Christmas is just around the corner, and as you navigate the busy days ahead and look forward to annual traditions with family and friends, our prayer is that you would find time to rest in the confident hope and expectancy of this season. To help celebrate, we want to share these resources to help make Christmas even more meaningful in 2024.
hampers were delivered to Calgarians last year
pounds of food were distributed through the Food Link Program
of donations to the Calgary Food Bank come from food industry partners
people connected with and guided to 93 programs across 62 community partners
of the workforce at the Calgary Food Bank are volunteers
november 30 – December 17
Our Advent Outreach Project this year is in support of the Calgary Food Bank. The Calgary Food Bank aims to make food accessible to everyone in our city and is the first line of emergency food support for people facing crisis. As the city’s main charitable food hub and the most accessible food bank, the Calgary Food Bank has the capacity to serve families, individuals and organizations to fight hunger in Calgary. As you make your own preparations for Christmas this year, we encourage you to come alongside your neighbours and consider a donation towards this important outreach project.
Please bring your non-perishable items and leave them in the church foyer between November 30 and December 17.
Donation Items:
Pasta
Rice
Cereal
Oatmeal
Flour
Peanut butter
Canned or dried beans
Chickpeas
Lentils
Pasta sauce
Canned vegetables
Canned fruit
Canned soup
Please note that we can’t accept the following items: dented or unlabelled cans, broken/open packages, supplements/vitamins, homemade food, home grown food, out of date items, candy, pop, personal or hygeine items.
DECEMBER 4 | 6:30 PM
Southview Kids invites all families to join us for a night of exploring the season of Advent. Hands on activities will lead kids and their parents through the stations of Advent using various mediums. This is a great way to kick off the Christmas season and continue the conversation, as we anticipate the coming of Jesus. We hope you can join us! Please register by December 4.
CHRISTMAS 2024
advent art project
This year’s Advent Art Project is a meaningful collaboration between Southview’s Worship and Art groups, blending music and visual creativity. Artists have created pieces inspired by songs chosen by the worship leaders, offering unique interpretations of the themes and emotions expressed through the music.
As you engage with the pieces, you’ll encounter a variety of musical and artistic styles that convey the artists’ reflections. To fully experience the art, follow the link for each piece to connect directly to the corresponding song. Listen as you observe, letting the music deepen your engagement with the visuals.
We hope this art installation helps you enter into the Advent season and experience it in a new and significant way.
We invite you to join us to celebrate the great joy of Christmas! Services will be offered at the following times:
As you light each candle, read the comments and verse aloud.
2000 years ago, the people of Israel lived in a time of great turmoil and change. But during the wars with other nations and conflict with each other, their prophets began to speak a new message of hope. They prophesied that a special child would be born who would lead them out of the turmoil.
God told them that this child would come from the line of King David. So, these ancient people began to place their hope in this child. Thank you God, for your message of hope.
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.” LUKE 1: 68-69
Why did God send his own Son, the seed of David, into our world where there were so many broken relationships and so much division? God did this to remind us of one of the most important things about Him: He loves everyone! God came to love Roman centurions, Samaritan women, Pharisees, political leaders like Pontius Pilate and each one of us as well. Thank you God, that you extend your love to everyone.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” JOHN 3:17
Jesus was born in a world full of fear. People were afraid of political leaders, of famine, and of other nations. How could God help people with these fears? Jesus came from the line of King David, so he had power and authority to help. One of the key things King Jesus did was to accept and bless all sorts of people with one simple word: peace. Thank you God, that you give us your incredible peace.
“And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” ISAIAH 2:4
One of the people most excited about Jesus coming to the world was his cousin John. We know this because we read in Luke that Mary went to visit Elizabeth her cousin when she was first pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth was pregnant too and the child IN her womb greeted the arrival of Mary and Jesus with joy. Thank you God, that you give us joy!
“And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.” LUKE 1:41
Jesus, thank you that your light shines bright in our world. Give us eyes to see you this Christmas Day and throughout the year. Thank you Jesus, for giving yourself to us.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” JOHN 1:14
To mark the day, we encourage you to take a few minutes to participate in a Christmas Day reading with family or friends.
These readings can be used anytime on Christmas Day but perhaps are best used right before a meal. The Advent candle reading is for families or friends to read through together and can be accompanied by successively lighting a candle with each reading. Simply arrange four candles into a circle and place a special candle in the middle as the “Christ candle,” and proceed with the reading.
Realm offers a way for our church family to know what’s going on, and grow as a connected, engaged community of believers.