Good Day St. Paul's,

To comply with provincial restrictions, we will continue to physically distance at our Sunday services. Please maintain a one pew buffer between yourself and other parishioners and, if in the same row, please keep at least 2 metres from those from other households. Passing the peace will once again be done as visually passing of the peace from your seats. Masking will also continue and masks continue to be available for those without one.Our 10AM Sunday service will also continue to be available online as a live-stream and Sunday's bulletin is attached here. To find our live-stream service, please visit our website and visit the Events tab and click on the “St. Paul’s Sunday Service” event to find links to our YouTube Channel.

As always, please read on for more announcements.

Sincerely,

Asher Hébert
Office Administrator, St. Paul's Anglican Church - Edmonton

Advent and Christmas Services at St. Paul’s

All Christmas services at St. Paul’s will be available on our YouTube Channel (search “St. Paul’s Anglican – Edmonton”). Please plan to join us!!

• December 24: Christmas Eve service starting at 7:00PM

• December 25: Christmas Day service starting at 9:00AM

• December 26: 1st Sunday after Christmas service starting at 10:00AM  

 

Community Corner for Sunday, December 19, 2021

Our church and city are built on Treaty 6 land, but what does that mean? To learn more about Treaty Six, please visit https://treaty6education.lskysd.ca Many resources have been created for school-aged citizens and their teachers, yet these are good resources for citizens of any age to increase our own understanding.

Do you need assistance with mental health or other needs? Asking for help can be very hard. First and foremost, please reach out to our staff, vestry members, or others in the congregation; and let us know so we can partner with you. There are many resources for help and we are here to support. Also, in Alberta, 211 is an essential service that helps Albertans find the right resource or service for any issue they need help with, at the right time. 211 is available 24/7 by phone, text, and chat online. The service is free, confidential and available in over 170 languages. www.ab.211.ca 

Stony Plain Road hosts a wonderful array of businesses that are interested in serving you. As you are doing Christmas shopping this season, please think about shopping local! There are many small businesses such as Ben’s Meats, Blue Jar Antique Mall and Yans Flowers, to name a few. Visit the Stoney Plain Road Business Association Website at https://www.stonyplainroad.com for a full listing of stores.

 

Advent Fundraising 

During Advent, St Paul's Community Outreach and Focus on Missions are partnering to raise financial support for Rev. Lori Calkins.Earlier this year, Rev. Lori Calkins spoke to our congregation regarding her work as an Indigenous cultural birth helper to Indigenous families here in Edmonton, across Treaty 6 territory and beyond.

This work plays an essential role in healing, breaking intergenerational cycles of trauma, and cultural reawakening for Indigenous families of many nations. It also provides direct, tangible, multi-generational redress for the harms done by our church’s role in running Residential Schools. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action include: "We call upon church parties to the Settlement Agreement, in collaboration with Survivors and representatives of Aboriginal organizations, to establish permanent funding to Aboriginal people for: Community-controlled healing and reconciliation projects. (61:i)”.  Financial support for this ministry directly responds to this call to action.The first year of this ministry was funded by the Diocese, but it has since become necessary for Lori to search out her own funding, which has included grants; individual and family donations; and foundation and endowment funds. Lori has shared with us that she is very grateful to know this Advent project is taking place. Funding is close to depleted so this contribution will help her essential work to continue. Please hold her, her colleagues and the families they support in prayer. Our goal during Advent is to raise $15,000 towards her salary, which is roughly two months worth of work. Only together can we ensure the spirit and goals of the TRC Calls to Action are met and exceeded.

When you donate, please write "Advent Fundraiser" in the memo line of your cheque or e-transfer. For more information, please speak with Michelle Schurek or one of the members of Focus on Missions. For an update on how far along we are with the fundraiser, please see the Fundraiser Thermometer posted in the side foyer. 

 

Sunday, December 19 Music - Lessons and Carols

Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King
You’ll Come
Emmanuel
Blessed Be Your Name
Gaudete
Your Name (Christmas Version)
Breath of Heaven
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Angels We Have Heard on High
Joy Has Dawned
O Come, All Ye Faithful

 

Service Volunteers Reminder for Sunday, December 19 - Lessons and Carols

Music/Sound: RJ's Team/John
Service Team: Volunteers for Readings / Tilburn Team
Vestry: Margot B
Chapel: Wendell and Nora
Kids: Kids stay in service 

 

Advent Reflection Stations: Each week of Advent there will be a different station set up at the back of the church as a point of reflection for our Advent theme of active waiting. You are invited to stop at the station and consider the material offered there.

 

Daily Morning Prayer: Myron and a few parishioners have begun meeting for daily morning prayer gatherings on Zoom at 8am during the season of Advent. Every Thursday we will meet at St. Paul’s in person for morning prayer and to discuss Joan Chittister’s book Wisdom Distilled from the Daily. If you would like to join, please talk to Myron or Asher, or email the office for the link. 

 

Christmas Cards for Karen: Our parishioner Karen Jaresh has said that she would very much appreciate getting pretty Christmas cards to display in her room during her illness. If you have cards please get them to Gay Gering or Terry Berard (780-420-0532) to pass along. 

 

Letters to Rwanda: As stated in the Focus on Missions presentation last week, St. Paul's is supporting a number of initiatives in Rwanda. One of these is that letters can be sent to the youth we support in their education. Letters can be sent to:
Eglise Anglicane au Rwanda (Anglican Church of Rwanda)
Diocese of Cyangugu
P.O. Box 52
Cyangugu, Rwanda

Youth and Kid’s Club Youth and kids are not in session for the remaining services of the year. Youth and kids are welcome to be part of all of the upcoming main services until January.