Thursday, January 14, 2010

1) Cuts to KAIROS Canada

A number of members of the congregation have mentioned their concerns about the recent funding cuts to KAIROS, so we wanted to ensure that everyone has had a chance to be informed about this recent and troubling situation.

KAIROS is a long-established ecumenical social justice agency supported by a number of the Christian denominations in Canada, including the Presbyterian Church in Canada.  Recently – and for very unclear reasons – they were denied funding that they had been led to believe would be in place to continue their social justice work in Canada and in other parts of the world.   

For more information and background about this situation, and for contact information for those who be able to contact their MPs, please visit: http://www.kairoscanada.org/index.php?id=645

2) Presbyterian World Service and Development Haiti Earthquake Appeal

On Sunday, January 31, we will be joined by the Rev. Dr. Art Van Seters and Ms. Barbara Summers from Presbyterian World Service and Development during our worship service and at the Sunday forum.  Please plan to be here to learn more about this important of our denomination's life and work.

The following appeal was recently sent out from PWS&D in response to the earthquake in Haiti.

Haiti Earthquake Appeal - As we all know, a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, the capital of impoverished Haiti on Tuesday, causing widespread death and destruction and leaving relief workers scrambling to pull people from the rubble.

Over three million people are estimated to have been affected by the powerful quake, leaving homes and schools in ruins, destroying infrastructure and trapping people in the debris. The city is without electricity and the telephone network has broken down. The UN headquarters has collapsed and people are sitting in the streets with nowhere to go. While a full assessment is still ongoing, thousands are estimated dead with millions of dollars of damage.

Presbyterian World Service and Development Responds - PWS&D is responding to this emergency situation through the Action by Churches Together Alliance. ACT staff on the ground are carrying out assessments of damage and the needs of survivors. While international aid is being flown in, ACT has been working on the ground from the moment the earthquake occurred. ACT is planning to send a rapid support team of at least a response coordinator, a communicator, two water and sanitation experts and a finance expert. ACT members are also preparing to send water and sanitation materials, hygiene kits, and psychosocial workers to the devastated area.

You Can Help - The people of Haiti need your prayers and financial support to bring hope and relief. Congregations and individuals are encouraged to bring help to the situation by making a donation to PWS&D. Call 1-800-619-7301 ext. 291, donate online, through your church or mail a cheque to the office. Please mark all donations “Haiti Earthquake Relief.”

Presbyterian World Service & Development is the development and relief agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.

3)  Jazz Concert at St. Andrew's:  The Music of Mardi Gras - Sunday February 14, 2010

Please join us on Sunday, February 14th for a Pancake Dinner and Jazz Concert celebrating the music of Mardi Gras. 

Tickets for the dinner and concert are $20 per person or $50 per family.  A portion of the proceeds will be divided between our Out of the Cold program and the Music Ministries at St. Andrew's.  More information will be available soon, but save the date and tell your friends!

4) "Alpha in the Pub" - an introduction to the Christian faith - beginning Tuesday February 16, 2010

St. Andrew's Church has been invited to spread the news about an upcoming series entitled "Alpha in the Pub".  The "Alpha" course is a ten-week interactive introduction to the meaning of the Christian faith, and has been very successful in helping those with little or no religious or spiritual background to explore their questions about the meaning of faith. 

This particular version of the Alpha course is being intentionally developed for young people between 20 and 40; and the meetings will take place on Tuesdays from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm; and the place that this will take place is at Finn McCeeol's pub on Adelaide just east of University. 

For more information, please visit http://www.alphatoronto.ca/pub

5) New Members

We will be holding an orientation meeting on Wednesday, February 3rd at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room for those who are interested in becoming members of the St. Andrew's congregation.  The group will discuss what it means to be a Christian, a Presbyterian, and a member of St. Andrew's Church.  

New members will be received on Sunday, February 21st.  If you are interested in becoming a member, or in learning more about life at St. Andrew's, please contact Rev. Ingram, one of the Elders or Judy Neal in the church office.

6)  Experience with Microsoft Access?  Share your expertise for a great cause.

Lend your database skills to a task force charged with tapping into the time and talents of the community to better support the many volunteer based activities and events at St. Andrews Church. The next stage of this inventory project is to create an easy-to-use database program that can match organizers’ task lists with available and prepared volunteers.  Do you or a friend have experience and expertise in Microsoft Access? Your database design skills will help move this important initiative forward and provide a lasting benefit to our community. For more information contact Yvonne Pigott (416-967-5155; ypigott@jrheum.com) or Nora Lever (416-922-2756; n.lever@sympatico.ca).

7) Wine, Cheeses and Jesus

The next meeting of the Wine, Cheeses and Jesus fellowship group will be held on Thursday, January 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room.  Everyone is welcome to join for an evening of light refreshment and fellowship.

8)  SAGA Fellowship Meeting - Friday, January 22nd

The next meeting of SAGA will be held on Friday, January 22nd in the Great Hall.  The Pot Luck dinner starts at 6:30 p.m., and the program begins at 7:30.  Everyone is welcome!  Please bring ideas and suggestions for this year's program.

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9)  Anniversary Dinner Tickets

Tickets for our 180th Anniversary Dinner, which is being held on Saturday, March 6th at the Delta Chelsea Hotel, will go on sale during Coffee Hour after worship for two consecutive Sundays:  January 24th and 31st.   You may also reserve tickets at Coffee Hour this Sunday.  Our guest speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Cameron Brett.  Be sure to get your tickets early for this very popular event! 

10)  Compassionate Hearts Gala - February 6, 2010

The Compassionate Hearts Gala, supporting the Heath and Dental Clinic at Evangel Hall Mission, is being held in the Imperial Ballroom, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, 100 Front Street West. The evening begins at 6 PM; dinner at 7 PM with a live band and dancing to follow.  Tickets are $150 per person, all proceeds will go towards the operating costs of our clinic.

For guests who prefer to stay overnight, the Fairmont Royal York Hotel has generously offered a special room rate of $149 for those attending the Compassionate Hearts Gala.  To take advantage of this rate please call 1-800-441-1414 and mention that you will be attending the Compassionate Hearts Gala in support of Evangel Hall Mission, or give the operator our group code EVAN0210. Please note that our group code can also be used for bookings made online.

For more information, please contact Kristen Stout at ehm:  416-503-3563 ext 223;  Kristen.Stout@evangelhall.ca.

11)  Presbyterians Sharing - CANADA: Presbytery of Vancouver Island

Our gifts to Presbyterians Sharing help support West Shore Presbyterian Church in Victoria, British Columbia. This small congregation has a big heart and big ideas. Their blend of contemporary and traditional worship is currently held in a renovated house which can accommodate about 60 people, “if everyone holds their breath!” They are hoping to begin building a new church soon. The church ministers in the community by conducting services at three seniors care facilities and collecting food items for the West Shore Food Bank. Let us pray for West Shore as it serves the needs of members, reaches out to the community and plans for a building of its own.

12)  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!