Wednesday November 12, 2008

The Rev. Karen Horst will be this weekend's guest speaker at the 2008 Congregational Retreat. 

The topic for the retreat will be "Strengthening our Spiritual Core" and will take place at the Old Mill Conference Center in Etobicoke on Saturday from 10:00 am (refreshments at 9 am) until 4:00 pm.  See below for more details.

1) St. Andrew's Annual Fall Retreat -- Saturday November 15, 2008

The 10th Annual Congregational Retreat will take place at The Old Mill Inn, 21 Old Mill Road (Bloor St. W., South Kingsway)  Our guest leader will be the Rev. Karen Horst from First Presbyterian Church, Collingwood, who will facilitate a discussion of “Strengthening Our Spiritual Core”.  To register, please contact Judy Neal in the church office 416-593-5600.  Registration fee is $35 (a subsidy is available for those who are in need of financial aid).

• Discover the diversity of paths for spiritual connection with God

• Explore contemporary theories of why many people feel a loss of meaning and hope

• Examine approaches to faith-sharing that are most meaningful in our contemporary culture

• Understand a variety of methods for deepening our spirituality

• Explore the corporate nature of spirituality

• Enjoy a time of peace and restoration for your soul

2) Introductory Evening for New Members

On Thursday November 13 at 7 pm, we will be offering an introduction evening for those exploring congregational membership.  If you are interested in exploring this possibility, you are welcome to join us at 7 pm in the Board Room.

3) Restorative Justice Week - November 16 - 23, 2008

"Restorative Justice Week" takes place each November, and invites us to learn more about the principles and ideas underlying the movement towards a more restorative approach to justice issues in our country.  To learn more about this important spiritually-based initiative, please visit http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rj/rj2008/lett-eng.shtml or www.ccjc.ca/restorative_justice.html

4) Junior Choir Rehearsal this Sunday

This Sunday following the worship service, the members of the junior choir will be having a rehearsal in preparation for the Christmas pageant.  The junior choir is open to all children from kindgergarten to grade six.

5) "Wine, Jesus and Cheeses" - Thursday November 20

The next meeting of the "Wine, Jesus and Cheeses" group will take place on Thursday November 20 at 7 pm.  The presenter will be Charles Diltz who will be speaking about Egypt's "Pyramids and Temples: the Why and the How".  All are welcome!

6) Congregational Forum - Sunday November 23

Our next congregational forum will take place on Sunday, November 23 following the worship service.  The presenter will be Ms. Anne Simmonds.

7) Online Donations

We are pleased to announce that donations to the Church, and to ministries such as the 'Out of the Cold' programme, can be made online.  To learn more, please click on the button below!

8) Faces of Faith - Theo Caldwell

Theo Caldwell (pictured below with his dog 'Harvey'!) is a relatively new member of our congregation, and is quite active in the Thursday communion service.  Please click here to read his contribution to "Faces of Faith".