SPPC Today

News for Sunday, December 7, 2025 — Advent Communion

This Sunday we celebrate the Lord's Supper at our Advent Communion.

Now, during the season of Advent, our hearts and minds naturally turn toward the manger and the anticipation of Christ’s birth. So it might seem unusual to gather around the Lord’s Table, a setting that points us so vividly to His broken body and shed blood. However, the Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:5–11 that the story of Christmas is inseparable from the story of the Cross. We are told that Christ, though being in very nature God, "emptied himself" to take the very nature of a servant. The shadow of the cross falls even upon the cradle; the Incarnation was the first step in a journey of obedience that would lead ultimately to Calvary.

Celebrating Communion during Advent offers us a profound perspective on why He came. As we partake of the bread and the cup, we are witnessing the full arc of God’s redemptive love—from the humility of His birth to the sacrifice of His death. This sacrament reminds us that the Saviour we await is the same Lord who humbled Himself "to the point of death—even death on a cross." By coming to the Table now, we prepare our hearts not just for the joy of a festival, but for the awe-inspiring reality of a God who loved us enough to descend into our world to redeem it completely.

Worship this Sunday

Our service this Sunday begins at 10:00 a.m. You can participate in person or connect with our community online via the live stream. The link is available here.

The Scripture readings are:

• Psalm 104:27-33

• Ezekiel 37:1-14 – Ezekiel prophesies to the dry bones and they are raised to new life.

• John 11:17-27

This week our choir is singing the anthem Prepare the Way of the Lord by Benjamin Harlan.

Upcoming

• This Sunday, December 7, we are celebrating our Advent Communion. If you are unable to attend and would like to receive the Lord’s Supper at home, please contact your elder.

• White Gifts: we are collecting toonies for white gifts until December 14. The collection basket is at the entrance to the sanctuary.

• Our Wednesday Study continues next week on Wednesday, December 10 at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We are studying the Letter to the Ephesians.

• Our Advent Food Bank Drive for the Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank continues until December 14 finishing with a poinsettia draw for donors. The most needed items are: 

  • Food Items: Baby Food, School Snacks, Juice, Cereal, Peanut Butter & Jam, Coffee & Tea, Dry Soups, Condiments, Pasta Sauce, Hamburger Helpers, Canned Meat & Fish

  • Toiletries: Female Hygiene Products (i.e. Tampons & Pads), Tooth Brushes, Shampoo, Body Wash, Soap, Razors, Toilet Paper, Disinfectant Wipes

• The Lunch Bunch invites you to a Christmas lunch at the Legislature dining room this Thursday, December 11 at 12:30 p.m. Please sign up in the narthex this Sunday. We can accommodate a maximum of 20 people.

• The next Sunshine Lunch is on December 15 at noon. Cost $15. Christmas theme. Please sign up this Sunday.

• Carol Sing & Shortbread Bake-Off: Mark your calendars for the annual SPPC Carol Sing and Great Peninsula Shortbread Bake-Off and Bake Sale!

  • Date: Sunday, December 21

  • Time: 2:00 p.m.

  • Bakers Needed! We are seeking bakers for the     shortbread competition. Categories include: Scottish, whipped, flavoured, decorated, or a special category for men and first-time bakers.

  • Sign-Up: Please sign up in the narthex. For more details, contact Alice Valdal or Janet Smith.

Community Events

• Via Choralis Christmas Concert: Support our own Pam Day and Janet Mitchell as they perform in the Via Choralis Christmas Concert, conducted by Grant Harville.

  • Date: This Sunday, December 7

  • Time: 2:00 p.m.

  • Location: St. Elizabeth's Church, (10030 Third St., Sidney)

  • Program: Enjoy Christmas music including Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Pergolesi's Magnificat, the Coventry Carol and an audience singalong.

  • Tickets: $30. Please see Pam Day or Janet Mitchell to purchase

• A Celtic Christmas Concert: Support our Minister Emeritus, the Rev. Noel Kinnon, who will be performing with The Greater Victoria Police Chorus.

  • Date: Sunday, December 14

  • Time: 2:30 p.m.

  • Location: The Salvation Army Victoria Citadel (4030 Douglas Street, north of McKenzie Avenue).

  • Tickets: $25 each. Please contact Rob at 250-208-2813 to purchase.

May God be with you all!

SUNDAY MORNING

Welcome to Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church. 

Our worship takes place at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning both in-person and online (via the SPPC YouTube Livestream button above). We invite you to join us each week as we continue to explore and follow the Word of God. Following the service, there is a fellowship time at the back of the sanctuary.

For the safety of your neighbours, when you attend worship: 

• Please, perform a health check prior to attending.

• While masks are not required, feel free to wear one if you prefer.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday.