Community TheReview — _ Monday, December 24, 1990 — A24 Meaning of Christmas lost in ‘commercialmas’ + If Christ has been X-ed out of. Christmas for much of society, it is Up to Christians to put Christ back in to the celebration. ~ So says Rev. Trevor Fisher of St. Andrews Anglican Church in Sid- ney, who says complaints about the commercialism of Christmas are widespread. “Tt’s not Christ’s: mass, it’s commercial mass,*’ he notes, speaking from 15 years’ experi- énce as a minister. For many, Christmas. has: changed from a celebration of “Tm almost of the opinion that we should celebrate Christ’s birth- day some other time and call this commercialmas.” . Christmas giving derives from two occurrences in the nativity — the gift of God*s son Christ to humanity and the gifts brought by the three wise men to honor the infant Christ. Christians must make: a consci- ous effort to remember the basic reason for the celebration. “If you wish to take the com- mercialization out of Christmas, ‘I’m almost of the opinion that we should celebrate Christ’s birth- day some ofher time and call this commercialmas’ Christ’s birth to the largest com- mercial event of the year. “Christ is so obscure that if you believed only the cards that are sent, you'd think it was happy reindeer time,” Fisher said. St. Nicholas has changed into Santa Claus, the jolly elf who inhabits malls and flogs products. “He now sells everything from computers to pop drinks,” Fisher added. - you have to put Christ in.” One method might be separating the gift exchange from the celebra- tion of Christ’s nativity. In Medieval England, for exam- ple, gifts were exchanged at Twelfth Night, traditionally the time when the wise men presented their gifts to Jesus. Christmas was reserved as a celebration of Chnist’s birth. A later gift exchange can also A CHRISTIAN VIEW of Christmas, as God's gift of his son to mankind, is illustrated in this nativity scene which is placed in St. Andrews’ Anglican Church, Sidney, each Christmas. Christmas Eve Christmas Day Meeting at Keating Elementary School 6843 C. Saanich Rd. GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH extends a warm invitation for you and your family te be part of our CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS 7:00pm Candlelight Service 11:00am Holy Communion Children are welcome ait all services Call 652-0045 for further information make economic sense, Fisher remarked. “Everything’s cheaper after Christmas.” Although the commercial aspects of Christmas were well established when Fisher came to Canada as a minister nine years ago, he feels Canadian society has become more secular over the past nine years, The change is a result of increased multi-culturalism which is interpreted as a multi-spiritual society. “Canada is no longer a Chris- tian country,” he said. The change is detrimental in that Canadians no longer generally share the same spiritual or moral values. REV, TREVOR FISHER However it has strengthened the faith of practicing Christians to justify their beliefs to sngmnsetyes r and to others. This includes telling fe Christ- mas story. : “We can’t expect the shops to tell the Christmas story,’ Fisher said. “We're the ones that have the news. We're supposed t to be giving” it.” CHRISTMAS COUNTERATTACK | _ Church Services 7820 Central Saanich Rd. 9:45 a.M....... Sunday School 11:00 a.m..Morning Worship 6:30 p.m....Evening Worship MID WEEK BIBLE STUDIES Pastors Ernie Kratofil CHURCH 652-2723 1652-0045 FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST) ["ecamuyecare?][ ST MARYS CH URCH Sunday Worship & Sunday School SEASON * 10:00 a.m. at Keating Elem. School, 6843 Central Saanich Rd. Rev. Stephen Swift 652-9635 SAANICH PENINSULA CHRISTADELPHIANS Moose Hall 7925 E. Saanich Rd. Memorial Meeting ‘10:00 a.m. ......Lessons & Carols Church Office 1973 Cultra Avenue Sunday, December 30th 8:30 a.m. .......------ Holy Eucharist Monday, December. 31st 11:45 p.m. ...Watchnight Eucharist Canon Murray Ames 652-1611 Anglican - Espiscopal Rev. LESLIE M. FUNK HOME 652-4837 WHS Sits = 655-1061 Book of Common Prayer _ : ST. STEPHEN’S A Warm Welcome Awaits You At the ANGLICAN CHURCH The Elk Lake Baptist Church || Mt. Newton X & St. Stephen's Rd. by 10:30 a.m. SAANICHTON/BRENTWOOD Sunday School 10 a.m. THE REV. D.L MALINS - 656-3223 ~ BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH 2269 Mills Road Sunday School (all ages)............. 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship..................050- 11:00 a.m. Sunday Evening Care Groups in Homes.6:30 p.m. Pastor: Gerald W. Meller. Business 656-5012 Residence 652-4065 (et) Ss i i 8:30 B.11.cccececcceroerersssnsssnon Holy Eucharist Zz 5368 Patricia Bay Highway inns Morning) Worship tee ee "Family Eucharist toe Victoria, B.C. V8Y 1S9 Rev.CanonRichardSpencer 652-4311 TRUTH TABERNACLE 5 : Pentecostal Church pa ACs Danes 10345 Bowerbank, Sidne ANGLICAN CHURCH 2:00 p.m. y Sundays 2295 Weller Avenue 9686-3rd Street, Sidney Where Bible salvation is preached ener BAR WORSHIP AT Invites you to be in service with us* ea Sera ae 10-30a.m. a am aa : ee ead Call Pastor Gabor Czinger 655-7029 || = ev.D oar A eee eee urch Schoo ursery 9 a.m. Call for free home Bible studi = : REV.TREVORFISHER _ 656-5322 = dea - pebe272) $8557 13 Se ee Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever HOLY TRINITY Morning Worship...............:2-:-2-ssesssssreneeee 10:30 a.m. ANGLICAN GHURGCH Children’s Church...............-c.-cere-ceeeeeeeeees 11:00 a.m. W. Saanich and Mills Rd. Sunday Evening Service............:....--2+-0+5-+ 6:30 p.m. Sunday Services 8 a.m. and 10 am. PASTOR LARRY GESSNER 474-2520 LIFE, FELLOWSHIP 9925 STH ST. 65623523 Ron & Eunice ana welcome you {0 PENINSULA ALLIANCE CHURCH Greenglade Elementary Schoo! Sidney 656-9959 | 10:00 a.Mice se neseioe: Family Worship & NEW LOCATION: COME CELEBRATE WITH US _ SUNDAY Children’s Church Sluggett Memorial FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH 7008 W. Saanich Rd. 230 al sesssrestssteresnescers Family Bible Hour aro Morning Worship 6:30 PiM.......0.ccveseeees Evening Fellowship Pastor: DONALD W. REED 652-3313 es : vas ie 652-6168 ais WELCOME TO ST. JOHN’S UNITED CHURCH 10990 W. Saanich Rd. Deep Cove 9:30.a.m. .....Family Worship Service Sunday School & Nursery SAANICHTON BIBLE FELLOWSHIP 2159 Mt. Newton Cross Rd. Communion Service....9:30 a.m. Family Service............. 11:00 a.m. Nursery, Sunday School Youth Groups, Bible Studies Pastor: Rick Stinton 652-6317 656-4730 Shady Creek Brentwood UNITED CHURCH SHADY CREEK UNITED CHURCH 7180 E. Saanich Rd. 9:30 a.m..Family Worship Service & Sunday School BRENTWOOD BAY UNITED CHURCH 7162 W. Saanich Rd. 11:00 a.m........ Family Worship Service & Sunday School Rev. Terry Finch 652-2713 office PLEASE JOIN US.IN WORSHIPPING THE LORD! REV. HORI PRATT 655-3043 CHURCH AANI PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Meeting at 9:30 a.m. Sidney Elementary School 2281 HENRY AVENUE . ST. ELIZABETH’S Roman Catholic Church 10030 Third Si., Sidney 10:30 a.m. EVERY SUNDAY Full Nursery, Christian Education & Youth Ministries available. Rector: The Rev. Alistair P. Petrie (652-5025) Youth Pastor: Capt Stephen Pessah (652-7779) For Worship & Sunday School 652-1909 COME JOIN OUR GROWING FELLOWSHIP Saturday Mass.............. 5:00 p.m. REV. PETER COUTTS 655-3548 Sunday Mass. ............. 10:30 a.m. BRENTWOOD ANGLICAN CHAPEL jf) OUR LADY OF 792Sea Drive, Brentwood Bay » 652-3860 ASSUMPTION WE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO EVERYONE Roman Catholic Church 7726 W. Saanich Road 652-1909 Sunday Mass. ............... 8:30 a.m. Sunday Mass ...........-- 12:30 Ba m. SIDNEY PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLY 10364 McDonald Park Rd. Sidney B.C. V8L 329 # Pastors: David Hauser & Rod Fair. 9:45 a.m... Sunday School 11:00 a.m.. ..Morning Service 6:00 p.m... ...Evening Service For mid= eS call 656-3712 1 - ST PAULS UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA — 2410 Malaview - REV. JIM ALLAN 656-3213 Home 655-4392 MON., DEC. 31, 1990 Watchnight Service 10:30 p.m. Family Worship & Sunday Schoo!10:00 a.m. PENINSULA PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLY 5506 Oldfield Road CRRA komme Sunday School Hour 10:30 an Mase ... Morning Worship Service 6:30 p. Evening Service PASTOR DAVID A. McALISTER 479-6237 Church 652-9589 Res. This Church Week a