Ministry

Blue Christmas Service for those of us feeling grief during the holiday season. Join interim Spiritual Care Director Rev. Jennifer Goddard-Sheppard, Indigenous Spiritual Care Chaplin Lauren Sanders and Patti Powell in this honouring and healing service.

Rev. Jennifer Goddard-Sheppard has evolved a “WTF!? Where’s the Faith” ministry since 2009. Exploring the intersections of faith and other “F”’ words! What started as a youth group of Where’s the Faith, Where’s the Food and Where’s the Fun, has evolved into a philosophy and way of life.

May you have full confidence, belief and trust in the heavenly promises given to you…

FAITH

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ( Hebrews 11: 1)

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through who we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ( Romans 5:1-2)

Faith is a belief that is not based on visible proof. It is a trust you can build upon.

Receive the gift of faith.

Rev Jen’s WTF!? Rant. Where’s the faith!? Words that flow.

With this faith, Willing to follow, Willing to fail, Willing to fall

Willing to feel, Wading through Fear,

With this faith, wandering thoughts flow, Watching time fly

Where’s truth found

Why truth first

Why trust faith

wondering thoughts fly

Welcome these Friends

Welcome those feelings

Wondrous things follow

When these fall

Western Theological Frameworks

White things first

Wanting things fast

Waging the fear

Words that frighten

When truth’s first

What’s the future Way to follow

With this faith

Willing to follow

Willing to forgive

Willing to forget

With truth first

Willingly Talk Faith

Words thoughtfully flow

Ways tenderly flourish

Wounds that fester

Welcome truth flowing

Welcome the fellowship

Welcome the feasting

Welcome the force 

I AM, The Way, The Truth, and the life!

Wearing the faith

Welcome the fellow traveler

Welcome the way maker

Welcome the friend we find in Jesus.

Welcome the Folx we meet here at First United.

Welcome the feelings of Hope, peace, joy, love, which live here.

Where’s the Faith!?

Amidst and amongst the people.

Where’s the faith!? With and for the people. All the people

 Where’s the faith!? Incarnation! God with us. The breath of life.

Wow! That’s fantastic.

Why truth first!? Because TRUTH Matters!

Here at First United and around the world.

Where’s the faith!? In you, with you, for you!

Born in us this day!

Amen and Merry Christmas. With love from Rev Jen!

Lighting the Advent Wreath: The Way Maker

Leader: Advent is the season of preparation and waiting.

(Light the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love)

All: We have prayerful work to do.

Leader: The Advent season has ended.

All: With hope, peace, joy and love, the Christmas Season has arrived.

(Light the Christ Candle)

The light of Christ shines for all. A light of hope, peace, joy, and love for all. We will go and shine our Christ light in and for the world.

LOVE

What is the truth about the LOVE that is at First United? How does it show up? We “feel the love,” see the love, hear the love, hope for the love? We hear stories of love and hope from staff, community members and residents in housing and the shelter.
What do you love about First United? How do you show the love? We are so thankful for the loving relationships with our partners and friends. We are thankful for all the gifts of love, hope, peace, and joy that are given to support the work of charity and justice in our neighbourhood.
Thanks for partners and communities of faith that support First United and believe in the work that we are doing, I give because I care. I give because I love. I give because I can.
We appreciate the many loving reasons for why you give.
Putting our ASK on the line in the name of love. Putting our love on the line each and every day in service to this community. This is the truth of mission and ministry at First United. Please join us in sharing the love.
As we live into another Advent Season, let us prepare, be present to one another, and listen deeply to the truth telling story of the Great Creator that is with us as Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Let us celebrate this presence that is in all living things as we listen to the Truth that needs telling.
People of Faith! Prepare the way and wait upon the delivery of the great good news of love incarnate with us, for us, as us. God with us!
Let us awaken to the way, the truth and the life that liberates and sets us free.

To you is given the gift of endearing tenderness and unconditional acceptance…
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. -1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is a warm and caring feeling that is felt for another person. However God’s, love is unconditional, given to us freely regardless of our words, thoughts, or actions. (Experience God’s Christmas Presence)

Lighting the Candle of Love
Leader: Advent is the season of preparation and waiting.
All: We have prayerful work to do.
Leader: As we light these candles of Hope, peace, Joy, and love we join with many others around the earth, proclaiming our faith and our prayerful intentions to be prepared and to do the work.
All: We wait expectantly with hope. We pray and act for Peace. We choose joy and share the love with others. These lights of hope, peace, joy, and love shine for all.
Leader: Be the hope. Be the peace. Be the joy. Be the love.

All: We will be the hope, the peace, the joy, and the love with Creator God being our helper. Prayers of Love for the People
Leader: With fear and doubt, we enter into the Holy presence.
With so much wrong with this world, we doubt that love is really the answer. With so much hate and hurt, we fear and doubt that love can heal and make whole.
Where’s the love in the hoods and households where children are neglected, and domestic violence
lurks?
We ask…does every child really matter? Do Black lives really matter? Does anyone or anything matter anymore?
All: Forgive us our unloving trespasses as we forgive those who unlovingly trespass against us.
Shine and ignite the light of love upon us and within us. Ground us in the love that will not let us go. Ground us in the love that sets us free to go and love the world. Ignite our loving actions that help to make the kingdom come. Amen.