Advent 2022 - UPDATED

These four Sundays before Christmas mark:

• A season of hope and longing for the world to be set to rights
• A season of preparation for the 12-day season of Christmas
• The beginning of a new church year that follows the life of Christ (we begin YEAR 'A' in our three-year reading cycle)

Advent is a season of serious spiritual work.
How will you do that this year?
What do you need to deepen your relationship with God?

I invite you to make church a priority in this time alongside your daily practice of prayer.  You might make use of a prayer app like "Pray as you Go" or "Daily Prayer", and we will also be setting out paper copies of an advent daily prayer book in the narthex.

As well, please make the following events a priority in your Advent spiritual process:

1. The four Sundays of Advent 10am as we light the Advent wreath (Online folks, why not have your own advent wreath at home to light?!)
   1. ADVENT GIVING: We will be collecting in two streams - a) food items for the Food Bank to be brought Sunday morning and placed up by the altar, and b) donations for Primate's World Relief Development Foundation (PWRDF) our Anglican relief agency.  PWRDF is running its World of Gifts again and we're going to 'fill a stable' with gifts for others this Advent!  Donations will be tallied weekly, so let's see what we can do together!
2. 3 Advent Wednesdays Church Family Prayers on Zoom 7pm-7:30pm on (usual zoom link will be sent out weekly.  Dates are Nov 30th, Dec. 7th, 21st 
3. December 21st we are also invited to Grace United for their Blue Christmas Service, Wednesday, December 21, 7 pm.  A service for those who have difficulty in celebrating the “joy” of Christmas.  Held on the winter solstice, this service invites us into the sacred space of the longest night of the year. There will be a choice of a live service with no cameras, or a pre-recorded video service, available on the Grace YouTube channel.
4. Special Sunday Service of Lessons and Carols, December 18th, 10am.  A festive service of 9 readings and responding music.  Please let rev. Jonathan or Megan know if you would like to read or offer music on that day.
5. Christmas Eve Service I - 4pm, a simple, kid-approachable candlelight Communion service.  Want to help out?  Let Rev. Jonathan know as he will need 5-6 helpers for the sermon activity.
6. Christmas Eve Service II, 9pm Carols Sing, 9:30pm Candlelight Holy Communion.  Lauretta H. is organizing some goodies for after the service contact her to help out.
7. Christmas Day Service 9am simple communion service.
8. 12 Days of Christmas.  Jesus is born - let us celebrate and make these days special in our homes and families.
9. Twelfth Night Celebration. We close off our Christmas celebration with this ancient tradition.  Thursday January 5th, 5:30pm community potluck and Evening Prayer.  Yes, we will sing the song :)  Bring a main course or dessert or your leftover xmas treats.  Anyone want to make us a big pot of Wassail?
10. We celebrate the Epiphany in church that Sunday January 8th.

NOTE: The Wednesday sharing circle will pause during Advent and begin again the Wednesday after Epiphany

Come join us for Lessons and Carols this Sunday.

You may have noticed that flowers are very expensive in the stores lately. We are hoping that you may consider a donation to help us decorate the church for Christmas.  This Flower donation can also be in memory, an anniversary, or a birthday wish! If you would like to donate you can make the donation payable to St. Augustines’ Church on-line with Tithe.ly with a note “Christmas flowers” or put a cheque in post mail or church mailbox with the same designation.

Blue Christmas Service

with St. Augustine’s Anglican Church and Grace United Church

Wednesday, Dec 21, 7 pm at Grace United Church. 

A service for those who have difficulty in celebrating the “joy” of Christmas.  Held on the winter solstice, this service invites us into the sacred space of the longest night of the year. There will be a choice of a live service with no cameras, or a pre-recorded video service, available on the Grace YouTube channel.

Solstice Event/Blue Christmas Service:  Wednesday December 21.  Please come for as much or as little time as you need to nourish your spirit on the longest night of the year.

5-6 pm: Silent time in the Sanctuary for contemplation and candle lighting (come and go as needed)

6-7 pm: Reflective music, contemplation and candle lighting (come and go as needed)

7 pm: Blue Christmas service, followed by refreshments and fellowship in the Sunshine Room.  

Everyone Invited

Coffee is served downstairs after the service. We look forward to seeing you. 

Thank you to our volunteers who serve the coffee each Sunday. A copy is posted on the bulletin board by the kitchen. 

We serve coffee/tea/juice and a snack each Sunday after church. (The snack is provided by the weekly volunteers.)

Please contact Loretta Howard 
lmhoward@shaw.ca
780-466-9510

Thank you to everyone that came out to enjoy the
Christmas festival and holiday market this weekend.
What a wonderful way to enjoy the season!!

Featured local neighbour hood artisans with live music performance from Von Bieker and Food provided by Mr Capy Foodtruck

Thanks to:

@fultonsunshinegarden.                Fulton Place Community League
@ECORENEW/CONTRACTING     @DANABRADLEYREALESTATE

Join Pat Jameson in a simple time of retreat to pray, rest, and recollect.  Lunch provided.

Please join us for free Music & Reflection

Saturday, January 28th @ 7:30PM

Join Paul, Mark, Tim, Aaron, & Jordan in an event that will mix instrumental music, hymns, and reflection on a scripture passage.

 

Further information will follow in the coming weeks. 
Please mark your calendars. 

 We will resume in mid January 

 We would like to share some information with you to hopefully clarify and assist you with contacts and some general information to improve communication.

 SUNDAY POWER POINT PRESENTATION The statement it “takes a village” is certainly true when it comes to putting together the wonderful power point presentation you see each Sunday. A big thank you to: Cheryl Arbury for adding the reading and organizing it all Megan Crane for doing the music The tech team of Jordon Yeo (team leader), Sherry & John Prokopuk and Noah Crane who do the live stream.  There is room for one or two more on this team Val M for updating the responses for the church seasons  Jonathan Crane for checking the final copy.   

 FINANCIAL We continue to work to try and improve the office and financial procedures to better assist you. One of the ways we are doing this if by providing a Reimbursement Form to be completed when you require reimbursement for any purchases you have made for the church.  The forms are available in the office as well as we will set up an area were they will be available in the Narthex.  This form enables us to gather all the information required to issue payment in a timely fashion. Since our financial structure has changed a fair bit over the last couple years, a reminder that though she is in Vernon, Barb Ash remains our treasurer until the AGM and can be reached with any questions or updates at barb.ash@telus.net.  To cover accounting details last year, we hired Lesley, a business administrator, who works at a distance to ensure our books are in good order.  Rita Yeo supports Lesley and Barb as depositor and with any in-office work required.  Rita is your contact for reimbursement and cheque dispersal."     

Please email the office with any changes or corrections with your address, phone numbers, or email addresses.  We do are best to keep this information updated but realize that sometimes we are missing updated information.v

 office@staugustinesedmonton.com

Office: 780-466-5532