Announcements

Sunday February 23 following the 10:00 a.m. Service. Reports due in by Friday, Feb 7, 12:00 p.m.

Flowers from Joan Costigan in Loving Memory of Jim
and from Millie Stobart in Loving Memory of Bud.

Come join the Music Ministry for our Easter Celebrations. Rehearsals start on next Thursday, Feb. 6. @ 6:00 p.m. Talk to Lindsey, our Music Director if you are interested. Everyone welcome

A Heartfelt Thank You for the Generous Donation. We are overjoyed to announce that our church has been blessed with the donation of a brand-new drum kit, generously given by Robin King, Lindsey Mills, and Kari Vanderzee. This wonderful gift will greatly enhance our worship services, allowing us to elevate our music ministry and create an even more uplifting and spirited atmosphere.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Robin, Lindsey, and Kari for their kindness and support. Their generosity is a testament to their commitment to our church community and their belief in the power of music to inspire and bring people together. This drum kit will not only serve as an instrument of rhythm and joy but also as a symbol of their love and dedication to our congregation.

Thank you once again, Robin, Lindsey, and Kari, for your incredible contribution. May this new drum kit resonate with the sounds of praise and worship for years to come.

Fellow parishioners,

I wanted to share with you an idea about a meaningful use of your $200 rebate cheque from the Ford Government.

It would be helpful and would be putting it to good use by donating it to the church. This idea has been endorsed by the Parish Council and could go a long way to help our parish family and the community we serve. While each of us might benefit individually, think of all the good works we could do if we pooled our resources.

Karen Perry and Joanne Lynagh

As an extension to our bottle drive, we would like everyone to bring in their empty bottles for 2 weeks after Easter. Please save your bottles between now and Easter and bring them to the church the week of April 20 to May 4.

If you would like to continue to contribute to the bottle drive, you can return your empties to the beer store and donate your funds in the bottle drive collection box in the Narthex.
Thank you from Kari V

Special Moments In Our Parish Family For January

Birthdays

4th Peggy Kelly
5th Roger Herman
5th Sandra Thomson
12th Emmett Vendromin
14th Dawn Knox
15th Jeannette Alsop
18th David Browning
20th Katheen Rutherford
22nd Marg Smith
24th Don Alsop
26th Beverly Hamilton
27th Grace Lombarczki
28th Tim Bruinsma
29th Audrey Maire Doan

Anniversaries

11th Janet St. Amand & Doug Herod

You’re invited…

RiverBrink Art Museum is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition, Gẹ ̀lẹ ̀dẹ ́ and Friends, curated by Ayo Adewumi. Join us for the Opening Reception on Saturday, February 8, 3-5 pm.

The exhibition Gẹ ̀lẹ ̀dẹ ́ and Friends is drawn from the private collection of guest curator Ayo Adewumi. Born in Nigeria, Adewumi has collected ancestral and decorative masks, carvings, and metalworks over several years. The objects included in the exhibition offer a unique glimpse into the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Nigeria.

The exhibition will be on view at RiverBrink Art Museum from February 3 – April 26, 2025. The art museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10am-5pm.

Save the date:
Curator Talk with Ayo Adewumi
Friday, February 28 | 2-3pm
Please RSVP for Gẹ ̀lẹ ̀dẹ ́ and Friends Opening Reception and/or Curator Talk to Moyu Chen at
mchen@riverbrink.org

Last Sunday I announced that I will be taking a sabbatical this year. Sabbaticals are about rest and renewal, the word comes from the Hebrew word Sabbath, the seventh day of creation when God rested. If God needs a rest now and again so too then do ministers. It’s right in the Bible!

Why?
After at least 7 years of ministry and at least 2 years in a parish, Priest’s in our Diocese are eligible to take a 2 month sabbatical. A sabbatical is a paid leave from ministry to spend time in prayerful reflection, deep rest and further their theological education through reading or taking courses. In 2017 I had been given the Bishop’s permission to take a sabbatical however health problems arose a few months before and I needed to take a few months of sick leave and so decided to defer my sabbatical, so 8 years later I’m finally taking it!

When?
The Bishop has given her assent to my sabbatical which will be for the months of May and June. Then I will be on vacation for the first 3 weeks of July. I will be taking the remainder of my vacation time in September.

What?
During my sabbatical I am looking to go on a silent retreat, and I am looking at studying Indigenous Spirituality, seeing how it can impact and enhance my own spiritual practises, seeing where our understanding of God can be broadened by seeing God through a new lens. I am also planning to spend some time resting from the work I do in ministry to recharge my batteries as it were.

How?
This sabbatical is only possible for me because of the willingness of colleagues to help cover
services, the organizational abilities of Lindsey as Parish Administrator and the support of the
corporation, parish council and all of you. For all of this I am deeply grateful. There is a grant
available from the Diocese to help cover the cost of Sunday coverage, so the financial responsibilities from the parish are negligible.

Sunday Coverage
Sundays we will have a number of clergy taking services including our own Donald Brown and Wayne
Fraser as well as Archdeacon Bill Mous and Rev. Krista Hilton, the Chaplain at Brock University. As we get closer to May I will be giving you a full schedule as to who hill be celebrating and when.

I hope this helps to answer some questions but if you have others please feel free to contact me.
Yours in Christ,
Sheila

Forward Day by Day Books are in for February, March April. $2 donation to help offset the cost.
Thank you

A special thank you to you Kelly Twerdy and Lynne Mawson for their gift of time and talents in creating our beautiful church banners.

The office will be closed for Christmas break December 25 and reopen on Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025.

We will resume on Wednesday January 8, 2025.

Tuesday December 24 two services:
10:30 a.m. – Family Service

6:30 p.m. Come Early and Sing Along – Like an Old Fashioned Christmas Sing a Long
7:00 p.m. Candlelight Service

Wednesday Christmas Day @ 10:30 a.m.

Sign up sheet in the Narthex and donation envelopes are at the entrance of the church.

With the end of year fast approaching, if you have any expenses that need to be reimbursed, could you please submit your receipts by December 31st.
Thanks Kelly

Any clothing (shoes, socks etc.). All needed, especially this time of year. We now have a big box in the hallway.

Just want to let everyone know that I will be making mincemeat tarts for the Christmas season (first date for delivery will be 8th December). Cost will be $2.00 each or $20.00 per dozen. Please place the order in the butter tarts section of the order form and rather than raisin, pecan or plain write in mince.
Many thanks, Alice Murray

Statistics for November:
7 orders, 3 dozen butter tarts, One of each flavour, 4 Carrot Cakes (favourite this
month), 0 Streusel Bars, 1 Blueberry Lemon Loaf, $135.00 raised this month! Total raised $735.00! Thank you again to Alice for sharing your talents with us