NEWS
Winter 2025
Jubilee Presbyterian Church
DECEMBER 2025: CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS & GREETINGS TO ALL! |
Advent & Christmas!
Dear Jubilee Church Family: What a wonderful year we’ve had. God is blessing us in tremendous ways and we are truly grateful for His active presence in our lives and church family. As we continue to serve, in the community and make an impact on our world, blessings flow. You will read in this letter of the many ways we are able to bear witness to the risen, reigning Christ.
As we prepare our hearts to celebrate God’s great gift to us in Chris as God entered the world in human form, let us continue to resolve to share love, grace, gentleness, our hope in Him, and display the peace of Christ in our lives. The old adage is true – we are the only Bible some people will read. Let us serve and honour the King of Kings with humility and perseverance. The story is complete – no matter what happens in life, Christ has won!
Imagine what the first Christmas looked like. A weak infant was born. Yet, as He grew in stature, and the wisdom of the Lord, the people longing for salvation, those who had waited amd suffered long, had to wait another 30 years before the impact of His ministry to begin. When the hour had come, He performed His first miracle, and the signs that Christ was the annointed Messiah finally began to give witness to the nature, character and grace of God. Everything He did from that point on, was the true gift of Christmas – He taught us how to perfectly love one another, and that His Gospel was good news for the sin-sick soul. Now we stand in, and live, the glory of Christmas. We have seen that He is good, and His sacrificial life was the balm our weary souls needed. Rejoice! Emmanuel has come to us!
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CONCERT
This year’s concert entitled “Infant God, Divine King” tells the story of how it was necessary for God to come to us in the flesh as an infant baby to redeem us. With a mass choir, various church choirs, Christmas worship music and scriptures, we will celebrate the birth of our Lord together with the churches of Clearview Township under the direction and planning of our own Jenny Kers. Pleas mark your calendars and plant to attend this annual event, set for December 14th at 7pm, the second Sunday of December. As always, treats, coffee and great fellowship will follow the evening of music.
CHRISTMAS EVE
This year, our Christmas Eve service will take place December 24th at 4pm. All are welcome to attend this service. Offerings raised at service go to a Benevolent Fund operated by the minister for emergency crisis when there is a need in the community and someone approaches the church for assistance.
WHITE GIFT SUNDAY
This year, White Gift Sunday will be December 14th. We will be supporting Evangel Hall and Scott Mission equally. Please send offerings for White Gift Sunday through your church envelopes so that we can report how well we did, and, to keep paperwork to a minimum. On the giving line, note “White Gifts”.
Evangel Hall Mission is a community service agency that has supported individuals experiencing poverty, homelessness, and social isolation in Toronto for over a century. They aim to encourage and equip each person they serve to face the challenges of today while striving towards better tomorrows. They have noted that the pandemic has had a most devastating effect on the most vulnerable and they are doing their best to provide spiritual, emotional care helping the homeless navigate this uncertain time. To help them ensure they are meeting the needs of their clients the best they can, they are calling for financial help at this time.
Scott Mission is seeking to share Christmas help, hope and meals. Every $4.25 received helps them provide a holiday meal for someone who is hurting and hungry. Generous donations will help them feed as many as they are able. The Scott Mission is a Christian ministry of mercy and love. We aim to meet the needs of people with love and compassion and seek to bring spiritual, physical, and emotional wholeness to their lives.
It’s Christmas, the need is there – let us respond in love!
BUILDING USE
Jubilee continues to share a great relationship with Guides Canada and we host as the meeting place for the Guides on Monday evenings without charge. We are privileged to share in this ministry to the community. Furthermore, on Tuesday afternoons we host the “Friendship Euchre Club”. This is an afternoon gathering with ten rounds of Euchre. It is a fun afternoon with great people. Traditionally we had eight tables. However, there has been growth this year and we have seen up to eleven tables active at one time. It is an excellent outreach. If you enjoy euchre, consider coming out from about 1 to 3:30pm. We don’t charge the group, however, the ladies cater two meals a year to the group, and, from their proceeds, they often make a generous donation to the church.
We have not quite reached our pre-covid church use. If you know a club or group looking for a meeting space, let them know that we are here!
BOARD OF MANAGERS
The Board of Managers remained active throughout the year. Following an unfortunate issue in the Ladies washroom in the entryway, a new toilet was recently installed. Our beautiful new glass front doors were put on and the Board continues to work hard doing an excellent job maintaining the safety and upkeep of the building.
WMOS
The Women’s Mission and Outreach Society met in November. The main purpose of the meeting was to decide how to enrich the ministries of those we support and who support us. With thanks to the congregation for the hard work in the summer at our yard sale, and with proceeds from the monthly Coffee Party’s, the WMOS had $1600 they were able to disperse and decided to support “Our Daily Bread” (where we get our devotionals from), Presbyterian World Service and Development (who, among all the good work it does, also helps support the Leprosy Mission in Nepal which was the years study focus), “The Canada Food Grains Bank”, and “The Salvation Army”. The WMOS purpose is to encourage one another and all the people of the church to be involved in local and world mission through prayer, study, service and fellowship. Our congregation also supports “Presbyterians Sharing” which has a mission branch, “Out of the Cold” and the “Stayner Food Bank,” among other ministries like the Christmas gifts from Anniversary Sunday, our peanut butter drive and many others. We are indeed a mission-minded congregation. Well done everyone!
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Looking ahead to the new year, and back on years gone by, we are so blessed to see young people here in our church. This year, we were able to revive the “Games Night” on Friday evenings, which brought out our young people to interact with others. Some brought friends! To that end, a dream that was realized prior to the pandemic was to turn the current “Quiet Room” into a “Youth Room”. This summer Monica and I had the opportunity to meet with the young people over a pizza dinner. One of the comments brought forth by them was that they did not know what to do at church during coffee hour. The Spirit was moving and I asked them to imagine what it would be like if they had a room of their own – what would they like to see in it? They put some ideas forth, which is now a working proposal, and with the blessing of Session will be sent on to the Experimental Fund of the Presbytery of Barrie, to see if we can furnish and equip a room just for the kids. The ultimate goal is to establish a place the kids love where they can bring friends and gather at least once a month for an evening of social time and I can share some Christian insights with them. This is an exciting venture that hopefully will assist us with enriching and growing our younger families. Please pray about this exciting opportunity!
YOUTH ON THE RISE
Many churches, like ours, are seeing increases in younger families and young people. The Presbytery of Barrie is taking the initiative to be more mindful of our youth. In June of 2026, our Presbytery is funding a youth retreat at Camp Cairn for young people! If you know any local youth, if your children or grandchildren would benefit from this opportunity please let Rev. May know.
Furthermore, there are discussions of an online regional Alpha Program for Youth taking place with Collingwood, Elmvale, Stayner and Barrie. Our hope is that people in these communities that often intermingle will find like-mined believers to build lasting Christ-centered friendship with. Keep this initiative in your prayers.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” – Luke 2:11
MERRY CHRISTMAS, THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS HAS RISEN WITH HEALING IN HIS WINGS!
GOD’S BLESSINGS NOW AND INTO 2026!
Advent is a season. It is the culmination of the days leading up to Christmas. The word “advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival”. It is a time for Christians to prepare their hearts and homes for the celebration of Christ’s birth and to look forward to his future return. The season is a time for reflective preparation, prayer, and worship. Consider participating in some of the following activities to prepare your heart for the King.
See how many of the following things you can complete to help prepare your heart!
- Make a new this year, handmade ornament
- Take a slow drive around town looking at Christmas lights
- Help someone wrap presents
- Make a gingerbread house
- Get bundled up and go for a wintery hike
- Bake cookies to share with neighbors
- Make popcorn and watch a Christmas movie
- Throw a birthday party for Jesus – (cake and all!)
- Buy a simple gifts for friends at the dollar store
- Find an outdoor nativity set and thank the owner for putting Jesus on display at Christmas
- Donate old, gently used winter clothing to a charity
- Attend a holiday play or concert
- Read the Christmas Scriptures by the Christmas tree
- Make hot cocoa, coffee or tea and take some time ponder – wonder as you wander through your mind about Jesus love.
- Go ice skating
- Build a snowman
- Play games with loved ones
- Find time to laugh
- Make a few handmade Christmas cards to hand out
- Go caroling
- Make paper snowflakes
- Decorate Christmas cookies
- Write a thank you to someone who has impacted you in 2025