Wednesday December 3, 2008

TODAY!

Please join us at 12:00 pm today for the first in our Advent Meditation Series on the subject "Celebrating Christmas in a Secular Society".  For more details, and a list of speakers, please see below.

1) "Celebrating Christmas in a Secular Society" - The 2008 Advent Midweek Meditation Series Begin Today

Please join us on Wednesday at noon, during the season of Advent, for a series of meditations on the topic "Celebrating Christmas in a Secular Society".  Our guest speakers this year will be the Rev. Cheol Soon Park, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada; the Rev. Fred Hiltz, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Canada; and the Rev. Dr. Victor Shepherd, Professor at Tyndale Seminary. 

A short organ recital will take place at 12:00 pm; the meditations will begin at 12:15 pm; and everyone is invited to gather together at 12:45 pm for a light lunch of sandwiches.

2) "A Moveable Feast" -- Out of the Cold Fundraiser - Thursday December 4

For the second year, a special silent auction / fundraising evening is being organized in support of the St. Andrew's "Out of the Cold" programme.  For more information -- and to purchase a ticket online -- please visit www.standrewstoronto.org/feast.htm

3) Volunteers Needed for the "Moveable Feast"

Are you looking for a “different” way to help our Out of the Cold program? 

We need volunteers to help at the second annual silent auction to benefit "Out of the Cold" on the evening of Thursday, December 4^th between 6:00 and 11:00 p.m.  Last year, this event raised over $15,000.  Volunteers are need to help with checking coats, serving hors d’oeuvres & wine, attending to the prosecco table, greeting guests at the door, taking payments for tickets and auction purchases, and being the official photographer.  Volunteers get in free!  (But, of course, you’re still welcome to buy a ticket to help the cause.)  To volunteer, please contact Judy Neal in the church office by noon on Friday, November 28^th - jneal@standrewstoronto.org or 416-593-5600.  Thank you!

4) An Update from Washington

Rev. Ingram is presently attending meetings of the U.S. Conference of the World Council of Churches, as a Canadian representative.  To read daily updates, please click here.

5) Junior Choir and Pageant Rehearsal this Saturday

Please remember that there will be a rehearsal for those involved in the Christmas Pageant this Saturday morning at 8:30 am.  See you there!

6) Plans for Christmas...

Perhaps some families would like to share their Christmas meal with a guest; perhaps some members of our church family anticipate being alone on Christmas Day.  Olive Anstice will try to link the two groups together.  Soon a simple form will be available, but in the meantime, please feel free to contact Olive at 416-923-0779.

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 - Lesley Jensen

Lesley Jensen is one of the newer members of St. Andrew's.  Please click here to read her contribution to this week's "Faces of Faith".