Page 5 - RJ Pioneer - Winter

River John & West Branch UNICEF Fundraiser
and Fun at West Branch
United Church
When I was a young woman growing up in River
from Nov. 20 - Dec. 25 John in the 1950’s we always collected for UNICEF
along with our trick or treating. We had little orange
November 20 boxes and people would put in dimes or quarters. (It
Salem United, 11am: Children’s Sunday was long before we had $1 and $2 coins.)
Stories and songs and activities (and a birthday cake for a dragon?), oh, my! Folks of all ages, friends,
family and neighbours, are invited to join us for this special all-ages worship service as we celebrate the UNICEF stands for “United Nations International
young and the young-at-heart. Everyone is welcome. Children’s Emergency Fund.” It is dedicated to al-
leviating suffering of children around the world. Its
November 26 motto is “No Child Too Far.” One would think that in
Salem United, 1:30pm: Christmas Tree decorating this day and age there would no longer be a need for
Our Sunday school, along with their friends, family (and community, too!) are invited to come help us such an organization, but on the contrary, it is even
get ready for the Advent-Christmas season by trimming the tree at Salem United Church. There will be more necessary. Because of global warming and also
seasonal music, hot chocolate and cookies, too! All are invited. Everyone is welcome. the worldwide fall of the price of oil, the country of
Nigeria, for example, has a lot of starvation. A recent
Advent Sundays report noted that 150 children a day are dying of
West Branch United, 9:30; Salem United, 11am - Worship Series: The Redemption of Scrooge starvation. And of course there is the enormous issue
Discover how the ghosts of our past, the life of our present and the hope of our future can transform us of all the refugees displaced by war in their home
from “Bah! Humbug!” to a blessed Advent and Merry Christmas. This Advent season we will explore the countries. This can feel very far from our own reality,
world of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. With an eye to Christian faith, we will walk with Ebenezer but there are also hungry children here.
Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the Cratchits; along the way we will meet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present,
and Yet to Come and learn about living with and for others in a world blessed by Jesus. Sunday mornings The UCW, United Church Women for the Mari-
(Nov.27-Dec. 18) at West Branch and Salem United Churches. Everyone is welcome. times, decided to highlight the issue of childhood
poverty, by creating a cookbook. The purpose of
November 27 the cookbook is to raise awareness around the issue
West Branch United, 9:30; Salem United, 11am: Advent 1 - Holy Communion of child poverty and raise money to be used toward
reducing child poverty.
December 4
West Branch United, 9:30; Salem United, 11am: Advent 2 - Worship On October 28, a group of women from River
John’s Salem United and West Branch United church-
West Branch United, 7pm: Memorial Hymn Sing es held a luncheon of tasty but affordable dishes and
Through the gifts of music, candlelight and community, we will celebrate the lives of those dear to us invited our guests to sample them and vote for their
who have died. We hope this event will be both pastoral and celebratory, acknowledging our loss while favourites. Guests were also asked to give a donation
remembering and celebrating the lives of our loved ones. to UNICEF as admission. $175 was raised for UNI-
CEF in this way!
This service features a candle-lighting. During the service, candles are lit in memory or in celebration
of loved ones. For a donation of any amount you can dedicate a candle ‘in loving memory of…’ or “in There were 20 recipes created. The winning recipes
celebration of…” your friend or family member(s). Everyone is welcome. For more information, or to were: Soups: Carrot Ginger Soup - Mary Beth Suther-
request to dedicate a candle please call the Pastoral Charge Office 902-351-2629. Candle requests should land Breads: Johnny Cake - Mary Beth Sutherland
be into the office by November 27.
Main dishes: Hamburger Stew - Joan Sutherland
December 11 Desserts: Bread Pudding - Joan Sutherland Miscella-
West Branch United, 9:30; Salem United, 11am: Advent 3 – White Gift Sunday neous: Molasses Butter - Norma Baillie

Willow Lodge, Tata & homes around River John & West Branch, 6pm – Caroling All these recipes are being forwarded with photos
Bring your voice (and an instrument or two, if you’d like) and join us as we share the sounds of the to the Maritime Conference Cookbook Project, to be
season with our friends and neighbours at Willow Lodge, Tatamagouche and surrounding communities. published next year.
We will meet at the Lodge at 6pm. Folks who’d like to carpool are invited to meet at Salem United; we’ll
leave the parking lot for Willow Lodge at 5:30pm. After we finish at the lodge (around 6:45), we’ll make Participants: Left to right, back row: Mary Beth Suther-
our way out into the wider communities and share a song or two with our neighbours to celebrate the land, Joan MacLeod, Eleanor O’Brien, Marie Farrell
season. Everyone is welcome. \Front row: Ruth Baillie, Florence Craib, Della Jefferson,
Joan Sutherland
December 18
West Branch United, 9:30; Salem United, 11am: Advent 4 – Worship Submitted by Joan MacLeod

December 20 Proprietors Terry & Linda Reid
Salem United, 7pm - Blue Christmas Candlelight Service
This service of hope is for those of us who find the Christmas Season difficult, and for those of us who PO Box 118 River John, NS B0K 1N0
are seeking a quiet and reflective place in the midst of the busyness of the season. Civic #82, River John Road
Telephone: 902-351-2079
This service also features a memorial candle-lighting. During the service, candles are lit in memory of
loved ones who have gone on before us. For a donation of any amount you can dedicate a candle ‘in lov- Email:terry@sunsetbeachcottages.com
ing memory of…’ your friend or family member(s). Everyone is welcome. For more information, or to Website: www.sunsetbeachcottages.com
request to dedicate a candle please call the Pastoral Charge Office 902-351-2629. Candle requests should
be into the office by December 18.

December 24
Salem United, 6pm; West Branch United, 8pm – Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Come join us as we celebrate the birth of Christ into our lives and our world.

December 25
Salem United Church, 11am: Christmas Day Service
Come as you are – whether you’d like to wear your new Christmas jammies, or your favorite pair of
jeans, or your best Sunday suit - leave the turkey on low, bring your favorite new toy and gather with us
around the Christmas tree for this all-ages service. We’ll sing songs, listen to stories, have tea and coffee
(juice and muffins, too), and celebrate the day with friends, family and neighbours. Everyone is welcome.