Save the Date!

Welcome Back Sunday, September 11^th! – Worship! Sing! Dance! Food! We are looking forward to celebrating our Church Family!

There will be two services – 8:30am and 10:30am. The 10:30am service will be followed by a Potluck! Hotdogs and Covid-19 friendly food options will be available! Please bring along a salad or dessert to add to the potluck offerings! The Rector and Music Director have challenged one another to a Sing/Dance Off! Come and cheer on these two as they see who can create the most fun! 

Each day we will be posting a new photo on our Facebook page and asking you to suggest a scripture verse or inspirational quote that speaks to you when you view the image. We will choose one of the inspirations and post the picture and inspiration on our Webpage. The quotes have all been great so far and the choice has been tough. We look forward to more people joining in and making the choice even harder. We love to see different pictures from people!  Please send along any picture you have taken that you would love to have posted.  Also, if you can’t think of a scripture or inspirational quote, even a word about how it makes you feel!  We love participation! Use these as a daily prayer, a thought for the day, or a blessing in the moment.

Join us on January 16, 2021 for a movie and discussion afternoon 1pm. We will be watching “The Hate U Give” and will be following with a discussion on the movie and how it relates to the racism we are seeing not only today but building up from the past. We will also discuss how we can make a difference in our community. Due to Covid-19, there will be a limit of 20 people, please contact the office (902-462-1818) to reserve your spot.

In gratitude for your generosity over the years and in recognition of our “interesting” times, the Altar Guild will not be collecting donations towards flowers for this Christmas. Instead we invite you to consider forwarding your generosity to the PWRDF Campaign for a donkey and to the Christmas Outreach program.

The Altar Guild is always grateful for your support of our ministry over the years and we choose this year to support your remembrances by purchasing poinsettias on your behalf from the flower fund. As many of your remembrances have remained the same over the years, we will use last year’s bulletin. If you wish to make a change/ addition or to be reminded of what was there please email Carole Aylard and she will make those changes for you. caylard@accesscable.net

Several2021 church calendars are still available for $7.00.  If you would like a calendar, please call Brenda Tucker at 902-462-7006. She will ensure that you get it.

Our first in-person service is Sunday, July 19. Please contact the office (902) 462-1818 for information on seating and availability.

We would like you to keep I mind we are returning as safe as possible with the following guidelines in place:

• If you feel unwell, please stay home.
• We will require the use of a mask
• Physical distancing must take place in the parking lot, upon entering the building and within the church walls. Exiting the building will also take place with physical distancing.
• You will be checked off on our list upon arrival and guided by a greeter to your seat.
• Hand sanitizer will be available for use and encouraged.
• We ask that you stay seated unless using the restroom.
• Children will always need to stay with their family bubble.
• There will be no prayer books, hymn books or bulletins available in the church. The bulletin will be online as usual, and you are encouraged to print it at home and bring it along with you. (It must leave with you.) If you own a prayer book, you are more than welcome to bring it with you.

Good afternoon everyone!

We are continuing our journey and I am finding there are moments of pure joy and moments of sheer exhaustion.  I have heard that mirrored by many of you in conversations I have been having.  My prayers are for all of us!  We are navigating this new landscape and we are risking a lot!  Thank you for journeying with me.  You are all amazing!

Following are some notes for the upcoming week:  

Palm Sunday Crosses

Missing your Palm Sunday Palm Cross?  Barb Kent has recorded a beautiful way to make a Palm Cross from Ribbons.  It has been posted to Facebook.  We are hoping people may consider making one and put it somewhere for people to see!

Holy Week

I have had a lot of questions about Holy Week Services.  Our schedule for next week is going to be a lot different than previous years. 

There will be 3 recorded Services on our Website for Holy Week:

        Maundy Thursday – Evening Reflection

        Good Friday – A reading of the Passion Gospel

        Easter Sunday – Morning Prayer

Finance

You can expect to get a financial update by email shortly.  This is a separate email and will not be posted on the Website or Facebook site.  If you have decided to not be a part of the Parish email distribution list but would want to receive financial updates, please contact the office.

Easter Sunday Table Grace

We thought it would be meaningful to have a time to say Easter Table Grace together.  We are going to plan a Zoom call for 4:00 pm on Easter Sunday for 30 minutes.  Display an item of resurrection or hope in your background!

List of Activities this week:  If you are interested in any of the Zoom calls, contact Archdeacon Katherine or the office and a Zoom link will be emailed to you!

Church of Saint Andrew Office – office@churchofsaintandrew.ca

Lots of prayers for everyone!

Archdeacon Katherine

Good morning,

I want to take a moment and reflect on my weekend.  Personally, it has been a rollercoaster all weekend.  I have been inspired by many of you and how you are reaching out to others.  This inspiration is continued by photographs and inspirational quotes on Facebook and our Website.  In the same moment I miss you all so much, I long to see each of you.  I am trying to take my own words and reflect on them.  I see the pain and yet in the breath I am attempting to enable God to transform me.  Part of this transformation is to let you all know you are not alone.  We may each be isolated physically but we are not alone mentally or spiritually.  Please continue to reach out to each other.  I will continue to reach out as well.

Diocesan Update

Our Diocese continues to provide us with Updates.  To find the most recent one please click on the link below.

https://www.nspeidiocese.ca/newsletters/75/display

Readers Wanted!

Our Sunday Services seem to be going really well!  We are really hoping to have as many different people as possible reading.  If you are interested please contact the office! 

Nature & Nurture: Inspiration in Isolation

We are in NEW times to which we have to ADAPT. We have been asked to LISTEN to the breath of God in our lives, go forward with CONVICTION and WRESTLE with new directions. The process will TRANSFORM us if we are earnest in our efforts. This can be painful at times and exhausting. To offset that we are offering you a breath of beauty every day through Nature & Nurture: Inspiration in Isolation. Each day we will be posting a new photo on our Facebook page and asking you to suggest a scripture verse or inspirational quote that speaks to you when you view the image. We will choose one of the inspirations and post the picture and inspiration on our Webpage. The quotes have all been great so far and the choice has been tough. We look forward to more people joining in and making the choice even harder.

Beat the Blues with Bryan

By popular demand Bryan is going to host a hymn sing on Friday morning at 11:00 am by Zoom!  If you are interested in joining us, please email Archdeacon Katherine or the office.

Technology

We are encouraging different people to use different means of connecting the congregation.  Not all ways are going to work for everyone.  We are already using Zoom, email, phone calls, Website, and Facebook.  If there is a way you would like to connect please tell the office.  We will make suggestions to our leadership and see who may be able to help.  Maybe you are interested in starting a Parish Connector group of your own!  Tell us if you are!

Diane can help people to connect with us on Zoom.  If you need assistance, please contact the office.

List of Activities this week:  If you are interested in any of the Zoom calls contact the office and a Zoom link will be emailed to you!

Daily                               Nature and Nurture: Inspiration in Isolation  Facebook/Website                  

Tuesday 11am              Coffee and Zoom                                            Zoom

Wednesday 11am       Prayer Time with Katherine                            Zoom

Thursday 11am           Canoeing the Mountains Book Club               Zoom

Friday 11am                Beat the Blues with Bryan                              Zoom

Sunday Morning         Palm Sunday Morning Prayer Service            Website

The Church office email is: office@churchofsaintandrew.ca

Please keep safe and remember I am only a phone call away!

Lots of Love and prayers to everyone!

Archdeacon Katherine