Notices: December 8, 2024
Dear St. Aidan’s,
Last Sunday morning in our children’s moment, I asked the children who gathered with me on the steps to share what they associate with the word invitation. They mentioned events like birthday parties and holiday dinners, and activities like play dates. I wonder what comes to mind for you when you think of invitation. For me, invitation brings to mind openness, warmth, and welcome—or, where I am from, what is known as Southern hospitality.
I suggested to the children, and everyone in the congregation that day, that a church service is also something we can invite someone to attend—whether on a Sunday or for a special occasion. I suggested to the children how some of them may decide to invite someone to come see them perform in our Nativity Pageant on Christmas Eve. I challenged everyone to think of one or two people they would consider inviting to church sometime soon.
For many of us, our faith is one of the most precious gifts we have received. I imagine that, if we think back on it, some of us received this gift because someone along the way invited us to church, or to be part of a small group or a Bible study, or even to pray with or for us. Through sending Jesus to be born of Mary, God invited us to be a part of something larger than ourselves. Through Jesus, God invites us into the household of faith, the body of Christ—that’s us, the church!
The verses we are sharing each Sunday before we light our Advent candles are from Matthew 5. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Advent and Christmas are a time of year when people who don’t often (or ever) attend church the rest of the year may be more open to coming to worship. Some remember going to church as a child or in some other phase in life. Some associate attending church as part of spending the holidays with family and friends. Others may never have attended, while some have had a negative experience of church (or church people) in the past.
Please consider inviting a friend, a neighbour, or a family member to come with you to church (or to meet you here)—whether on a regular Sunday morning, or for our Advent Lessons and Carols, Christmas Eve, or Christmas morning services. Jesus came into the world to be a light in the darkness—a channel of God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace to all people.
As we light our Advent candles this week, think of how you can let your light shine before others by inviting someone to come share the joy and peace of Jesus with us this Christmas. Why would we keep this bright and guiding light to ourselves?
So let your light shine,
Becky+
Notices at a Glance
Scroll down for details on each of these items.
1. Live Streaming at 10:30 a.m., Order of Service
2. Donations for Christmas music and flowers
Opportunities to Gather & Grow
3. My Soul Magnifies the Lord—Advent Day of Retreat
4. This year’s Advent reflection book
Opportunities to Share & Serve
5. We’re looking for new people to help host our Coffee Hour!
6. We’re looking for people to bake homemade treats for coffee hour
7. Out of the Cold volunteers needed
8. Euchre
9. Beach Interfaith Outreach
10. Busy Bees Play Group welcomes children ages 0-3
11. There’s still time to send in your pledge for 2025!
Other Announcements and How to Give
12. Nursery now available during Sunday worship
13. Announcements for the Notices
14. Offerings
Notices for the Week of December 6, 2024 – December 13, 2024
1. Live Streaming at 10:30 a.m., Order of Service - The service will be live-streamed at the following link:
https://staidansinthebeach.com/live
Click here to view a PDF of the December 8th Service
2. Donations for Christmas music and flowers: Now is the time of year when we collect donations and dedications for special music and flowers to help us celebrate the joy of Jesus’ birth at Christmas. Deadline for donations and dedications is Sun., Dec. 15. You may donate online via our CanadaHelps page (https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/137723748RR0001-st-aidans-church/), being sure to select Christmas flowers and music from the pulldown menu (third down on the list). You may also bring cash or cheque to the church office or place in the offering plate.
Whichever way you choose to give, please be sure to specify who you are honouring or remembering with your gift. Thank you in advance for helping us to make our Christmas services extra special with this gift above and beyond your normal giving to the parish.
Opportunities to Gather & Grow
3. My Soul Magnifies the Lord—Advent Day of Retreat: Please save the date for our Advent Retreat Day, which will be on Sat., Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Nave (worship space) at St. Aidan’s. The Advent Retreat Day is free, but we do need to know how many to expect (for lunch and supplies). Sign up by Wed., Dec. 11. either on the form on the table in the church entryway or email: priest@staidansinthebeach.com
Our theme for the retreat is ‘My soul magnifies the Lord.’ Throughout the day our focus will be on Mary’s song (Luke 1: 46-55, the Magnificat), which we will engage through silent reflection, guided prayer, sacred music, visio divina (reflecting on visual art as a spiritual practice), small group conversation, and worship. A simple lunch will be served, and tea and coffee will be available throughout the day. Then, at 4 p.m., we will cap the day with our Advent Lessons and Carols service. (For those who’d like to come early, the Altar Guild welcomes any who would like to share in the work of preparing for Christmas by polishing the brass beginning at 9 a.m.).
4. This year’s Advent reflection book: Advent is the season in our church year when we prepare our hearts in anticipation for the birth of Jesus at Christmas. This Advent, our parish-wide Advent reflection book is Embracing Humanity by Isabelle Hamley. (It’s available on Kindle if you haven’t yet ordered a printed copy.) You can read it on your own or with your family, or if you would like to be part of a conversation group, we will offer two:
❦ In-person small group will meet on Sundays from 3-4 p.m. (Dec. 8, 15, and 22), at the Haven Cafe.
❦ Online small group will meet on Mondays at 7 p.m. (Dec. 9, 16, and 23). Email Rev. Becky at priest@staidansinthebeach.com for the Zoom link.
Opportunities to Share & Serve
5. We’re looking for new people to help host our coffee hour: Don’t worry, we’ll show you what to do to be a host! You can sign up with your family or friends to serve coffee, tea, and snacks. You can pick a Sunday that works for you, and you can help out once a month or just a few times a year. To sign up, you may find a sign-up sheet for hosting coffee hour in the church entryway (Narthex), or you may email Ella at ekeemmanuella0@gmail.com. We’d love to have you help out by signing up to host any Sunday through the end of February.
6. We’re looking for people to bake homemade treats for coffee hour: We're looking for volunteers to bring treats for our coffee hour on Sundays! Whether it's baked goods, snacks, or any other delicious offerings, we would love to have your contributions. Please remember to label any items for allergies. Email Ella at ekeemmanuella0@gmail.com if you're interested in bringing something for an upcoming coffee hour. Thank you for helping make our coffee hour special!
7. Out of the Cold volunteers needed: If you would be interested in volunteering one Monday evening a month to prepare and serve food for Out of the Cold guests, socialize with them, or help with clean up please speak with Bruce Mori or Deacon Michael Van Dusen (mjpvandusen@gmail.com). We will provide basic training for this important outreach ministry.
8. Euchre: Join us on Tuesday nights from 7-9 p.m. for a fun and friendly evening of progressive Euchre downstairs in the parish hall. Beginners welcome. Cost is $5.00 to play with all proceeds going to support St. Aidan’s community outreach to neighbours in need. Final meeting of 2024 is on Dec. 17; we will restart Jan. 7.
9. Beach Interfaith Outreach: Locations and dates for all lunches are listed in the Beach Metro News. The next lunch held here at St. Aidan’s is Tues., Dec. 10, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. As part of St. Aidan’s involvement in the Beach Interfaith Outreach Committee, we support the Grace Pascoe Care Centre. Your weekly donations (to the basket by the church office) are gratefully received.
10. Busy Bees Play Group welcomes children ages 0-3 and their caregivers on Thursdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in our Parish Hall. We offer stories, music, and activities. We are looking for lightly used toys for babies and toddlers for our Busy Bees Play Group. Do you like to bake? We are looking for people to bake peanut-free goodies for the Busy Bees Play Group. If you can support us in either of these ways, please speak with Elizabeth.
11. There’s still time to send in your pledge for 2025! It’s most helpful for our budget planning if we can know of your pledges by mid December. If you have a printed pledge card, please drop it by the church during the week, or place it in the offering plate on Sunday. To fill out the pledge card online, scan the above QR code (scroll down the page to the online pledge form) or you can find the same form online at: https://staidansinthebeach.com/stewardship
Other Announcements and How to Give
12. Nursery now available during Sunday worship: We will be offering nursery care for children ages 0-3 during the 10:30 a.m. service. The nursery is located in the Beech Room, adjacent to the main basement hall. For more information, please speak with Erika or Elizabeth.
13. Please submit new announcements for the weekly notices to Mary at office@staidansinthebeach.com by Wednesdays at 4 p.m. All notices are subject to incumbent’s approval, and will be edited for clarity and conciseness.
14. Offerings - Thank you for your support. There are a variety of ways to make your donation:
· PAG – set up monthly pre-authorized debits from your bank account directly to St. Aidan’s by completing the authorization form found on the Giving page of our website https://www.staidansinthebeach.com/giving
· PAG Changes – to change the amount of an existing donation, send an email with the details to donations@staidansinthebeach.com
· E-transfer – send to donations@staidansinthebeach.com
· Envelopes – to obtain a set of weekly offering envelopes, send a request to donations@staidansinthebeach.com
· Cheques should be payable to and can be mailed to: The Church of St. Aidan, 2423 Queen St E, Toronto, ON, M4E 1H6, or dropped in our secure mailbox beside the front door.
· Credit card – click on the link Canada Helps: St. Aidan's Church or scan the QR code below.