Hello All,
I am sending out this email a day ahead of my usual practice so I can remind you or the AOTS Soup Tasting evening tomorrow night!  The AOTS have obtained compostable containers to serve the soup in, so there is no need to bring your own!  There are over 28 varieties of soup to choose from.  Soup is on from 5 to 6:30 pm.  Tickets are $10 Adults, $8 children 6 to 12 (5 and under is free), $25 for a family of 4.  See you tomorrow!
Immediately following the soup tasting, the youth group will gather to attend an Escape Room adventure.  Youth in grade 7 and up are welcome.  RSVP to blais.trinity@gmail.com
This Sunday join us at 10:30 am for worship.  Rev. Ted’s meditation is “Make this Place Beautiful” and in Sunday School, the children will wrap up their final week on their Baptism rotation.
Some upcoming events and announcements are below.  Please read!

Next Sunday (January 26th) is Robbie Burns’ Sunday – Tartan and Scottish attire is always welcome!

Registration is now open for the Trinity Family Retreat. Saturday February 15th to Monday February 17th at Spirit Point. See the flyer and registration information outside the church office or email blais.trinity@gmail.com for more information.  

Please note the date change for our Annual Coffee House Talent NightA – it will now take place on Friday February 21st.  A sign-up sheet for talent and decadent dessert offerings will be up next week.  We are also looking for a couple people to assist in the kitchen.  Please speak with Brad Stenning or Sue Miller if you can help in the kitchen!

Sunday School Help Needed We are so fortunate to have an active Sunday School and youth group here at Trinity – and this is because of the dedication and commitment of a wonderful group of volunteers!  If you would like to join this amazing group and contribute to this important ministry please speak Marcel or Carling (your Sunday School Superintendents), myself (your Designated Lay Minister) or with any of the Sunday School teachers!  We provide lessons that are geared to your strengths. You need only commit to a few Sundays a year.  Please consider joining our team!

Hello Trinity Friends,

The office is now in full swing after a busy Christmas season.  I hope that the new year finds you refreshed and well, despite the state of our world at the moment.
This Sunday we worship at 10:30 am. We celebrate the Baptism of Jesus.  In Sunday School the children will continue to learn about baptism in their first rotation of the new year! The youth group will be gathering at 3 pm this Sunday for an afternoon of games and new year’s celebrations.  All youth in grade 7 and up are invited.
There are a number of events coming up.  Please see the announcement section below for more information.  

Announcements

Monday January 13, 1 pm:  UCW Annual Meeting – guest speaker, Lisa Blais

Friday January 17th, 5-6:30 pm:  The AOTS hosts our annual Soup Tasting Evening.  5 – 6:30 pm.  Tickets are $10 Adults, $8 Children (6 – 12), $25 for family of 4 and children under 6 are free. 

Tuesday January 21st: Trinity’s Board meets at 7 pm in the Board Room

Saturday January 25th, 5 – 6:30 pm: Trinity’s Indian Dinner Sunday January 26th, 10:30 am:  Robbie Burns Sunday

Some of you may remember that Rod Carley wrote a book “A Matter of Will” a while ago.  Well, it is now available as an audio book, narrated by Rod!  If you wish to purchase the audio book for your listening pleasure you can find it here. https://www.audible.ca/pd/A-Matter-of-Will-Audiobook/B0815V5TF5?qid=1578071154&sr=1-5&pf_rd_p=65c74350-6dfb-47fa-85fd-1459a4762abd&pf_rd_r=C00RJX4ER0BEAB344DM2&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_5 

We wanted to share the sympathy of the congregation to Ruth McKinnon and family on the death of Ruth’s husband Bob.  As the visitation is this Saturday we wanted to include it in our Friday email so that friends could pay their respects.  Friends may call at Martyn Funeral Home this Saturday, January 11th  from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.  A service to inter his ashes will be held in the Spring.
https://martynfh.com/tribute/details/11992/Bob-McKinnon/obituary.html#content-start

​Registration is now open for the Trinity Family Retreat.  Get your registration in now to secure your spot!  The retreat takes place at Spirit Point from Saturday February 15th to Monday February 17th.  $85 Adults/$50 Children 12 and under – includes accommodations, all meals, activities and supplies.  For more information or to register email Lisa at blais.trinity@gmail.com 
See you Sunday!​

Hello Trinity Friends and Happy New Year!

This Sunday we celebrate the season of Epiphany.  Sunday School will resume with a rotation on Baptism.

There are a few events coming up in January and a couple of announcements to draw your attention to.

The Annual Soup Tasting Evening, hosted by the AOTS is coming up!  Always a busy night and a family favourite!  Contributions of soup are encouraged!  If you are willing to make a pot of soup, please sign up in the Fellowship Hall or speak with Maurice Laporte.  The Soup Tasting evening takes place Friday January 17th at 5 pm.  prices are  $10 Adults, $8 Children 12 and under, $25 for family and under 6 are free.

A Taste of India Dinner takes place on Saturday January 25th at 5 pm.  This is a fundraiser for the roof – tickets are $40 (you will receive a $25 tax receipt).  There only a couple of tickets left – if you want to come be sure to contact the office asap!

Registration for the Trinity Family Retreat is now open!  Registration forms are available on the table outside the office.  This year our theme will be “Northern Lights”  As always there will be indoor and outdoor activities, social time, family worship, delicious meals and more!  Saturday February 15th to Monday February 17th at Spirit Point!  Registration: $85 Adults and Teens and $50 per child (12 and under) Children under 3 are free – accommodations, meals and all supplies are included.For more information and to register please contact Marcel MacDonald at glen_slim@hotmail.com or Lisa Blais at blais.trinity@gmail.com

​Hold onto yer horses and get ready for a tale from the Good Book like you’ve never heard it before! A Mustard Seed Information session will take place on Wednesday February 5th at 6 pm.  Scripts and CD’s will be handed out.  Rehearsals will begin AFTER March Break with June 13th and 14th performances.  This year we will be performing Jonah’s Druthers – The story of Jonah told with a spagetti western twist! All young people in Senior Kindergarten and up are ​invited.  There will be parts for everyone!

See you Sunday!

Hello Trinity Friends!
This Sunday is the fourth Sunday in Advent.  We light the candle of love and are reminded that in the midst of the busyness of the season, that at the heart of Christmas is the story of extravagant love.  Trinity’s Choir, along with special guest musicians and the Junior Choir, will share their wonderful Cantata: “Joy Has Dawned”.  Children will be encouraged to remain in the service for this special Sunday!  There will not be a Sunday School session but the nursery is available for younger children and some colouring pages and stories will be available!

Following the cantata, plan to stay for a free will offering lunch provided by Trinity Families.  All donations are appreciated and will help with our family programs!  

The Sunday School Christmas Pageant will follow the lunch at 1:30 pm.  Please plan to stay for a wonderful, heartwarming and funny Christmas pageant by our Sunday School!  The pageant runs about a half hour. All are welcome – this is a free event!

A reminder that this Saturday, Trinity hosts the Longest Night Candle Lighting service.  We are joined by friends from St. Andrew’s United Church along with others from our community.  The candle lighting will be accompanied by warm and hearfelt string music provided by Samantha Depatie and Erik Faucon.  On the longest night of the year we take pause to acknowledge the more difficult and conflicted times in our lives and to offer up our prayers of hope, peace and love during this time.

Christmas Eve at Trinity The All ages Family service begins at 7 pm.  We celebrate the Christmas story with scripture, carols and a whole lot of joyful noise.  A brief Communion service will follow shortly after.  All are welcome to both of these services.  
Our nursery is available for your convenience and will be staffed (if needed) on Christmas Eve – children of all ages are more than welcome at both services!

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

Sunday December 29th  10:30 am –  Stories and Carols Worship  
Join us for an opportunity to sing some of your favourite Christmas stories and hymns.

  
This week as you prepare your hearts and homes for Christmas, take pause and give thanks to all the people who act in courage and love by offering radical and gracious hospitality to those in need this season.  People who donate items or money to an outreach organization, people who volunteer their time to help those in need, people who open their hearts and homes to those who would otherwise be alone at Christmas and also to our first responders – specifically our North Bay Firefighters who are in the midst of battling a large multi building fire downtown. – your act of love truly is what Christmas is all about!
May the promise of the Christ Child fill your hearts and homes with radical and ​abundant​ love!
~Lisa ~

Hello Trinity Friends,
This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday in Advent.  We light the candle of JOY.  Plan to stay for lunch following the service.  It is a free-will offering lunch with proceeds going towards the choir music fund. 
Continue the season of JOY by attending the North Bay Community J.O.Y. Bands concert: “A Most Wonderful Christmas” beginning at 1:30 pm.  A carol sing-a-long will start at 1 pm.  Admission is by free-will offering with all proceeds to help support the Warming Centre. 
The following Sunday December 22nd, during the worship service, Trinity’s Senior Choir will present their Christmas Cantata: “Joy Has Dawned”  The Cantata will include instrumentalists, soloists and of course, the Junior Choir!  
Following the service, there will be a free-will offering lunch provided by Trinity Families. Plan to stay for an extra special Christmas Pageant!  
The Sunday School will present “An Out of the Box Christmas Pageant” at 1:30 pm in Trinity’s sanctuary.  Friends and family are most welcome to this free event.  Directed by Darlene Laferriere, accompanied by Chris Mogan, the Sunday School will bring to life the Christmas story in a funny and heartwarming way. Always delightful and full of surprises you will not want to miss it!
Mark your calendars for the following worship services
*  The Longest Night Candle-lighting Service – Saturday December 21st, 7 pmJoined by our friends from St. Andrew’s and the wider community we gather for aservice of heartfelt string music and candlelit prayer. It is an opportunity to take pause to acknowledge our hurts and to contemplate the hopes, fears, and prayers that fill the actual longest night of the year. 
* Christmas Eve at Trinity – Tuesday December 24th.  Join us for a lively Christmas Eve Service of carols and scripture at 7 pm followed by a brief, more contemplative Communion Service around 8:15 pm.
At this very busy time of the year, find time to appreciate the special moments that bring joy to our world: the excitement of children, acts of generosity and kindness, the beauty in nature, and of course, all the wonderful Christmas concerts, pageants and special treats!