm The Advent and Christmas seasons can inspire profound highs and lows in our lives. Over the period of COVID isolation, we managed to maintain and adapt our Trinity tradition of teaming up with St. Andrews to host a “Longest Night” service of candlelit prayer and of heartfelt string music with “Depatie and Hyatt” in the Trinity sanctuary. Join us again on this Thursday Dec. 21st at 7pm, when we embrace a holiday opportunity of spacious prayerful pause, to contemplate the hopes and fears that fill the actual longest night of the year! The Longest Night Service is a gift to the community – therefore there is no collection. 

CHRISTMAS EVE There are two services on Christmas Eve. Sunday December 24, 10:30 am is our Advent Communion service. Then come early for a good seat at our Christmas Eve family service, 7pm on Sunday December 24th. That Service will include the scripture story and lively singing of many Christmas favourites.

The Faith Forward Team has launched a survey for anyone between the ages of 25 – 45 (whether they attend church or not).  Amanda will speak to this on Sunday.  Please feel free to share with anyone you think would be willing to participate.  This will help us ensure we are providing services and meeting the needs of this demographic!

This week as we journey into the second week of Advent, take some time to offer prayers of peace to the places in our own lives, in our communities and in the wider world that are thirsting for peace. Peace is needed more than ever right now.

May peace be with you,

Hello Trinity Friends,

This Sunday we enter into Advent with a special Communion Service at 10:30 am.  Come early to join in a Carol Sing, led by the Trinity Choir.  Plan to come on back for the J.O.Y. Band Christmas Concert: A Yuletide Festival, directed by Betty Farris. This Sunday December 3rd at 1:30 pm.  Includes a carol sing and refreshments.  Free will offering with donations going to North Bay’s Santa Fund and Trinity’s Infant Food Shelf.

Tonight – Families are invited to Messy Church – Christmas style. Families are invited to come out and participate in a variety of fun activities, share a meal and hear an interactive Christmas story.  All families are welcome!  Friday December 1st from 5 – 7 (doors open at 4:30).

There are a number of exciting events and some important announcements to share.  This will be a long email – please read through to the end so you don;t miss anything!

Saturday December 2nd, 10 am to noon: Kids Only Bazaar​ at St. Andrew’s United Church – an opportunity for the kids to do their shopping!

Christmas, A Humbug?! A dramatic reading of Dickens’ Classic “A Christmas Carol” with Celebrity Readers and Near North Voices

Join us at Trinity United Church on Friday December the 8th at 6:30 pm for a sing-a-long of Christmas favourites, followed by the Dickens classic at 7pm and interspersed with exquisite seasonal mood music performed by the Near North Voices under the direction of Dr. Adam Adler. Tickets are $20 and are available at the door or by calling (705)474-3310

In true Dickens fashion, all ticket proceeds go to North Bay’s soup kitchen, “The Gathering Place.” Celebrity readers include: CBC Radio’s Markus Schwabe, Darlene Laferriere, Rod Carley, Doctor Joe Madden, John Powers, Maureen Cassidy, and Reverend Ted Harrison. “God bless us, every one!”  Dickens Event Page

Christmas Bag Outreach

Each year Trinity’s youth group collects items for the Christmas Bag Outreach Project. We provide over 150 Christmas gifts to children, youth and adults in our community! These bags are packed according to the age of the receiver and delivered the week prior to Christmas. We pack bags for teens and adults in transitional housing, treatment centres, the NBRHC Mental Health Unit, Suswin Indigenous Housing, and more.  If you would like to contribute to this outreach program please bring in your donations to Trinity on White Gift Sunday (December 10th) or any Sunday morning prior to then.  A full list of needed items can be found in your bulletin!  Cash and Christmas Bags are also appreciated.

AOTS GIFT CARDS are available to purchase this Sunday.  Gift cards make excellent Christmas gifts!  Gift cards are available for many different things: groceries, gas, restaurants, drugstore, entertainment and more!  You can now pay by etransfer, cash or cheque.  To place an order, speak to Rob Brownlee after church.  Orders are due this Sunday December 3rd. 

DATES FOR YOU CALENDAR!

• Friday December 8th, 7 pm (sing-a-long at 6:30):  Christmas, A Humbug?!  An enchanting presentation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”
• Sunday December 10th, 10:30 am:  Trinity’s Sunday School Present “A Shepherd’s Christmas Story”
• Sunday December 17th, 10:30 am: Trinity’s Choir Cantata: Love​: A Gospel Christmas Celebration​.
• Thursday December 21st, 7 pm:  Longest Night Service.
• Christmas Eve, Sunday December 24th:  10:30 am Advent 4 Communion Service and a 7 pm Christmas Eve Family Service

Hello Trinity Friends,

We hope you will come on down to the Christmas Walk tonight and look for United Church friends outside of Creative Learning.  Join us in singing Christmas Carols, grab an adorable candy cane reindeer and gather with friends from the local United Churches!

Then tomorrow, pop over to Trinity Church to pick out some delicious cookies.  The Cookie Walkdoors open at 9:30 .a.m We have a great variety of Christmas cookies and squares for you to choose from. Come, support Trinity and buy some sweet treats.

This Sunday, we celebrate AOTS Sunday – the AOTS is the United Church Men’s Group, which stands for “As One That Serves”.  The children will continue their Sunday School pageant rehearsal during church.  

Following the worship service, the Rapport Singers will present a beautiful afternoon of music with their concert: “Waiting: Songs of Advent and Celebration” It begins at 1:30 in Trinity’s Sanctuary. 

THE COMPASSIONATE COMMITTEE OF NORTH BAY – What you need to know about helping people who are experiencing homelessness. Wednesday, November 29, 2023, 7 pm. hosted by Trinity United Church. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

THE COMPASSIONATE COMMITTEE OF NORTH BAY – What you need to know about helping people who are experiencing homelessness. Wednesday, November 29, 2023, 7 pm. hosted by Trinity United Church. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

You will find the Advent Newsletter here https://trinitynorthbay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/advent-2023-1.pdf Thanks to Ross Brewer for putting this together – and to all those who contributed to it!  There is an abundance of activities and special worship services coming up.  I encourage you to sit down over a cup of tea/coffee, and read it thoroughly!

Here are a few highlights of some upcoming events to put in your calendar.