Dec. 17, 2025
The Fourth Sunday of Advent symbolizes Love, focusing on God’s profound love in sending His Son, Jesus, to save the world, culminating in His birth. It shifts focus from John the Baptist to Mary’s faith and the imminent arrival of the Messiah, representing God’s ultimate gift and the fulfillment of promises, bringing the themes of hope, peace, and joy to a climax before Christmas.
Key Meanings & Themes:
- God’s Love: The central theme is God’s unconditional love, demonstrated by sending Jesus, “Emmanuel” (God with us).
- Mary’s Faith: Readings highlight Mary’s faith and obedience to God’s plan, as she accepted to bear the Savior.
- Fulfillment of Prophecy: It connects to Old Testament prophecies (like Micah’s) about the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem, fulfilling God’s covenant.
- The Angels’ Message: The “Angel’s Candle” (often the fourth) recalls the angelic announcement of “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men”.
- Preparation’s Climax: It’s the final week to prepare hearts, embracing God’s love and the joy of the coming King.
In the Advent Wreath:
- The final purple candle is lit, completing the circle of light.
- All four candles (Hope, Peace, Joy, Love) burning together signify the fullness of God’s presence arriving with Christ.
This Sunday invites reflection on how to embody God’s love in our own lives as we eagerly await Christmas.
Worship Calendar
Dec. 21 – Advent 4 – Love Isaiah 7:10-16 & Matthew 1:18-25 Rev. Eric Lee
Dec. 28 – The Horror Before the Blessing Matthew 2:13-23 Rev. Eric Lee
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Church Envelopes
The 2026 weekly church envelopes are now available, please check your mailbox. If you do not have envelopes and would like to receive a set please see Jackie Taylor and don’t forget you can also sign up for PARS monthly direct debit or send a donation by e-transfer to givings@graceview.ca
Graceview Balanced Budget Matching Gift Campaign
In order to help achieve a balance budget at Graceview this year, one of our members (who wishes to remain anonymous) has generously offered to match any special offerings (not regular weekly offerings) given by other members of the congregation to help balance the budget, up to a maximum of $5,000 in matching donations. In other words, if other members donate $3,000 in special offerings the donor will match that to make a total of $6,000, if other members donate $5,000 the donor will match that to make a total of $10,000, and if other members of the congregation donate more than $5,000 the donor will top that up by an additional $5,000. For example, if other members donate $7,000 that will become a total of $12,000. Please consider making a one-time special donation in order to help balance our 2025 budget and to take advantage of this generous offer.
To make a donation please use the envelope enclosed with the bulletin or one of the additional envelopes at the back of the church on the offering table and put your special offering on the collection plate as usual. Alternatively, you can use an e-transfer in the normal way, just indicate on the transfer that it is pursuant to the Balanced Budget Matching Gift Campaign. You will receive a tax receipt for that special offering, also as usual. Thank you for considering this and thank you to the anonymous donor. If you have any questions please speak to Al Bishop, who is not the matching gift donor but who is organizing this on behalf of the donor.
A Winter Devotional Update (December 2):
A new edition of Our Daily Bread (December/January/February), as well as the current edition of These Days (January/February/March) are available on the table in the church vestibule and in the devotional
Box on the front porch.
Advent Readers
Dec. 21 – Vi & Chris
New Year’s Prayer Hour – January 1 at 1pm
We invite you to a gentle and reflective New Year’s Prayer Hour on New Year’s Day at 1pm. This will be a peaceful time with hymns, projected images, and quiet space for personal prayer.
This new initiative was suggested by our organist Glen De Line, who will help co-lead the hour.
Come start the year in calm, hope, and God’s presence.
Coffee Sign-Up
It is that time of year again when we are looking for volunteers to serve coffee and tea after worship. The sign up sheet is on the bulletin board in the Adamson Lounge.
Dec. 21 – Glen & Greg
Dec. 28 – Iris & Maureen
Jan. 4 – Mission Team
Jan. 11 – Mission Team
Jan. 18 – Glen & Greg
Jan. 25 – Mission Team
Thank you to all of you who have given so willingly of your time and efforts. We appreciate you!!
Fascinating Stories of Spiritually Connected Animals
Elena Tafone
Proof of animals’ relationship to the divine.
Out in the yard trimming a tree, I thought, Fred should see me now. We’d been married almost 50 years when lung cancer took him from me. In the four months since, I wondered every day how I’d go on alone without him by my side.
I threw some clippings into a pile and felt a presence behind me. A deer stood stock- still, staring at me from three yards away. I’d never seen such a noble-looking animal before. She was almost entirely white, except for a bit of brown on her forehead. But not just white. Immaculately white.
Her coat was so clean, so impossibly pristine, it nearly glowed. I took a small step closer, half wondering if this deer was real or some kind of vision.
The deer held her ground. She didn’t get spooked. She didn’t run, as a normal deer would. But then again, there was nothing normal about this deer. She watched me until I finished my job and went back inside.
The next afternoon, my mysterious visitor returned. And the next. There wasn’t a day in over two months that I didn’t see her. I came to rely on the visits. A strength, a peacefulness seemed to radiate from her and soothe my aching heart. I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t without God. I wasn’t really without Fred, even.
“She doesn’t go into anyone else’s yard but yours,” a neighbor mentioned one day. And eventually the white deer stopped coming to my yard too. But not before I’d gotten the message of her comforting presence.
Your Guardian Angel
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. — Psalm 91:11 (NIV)
Saint Jerome is quoted as saying, “So valuable to heaven is the dignity of the human soul that every member of the human race has a guardian angel from the moment the person begins to be.” Do you believe God’s messengers protect and help you? Think about the above scripture and reflect on your life. Can you name a time when you felt guided or protected in mysterious and comforting ways?
Heavenly Father, thank You and Your messengers for guarding, guiding, and showering me with Your heavenly care.
UPCOMING EVENTS
* Tuesdays @ 11:00 AM – Walking Group – All are welcome
* Thursdays @ 2:00 PM – Worship service at Centennial Park Place
* Thursday, Dec. 18 @ 9:30 – Sing! Etobicoke @ GV (Holiday Songs with guests Men Aloud).
* Wednesday, Dec. 24 @ 7:00 PM – Christmas Eve Service
* Thursday, Jan. 1 @1:00 PM – New Year’s Day Prayer Hour
* Monday, Jan 26 @ 6:30 PM – Mission Team meeting (Zoom)
* Sunday, Mar. 8 @ 11:30 AM – Annual General Meeting
Prayer/Reader/Announcements for 2026
As you can see below, our roster of readers for 2025 is coming to an end. Bob T. will be working on the 2026 roster towards the end of December. If you would like to be added to or removed from our list of readers, please contact Bob as soon as possible.
Prayer Roster Lay Readers Welcome and Announcements
Dec. 21 Eric Lee Nancy Green Nancy McPherson
Dec. 28 Nancy Green Anna Cherniak Kathy Twynam
Sing! Etobicoke
To register, please visit: https://www.neilsonparkcreativecentre.com/event/sing-etobicoke/
For information, please email: alex@neilsonparkcreativecentre.com or call 416-622-5294.
Sing! Etobicoke, Encore, 2025 Fall Schedule
2025-12-18 9:30 AM GV Holiday Songs (With men Aloud) F25ASE10
Sing! Etobicoke, Encore, 2026 Winter Schedule
2026-01-08 9:30 AM NPCC Aspenglow, Songs of Winter W26ASE1
2026-01-15 9:30 AM NPCC Songs of the North W26ASE2
2026-01-22 9:30 AM GV A Day in the Life W26ASE3
2026-01-29 9:30 AM GV Be My Light W26ASE4
2026-02-05 9:30 AM NPCC Guest Day (with Men Aloud) W26ASE5
2026-02-12 9:30 AM GV Love Me Tender W26ASE6
2026-02-19 9:30 AM GV Singin’ in the Rain W26ASE7
2026-02-26 9:30 AM GV Catch a Falling Star W26ASE8
2026-03-05 9:30 AM NPCC Do I ever Cross Your Mind? W26ASE9
2026-03-12 9:30 AM NPCC Here Comes the Sun (Songs of Spring) W26ASE10
WEEKLY GIGGLE
Who is the Real Virgin?
A ten-year-old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, was becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible. Then one day she floored her grandmother by asking, “Which virgin was the mother of Jesus? The virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?”
Where to Find Us
Contact Person Email Address Phone Number Role/Note
Susan Chopp choppertini@hotmail.com 419-953-7582 Weekly News
Pastor Eric pastor@graceview.ca 416-621-0888 (press #1) Church related issues
Church Office office@graceview.ca Church Secretary
(Halyna)
Dr. Glen DeLine delineglen@gmail.com 905-849-0388 Music Director
Graceview Website https://graceview.ca/calendar-events
Facebook Page Graceview Presbyterian Church
Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/graceview.presbyterian?igsh=MnlpeXE5YTYyN2ly