Advent 2012 First Baptist Voices by First Baptist Church Halifax

Where Faith Comes T o Life! The Newsletter of First Baptist Church Halifax

Vol. 24 No 4 December 2012

THE MUSIC OF THE SEASON

national pharmacy got into trouble in early November for playing Christmas music too soon. Complaints came from people who thought they should at least wait until after Remembrance Day to begin the “holiday music.. However, as soon as the pharmacy chain announced that they would stop playing Christmas music, more complaints came flooding in, this time from people outraged that a business would refuse to play “religious music” for their customers. “I will never shop there again,” was the common refrain. I would love to have been a fly on the wall for the boardroom discussion on that one! There is no doubt that people feel very strongly about their Christmas music, whether or not they ever attend Christmas services in a Church. In fact, it has been my experience that people who are not regular Church goers are more likely to complain if, on the one Sunday they attend, the music is not from their childhood repertoire! As most of you know, I have advocated that we show a bit of patience before launching into Christmas carols so that we can enjoy the hymnody of Advent, a distinct season of the Church, and still be singing the carols when the 12 Days of Christmas actually arrive. So, on the early Sundays of Advent (December 2 and 9) you are more likely to hear “Jesus Comes With Clouds Descending”, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” and “O Come, O Come,

Emmanuel” than “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”. Still, I understand that people who never make their way to worship any other time of the year often are inspired to seek out a Church on the Sundays leading to Christmas, so it is helpful if they find ways to connect through music. Thus, we are not rigid about this, and the closer we get to the 25th, the more likely we are to be singing some of the music the pharmacy tried to play on November 1st. There are five services that definitely will include many familiar carols - Carols by Candlelight (16th at 7pm), Advent 4 (23rd at 10:30am), the Christmas Eve Family Service (4pm), the Christmas Eve Communion Service (11pm) and the First Sunday of Christmas (30th at 10:30am). Nonetheless, since one of the themes of Advent is “waiting expectantly”, we will also take time in worship to sing the hymn/carols of longing and hope as we “wait” for Christmas to come. We may even find that waiting increases our joy as we sing, O come, let us adore Him...

- Rev. John E. Boyd

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A FINE LINE

dvent is a month-long liturgical season, ending with Christmas. Advent should not be of interest to Christians alone. Its spirit of hopeful expectation taps into the highest and noblest of human aspirations and into the conviction, deeply rooted in the human heart, that things will somehow work out for the best in the end--for one's personal life and the lives of our loved ones, and for the well-being of humankind itself. There is a fine line, however, between hopefulness and presumption. The spirit of Advent is meant to inform every human life, not just Christians alone. It should touch the agonies and longings of every human heart. The family torn by conflict. The abused spouse. The battered child. The troubled youth. The unemployed breadwinner. The aged and helpless grandparent. The dying loved one. The bereaved. The person of color, scarred by bigotry. The gay and the lesbian, marginalized by prejudice. The poor and the powerless, shorn of dignity and hope.

future, made possible by the Creator of us all. On the other hand, that final outpouring of justice and truth, of mercy and forgiveness, is also "coming toward" us, from God's side to our own. Our posture, therefore, should be one of hopeful expectation. But not of idle presumption. Even as we hope and pray for the blessings of that Kingdom, we are called to share what we have, however meager our resources, with those in even greater need, and to work for justice for others, whatever the personal cost. The message of Advent is that the blessings of the Kingdom will "come toward" us only to the extent that we "come toward" those most in need of our love and support. On behalf of my family, we wish you the true joys of the season. Rev. Nelson A. Metcalfe Minister of Visitation

Advent has to do, literally, with a "coming toward" (ad-veniens, in the Latin). Advent reminds us that we are "coming toward" a richer and fuller

INTERGENERATIONAL FAMILY FELLOWSHIP

he Inter-generational Family Fellowship meets on the first Saturday of the month, generally 5:30-8:00 p.m., at the homes of various members or occasionally at the church. The format consists of a potluck supper or costshared pizza, followed by an hour of adult discussion and prayer time, while the children are supervised in play or watch a child-friendly program in a separate room. We have mainly been viewing the NOOMA DVD series http:// nooma.com by Pastor Rob Bell. New members of all ages are always welcome! For more information, contact Sandy Yip at <amyip@eastlink.ca>.

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AST PRESIDENT TO PREACH Atlantic School of Theology President, the Rev. Canon Eric Beresford, will be our Guest Preacher on Sunday, February 3rd. Canon Beresford is a scholar and prolific writer who is widely published in professional journals and sought after as a consultant and speaker at workshops and conferences in the fields of ethics, environmental justice, conflict and change, and human sexuality. Canon Beresford is an ordained Anglican priest who has served parishes in England and Canada and continues to serve on national committees of the Anglican Church of Canada. He has been President of AST since 2004.

MEMBERSHIP CLASSES

class will be held in February to prepare people to join First Baptist Church Halifax either by Believer’s Baptism or by transfer from another Christian Church. These classes will cover such questions as: What does it mean to be a Christian? Why do Baptists baptize the way they do? What is different about a Baptist Church? How can I continue to grow in my faith? If you are interested in participating in the classes, please contact Rev. John Boyd at srminister@eastlink.ca or 422-5203. The class is always open to inquirers who have not made up their minds about joining the Church, but have lots of questions!

CHRISTMAS OFFERING

very year we receive a special Christmas Offering that makes all the difference in whether or not we meet the commitments we make through our annual operating budget. Most of us are making our plans for Christmas gifts for the special people in our lives. Let us prayerfully consider a generous gift to honour our Saviour and support the work we do together in his Name.

DO YOU LOVE TO SING? Check out the fantastic Music Page on our website for information about the Senior Choir, Men’s Choir, Children’s Choirs and more!

CHRISTMAS OFFICE HOURS

REMEMBERING DR. PHIL

ong before there was a TV “Dr. Phil” we had one of our own - the Rev. Dr. Philip GriffinAllwood. Philip grew up here at First Baptist, part of an active family that included his parents, the late George and Olga Allwood, and his Uncle and Aunt, the late Coleman and Mona Humphrey. Philip showed an early interest in matters of faith and Baptist history and by his late teens was expressing a desire to become an ordained minister. He followed through, graduating from Acadia Divinity College in 1978 and being ordained in Seabright United Baptist Church in 1979. Philip continued his studies and research into Canadian Baptist history, earning a PhD from Southern Baptist Seminary in 1986. It was following those studies that Philip came back to First Baptist as our Associate Minister, serving from 1987-1989. His leadership brought new life to our Sunday School, increased participation in Christian camping and renewed our connections with the Scouting movement. After leaving First Baptist Philip served Baptist Churches in Lawrencetown and Kentville and United Churches in Brooklyn, Dartmouth, Halifax (St. Andrew’s), Moncton, and Hampton. Philip married Linda Griffin in 1982 and they had two sons, James (1985) and Matthew (1987). On All Saints Day, November 1, Philip died suddenly of cardiac arrest. A Celebration of Life Service was held in Hampton United Church on November 8 with a very large congregation present. Rev. John Boyd read scripture and conveyed the sincere sympathy of First Baptist to Linda and the family. May God’s comfort surround them always.

The office will be closed on December 24, 25, 26, 2012 and January 1, 2013.

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EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT FRENCH ORGAN MUSIC (OR AT LEAST A START)

he organ repertoire consists of music written for the organ. Because it is one of the oldest musical instruments in existence, written organ repertoire spans a time period almost as long as that of written music itself. The organ's solo repertoire is among the largest for any musical instrument. Because the organ was found almost exclusively in the western churches from the Middle Ages until the emergence in the Romantic era of large concert hall instruments, a significant portion of organ repertoire is sacred in nature. Thus, most organ music comes from Western Europe and North America; because the eastern religions (such as the Eastern Orthodox Church) did not use any instruments in their worship. Owing to the age of the instrument and its frequent use in Western worship, the organ has one of the most varied repertoires of any instrument.

Golden age of French organ Franck to Messiaen César Franck, Charles-Marie Widor, Louis Vierne, Marcel Dupré, Maurice Duruflé, Oliver Messiaen César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck (1822 –1890) was born at Liège, in what is now Belgium and moved to Paris, where he married and embarked on a career as teacher and organist. He gained a reputation as a formidable improviser, and travelled widely in France to demonstrate new instruments built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. In 1858 he became organist at Sainte-Clotilde, Paris, a position he retained for the rest of his life. He became professor at the Paris Conservatoire in 1872, his pupils included Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson, Louis Vierne, Charles Tournemire, Guillaume Lekeu, and Henri Duparc. After acquiring the professorship Franck wrote several pieces that have entered the standard classical repertoire, including symphonic, chamber, and keyboard works. Louis Victor Jules Vierne (1870 – 1937) was born in Poitiers, Vienne, nearly blind due to congenital cataracts, but at an early age was discovered to have an unusual gift for music. After

completing school in the provinces, Louis Vierne entered the Paris Conservatory, where he was a student of Cesar Franck. From 1892, Vierne served as an assistant to the organist CharlesMarie Widor at the church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. Vierne subsequently became principal organist at the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, a post he held from 1900 until his death in 1937. Vierne had a life that was physically and emotionally very difficult, with severe spiritual trials that are reflected in much of his music. His congenital cataracts did not make him completely blind, but he was what would be called today "legally blind." Early in his career, he composed on outsized manuscript paper, using "a large pencil" as his friend Marcel Dupré described. Later in life, as his limited sight continued to diminish, he resorted to Braille to do most of his work. He was deeply affected by a separation and subsequent divorce from his wife, and he lost both his brother René and his son Jacques to the battlefields of World War I. Though he held one of the most prestigious organ posts in France, the Notre-Dame organ was in a state of disrepair throughout much of his tenure at the instrument. He eventually undertook a concert tour of North America to raise money for its restoration. Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor (1844 –1937) was Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889. The French organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, reviver of the art of organ building, was a friend of the Widor family; he arranged for the talented young organist to study at the Brussels Conservatoire, for composition. After this term of study Widor moved to Paris, where he would make his home for the rest of his life. At the age of 24 he was appointed assistant to Camille Saint-Saëns at Église de la Madeleine. In January 1870, with the combined lobbying of Cavaillé-Coll, Saint-Saëns, and Charles Gounod,

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the 25-year-old Widor was appointed as "provisional" organist of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, the most prominent position for a French organist. The organ at St-Sulpice was Cavaillé-Coll's masterwork; the instrument's spectacular capabilities proved an inspiration to Widor. Despite his job's ostensibly "provisional" nature, Widor remained as organist at St-Sulpice for nearly 64 years, until the end of 1933. He was succeeded in 1934 by his former student and assistant, Marcel Dupré. Marcel Dupré (1886 – 1971) was a child prodigy. His father Albert Dupré was organist in Rouen and a friend of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, who built an organ in the family house when Marcel was 14 years old. He entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1904, where he studied with Louis Diémer and Lazare Lévy (piano), Alexandre Guilmant and Louis Vierne (organ), and Charles-Marie Widor (fugue and composition). In 1914, Dupré won the Grand Prix de Rome for his cantata, Psyché. In 1926, he was appointed professor of organ performance and improvisation at the Paris Conservatoire, a position he held until 1954. Dupré became famous for performing more than 2000 organ recitals throughout Australia, the United States, Canada and Europe, which included a recital series of 10 concerts of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach in 1920 (Paris Conservatoire) and 1921 (Palais du Trocadéro), both performed entirely from memory. The sponsorship of an American transcontinental tour by the John Wanamaker department store interests rocketed his name into international prominence.In 1934, Dupré succeeded CharlesMarie Widor as titular organist at St. Sulpice in Paris, a post he held until his death in 1971. Maurice Duruflé (1902 –1986) was born in Louviers, Northern France. In 1912, he became chorister at the Rouen Cathedral Choir School, where he studied piano and organ. At age 17, upon moving to Paris, he took private organ lessons with Charles Tournemire, whom he assisted at Basilique Ste-Clotilde, Paris until 1927. In 1920 Duruflé entered the Conservatoire de Paris, eventually graduating with first prizes in organ, harmony, piano accompaniment, and composition. In 1927, Louis Vierne nominated him

as his assistant at Notre-Dame. Duruflé became titular organist of St-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris in 1929 , a position he held for the rest of his life. In 1936, he won the Prix Blumenthal. In 1939, he premiered Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto (the Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani in G minor); he had advised Poulenc on the registrations of the organ part. In 1943 he became Professor of Harmony at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he worked until 1970. Duruflé was highly critical of his own composition. He only published a handful of works and often continued to edit and change pieces after publication. Olivier Messiaen (1908 – 1992) was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex (he was interested in rhythms from ancient Greek and from Hindu sources. Many of his compositions depict what he termed "the marvellous aspects of the faith", and drew on his deeply held Roman Catholicism. He said he perceived colours when he heard certain musical chords. He was one of the first composers to use an electronic keyboard in an orchestral work. Messiaen entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 11 and was taught by Paul Dukas, CharlesMarie Widor and Marcel Dupré, among others. He was appointed organist at the Église de la SainteTrinité in Paris in 1931, a post held until his death. He taught at the Schola Cantorum de Paris during the 1930s. On the fall of France in 1940, Messiaen was made a prisoner of war, during which time he composed his Quatuor pour la fin du temps ("Quartet for the end of time") for the four available instruments—piano, violin, cello and clarinet. The piece was first performed by Messiaen and fellow prisoners for an audience of inmates and prison guards. He was appointed professor of harmony soon after his release in 1941, and professor of composition in 1966 at the Paris Conservatoire, positions he held until his retirement in 1978. He found birdsong fascinating, believed birds to be the greatest musicians, and considered himself as much an ornithologist as a composer. He notated bird songs worldwide and incorporated birdsong transcriptions into most of his music. http:// en.wikipedia.org (Continued on page 6) Page

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A note on French Christmas Carols Background: The first specifically Christmas hymns for Christians that we know of appear in fourth century Rome: Latin hymns such as Veni redemptor gentium, written by Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan. Corde natus ex Parentis (Of the Father's love begotten) by the Spanish poet Prudentius (d. 413) is still sung in some churches today. In the ninth and tenth centuries, the Christmas "Sequence" or "Prose" was introduced in North European monasteries, developing under Bernard of Clairvaux into a sequence of rhymed stanzas. In the twelfth century the Parisian monk Adam of St. Victor began to derive music from popular songs, introducing something closer to the traditional Christmas carol. In the thirteenth century, in France, Germany, and particularly, Italy, under the influence of Francis of Assisi a strong tradition of popular Christmas songs in the native language developed. Christmas carols in English first appear in a 1426 work of John Awdlay, a Shropshire chaplain, who lists twenty five "caroles of Cristemas", probably sung by groups of 'wassailers', who went from house to house. The songs we know specifically as carols were originally communal songs sung during celebrations like harvest tide as well as Christmas. It was only later that carols begun to be sung in church, and to be specifically associated with Christmas. Carols gained in popularity after the Reformation in the countries where Protestant churches gained prominence (as well-known Reformers like Martin Luther authored carols and encouraged their use in worship). Noël (French Carol): In 1554, a collection of French carols, "La Grande Bible des Noëls", was printed in Orléans. Another collection, "Chants des Noëls Anciens et Modernes", was printed by Christophe Ballard (1641–1715), in Paris, in 1703. "Ça, Bergers, assemblons nous", was sung aboard Jacques Cartier's ship on Christmas Day in 1535. Dating from the 18th century, "Les Anges dans nos Campagnes" is another famous French carol. The 19th century "Cantique de Noë”

Joyeux Noël! Lynette Wahlstrom, Director of Music

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CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL FLOWERS Members and friends of First Baptist church are invited to place Memorial Flowers, the beautiful Poinsettias, in church this Christmas season. The flowers will be in place for the Carol Service on December 16th. If you wish to make a donation toward the flowers, please contact the Church Office, before December 12, as the acknowledgement will be placed in the bulletin the day of the Carol Service.

PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE Deaths Esther Hoeg—Setptember 28, 2012 Wife of Warren Hoeg Margaret Cooley—October 15, 2012 Mother of Jean Cooley Rev. Dr. Philip Griffin-Allwood November 8, 2012 Husband of Linda Griffin-Allwood Gordon Hayhurst—November 9, 2012 Brother of Laurie Cruess

Marriages Jarrod and Alison (Baker) Pettipas September 22, 2012 William and Angela (Giacomontonio) Cruess December 1, 2012

SCOUTING IN HALIFAX – A CONNECTION WITH FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HALIFAX A year and a couple of months ago the First Baptist Church Halifax became the new sponsor of the 36th Halifax Scout Group. The Group has four sections operating: Beaver Scouts (ages 5 to 8), Cub Scouts (ages 8 to 11), Scouts (ages 11 to 15) and Venture Scouts (ages 15 to 18). Beavers and Scouts meet at the church on Thursday evening. Our troop uses the ideas and methods of scouting’s founder, Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Gilwell. He proposed that as much as possible the outdoors be used to develop leadership, pioneering and personal skills. Each month from September to June we are outside for at least one camping or canoeing activity. Our young people seem to thoroughly enjoy these activities and look forward to them. You can see them develop greater confidence, leadership and personal abilities over a year. In the troop we have 27 youth members, four Scouters-inTraining and 10 Scouters. About a third of our youth are young women; two of the six youth leaders are women. We have a diversity of members from many locations in the western hemisphere. At present we are the only Scout troop south of Chebucto Road—North Street. You have probably seen our Scouts at the Tea and Sale in November, Scout/Guide Week in February and the Pancake Supper in February. The troop believes in service to our sponsor and we help whenever we can. In addition, many of the congregation have purchased Scout popcorn and Christmas trees from us. We thank you for your

support. Once again we will be selling Christmas trees this year. Please see us at the close of Sunday service on 18 and 25 November 2012. This year the troop is taking part in the Canadian Jamboree (CJ13) in Sylvan Lake, AB from 6 to 13 July 2013. We are fund raising to reduce the cost of the travel and registration for our members. We invite members of the congregation to help us whenever possible through support of our fundraising activities or through direct donations to Scouts Canada (a registered charity) earmarked for the 36th Halifax. We are also facilitating fund raising for one of our Scouts to go to Kenya in the “Me to We” program of Free the Children, a charity founded by Craig Kielburger. We have a vibrant youth program through Scouting at the church. We want the congregation to feel part of this movement whenever they can. We welcome new youth members any time of the year and we are always looking for adult volunteers 18 and over to help with the different sections. The Group has greatly benefitted from the strong support of the clergy, senior members and congregation of First Baptist. We believe our new sponsor has made a remarkable difference in the enthusiasm in the group. Your support provides us with a firm foundation to promote Scouting and its wonderful benefits for young people. We are working with the next generation and helping them to become good citizens and caretakers of the environment. Howard Donohoe, P.Geo., Troop Scouter

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NATIVITY WORD SCRAMBLE All these words come from the Christmas story. Can you unscramble them?

1. STRA

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2. MAGREN

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3. MAYR

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4. SEPHE

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5. DOEYKN

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6. AEGLN

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7. JPHOES

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8. JSSEU

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9. KIGSN

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10.STBALE

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11. IKEPRNENE

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12. TBMHEHLEE

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13. PHERHEDS

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14. DORHE

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CHILDREn’S PagE

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GIVING THROUGH THE PREAUTHORIZED OFFERING PLAN Do you know that your weekly offering may be given through First Baptist’s preauthorized offering plan? (POP) This plan offers you a convenient way to give regularly and provides the church with a dependable and consistent flow of income to meet budget commitments throughout the year. When you enroll, you decide what you wish your annual donation to be and divide that amount by twelve (months). You can then simply authorize your bank to debit to your account the amount you wish to give on a monthly basis. This means that your annual giving will be reflected in twelve monthly gifts, and you will receive your tax receipt as usual at year end. When you are in attendance on Sunday, you may mark your regular envelope with “POP” or use the convenient POP cards in the pew which you can place on the collection plate. When you are unable to attend church, your gift will always be there. Preauthorized giving is confidential and you are free to adjust your level of giving at any time. Those who are already committed to giving through this Plan are pleased at how easy it is to participate and to support the work of the church in this way. Why not contact the Church Office (4225203) to find out how you may become part of preauthorized giving at First Baptist Church.

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PRAYER CIRCLE Did you know that First Baptist Church has a Prayer Circle? Would you be willing to join this group of folks who have committed themselves to helping others through intercessory prayer? No special training or talents are necessary - only a willingness to include others in your daily prayer life. Anyone can ask for prayers, either through our ministers or directly to the group leader, Deacon Pauline Allsop (492-1050 or 228-2985). All requests are held in strictest confidence. When a request for prayers is received, the leader contacts the members of the circle, and each member commits to hold in prayer the person(s) for whom prayers are requested. Our group is small, and we would welcome new members. Unlike Committees and other groups, there are no meetings to attend, and the only commitment is to pray for others. If this sounds like a call to you, contact Pauline.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER The last date for donations eligible for the 2012 tax year is December 31, 2012. Please have expense claims such as White Gifts, etc. to the office by January 7, 2013 for inclusion in the 2012 financial year. Annual reports are due January 21, 2013. Please note that all boards, committees and groups of the church are asked to submit a report. A congregational Meeting will be held January 27, 2013. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and approve the 2013 Operating Budget. The 2012 Annual Business Meeting will be held February 24, 2013.

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NOTES FROM THE CHRISTMAS TEA AND SALE The volunteers who worked at this year’s Tea and Sale have received many compliments for the success of the event in spite of some disruption from the elevator construction project. Many of our nearly 300 guests liked the set-up in the Parlour and they were impressed by the quality of the jewelry and other goods available for sale. The highest compliments were for the tea-makers and the delicious sandwiches and sweets, which were served so graciously in the Tea Room. Our 120 volunteers workers were kindly assisted by 12 scouts and their leader, Hugh Williamson. The cheerful and energetic help provided by Alana Foster and Wayne MacPhee was vital to everyone’s well-being throughout the event. There is still more money to come in from people picking up their Silent Auction items, but we expect that the Tea and Sale revenue will be more than $9000 this year. Our heartfelt thanks is extended to Lynette Walstrom for the superb concert enjoyed by our guests and volunteers before the Tea Room opened at 2 pm. The team effort and very generous donations of sandwiches, sweets, crafts and other items for the sale tables from the congregation truly do make our event “the best tea in town.” We also wish to thank the following commercial donors who help us keep our expenses in check. Charles and Verne’s Flowers provided the lovely floral centerpiece that was won as a door prize by Valerie Thomison. Andrew Taylor from Scotsburn Dairy supplied milk and bottled water. Gift certificates were given to us by Sobey’s at Mumford Road, Queen Street, Windsor Street and Mill Cove and also by the Atlantic Superstores on Young Street and Joseph Howe Drive. The time, talents and resources contributed by our Church team make convening the Tea and Sale a rewarding and delightful endeavor. Please consider offering to help Frank McGill with the organization of the event next year. Robin MacInnis, Frank McGill and Laurie Cruess Co-conveners

NOMINATING COMMITTEE Contact us today to find your place in serving our fellowship and our community. It is the time of year when the Nominating Committee starts looking for volunteers to serve on our various boards and committees. Please prayerfully consider your role in our church.

Nominating Committee Chairs are: - for the Diaconate, Lee Nicholas-Pattillo – reallee@ns.sympatico.ca, 443-9784 - for Boards and Committees, David Morse – morseds@eastlink.ca 820-2312 Please speak to us at any time with your ideas about serving in our fellowship!

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH NEWS WHITE GIFT This is the time of year when we plan our White Gift Program, which will take place on December 9th. Here’s a great way for you to get involved! We are hoping to provide gifts for 80 plus people and donate a minimum of $1000.00 for Christmas dinners as well as support a few other worthy organizations this holiday season. Volunteers are needed to:  purchase and wrap gifts  help pack the food boxes on December 14 th from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the Ward 5 Neighbourhood Centre deliver the food boxes, as well as the gifts, to the recipients on December 15th at 9:00 AM We’re counting on your support to make our White Gift Program a success again this year – a wonderful way to bring Christmas to families in need! SUNDAY SUPPER FOR ARK On Sunday, January 6, 2013 we will be preparing Spaghetti Pie for the ARK Sunday Supper at St. Andrew's. A sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board outside the parlour. These meals are an important way for our church community to provide a hot meal for homeless people in our city who would otherwise go without dinner. HARVEST SUPPER & SILENT AUCTION

Nathalie Mopoho, Mahmoud Sulaiman, and Zena Al Sammak for helping to prepare delicious international cuisine. Thanks to everyone for helping to make this a successful fundraiser! REMEMBER OUR FOOD TRUNK The third Sunday of each month has been designated as Food Bank Sunday, with donations going to local food banks such as Feed Nova Scotia, Ward 5 Food Bank, and the Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank to help feed those in need. Donations can be dropped off at other times as well. JUST US! COFFEE People and the Planet Before Profits The Community Outreach committee has bags of coffee, boxes of tea, and chocolate bars for sale. Proceeds from the sale of coffee are used to buy food items for the Brunswick Street Breakfast Program (i.e., pancakes, sausages, eggs, hash browns, juice, fruit, and sandwiches). Buying Just Us! Coffee also supports the Fair Trade partnership between producers, traders or buyers, and consumers. Our regular coffee sells for $10.00 per bag, the decaf sells for $11.00 per bag, the tea is $4.00 per box, and the chocolate bars sell for $2.00 and $2.50 each. Thank you for your continued support of this Outreach project.

A big Thank You for supporting the Harvest Supper and Silent Auction, held on October 12, by attending the event, donating goods and services for the auction, preparing food, bidding on the auction items, and helping with the set up and clean up. The amount raised was $3,002.02! Besides my committee and the Refugee committee, a special thank you to Alan Manchester for his lovely musical compilation provided during the evening and to

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50 YEARS AGO: LOOKING BACK TO 1962 THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH Reverend DeWolfe conducted 19 funerals and 12 weddings. The Music Director, Peter Hawkins, organized a Community Carol Service sponsored by the RCCO. The Music Committee provided a light dinner for the choir before the service. Ronald Fielding chaired the 17 deacons who each committed to a seven-year term. The House Committee was chaired by W.L. Dickson. The major item for 1962 was the paving of the driveway. On September 23, Hubert Barnstead and the Visitation Committee organized an entire church membership visitation. The Church School, with 219 students, was led by Earl Dexter, who said: “Our purpose is to build that which cannot be destroyed.” The creche was run by Mrs. John Conn. The congregation relaxed the restrictions on children in the sanctuary and allowed that they might attend part of the worship service on special occasions. Judy Hicks was presented the Parker Colpitts award. We baptized 13 new members: Fred Daley, Elizabeth DeWolfe, Peter Drysdale, Ellen Evans, Douglas Fraser, Marian Halfield, Ellen Hicks, Wayne Sarty, and Marian Welch.

Barrow, Helen Doull, David Foran, James Charles Illsley,

Mrs. H Read chaired the Women’s Auxiliary. The women raised $4000 that year mainly through the Christmas Tea and Sale and two rummage sales. Some of this money helped purchase new choir gowns. Over 165 sewn and knitted articles were donated to the Red Cross and Protestant Orphanage. They catered a reception for Mr. and Mrs. Denton and the new members. The Sick and Visiting Committee made 52 calls and birthday cards were sent to veterans at Camp Hill. Once again, John Conn and T. Whitney led the Boy Scouts in decorating the sanctuary for Christmas. Elsewhere in the world in 1962: In London, 750 people died in a dense smog; Telstar, the world’s first telecommunications satellite was launched; Ringo Starr became the drummer for the Beatles; Gene Chandler’s hit “The Duke of Earl” was a top ten hit; “Dr. No” the first James Bond film was released.

Research by Ed Tummers February 2013: The Africville Project

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MEN WITHOUT JACKETS "Men Without Jackets" have been singing together for almost a decade. The group was started by our former choir director, Allen Wayte. Various formats were tried for rehearsals and performances with varying degrees of success. Almost by accident, we settled on Saturday morning rehearsals once a month: so that the guys had a good excuse for escaping the "honey -do" list. Then, we decided to dress down: because God never said we needed to dress up to sing his praises. And then we decided that the guys could sit in the pews with their sweethearts for the service, and come to the front of the sanctuary just for the anthem being sung. We are constantly scanning the pews for new recruits: any man who moves his lips during the hymns qualifies. Then, when we sing our pieces, each section gathers around one of the very talented men of the senior choir to lead us. We rehearse on the last Saturday morning of the month, eight times a year. We are part of the Sunday service three or four times a year. We now have an annual engagement for the ladies of Victoria Hall for their Christmas and Easter communion services. We just returned from our first road trip: a benefit concert in Wolfville combined with the Wolfville Gentlemen’s Chorus. We raised over $700 for prostate cancer research. Our choir ranges in age from students to super seniors. At the age of 92, Gordon and his wife Sharon are in the midst of a move to New Minas and Gordon plans to join the Wolfville chorus when he gets settled. The one thing we all have in common is that we enjoy singing together. And we want it to be fun. For that, we can thank our choir director, Lynette Wahlstrom, for always making the rehearsals a Saturday morning to look forward to with anticipation. If you enjoy singing, plan on joining us. All are welcome. Ed Tummers

Worship at First Baptist Advent to Lent 2012—2013

December 2: Advent 1; Communion Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-10 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36 Awake to Hope - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Franck

January 13: Baptism of Christ Sunday Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29 Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 This Is The One - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Palestrina

December 9: Advent 2; White Gift Sunday Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79 Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6 Guided by Peace - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Handel

January 20: Epiphany 2 Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11 That’s A Lot of Wine! - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Vaughan Williams

Church School Christmas Program - 1 p.m.

January 27: Epiphany 3 Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21 Why We Do What We Do - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Byrd

December 16: Advent 3 Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18 Immersed in Joy - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Rachmaninoff December 16: Carols By Candlelight, 7 p.m. December 23: Advent 4 Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:47-55 Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45 Available for Blessing - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Shephard

February 3: Epiphany 4; Communion Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30 Guest Speaker: Rev. Canon Eric Beresford Music: Tallis

December 24: Christmas Eve Family Service, 4 p.m.

February 10: Transfiguration Sunday Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:7; Luke 9:28-43 When You Have to Act - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Howells

Candlelight Communion, 11 p.m. Isaiah 9:2-7; Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-20 Singing With Angels - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Goldschmidt

February 13: Ash Wednesday; 12:15 p.m. Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 51:1-17 2 Corinthians 5:20b - 6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Half hour service: Readings; Meditation; Imposition of Ashes

December 30: Christmas 1 I Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52 The Wonder Years - Rev. Nelson A. Metcalfe Music: Polish and French Traditional Carols

February 17: Lent 1 Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13 Following Jesus: Integrity - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Spiritual

January 6: Epiphany; Communion Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12 Star Power for 2013 - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Willan

February 24: Lent 2 Genesis 15:1-12; 17-18; Psalm 27 Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35 Following Jesus: Courage - Rev. John E. Boyd Music: Rutter

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