A blessed end of Advent to you.

I am so thankful that St. Augustine's has found a blended approach to our current pandemic realities: in-person practices to keep us safe, and an effective online solution when in-person does not seem right.

Christmas services will go ahead as planned at St. A's - online and in-person.

For many reasons, you might wish to partake online, and you SHOULD partake online if you have any symptoms or think you might have been in contact with someone who is carrying the coronavirus.

Some, who have determined that they are safe to others, and have taken necessary precautions, are more than welcome to attend in person.  We remain sanitized, masked, and distanced and thank you for exercising Christian love through safe practice.

I encourage everyone who is eligable to get a booster vaccine as soon as possible and to avoid large crowds of strangers or unmasked situations with people whose covid response is questionable.

Though we long for a moment of return to physical connection, coffee hour, masklessness, hugging, and all the like, Church goes on and Christ is born among us nevertheless.  May we rejoice in the Incarnation: God-with-us.

Rev. Jonathan Crane

 All services are both in person and livestreamed. Christmas eve requires registration

Christmas Eve Holy Communion, 4pm & 7pm (Register 4pm; Register 7pm)

Christmas Day Holy Communion, 8am

Christmas I (Dec. 26) 9:30am only

Christmas II (Jan 2) 8am & 10am 

Not the Shakespeare play, but better, because we gather in community and bring this old tradition to life at St. Augustine's.

The liturgical season of Christmas often gets short shift: the stores start stocking Easter goods on Jan 1, our trees are put away by 8am boxing day, boxing week sales draw us in.

No! The incarnation is such a rich reality in our world that we need at least 12 days to draw in that news.  Let us rest in that theological place for at least these 12 days to breath in all that God is doing among us.

• Seek to rest with family and friends in those 12 days.
• Take up what practices of celebration make sense for you in your family and culture.
• Read a book, theological if you like, or some book that brings you into wonder at the world and the people within it.
• Listen to special music that you have saved for these 12 days.
• Enjoy food and share food - considering especially those who might benefit from something you can give (boxing day began not as a buying frenzy, but as caring for the poor).
• Get out to walk in a natural place.
• Dress up in fancy clothes at home and watch some Christmas dance, art and music performances online.
• Just remember that the season of Christmas is 12 days and hold that intention within yourself.

AND,

On Wednesday January 5th,
The TWELFTH NIGHT,
THE EVE OF THE EPIPHANY,
THE CULMINATION OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON,
MAKE SOME WASSAIL and
JOIN st. A's folks on zoom to have a little feast (your own fare of course), sing some songs, and conclude the night with a simple compline prayer service.

STARTS AT 7PM!

(please get the zoom link from the church office since we can't post it publically)

Whether your domestic commitments are many or few, Women’s Christmas offers a timely opportunity to pause and step back from whatever has kept you busy and hurried in the past weeks or months. As the Christmas season comes to a close, this is an occasion both to celebrate with friends and also to spend time in reflection before diving into the responsibilities of this new year. This mini-retreat is offered in that spirit.  It is an invitation to rest, to reflect, to contemplate where you are in your unfolding path. At the threshold of this year, this is a time for you to consider how you want the path through this year to look like. Mindful of those Wise Ones who traveled to welcome the Christ child, we will turn our attention toward questions about our own journey. As we look at the landscape of our life, where and how do we want to travel through this year?What distinctive gift are we called to offer, that no one else can? What do we need to receive in order to do this?

If this interestes you, here are details

What?  A quiet morning of meditation and conversation
Where?  St. Augustine’s (or on Zoom depending on the provincial regulations)
When?   Saturday January 8, 2022  (9:30 to 1:00 pm)
Why?  To facilitate and continue our Journey with the Holy One.

For more information and RSVP contact Pat Jameson  patcher@shaw.ca  or 780 995 2446

Sharing Circle is back Jan 12th.

'Round the Kitchen Table back on Jan 13th

Meditation group back on Jan 10th

780-466-5532