Dear Tabor Home Family and Friends:

Initial immunizations in the Fraser Health region will focus on healthcare staff who work in long-term care facilities. We have some staff already signed up to receive the vaccine tomorrow and will have more in the coming weeks as more vaccine doses become available.

Due to the dust they collect and the extra touchpoint risks they pose to residents, we cannot have decorations in resident rooms unfortunately. Our recreation team has been hard at work decorating our therapeutic gardens and the Cherry Lane courtyard with lights and decorations for the residents to enjoy! We would love for you to help and add your own personal touches!

We ask that there are no food decorations (no popcorn or berry strings, please!) to avoid attracting wildlife and that all decorations are being hung so that they’ll hold up to a bit of wind and weather as much as possible. Please note that decorations that are hung in the front of the building and not in a courtyard may be susceptible to vandals so please do not bring anything valuable or precious to your family as we cannot guarantee their safety. Please also note that there are no outlets along the outside front of the building so lights will not be possible in that area. Please note that windows must remain closed while decorating and if you would like to decorate a window that is not accessible from the front of the building, please coordinate your time with our Visitation Supervisor, Jackie, at jkingma@taborvillage.org.

“Fear … meet HOPE”

“I hope it doesn’t rain.” “I hope I pass the test.” “I hope I’m not late.”

These are everyday expressions using the word “hope” in a weak way. It is just like saying I wish, or I prefer, or it would be nice if …

True hope, the kind of hope we celebrate at Advent and Christmas is what I call capital “H” Hope. It is the kind of Hope we center our lives on, the kind of Hope that gives our life purpose, direction and meaning. This Hope is found in the person of Jesus.

One of the Christmas songs, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” says: “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” The hymn writer personifies the town where Jesus was born as we read in Matthew 2:5

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written” The Jewish scholars had been asked where the Messiah, the anointed one, the one long hoped for was to be born, this was their answer, based on a text written by the prophet Micah, over 700 years earlier. When Jesus was born our fears met HOPE.