The Season of Christmastide

The Christmas season overflows with traditions and images. During Christmastide, Fairfield United Church will explore the beauty, challenge and gifts of one who was willing to be one of us as us, and the gift of new life to this beautiful and broken world.

This Week

Date: December 30, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch | Christmastide
Story: All of the scripture in a mixed up kind of way.
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth

The Christmas season overflows with traditions and images. During Christmastide, Fairfield United Church will explore the beauty, challenge and gifts of one who was willing to be one of us as us, and the gift of new life to this beautiful and broken world.

Questions:

• Which character in our sacred nativity story? Is it the star? Mary? The shepherds? Or Maji?

• I wonder how you will share the light Christ?

December 20

Date: December 20, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch|Advent: LOVE
Story: Matthew 1 18-23
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth

We have come to the end of Advent, we have travelled our way to Bethlehem with the Holy Family, Shepard’s and Wise People, all who learned to walk and live in the dark. Today we find together the Love that willing to be born in the Dark.

Questions:

• What do you love?

• How do you know you are a beloved child of God?

December 13

Date: December 13, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch|Advent: JOY
Story: All of the scripture in a mixed up kind of way.
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth
Questions:  

• What is your favourite character, like the star, wise person or Mary in the Advent story?

• Why does this character bring you JOY?

We are all on our way to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. The message is always the same to them, "Don't be afraid." When we work together or as one individual, we can be part of God's plan to create a beautiful world, the world of which God dreams.

December 6

Date: December 6, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch|Advent
Story: All of the scripture in a mixed up kind of way.
Sunday Message/Video: Gaye Sharpe
Questions:  

• What happens to you when you are afraid? What do you feel? Think? Do?

• What ways have you found to become calm/more peace-filled?

We are all on our way to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. The message is always the same to them, “Don’t be afraid.” Everyone gets afraid sometimes. There are ways to help us deal with our fears and become more peace-filled. This week, let’s practice one way.

November 29

Date: November 29, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch|Advent
Story: All of the scripture in a mixed up kind of way.
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth
Questions:  

• Are you afraid of the dark?

• Who is your favourite character in the Christmas story?

Today’s video is about a Lenten journey to Christmas. Our story is about people who learned to live and walk in the dark. We will walk with our ancestors in faith, the prophets, to Joseph, Mary, the magi, the shepherds who found hope for a future found in a baby Jesus, a light in the darkness.

November 22

Date: November 22, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch|A Call to Justice
Story: Luke 18:1-8
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth
Questions:  

• What is justice?

• How do you call for justice for yourself, for your friends and for the world?

Jesus' followers asked him about justice; he answered them with a story about a judge and a widow. Judges are people who are supposed to be fair to everyone. Widows are women who do not have anyone to take care of them. When we create rules, we can be doing our best. But in time, we come to new understandings of how to help nurture the world God dreams of; this is justice.

November 1

Date: November 1, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch|All Saints
Story: Matthew 5:1-12
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth
Questions:  

• Who are some of your ancestors?

• Why do you love them?

November 1st is a special day called the Feast of All Saints. It is the day the Church celebrates people who have died. Everyone who has lived and died in God’s love is a saint. Some of these people are members of our family, our friends, and our neighbours.  I wonder, do you know the name of one Saint? I bet you do – here is one hint – Ho, ho, ho.

October 25

Date: October 25, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch|In our Wild Heart
Story: Mark 4:30-32
Sunday Message/Video: Gaye Sharpe

Questions:  

• I wonder if it is Jesus or God who sows something wild in our heart?

• I wonder if we are the ones who sow the mustard seed in the world?

• I wonder if we’re the ones to do small things to make the world God dreams of?

• I wonder if we are like the tree creating space for those who are vulnerable?

• Or are we like the birds looking for a safe home?

Have you ever seen a mustard seed? The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. It is so small that if you were holding one in your hand and you dropped it you would have a very hard time finding it because it is so hard to see. Even though the mustard seed is so small when it is planted in the ground, it grows into a tree large enough for birds to stand on its branches for protection. Today we explore the story Jesus told of the mustard seed.

October 18

Date: October 18, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch |Hidden Treasure
Story: Matthew 13: 45 – 46
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth Walker

Questions:  

• I wonder about your treasures? 

• Do you keep them under your bed like me? Or do you have another place? 

• I wonder about the treasure God has placed in your heart? 

Jesus was a Jewish wisdom teacher who responded to our questions about how to live on earth and about heaven on earth with parables and stories. Why? Jesus wants us to dig deep within ourselves, to find our own wisdom – wisdom that is with us when we are born. Sometimes it gets buried and we find it like a treasure that opens our hearts and minds to the world God dreams for us. Today we are talking about the Great Pearl.

October 11

Date: October 11, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch | Rise Up
Story: Matthew 13:33
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth Walker

Questions:  

• I wonder do you feel like the yeast – a small thing that changes everything?

• Do you feel like the flour which gets changed and then changes everything?

• What changes do you want to see in the world?

In the time Jesus lived, everyone wanted to know about a place where you would feel loved and accepted just as they were. I think we still want a place like that. And since a group of disciples met in a kitchen, Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast.” 

“Yeast?” they asked. “You mean the stuff that makes flour into bread dough? How can the kingdom of heaven be like that?” 

This week we will explore how small things can do great things.

October 4

Date: October 4, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch | Helping to Heal
Story: Luke 10:25–37
Sunday Message/Video: Rev. Beth Walker

Questions:  

• I wonder who of you have seen someone in your life you think you should help?

• Or do YOU feel like the one who needs a little help?

• What does it feel like to know that someone would come and help you?

In this lesson, we will gain a greater appreciation for how we can love our neighbours and care for ourselves, just as the Samaritan did in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan.  I believe  Dr. Bonnie Henry always has a good thing to say to us – be kind, be calm and be safe. She sounds like she is asking us to be Good Samaritans.

September 27

Date: September 27, 2020
Theme: #MossyChurch | Lost and Found
Story: Luke 15: 4-7
Gathering: Zoom link will be sent you

Questions:  
Have you ever felt lost?  
What was it like when you were found?

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story of a shepherd who is concerned for his sheep. While this loving shepherd equally values all 100 sheep, he is willing to leave behind 99 of them to search for the one missing sheep. In the same way, God cares for our wellbeing so much that he sent a shepherd to make things right. This week’s lesson focuses on helping students understand and experience the loving care of Jesus, our shepherd and our family and friends.