Notices for the Week of December 11-17
Notices for the Week: Dec 11th-17th
Tuesday
11am Advent Prayers (Morning)
7pm Parish Council meets
Wednesday
7pm ACW Christmas Gathering
Thursday
7pm Advent Prayers (Evening)
From the St. Helen's Social Planners!
Please join us! We are planning a trip to Tsawwassen, to attend a very good comedic play "ART", put on by the Sidekick Players. This will take place on Sunday for the 2:00 p.m. matinee, January 15, 2017. If you would like to attend, make sure you sign up by December 18 - as tickets must be ordered. If we have 15 or more in our group the tickets will only be $12.00 each - no need to pay at sign up, but sign up will be your commitment! Aren't able to drive? We have at least two cars leaving from the Church by 1:00 p.m. and in total we can accommodate seven additional people - you will be delivered back to the church. Other's are welcome to drive and carpool. Dinner after the play, will be at Mario's (directly across the street from the theater). If you do not wish to go for dinner, then you should make arrangements to either take your own car or ride with another who will not be staying to eat. Please join us for a fun time together. Any questions? Lynn Turner will try to answer them.
Helping Others at Christmas – As we get closer to Christmas, there will be phone calls to St. Helen’s from people in need requesting help. We do not budget any particular amount for this ministry but help as we are able. If you would like to help, please make a special offering and designate your gift as ‘St. Helen’s Helps’ in the memo line or in your note. This means it will go to our ministry of helping families and individuals particularly at Christmas.
Telling the Christmas Story - Outdoor Decorating We are in the midst of creating three special scenes using Coroplast and pictures that will be set up in a few places around the outdoor of the church. The scenes will include the Annunciation, Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem, Shepherds and Sheep, and a wood framing reflecting the entrance to the stable. We are also planning to put lighting on the Holly Trees located between the church and the cemetery. If you would like to make a special donation to this project, please designate your gift as ‘Telling the Christmas Story’ in the memo line or in your note.
Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) Goats and Solar panels. Through PWRDF St. Helen’s has been helping with the purchase of goats in developing nations to support family incomes. This year we are adding the purchase of a ‘solar suitcase’ for healthcare clinics. Many villages do not have power so when the sun goes down there is no light to continue the work of the clinic. Providing a solar suitcase which has a solar panel to collect the sun’s energy will help to ensure that clinics can operate beyond the daylight hours. The Canadian government is providing 6X matching funding for the purchase. Please remember that PWRDF works with our overseas partners and communities to provide what the community knows it needs to strengthen the life of the community. We do not simply give what we think they need. For the last number of years St. Helen’s has focussed support for PWRDF during over the season of Advent. Our rep, Paulette Smith will be happy to receive your donations once again this year at coffee hour over the next few weeks.
Advent Prayer Advent Prayer continues this Tuesday Morning.
Please Note: This week we switch the evening session to Thursday evening at 7pm in the Rector’s office.
Morning Prayer is from 11am to 11:45am. Following the morning prayer time there will be a light lunch for those who have gathered. Yes, Advent is a busy time of getting ready and everyone is invited to take some time of getting ready in prayer. We will pray for the world and our community. We will pray for those on the prayer circle and for whom we pray on Sundays. We will pray for anything else that is brought to us. There will be the opportunity to light a candle as a prayer as well as to quietly reflect on God’s Word.
Food Bank Sunday is TODAY Sunday Dec 11th – As you all know we at St. Helen’s are trying to make a concerted effort to help the Surrey Food Bank on a very regular basis. Each Sunday, when our offering is brought forward, food items that have been donated will be brought forward at that time along with the bread, wine, and our financial offerings. Please see the poster in the hall for a list of needed items.
2017 Church Calendars: are available NOW! The Anglican and Lutheran churches have worked together to produce this expression of their joint commitment to living out God’s mission in the world. The format allows lots of space for recording your busy schedules. They cost $7.00 each and available from Jos Laskey. Only a few are left.
Mission, Ministry, and Outreach Working Group – In order to build on our work in and around the community, it is important for St. Helen’s to have a small working group to keep us up to date on the needs of the community. This team of people would be able to see how our faith community could be of help in the neighbourhood. Are you interested in working on such task group? It is a great way of turning our prayers into action. Please speak with Father Steve or one of the wardens.
Surrey Urban Mission – SUM is looking for some help in the following areas to fill immediate needs: 1/Are you able to help with pick up and deliveries, especially a Cobb’s Bread pick up on Monday nights. This requires a SUV, mini van or a pickup and can be done on a rotating schedule. 2/Volunteers on Tuesdays to lovingly interact with our guests and help with lunch service. Perhaps a group of folks that could come in and just sit, share lunch with our guests and hear their stories once a week. 3/Someone with a pickup truck who is available during the day, there are times we need to drive stuff to the dump.
Forthcoming Dates for Your Calendar
Dec 18 – 10am – Advent 4 - Confirmation and Holy Eucharist with Bishop Melissa
Dec 24 – Christmas Eve – Services at 7pm and 11pm with Carols and Candlelight
Dec 25 – Christmas Day – Sunday Service at 10am as usual
Dec 31 – New Year’s Eve 6pm Service followed by Potluck
Readings for Sunday, December 18th – Advent 4
Isaiah 7:10–16
Psalm 80:1–7, 16–18
Romans 1:1–7
Matthew 1:18-25