Thursday, January 21, 2010

1)  Wine, Cheeses & Jesus Fellowship Group - TONIGHT at 7 p.m.

The Wine, Cheeses & Jesus fellowship group will meet on Thursday, January 21st at 7:00 p.m. in the 2nd floor meeting room.  The topic for the evening's fellowship will be "Water."  Please bring a vial of water from your tap, a stream, a purchased bottle, etc.  Remember the source of the water.

2)  SAGA Pot Luck Supper - Friday January 22 at 6:30 p.m.
 

SAGA invites you to attend its first meeting of 2010 on Friday, January 22nd.  The group begins to gather at 5:30 and shares a pot luck supper at 6:30.  The program begins at 7:30.  This month will be devoted to discussing possible topics for future meetings.  Everyone is welcome to attend!

3)  Robert Burns Celebration - Sunday January 24, 2010

Please join us at Bide-a-Wee* Coffee Hour immediately after the worship service on Sunday for our annual Robbie Burns Day celebration.  Enjoy the "Address to a Haggis" ritual, traditional Scottish music and even a taste of haggis if you're brave enough!  (*The Scottish term "Bide-a-Wee" means "stay a while"...and is an invitation to spend time with friends.)

4)  "Friendly Visiting" Information Meeting - Sunday at noon

One of the responsibilities of the church is to care for the sick, the lonely and the dying.  This is not, however, a ministry that is reserved for the clergy and elders of a congregation.  For that reason, the Church Life Committee would like to invite any individuals who might be interested in exploring the possibility of developing a "Friendly Visitors" ministry to gather for a brief introductory meeting in the Board Room at approximately noon (following the Robbie Burns Day celebrations) on Sunday, January 24th.  No previous experience is required, and attendance at this meeting will not oblige the participants to be a part of this ministry if they are not interested in continuing.

5)  Presbyterian World Service and Development (PWS&D) Sunday - January 31st

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.  Presbyterian World Service & Development is the development and relief agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.  Please plan to be here to learn more about this important of our denomination's life and work. 

6)  Sunday Forum:  "The Rest of the Story" presented by Barb Summers, PWS&D - January 31st

The problems of today's world can seem incredibly overwhelming.  Natural disasters, war, violence, human rights abuses and poverty....What can we do in the face of so much need?  The amazing reality is that amazing things are happening every day to alleviate the suffering in our world through the love and generosity of Canadian Presbyterians.  Through Presbyterian World Service and Development, our church will not sit back and let cries for help go unheard.  Working with Canadians here at home and partners overseas, farmers are learning how to grow more food, children are going to school, parents are learning new skills, and families are accessing clean water.  While we see one reality on the news and in our newspapers, the fact is that there is another story to be told.

Learn about the rest of the story.  Learn how our church is actively bringing new futures of hope and opportunity to vulnerable people around the world.  The Forum will be held in the Board Room at noon.  Everyone is welcome!

7) New Members' Orientation and Reception

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.

8)  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.   For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.standrewstoronto.org/jazz

9)  Haiti Earthquake Appeal

PWS&D is responding to this emergency situation through the Action by Churches Together alliance (ACT).  PWS&D sent $50,000 as a first response to support ACT members in Haiti as they assess the needs of survivors and transport equipment to build water purification systems and latrines to avoid the outbreak of disease.  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 our church, or mail a cheque to the office of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Please mark all donations “Haiti Earthquake Relief.”  We will be including a special donation envelope in this Sunday's bulletin.  If you wish to donate through St. Andrew's, please make your cheque payable to St. Andrew's Church, and mark your donation for the Haiti Earthquake Relief fund.  Please record your name and address on the envelope.  The Canadian government announced they will match donations from individual Canadians at a ratio of 1:1 for earthquake recovery and reconstruction activities in Haiti until February 12, 2010, up to $50 million dollars across the country.  Donations made through St. Andrew's Church will qualify for government matching since we will be providing all of the special PWS&D envelopes when we remit our contributions to PWS&D.

10)  News from Out of the Cold

Joe-Anne Roberts, who writes a wonderful weekly summary about each Monday night's dinner, reports:

First, an appeal:  We are in desperate need of winter coats especially for men.  If you could talk this need up with family and friends it would be appreciated.  Perhaps we can rustle up a few.

Secondly, do not forget our Pancake dinner and Mardi Gras Jazz concert, arranged by Jordan Klapman, on Feb. 14th.  It is just $20 per person, or $50.00 per family, and the money raised will go to the Haitian relief fund.  Come and bring your sweetie, and if you don't have a sweetie, bring a friend - bring lots of friends!

This week's menu was:  Vegetable Rice Soup, Shepherds’ Pie, Peas & Corn;  Vegetarian:  Quesadillas with Refried Beans & Cheese;  Squash & Mashed Potatoes;  Dessert    Orange Cake with fruit salad

The final count was 253, which includes the two take-outs served at 9 pm.

I was listening to CBC Radio yesterday morning and they were talking about the third Monday in January, and that it has been scientifically proven to be "Blue Monday".  Now I don't know much about the January Blahs, but something was definitely in the air last night.  One of our guests, on departing, stopped to say "the dinner was delicious, but it was chaotic in there tonight" and it was.  There were no fights, no arguments, as far as I know; it was  just loud, and demanding and there was a somewhat frenetic pace.  Our volunteers looked very tired at the end of the evening.

Everyone, however, enjoyed their meal with one guest saying, "I have been waiting two months for Shepherds’ pie and I wasn't disappointed." another saying it is his favourite dish, so much so that he even took the time to learn how to cook it.

Jude was standing at the door having a chat with us, when a friend of his was leaving, he told him to come back in the morning for "the second best breakfast in town".  We challenged him about that and told him he could leave now and he laughed and said "Gotcha".

Speaking of Jude, he told us that the Good Shepherd was expecting to receive 25 Haitian children in the next couple of days.  They asked Jude to be present when the children arrived as they know he speaks Creole and they thought the children would feel safe with someone who spoke their language.  (Jude has no immediate family in Haiti, they are all here.)

News from the Boutique. 

A woman went in and spied a pair of purple boots and her eyes lit up.  She explained to Stuart and Darlene that she had a shoe fetish and that her children and grandchildren kept telling her to stop acquiring footwear, and she had always responded, "I will when I get a pair of purple boots".  Well, she got her boots and added "my children thank you".

 Financial donations to support the program are always welcome, and can be sent to the church office.  Please make cheques payable to "St. Andrew's Church" and show "Out of the Cold" in the notation line.   St. Andrew’s covers all administration costs and all financial donations go directly toward the purchase of food and supplies for the program.  

For information about corporate participation please speak to the "Out of the Cold" Coordinator Lorraine Irvine.  Please feel free to share information about the "Out of the Cold" programme in your workplaces if there are requests for suggestions about corporate charity donations.

If you would like to donate new or used warm winter clothing, books (not romance novels, please) or magazines, please bring the items to the church or contact Judy Neal in the church office.

11) St. Andrew's 180th Anniversary Dinner - Saturday March 6, 2010

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 until February 28th.   You may also reserve tickets ($50 each) 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! 

12)  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

13)  Presbyterians Sharing... - JUSTICE MINISTRIES: Biotechnology Reference Group

Our gifts to Presbyterians Sharing... support the Biotechnology Reference Group, a project of the Canadian Council of Churches which brings together volunteers and church staff with an interest and expertise in genetics. To mark 10 years of ecumenical learning and theological discernment, the Reference Group held a forum in December to explore the promises, and anticipate the challenges, that biotechnologies will offer humankind in the next ten years. Let us pray for our volunteer representative, the Reverend George Tattrie, as he works with the group to offer insights into the ethical questions Christians wrestle with as biotechnologies open up new possibilities and challenges for human life, health and well-being.

14)  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!