By: Rev. E. H. Shelvey

Jeffrey T. Timm aptly wrote this for Christmas:
At Christmas, may God open your heart to His love, your mind to His wonders, your ears to His voice and your life to His presence. Read more

By: Rev. Nigel Packwood
St. James’ Anglican Church, Rivers

There can be little doubt in anyone’s mind that a huge aspect of the modern Christmas revolves around gifts. We are continually bombarded, through various forms of advertising for several months prior to Christmas, with images of what would be an ideal, or perhaps even the perfect, gift for absolutely everybody we know. Read more

By: Rev. Glenna Beauchamp
Rivers and Oak River United Churches

“New and used Xmas” the sign outside Value Village read. Parts of Christmas are “used” in the sense that there are certain family and community traditions we follow every year: when and where the tree goes up, how and when presents are opened, when parcels get mailed and the shortbread is ready; the seniors Christmas supper, decorating our homes and businesses, the Santa parade. Parts of Christmas should be new though. Read more

By: Rev. E. H. Shelvey

myWestman.ca

“I walked by the field of a certain lazy fellow and saw that it was overgrown with thorns and covered with weeds and its walls were broken down. Then as I looked, I learned this lesson: a little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest means poverty will break in upon you suddenly, like a robber.” — Proverbs 24:30-34 Read more

By Rev. E. H. Shelvey

Carl McGeehon, in his book How Free We Are, makes these remarkable statements: “No one is happy or free who lives only for himself. Joy in living comes from immersion in something bigger, worthier, more enduring than he himself is. True happiness and true freedom come from squandering one’s self for a purpose.” Read more