Notices for th e Week of October 16th

Notices for the Week:  Oct 16th – Oct 22nd  

Tuesday –7pm – Songs of Praise in the Church Wednesday – 7pm ACW Dorcas Shower in Upper Hall Friday - 6:30-8pm Yard Sale set up 
             6:30-8pm accepting clothes etc for Textile drive on Sunday
Saturday – 9:30-12:30 Yard Sale (and accepting clothes for Textile drive)  

Welcome this Morning – to Tracy Logan of the Surrey Food Bank who will be sharing with us something of the life and work of the food bank.  This is all a part of our Mission and Ministry focus during the month of October and early November.  

Textile Drive – Pick up Sunday, October 23rd shortly after coffee time. Please lend a hand in the loading of the truck if you can.  

ACW (Anglican Church Women) NEWS:  
This Wednesday, October 19, the ACW will have their annual ‘Dorcas Shower.’ Donated layette items will be given to the Bales for Northern Parishes and SMH. If you wish to support their project, please consider donating new or very gently used sleepers, two-piece outfits, knitted sweaters, bonnets, booties, onesies, hooded towels, etc. up to size 2.  A box and detailed list will be placed at the back of the church.  Your support is most appreciated.  

Indoor Yard Sale – will be this coming Saturday, October 22nd.  Kelly Foulds is our coordinator for this event. Please talk to her and ask what you can do to help. This will be a morning event from about 9:30 to 12:30. We need people to help set up and staff the tables.  Also we would like you all to gather as many items as you can & hopefully a new home will be found for them. Ask family & friends if they are sorting out ‘pre-Christmas’ clutter for all their items that they have cherished & that has served them well over the years please can we have them. This always proves to be a double benefit in de-cluttering our homes & saving space in our landfills! This needs to be a whole parish event to be successful. Thank you!

Jam time-Don’t forget our Christmas Bazaar will be held on Nov 26th.  Preparations begin long before which makes it now time! With all the wonderful fruits and vegetables in season please think of the pantry stall.  Jams, jellies, pickles, relishes, chutneys etc. are all needed and welcomed.  If you have jars or need jars speak to Jacquie Stinson (604-517-4661).  

Anti-Racism Workshop – On Saturday, October 29th an anti-Racism workshop is being held for our deanery.  St. Helen’s is hosting this workshop which is meant in particular for all leadership in the parish.  It runs from 9:00am until 4pm.  Please bring a bag lunch with you.  Speak with our rector, Father Stephen as soon as possible.  There are only 25 spots allowed per workshop and this one is for the deanery.  

Hospitality Ministry - We are changing the format of coffee hour.  Our coffee teams will continue to set up, serve and clear up but we are asking other parishioners to sign up to bring goodies for each Sunday.  A list will be circulated in the hall at coffee hour which will give all an opportunity to participate.  If you miss out on this list, there will be another put out every 6 or 7 weeks.  

Sunday Ministry Rotas –We would like to strengthen our Sunday Ministry teams.  Are you interested in reading a lesson on Sunday, becoming a server, helping with the coffee ministry, helping to greet people at the door, please speak with Marion O’Byrne. Training and support will be offered for each of these ministries.  

Confirmation and Receiving into the Anglican Communion Bishop Melissa will be with us on December 18th. We are planning to have a confirmation service if there are people.  At this time, we can also receive into the Anglican Church those who are baptized and grew up in another church but who would now like to be received into the Anglican Church.  Please speak with the rector, Father Steve, if you would like to be confirmed or received into the Anglican Church.  

First Thoughts about Christmas – Christmas is not all that far away and we need to begin preparing.  Last year we had our first Readings and Carols for Christmas celebrating the diversity of our St. Helen’s family.  This year, the date set is the evening of December 3rd.  Please consider being a part of this celebration.  More information will be coming soon.    

Integration of Cultures in our Faith Community Last Christmas we had a wonderful service of words and music with Bible readings and songs using some of the variety of languages people at St. Helen’s bring with them to the community.  We want to do more about discovering who we are together at a deeper level of community.  There are at least 8 different cultural groups here at St. Helen’s.  In the coming weeks at our Sunday service we will be inviting a variety of people to share something about the life of the church where they grew up; about its importance to them personally, for the faith community and the wider community.  We are also planning a Saturday evening event in the new year to gather for stories, songs, music, prayer and food to celebrate our diversity and our life together.   

Mission, Ministry and Outreach Throughout the month of October our Sunday Worship will have a focus on Vocation, Mission, Ministry and Outreach to our Community.  We begin this morning with a focus on call and vocation.  Ordination as a priest or deacon is often what is thought when we hear the word vocation associated with the church.  Even so, there is an invitation to all of us to share the gifts we have within us for the greater good and the building of God’s Kingdom.  The weeks that follow will look at our focus from different aspects:
October 23rd – We will celebrate the sacrament of baptism. The focus will be Commissioned to Minister.
October 30th - Guest Speaker: Mike Musgrove, Surrey Urban    Mission Executive Director will be with us.  Our Focus will    be Building Community with those on the edge    

ACW SW Fraser Area Meeting:  On Tuesday, November 15, our ACW will host and welcome the Diocesan ACW Board, the Rev. Sue Foley-Currie, and ACW members from Surrey, Langley, and Delta.  They are pleased to have The Most Rev’d. Archbishop Douglas Hambidge as guest speaker.  

Forthcoming Dates for Your Diary
October 23 – Baptisms at our Sunday Eucharist (Please speak with Father Steve if you are wishing to be baptized or have a child baptized.)
October 30 – We welcome Mike Musgrove to our Sunday Eucharist to speak about Surrey Urban Mission  

Readings for Sunday, October 23rd  –  Pentecost 23rd
Joel 2:23–32;
Psalm 65;
2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18;
Luke 18:9–14