We are an Affirming church
‘A CENTRE FOR SPIRITUAL LEARNING’
Core Values: Hospitality, Spiritual Growth, Inclusiveness, and Reaching Out
Our Mission: Life-changing ministry through Jesus Christ
Reaching Out
St. Aidan’s United Church, Victoria, B.C.
c.
The
Christmas shopping! Pledging! Offerings! Donations!
Does it seem to come at us from all sides at this time of year?
How do we make the practice of giving a spiritual exercise?
Perhaps we can look at intentions and actions…
- Giving with generosity (no matter how small the gift) rather
than obligation
- Giving with thankfulness rather than out of guilt
- Seeing it as an opportunity to show love, rather than showing
off
- Giving with no expectations of something in return
- Giving anonymously
- Sacrificing in order to give to another
- Giving to someone we don’t know
- Giving especially when we see a need
- And especially…Giving a helping hand!
This page – Giving with
spirit
INSIDE……..
REV. CHERYL BLACK –
‘Cheryl’s page’
An Advent Event
Epiphany Explorations
Casserole Caravan
Our Place
Thrift Shop
Pastoral Care
Rentals & Décor report
Spiritual Growth
Christmas at St. Aidan’s
Dec. 2015
So many ways to
give! Watch for
the hands
throughout.
I am glad to have this opportunity to address everyone at St. Aidan's. A newsletter is a valuable
communication tool and Janis and Sylvia surely do a great job! I hope you know how lucky St. Aidan's is
to have such dedicated people giving their time and talent to keeping you informed.
I've now been at St. Aidan's for 3 months and I really like what I see. What an active congregation you are with so
many entry points for new people to become involved. I love going to the Thrift Shop on Wednesdays and looking
at how each department is busy welcoming their customers/friends. There is an enterprising energy and spiritual
support tangible in the air.
The Bizarre was a very big energy both on the actual day and on the days leading up to 'the day' - what a warm
wonderful gathering of St. Aidan's past, present and, dare we hope, future?!!
I'm learning that St. Aidan's really gets behind these big projects - and I'm looking forward to seeing how this
energy, creativity and competence will give shape to your primary goal of becoming a centre of spiritual learning.
This is an exciting vision and a galvanizing focus for all of us and will alter the shape of St. Aidan's ministry within
the next few years.
Some of you have asked about my office hours so we might have a visit and get to know one another. On December 8, 15,
22, prior to Christmas, I invite you to drop into the church for Coffee break at 10 till 11 a.m. on Tuesday mornings. I'll put
on the coffee and bring in the shortbread cookies. Please come in and have a visit in the front parlour. It will be fun and
help us get to know one another.
Advent and Christmas are my favourite seasons of the Christian year and I'm excited to experience my first Christmas with
you folks here at St. Aidan's. I'm looking forward to the Carols for Christmas concert. I'm hoping there will be a good
turnout (at least enough to keep me on tune) for the Dec. 18 Carolling when we'll share our carols and joy with neighbours
and friends in the community. I'm looking forward to meeting the angels and shepherds and wise ones at the 7 p.m.
Pageant service on Christmas eve. I can hardly wait for the meditative 10 p.m. Christmas eve with harp and candlelight
and communion.
I think Christmas Eve will be delightful and beautiful this year at St. Aidans and I'm looking forward to it. Yet I cannot
imagine missing the birthday party for Jesus on Christmas morning. I've heard there will be angel food cake and ice cream
served along with our favourite carols. Do come along for an informal celebration that Jesus of Nazareth was born and grew
up to be a servant leader who changed the world and who still has the power to transform our lives and our action into
agents of hope, peace, joy and love.
-May joy and love abide with you and with those you care about this season.
---May peace and hope abide in the lives of all those who, like Mary and Joseph,
will be away from home and living in less than suitable surroundings this holy season.
-May we all know the presence of God's love shining on us and hear the angels sing
their song of hope: Peace on earth and goodwill to all.
With Love,
Cheryl and Pemberley*
CHERYL’S PAGE
*Shih Tzu – means ‘little lion’,
but this breed is a lover, not a
hunter. Happy and good-
natured, an ideal church dog!
When?
Friday, December 11 (4 pm to 6 pm)
Sunday, Dec. 13 (11 am -1 pm and after the 7 pm Carol Service)
Where?
St. Aidan’s United Church Chapel and Seminar Room
Cost?
A toonie (optional) to support the work of the downtown churches’
Out of the Rain ministry
How can you help?
We are asking congregational members to loan us their crèches acquired from their travels. If you would
like to loan a crèche, here’s what to do:
Crèches should be brought to church on Sunday, December 6th
well wrapped, packaged, and labeled with your
name. Accompanying your crèche should be a short explanation of where you acquired the crèche and what it
means to you. Worship Team members will carefully unwrap your crèche and take a photo of it once set up so
that we know how many precious pieces are included. Crèches can be picked up on Monday, December 14th
from the church office. We will have them wrapped and packaged back in the same box they arrived in. We
encourage you to invite your friends and neighbours to come and view the exhibition. We are grateful to former
church member, the late Helen Mogensen, for inspiring us to reinstitute the tradition she began many years ago.
Questions? Call Mary Kennedy 250-598-6094 or [email protected]
TASKS: Receiving crèches on Sunday, Dec. 6th and putting them in safekeeping until set up on Friday.
1. Set-up: Friday: 1 pm
a. Tables
b. Velvet cloth
c. Set up
d. Photos taken and names added to photos
e. CD player ready with music
f. Urn ready with paper cups and mulled cider
2. Monitoring the Exhibition Friday 4-6 pm (2 shifts) [clean urn]
3. Monitoring the Exhibition Sunday 11-1 pm (2 shifts) & After Carol Service
4. Taking down exhibition: either Sunday evening OR Monday morning 9 am
a. Packing up crèches,
b. Velvet cloth away
AN ADVENT EVENT – coming to a church near you!
Creches from around the world
Watch for updates
about our refugee
family from Carol
Munro and Frances
Stocks.
Tell your friends and
family about this joint
enterprise of St.
Aidan’s, Oak Bay United
and the Masjid al-Iman
Mosque. They may
wish to contribute in
some way.
Epiphany Explorations by Carol Donovan
St. Aidan’s is Partner with First Metropolitan
United for Epiphany Explorations, January 21-24,
2016 (epiphanyexplorations.ca)
St. Aidan’s is the first church to partner with First
Metropolitan for the annual EE spiritual learning
event hosted at First Metropolitan United Church
and attended by around two hundred people from
Canada and the United States. We are represented
on the planning committee as well as funding travel
for one speaker. In exchange, we have first choice
from invited speakers. San Francisco pastor and
gifted storyteller, Megan Rohrer, will speak at St.
Aidan’s on Sunday, January 24th, 2016. Author,
artist, activist and educator, Rev. Rohrer speaks on
issues of homelessness, sexuality and gender.
Tom Axworthy and Naomi Tutu are other
headliners among the great speakers at the EE
conference. Register before November 30th and get
a discount. Brochures are available in St. Aidan’s
Library. Volunteers would be appreciated and
would attend the event free of charge. Contact
Carol Donovan at St. Aidan’s (250-382-0655) or Al
Fowler (250-886-7817) at First Met United for more
information.
REFUGEE
FAMILY
Casserhat the Bazaar is over and CASSEROLE CARAVAN The Bazaar is over, the pies sold; the Pastoral Care freezer is empty. As you know part of our ministry is to provide emergency food on a short term basis for members of our congregation who need this little bit of help. If you can make a tasty casserole, some homemade soup, pasta sauce or a light chili we would love to fill the empty space we have. Portion sizes can vary from one to four. If it is something you like to eat, then it will go down well and is a wonderful way of "Reaching Out". You can contact Val Bauld 250 721 5962 or valbauld@ shaw.ca for more details.
Our Place
Now open longer hours, Our Place has
recruited 100 new volunteers. If you
would like to be involved with this
uplifting ministry, Ray Evans will tell
you how to go about it.
Monday, December 14 - CBC & Our Place
present readings from ‘A Christmas
Carol’ at Alix Goolden Hall at 7 p.m.
Tickets - $15 adults $5 children
Lyle’s Place, Ivy’s Bookstore, Our Place, on line
Cookies! Muffins! Cupcakes!
Do you love to bake? The Nutrition Bar
at Our Place loves to receive donations.
Just drop them off at the front desk at
Our Place and you will receive a big
thank-you!
Other popular items are fruit, buns, nuts,
or any finger food.
More anonymous giving…….
Look for the Angel Gift tree in the front entrance of St.
Aidan’s. Give a Christmas gift to an Our Place family
member.
HAPPINESS IN THE
THRIFT SHOP IS…..
-Opening a donation bag of clean
clothes
-Cleaning up a donation to make
it saleable
-Fixing an electrical device
-Giving a warm jacket, in good
repair, to Our Place
-A lot of saavy customers who
know good value
-Helping someone find just the
right outfit, appliance,
houseware item……..
-every Wednsday at 10 a.m.
…..And Cookies!
We are having another exciting year, recycling, selling and
sending off many donations to those who need them most. I
am always heartened by all the thought and care that goes into
decisions made by our sorters whose job it is to choose where
every single item ends up.
The same careful thought went into the decision about where
the 14% of our net revenue for 2015 was going to go. It was
finally decided that the whole amount, approximately $7,000,
should go to The Threshold Housing Society. "Their purpose
exists to serve youth from across Vancouver Island through
supported independent living. Providing positive role models
and constructive support helps youth in our community
navigate the challenges of school, work, relationships and life.
Many of these young people just need someone to believe in
them."
We have over 40 volunteers working in our thrift shop on a
regular basis. We always need more help and often in small
ways that make a huge difference. If you think you can help out
for even one half hour a week, please let us know. It means a
lot to our operation.
We need:-
1. Someone to bring boxes and bags from the office area down to the
hallway by the elevator on certain days of the week. ( We have
people who do this on some days.)
2. Someone to take our metal recycling to Steel Pacific when our
regular volunteer goes on vacation.
3. Someone to take electronics, such as TVs/computers to the bottle
recycle depot on Glanford Avenue when our regular person is unable
to do the delivery.
4. More people are needed to sort clothing, housewares such as
glassware, china and ornaments.
Thank you for giving this your prayerful consideration. Our team is a
most supportive and wonderful group to work with and the fact that
they very seldom miss a single day, reflects that they really enjoy
each other's company.
By Sylvia Campbell
By the
‘Secret
Sorter’
Pastoral Care Team News by Helen Pinel
Name Badges: Despite all our best intentions, many of us find it difficult to remember everyone’s name. Wearing one
of our St. Aidan’s Name Badges can sure help resolve this problem. There’s a sign-up sheet on the Library counter - you
can order a badge with a magnet ($10.50) or a pin-style ($9.25).
Healing Pathway: This is a therapy-based approach to health and healing for oneself and others. It draws on the wisdom of hands-on energy healing practices from a variety of faith traditions, and is helpful for releasing pain, stress reduction, supporting life transitions, and for spiritual awareness.
Healing Pathway treatments are available by appointment here at St Aidan’s - on
Monday mornings, and on Friday mornings or afternoons. There’s no cost for this
treatment. To make an appointment, please call Elizabeth Thornburn-Korolus (250-298-0747).
If you’d like to know a bit more about “Healing Pathway”, please speak to one of us on the
Pastoral Care team.
Pastoral Care Visitation:
This ministry is being carried out day-by-day in so many quiet, personal ways. We have several regular PC Visitors,
and many others of you, who reach out to a number of our St Aidan’s people, as well as to many folk beyond our St
Aidan’s community.
Our team members: Val Bauld, Rev. Cheryl Black, Puddie Curtis, Rev. Betty Anne Dempsey, Diane Kendall, Susan Kurushima, Jean
Margison, Phyllis McNaughton, Helen Pinel, Carol Sidhu, Moira Wightman
Our semi-annual meeting of visitors will be held Wed., Dec. 9, at 1:30 pm (Rooms A/B).- an opportunity for us to share together as we learn more about how to best support this ministry. Please feel free to join us - there will be coffee/tea and goodies!
Annual Christmas Communion and Tea:
This has become one of our very special Advent programs, and on December 8th, we will
once again host this special event, inviting many of our shut-ins and mobility impaired
people to celebrate and share together in a Communion Service, and then to have some
social time afterwards with tea and Christmas goodies - and lots of conversation and
laughter.
For several years now, members of the Worship Team have joined us in supporting and
assisting with this event. As well, others help with greeting, driving and just being present.
This has become a “feel good” occasion for ALL of us - a real privilege, as we
share together!
DID YOU KNOW?
Partner/neighbour free rentals at St. Aidan's
Presbytery Pensioners
Victoria Presbytery
Mt Tolmie Community Association
Blockwatch
SingYourJoy
Shelbourne Community Kitchen
Out of the Rain (soup making)
U Vic Chaplaincy (Henri Locke)
• District of Saanich
New Year -New Paint
We are looking for exciting things to happen at St.Aidan’s in 2016. As a start to the New Year we are undergoing a long needed redecoration of many areas of our building.
Bl Black Dog Painting will be in our building from Dec. 21 until Jan. 8th. (This time period has been found to be the most economical to have the work done.) They will be starting downstairs so as not to impact on our Christmas celebrations. They will continue after Christmas upstairs in the Great Hall and other adjoining room. We appreciate your patience during this time.
Shirley Hannaford & Marilyn Smith
BOOK CLUB by Janis Evans
The Bookworms last meeting
of the year will be on Dec. 2.
We will be discussing Chapter
7 of Christianity After Religion
by Diana Butler-Bass. On Jan.
6 we will conclude our study of
this book and choose another
for the winter/spring season.
If anyone wishes to start a book
club on another day or an
evening, please contact a
member of the Spiritual Growth
Team and we will help you.
ADVENT GIFT TREE
What would you give the earth for Christmas? Look for
the Gift Tree in the great hall and write your wish list
for our planet.
- and on the same bulletin board….
The Nativity scene – what does the picture say to you?
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
TEAM
Reel Spirituality - Movie Night at St. Aidan's
By Maureen Koch
Once a month, a few St Aidan's movie buffs gather in the Seminar Room to watch a film. Some say we watch movies to escape life, but I believe it is often the opposite - that we watch them in order to live more deeply. Why watch movies in a church, you might ask? Well, we are together; we sit in the dark, knowing that we are collectively entering another world and when the lights go on, we will be bound by a story and surprised by the grace revealed. Frederic & Mary Ann Brussat say, "Some movies are close encounters with the stories of our lives. They help us identify the many voices within us....Some are rendezvous with the shadow sides of life.... They show us how others have dealt with change & loss, success & death. They open a window into the profound mysteries of life and love, good and evil. Many reveal signs of God's presence in daily life".
Do you have some creative ideas for spiritual growth at St. A’s?
Join us at a meeting or better still, join the team!
Members to contact: Maureen Koch, Andrea Hubbard, Cheryl
Black, Jack Dayton, Janis Evans
Christmas at St. Aidan’s
Carols by candlelight
Sunday, Dec. 13, 7 p.m
-with all of St. Aidan’s choirs
Christmas Eve
Thursday, Dec. 24,
7 p.m. A family-friendly service with lots of singing
10 p.m. A heartfelt, meditative service with
candlelight, harp and communion
Christmas Day
Friday, Dec. 25
10 a.m. A birthday party for Jesus!
CONTACT US
St Aidan’s United Church
3703 St. Aidan’s St.
Victoria, BC
V8P 2V7 250-477-2089
[email protected] www.staidansunited.com Facebook – staidan
www.staidansunited.com
staidansunited
Ministers
Rev. Cheryl Black
Rev. Betty Anne Dempsey –
Pastoral care
NEWSLETTER CO-EDITORS
Sylvia Campbell
Janis Evans