O Holy Night

Even for infrequent attendees, church on Christmas Eve was a sacred tradition. That was broken in 2020 by order of the PHO, when pews emptied during COVID’s height to prevent the spread of the disease.

Now, churches everywhere are inviting people back old friends and new.

qL asked local faith leaders: For those who have been away from church since before the pandemic (or longer), what might surprise them if they walk in to yours, during Advent or on Christmas Eve?

Father Patrick

Assumption Catholic Church

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Tla’amin Nation

It’s sad to say: we have lost half of our Church at tendees during the COVID experience. We hope that our non-attendees will once again venture forth to come and join us.

They would likely be surprised at the warm wel come they would receive. Our congregation is in pain at their absence. Some are there in the online forum.

Non-attendees would be truly overwhelmed at how much they are loved and cared for even in their absence.

At Tla’amin Sacred Heart we are making a special effort to reach out to those who need healing and comfort having suffered in the residential schools. We just hosted the Bishop of Victoria, who is gifted with a real love and appreciation of the First Nations. It was a healing time to welcome him last Sunday.

The Revd. Lucy Price

St. David & St. Paul Anglican Church

At St. David’s & St. Paul’s during Advent or Christ mas, people will be met by a renewed sense of energy and hope for the future. We have learned to live with the new normal and everyone who visits receives a warm welcome.

The Advent and Christmas celebrations invite us to consider again, what do we place our hope in? Where is God present in our lives, and who are our neighbours?

The world is full of challenges and hardships, the surprise is that in the midst of it, Jesus offers a light to help navigate our way through. Come and see.

Co-lead pastor Lucas Mitchell

Evangel Pentecostal Church

Over the last few years many of us have atrophied in our ability to be in community and gather together. For some we are confronted with feel ings of anxiety as we consider putting ourselves out there again.

You may be surprised to experience being wel comed home and witnessing communities of faith that have made family, friendship, and community a priority. Places of diversity that have found a way to walk, live, and grow together.

This Christmas we invite you to join us as we celebrate the One who unites us: Emmanuel, “God with us.”

Rev. Dr. Paula Sampson

Faith Lutheran Church

Visitors and returning members to Faith Lutheran Church will find two changes since early 2020.

One is our location: we now share worship space with Powell River United Church. The other is our earlier worship time. We gather at 9:30 every Sunday morning. Other than that, the ministry and companionship that Lutheran worship inspire car ry on as before, with a reinvigorated focus on local community outreach.

As always, Advent expectation fills the weekly gatherings this month, followed by our joyful receiv ing of God’s historical presence among us in Christ at Christmas, a presence that continues today in all human acts of faith, hope and love.

Pastors Sam & Katie Alescio

Living Water Foursquare Church

Ithink people might be surprised at how many peo ple have moved to Powell River! Despite the pan demic feeling like a season where a lot of things stood still (or maybe even got worse) the local church did not just stand still, but is alive and well, and our community too, and people of all ages have moved here!

We are journeying together to discover more about God, ourselves, and each other and YOU would be welcome here too, whether it’s the first time we would be meeting you or whether it’s been weeks or years!