Read the newsletter of the Central Saint John Ministry from Jasmine and Terence Chandra.
Monthly Archives: December 2017
Warm hearts far away help outreach program
BEAUTIFUL – Outreach Committee Chair Penny Ericson and volunteer Rose MacDonald delightedly show off some of the many scarves, hats, mittens, socks, and lap robes handcrafted by two generous women from Nova Scotia who wanted to help make Christmas brighter for people in need in Fredericton. The items will be distributed at the Monday morning drop-in December 18th along with other Christmas goodies.
How long would it take you to handcraft 41 hats, 38 scarves, four pairs of mittens, four pairs of socks, and three lap robes?
In my case, it would take until the 12th of Never to create 90 items because I lack talent and patience to knit or crochet.
For two women from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, it took only a few months, and they accomplished the task on top of making lovely things for their family and friends, tending large vegetable gardens, and living busy lives.
This Christmas the cathedral’s Monday morning guests will be the recipients of beautiful and useful items handmade by Mary Coffill Deveau of Kentville and her friend, Trina Long, who lives at Sunken Lake near Wolfville.
It’s not the first Christmas they have presented such a generous gift to people in need in Fredericton – people neither woman has ever met.
“We enjoy making things, and we love helping people,” says Mary, adding “everyone deserves something warm and pretty to wear in the harsh cold of winter.”
Mary and Trina frequently knit and crochet for organizations in the Annapolis Valley that help the poor, but she has heard much about the cathedral’s Monday morning drop-in from her sister-in-law, Ann Deveau, who volunteers with the program.
We thought it would be fun to help because that’s what Christmas is all about, isn’t it?” Mary asks. “Give from your heart to people less fortunate than yourself.
The Outreach Committee is extremely grateful for the huge donation of colourful knit and crochet items which were shared with guests at a Christmas gathering on Monday morning, Dec. 18th. The gift bags also contained a Christmas card, gift card, candy, toiletries, socks, and cookies homemade by parishioners at St. Margaret’s Anglican Church. Small gift bags with goodies for children will be provided by parishioners from New Maryland United Church.
Ann Deveau
2017 Christmas Pastoral Letter
Late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail, the incarnate deity,
pleased as one of us to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Christmas 2017
Dear friends,
For many, December is one of the busiest of months. Expectations run high with the promise that this year, the seasonal celebration will be the best ever. We want to celebrate, in fact we should. What happens when we see that we might not meet all of those expectations? Maybe most of all, our own?
Perhaps there’s always need to roll back the expectation meter and take a fresh look at what Christmas, and the Advent that leads us there, is really all about. We might be shocked to discover just how easy maneuvering Christmas should be after all.
The truths we enjoy and remember at Christmas should be straight forward: God enters into our experience. God is not far away. God visited this world in the person of Jesus Christ some two thousand years ago. In Jesus, we often say, “heaven was wedded to earth.” The boundary between the divine and what is of the earth became very thin indeed. “Christ is the image of the unseen God …” (Colossians 1:15)
Many have difficulty to believe God could inhabit the earth in such a way. That virgin birth, what’s up with that? And many celebrate Christmas anyway. It is the revealing of a message that God cared enough about us to become one of us. Christmas has extended itself far beyond the Church and the Faith where it began. The approach taken by the Church for centuries is to recognize that God is in all things and that even the secularism of a culture can still be touched with truth revealed. Santa, parties, cards, cookies and caroling can all contribute to our devotion without becoming themselves the object of our worship. Let’s be ever mindful of whom we offer our worship.
Truth in a person. Jesus is the very Word of God incarnate and to him every word of scripture points. The Godhead, veiled in flesh. The incarnate deity, pleased as one of us to dwell. All things will one day find their fulfilment in him and we look to the day when we are with him in the place of eternal joy and light. “In him was life, and that life was the light of all people.” (John 1:4)
May your home be a place of comfort and joy as you take heart in that revelation received long ago but still today. And may the very presence of God, be with you and with those for whom you care this season and beyond.
Sincerely,
Christmas offering envelopes are included in our numbered boxed sets
Make a Christmas offering Online HERE
Geoffrey
Dean of Fredericton
Read or download in PDF format here
Christmas Worship 2017
Fourth Sunday of Advent (24 Dec)
10:00 a.m.
Christmas Eve (24 Dec)
4:00 p.m. (contemporary)
8:00 p.m. (11:45 style)
11:00 p.m. (traditional)
Christmas Day(25 Dec)
10:00 a.m.
First Sunday after Christmas (31 Dec)
8:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
11:45 a.m.
New Years Day (01 Jan)
11:00 a.m.
Please contact the Cathedral Office (506) 450 8500
to schedule a Home Communion.
Bishop and Chapter News – Dec 2017
Bishop and Chapter met on Monday, 11 December 2017 with ten of twelve members present. Minutes of 20 November 2017 were adopted. The Dean led a reflection on the O Antiphons of Advent which included consideration of associated scripture.
Business Arising
• Cathedral By-Law - amended version as proposed was approved by the Bishop of Fredericton 01 December 2017 and posted to the web
• Safe Church Forms - forms tabled in November with minor revisions to be considered
• Chapter Vacancy - a motion to recommend a Bishop’s appointment of Lynn Meehan as Hospitality/Welcoming/Membership chair
• Committee Terms of Reference - the intention is for the Executive to work with Chapter members to assure that terms of reference exist for each Committee of the Chapter
For Discussion
The Road Home (Fredericton Project to End Homelessness) - Penny Erikson addressed the Chapter about this current project following the “Housing First” philosophy. Possibilities for the Cathedral to be involved were briefly discussed. There will be an appeal to Anglican parishes in and around the City. An information session with more details will be planned during January. Visit the website <roadhomefredericton.com> to explore.
Items for Decision
• Approval of Forms - two forms adopted for use:
- Permission for Personal Health Information Release Form
- Volunteer Information Form
From the Dean
• Normal - 3 home visits, 4 visits to hospital, diocesan and Cathedral meetings
• Seasonal - preparations in process
Reports
• Treasurer - briefed the Chapter on several items:
- update on current financials and the 2017 budget
- thanks and a reminder to be sent to those who pledged support for parish nursing
- requirements for up-coming review engagement in January
- preliminary information preparing a budget for 2018
• Buildings and Property - some additional lighting changes to LED and considering renovation work to Cathedral south door and porch
• Formation - Life in the Eucharist completed, Godly Play, Taizé worship. ALPHA concludes this week.
• Administration and Finance - Records management project continues. Facilitated completion of forms (Decision)
• Mission and Outreach - Belize Mission, progress on Community Kitchen Teams coordination
• Health and Pastoral Care - progress toward budget needs for 2018; Afternoon Tea held on 07 December
• Hospitality/Welcoming/Membership - Lynn Meehan attended as guest and is looking forward to offering leadership in this area
Annual Report - final deadline for reports is 31 January. Committee Chairs to facilitate collection before that date.
Up-coming
17 December - Christmas Lessons and Carols
24 December - 10 am; 4, 8, 11 pm
25 December - 10 am
01 January - 11 am New Years with the Bishop
27 January - Belize Mission
Next meetings:
22 January. 19 February, Annual Meeting 25 February 2018 GMH
Portrait of a (formerly) homeless woman – Sandy Robb
Sandy Robb has fought for everything she has – most especially for her life and her home, because neither has been certain. She was the guest speaker at the Dec. 6, 2017 gathering of the Christ Church Cathedral ACW, which drew a large crowd.
* * * * *
Read the full article, written by Gisele McKnight and published in the February 2018 edition of the NB Anglican.
See Sandy in the short documentary film ‘The Rest Will Follow’, a collaboration of DocTalks, the Community Action Group on Homelessness and Housing First.
Music Monthly – December 2017
Sunday 3 December – First Sunday of Advent
10.00: Choral Eucharist (BAS)
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland – Praetorius
Missa l’hora passa – Viadana
Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18
The Lord will come and not be slow – Tye
108, 446, 88, 48, 110
Prelude on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 661 – Bach
4.00: Advent Procession
The Great Advent Antiphons
Matin Responsory – Palestrina
Remember, O thou man – Ravenscroft
There is a flower springing – Praetorius
Rejoice in the Lord alway – Anon. 16th century
How beautiful upon the mountains – Stainer
Magnificat (Short Service) – Weelkes
Vesper Responsory – Praetorius
89, 98, 103, 110
Carillon de Longchamp – Vierne
Sunday 10 December – Second Sunday of Advent
10.00: Choral Eucharist with Great Litany (BCP)
Wood in the Phrygian Mode
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 O praise the Lord, all ye heathen – Batten
599, 111, 393, 96, 108
Postlude in D – Smart
Sunday 17 December – Third Sunday of Advent
10.00: Choral Eucharist (BAS)
Almighty and everlasting God – Gibbons
Missa Secunda – Hassler
Psalm 126
This is the record of John – Gibbons
98, 103, 109, 102, 101
Pavane la Battaille – Susato
4.00: Nine Lessons and Carols
Special Order of Service
Sunday 24 December – Fourth Sunday of Advent
10.00: Choral Eucharist (BCP)
Gabriel’s message – arr. Pettman
Darke in E
Magnificat – Sumsion in G
Hail, blessed Virgin Mary – arr. Wood
114, 267, 116, 268, 362
Fugue on the Magnificat BWV 733 – Bach
Christmas Eve
11.00: Christmas Eucharist (BCP)
Ding! Dong! Merrily on high – arr. Wood
Messe de Minuit de Nöel – Charpentier
Psalm 96
In the bleak midwinter – Darke
118, 121, 140,126 , 138
Toccata-Prelude on Vom Himmel hoch – Edmundson
Sunday 31 December – First Sunday after Christmas
Choral Eucharist (BAS)
Adam lay ybounden – Ord
German Mass – Schubert
Psalm 148
Nunc Dimittis – Sumsion in G
155, 88, 150, 132, 154
Prelude on In dulci jubilo BWV 729 – Bach