If you haven't got TICKETS yet, there may be some at the door. But if you want to reserve your spot, give Gordon Miller a call at 250-213-1948 and we will make sure a ticket is held for you.

Here is a teaser for our Special Silent Auction Fundraiser! 

Great news! The Afghan Family Refugee Sponsorship Dinner and Silent Auction Fundraising dinner is sold out.  Thanks so much to everyone for their generosity.  Together, we will make a meaningful difference!

Things to know:
- Donations and auction purchases can be made via cash, cheques, or credit cards (using our Tap Square System). 
- The recommended offering for the meal is $20 per plate. Any donation over and above $20 will receive a tax receipt (excluding silent auction items). 

Other Exciting News:
Every dollar raised—including gifts of money—will be matched by a generous JBUC member!

Our Silent Auction Highlights Include: 
- 3 handmade quilts, including one from an Amish community 
- 5 New Bose SoundLink Micro
- A gift card for a local barber shop 
- “Music for a Garden Party” by Jennifer Turner 
- 3 new JBL LiveFree2 Anc TWS earbuds
- Gift cards for 3 James Bay restaurants 
- A handmade quilted wall hanging 
- 2 new Sharper Image Soundhaven Anc headphones
- A special gift from a James Bay tea shop 
- A gift from a local florist shop 
- Two hours of gardening by a JBUC Garden Team member 
- Gift cards from 2 local grocery stores 
- Paintings from 2 local artists 
- Two “Dinner for Six” evenings in JBUC member homes 
- A set of pillows from Dodd’s 
- Family photo shoot by Alan Thurston 
- Wines and more! 

We look forward to seeing you there and thank you for your generous support in helping to make this important initiative a reality. 

Location: Lower hall, James Bay United Church, 511 Michigan Street, Victoria BC

NOTE: Please enter the lower hall via the rear door at the back of the church.

Together, we’re making a difference!

Advent is a season of waiting, watching, and wonder. Not like “waiting in line,” but rather like waiting for a concert to begin, a love letter to arrive, or the stars to come out on a cold, clear night. A time of anticipation, expectation, and excitement. A time of renewing our hope, peace, joy, and love, getting ready for the marvel on the way. Welcome to this year's Advent Devotional by the SALTproject! 

As we head out of our time of embracing the darkness, a poem for you by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer!

And now as we head into the light of the Advent season, a poem of HOPE for you by Steve Garnaas-Holmes.

 We live by hope

Hope is not anticipation of a certain outcome,
but trusting goodness.

The root and center of all things
is an abiding goodness, powerful and eternal.

Despite all danger and evil, all fear and hurt,
that goodness, that grace, endures.

We trust it.
And that is our hope.
Hope has survived war and tyranny.
It has also at times prevented them.

Trust that love, more powerful than fear,
that grace, which never forsakes us.

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness cannot overcome it.

This trust is not wishing. It’s knowing.
This is hope.

This Sunday we'll hear Jesus teach about a fig tree. See this Advent reflection from Rev Greg on the significance of the fig tree in the Bible.

This Sunday we mark the beginning of Advent, a time of waiting and anticipating. In the northern hemisphere, where the days continue to shorten, we use light to push back the darkness. For some, this creates a deeper sense of hope, where it becomes easier to envision a better way. And so hope is the theme of the first Sunday of Advent. But does hope encourage passivity? Does it lead to wishful thinking instead of actively ushering in the kin-dom of God? This Sunday we are blessed by the presence of a new friend to James Bay United Church–a woman who has escaped hardship to establish a new life here in British Columbia. As a congregation we are supporting the efforts to bring the rest of her family from a refugee camp to Canada. Come, hear her story of hope.

Interview and Reflection: Rev. Greg Powell
Music Lead: Jennifer Turner
Tech Team: Nathan McDormand, Jamie Waters, Steve Nichol
Advent Candle Lighting: James Bay Refugee Initiative
Scripture Reading: Luke 21:25-36 and Song of Faith
Reader: Cheryl Macpherson
Bulletin

The JBUC Sunday Worship choir will sing for the first Sunday in Advent and anyone in the community is welcome to join regardless of ability. If you are a newcomer or someone who wants to try out the choir for the first time, please know that your voice is so welcome. We hold two Sunday afternoon rehearsals in the weeks preceding each choir service. Rehearsal files are provided so that you can practice on your own too. Preferably, you would be able to attend both rehearsals, but seeing as we are all very busy, at a minimum you should plan to attend one of the two rehearsals. 
          
        •    Sunday December 1, Advent 1 from 12 - 1pm in Sanctuary

If you would like to join the choir, or have any questions, please send Jennifer an email at music@jamesbayunited.com. You are also welcome to talk with her after a Sunday service.

We wait. We wonder. We watch. And we wake up. We come anew to the Mystery of Christmas as we listen to these reflections and join in conversation together.

In this four week Small Group Study, we set four sayings from an ancient Christian text, The Gospel of Thomas, beside our traditional scripture and consider ways they might wake something fresh in us. The Gospel of Thomas was one of the ancient texts found buried in the desert of Egypt in 1945,  opening up a new understanding of Christianity. It is 114 sayings attributed to Jesus that help us see what we’ve always known in a new way.

Please RSVP Bev Tracey at bevtracey@shaw.ca

Spread some holiday cheer with us at James Bay United Church as we go caroling around the block on Sunday, December 8th from 4:00 to 5:00 pm! We’ll be meeting Greg and his family at the ramp door, ready to sing festive songs with some fun stops along the way. Afterward, we'll gather indoors to enjoy warm drinks and treats together.

To ensure we have enough treats and drinks for everyone, please confirm your attendance by emailing Candis at office@jamesbayunited.com by 2:00 pm on Friday, December 6th. Don’t miss this heartwarming chance to connect with neighbors and celebrate the season!

Looking for ways to reduce holiday stress and embrace a more spiritual, less consumer-driven Christmas? Join us for this insightful workshop, Unplug the Xmas Machine, on Saturday, December 7th, from 10 AM–11:30 AM at James Bay United Church. Together, we'll explore how to create a meaningful and joyful holiday season. Admission is by donation, supporting our Thursday Community Lunch program. Registration is required—email gatewaycounsel@gmail.com to save your spot!

Mark your calendars for December 7th, 2024, and get ready to immerse yourself in the festive spirit at the beloved Dickens Fair! Celebrating its 43rd year, this winter craft fair is one of Victoria’s oldest traditions, taking place at the James Bay Community School, located at 140 Oswego Street. The fair will run from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Admission is just $3, with children under 12 free when accompanied by an adult. For those wishing to use a debit or credit card, the admission fee is $3.50. This is a fantastic opportunity to shop local and support our talented artisans.

As in previous years, the early Christmas Eve service (at 4pm) includes a Christmas Pageant. Unlike typical Christmas pageants, ours involves an all-adult cast. And we need cast members! Don’t worry though: we rehearse only on the 15th and the 22nd (after choir rehearsal), there’s almost no dialogue, and the narrator gets to use a script. How about that!

 James Bay United Church is hiring a part-time Video Technician to support the livestreaming of our Sunday Services from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to gain technical experience while contributing to our community. Responsibilities include operating video equipment, livestreaming to YouTube using Open Broadcast Software (OBS), collaborating with the Audio Technician, and training volunteers. Pay starts at $25/hour, with a start date of January 5, 2025. If you’re tech-savvy, enthusiastic, and available Sunday mornings, we’d love to hear from you! Apply here.

The Offering to the Public will not be held in December. We will resume our regular sessions on January 8th, the second Wednesday of the month. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to welcoming you back in the new year!