Photo Credit: David Gerrie

Issue 56 December 2018

GNAWINGS

Do you know the song, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”? This song, written by Eddie Pola and George Wyle, talks about toasting marsh-mallows and caroling in the snow and visiting friends and family. It is a favourite for many people as it reminds us of wonderful things aboutthe Christmas season! Growing up, the Christmas season was always a family favourite: the snow, the decorations, the presents. I’m sure that my parents got tired of us kids asking how long it would be until Christmas—it’s such a great time of the year and we just couldn’t wait! We made our wish lists, looked through catalogues for toys and dreamed of presents piled high under the Christ-mas tree. Now my own children feel that same excitement and impatience I did as a boy. And they are the ones asking how many more days and weeks until Christmas! Getting older, I still enjoy presents and family traditions. But I also love Christmas for the real reason for the season—celebrating God giving us a Savior to redeem us from sin. The gift of Jesus to us is what makes Christ-mas a wonderful time of the year! I wonder if Jesus ever got excited about coming to earth that first Christmas. I like to think that he did! Did you know that there will be a second “Christmas” someday? And just like they didn’t know when he would come the first time, we don’t know when the second coming will be either. Only God the Father knows when he will send Jesus back the earth. Jesus himself said that he doesn’t know the day or hour, but he said that he would come. And this time he would take all who believe in him to where he lives! Look it up in a Bible in the book of John, chapter 14:1-6. Like we asked our parents how long it would be until Christmas, I won-der if Jesus ever looks at God the Father and asks, “How long?” Do you think Jesus is as excited about coming back for us as we are about cele-brating Christmas? Do you get excited for him to return someday? I hope that we will all be ready for when he does come again! As you celebrate Christmas find time to spend with family and friends, making memories together. But also, take time to get ready for the next Christmas. It may be sooner than you think, and it will be the best one yet!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, from all of us at Beaver Lake!

Jaron BylerBLC Administrator

Christmas Greetings From Beaver Lake Camp...

Site 306 Box 5 RR 3 Dryden, ON P8N 3G2

Printed in Canada SB 1118

807.937.6748 807.937.5099

blc@beaverlakecamp.org www.beaverlakecamp.org

Christmas Greetings From Beaver Lake Camp...

blc@beaverlakecamp.org www.beaverlakecamp.org

Kids’ Corner

September 28-30, 2018 were the dates for the Fall Youth Retreat and Fall Festival was the theme. 75 students attended. Clarence and Karen Meekis were the speakers for the weekend. Activities included tractor rides, volley ball, jug-a-lug, capture the flag, table games, air hockey, and foosball, as well as a craft time. And of course, food was a very important part of the weekend! We had a very enjoyable time and look forward to the next youth retreat scheduled in February, 2019. Hope to see some of you here!

Single Mother’s Retreat November 30 - December 2, we hosted our annual Single Mothers’ Retreat. A total of 17 ladies and 34 children attended the retreat. Lillie Monias was the guest speaker for the weekend. She shared her personal testimony with the ladies. While the mothers enjoyed sessions, tea, and spa time in the chapel, the children made good use of the sliding hill, rink, and other activities.

Youth Retreat

Pre-registration is required for each of these events except the Family Empowerment Forum.

Dates are subject to change.

Please call our office at 807.937.6748 before making plans to attend and for more information on these events.

PLEASE NOTE:

February 1-3, 2019April 12-14, 2019

September 27-29, 2019

Youth Retreats

Teen Camp - July 1-5, 2019Jr. Camp 1 - July 8-12, 2019

Jr. Camp 2 - July 15-19, 2019Jr. Camp 3 - July 22-26, 2019

Summer Camps

August 2-4, 2019

Family Empowerment Forum

November 29- December 1, 2019

Single Mothers’ Retreat

2019 Calendar of Events

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The Birth of Jesus

The Birth of Jesus

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 1 & 2 and Luke 1 & 2 ESV

Who writes the Bible stories? Do people write real Bibles or are there many different authors?

Answered by: Brent Shrock

The Bible is God’s Word. It is God’s message to you. Many years ago God spoke to men and told them what to write. Men like Moses, David, Isaiah, and Paul. There were 40 different writers over a period of 1,500 years. The last writer lived 1,920 years ago. It was men writing, but it was not their ideas. They wrote what God told them to write. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profit-able for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” The whole Bible was inspired by God and it teaches us about Him, how He made us, and what He wants for us. Today, the Bible is in many different languages. The original writers wrote in Greek and Hebrew. Over the years people have translated it into English, Span-ish, Cree and many other languages so everyone can read it. There are also different versions of the Bible. These versions are written so that it is easier for us to understand. However, we need to be careful that we don’t change what God has said. At the very end of the Bible God warns us that no one should add or take away from the things that are written. We can put it in a different language or make it easier to understand but God’s word is TRUTH. There is only one and it cannot change. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Merry Christmas from your friends at Beaver Lake Camp!

QUESTION AND ANSWER