The Christmas Season is upon us and with it comes memories of Christmases past. We have once again asked members of the congregation to share some of their favourite Christmas memories with us so that we can share them with you. We hope you will enjoy a little glimpse into the memories shared here and perhaps be encouraged to share yours as well.
“My favourite childhood memories revolve around Christmas Eve. There was a feeling of great anticipation in the house as we all got ready for the evening church service, which kicked off the festivities. It was exciting to get “dressed up” for a special outing. And although we’d had all day to get ready there was always a last-minute rush to get us four kids out the door and into the car. Inevitably, Dad had to stay back for a few minutes because he couldn’t find his keys, or his gloves, or his hat. It was only much later that I realized that he was busy putting gifts under the tree. You see, it was during the Christmas Eve service that Santa visited our house, as he brought gifts to help us celebrate Jesus’s birth. The service was filled with carols, and I remember looking forward to the next 'song' – some things don’t change! Upon returning home, we would dash to the living room to see whether Santa had arrived and we would be amazed at what was waiting for us. Mom would prepare a feast, and we would enjoy special treats. When we headed to bed, our hearts – and bellies – were full.”
- Submitted by Monique Gignac
“When I was about 7 years old, we moved from Saint John to Lower Lincoln. Our home church became St. John’s Anglican in Oromocto. We always attended the 'late service' Christmas Eve, and that alone, lent a special air to the evening. Being allowed to stay up 'till midnight was absolutely unheard of in any other circumstances! I can almost feel the giddy anticipation of getting dressed up in our finest and heading out with a quick visit to the living room to check out the Christmas tree and making sure it was unplugged. I remember the manger scene at the front of the church but most of all I remember singing my little heart out. There’s nothing like a Christmas carol to make me want to sing! And when the service was all over, I remember stepping outside into the frosty night air and being surrounded by folks exchanging hugs and sharing best wishes with each other. Such a strong all-encompassing feeling of warmth, of kinship, and excitement all rolled into one. And maybe, just maybe, there might have been a quick glance at the sky to check for possible sleighs, before getting in the car and heading home for the most exciting sleep of the year."
The Sanctuary Guild of Christ Church Cathedral encourages gifts for flowers in memory or as a thank offering at the High Altar and throughout the Cathedral, at any time and especially at festival times of the church year.
Forms must be received in the Cathedral office by Wednesday, December 18, 2024 to have memorials published in the Christmas bulletin. Thank you.
Complete this form and return it to the Cathedral Office. Paper copies are available at the back of the Cathedral and at the Office.
Payments may be made by cash, cheque, or online donation (be sure to indicate memorial flowers, and the names to be listed in the bulletin).
Christ Church Cathedral Bishop and Chapter is currently seeking for its membership an individual to chair the Christian Formation Committee. This committee’s primary responsibility is “to guide and sustain opportunities that will enable and encourage the development and growth of cradle to grave Christian formation”—and the Committee chair will take leadership in meeting that responsibility.
Position Description – The Committee chairperson will work with a team of dedicated volunteers who are interested in Christian Education and Formation opportunities at the Cathedral including responsibility for the support of the Director of Christian Formation, the Godly Play leadership team, the Mothers’ Union, and other formation program leaders. (These programs currently include but are not limited to Godly Play, Cathedral Youth Group (CYG), sacramental preparation, Art & Faith, Taizé, and special liturgical-seasonal offerings such as the Cathedral ADVENT-ures and Ad-LENT-ures).
Importantly, the committee chair is a member of Bishop and Chapter and the liaison between The Chapter and all Christian formation programs.
Responsibilities
Schedule and conduct meetings of the Christian Formation Committee
Complete reports for Bishop and Chapter, and attend Chapter meetings
Submit budgetary requirements and requests to the Chapter
Coordinate the completion of a year-end Committee report for the Annual Congregational Meeting
Benefits
Ongoing development and enhancement of your own faith
Fellowship opportunities
Knowledge of Bishop and Chapter activities and processes
Opportunity to help all members of our Cathedral community to grow and deepen in their life of faith
The gratification of meaningful and hard work—and the FUN!
This is a volunteer position open to all members of the Cathedral family eligible for Bishop and Chapter membership. The position will begin with election in March 2025. Please speak to any member of the Nominating Committee – Jane Hand, Jill Dunderdale, Kurt Schmidt, Dean Geoffrey Hall) if interested or if you require further information. Contact can also be made through the Cathedral Office (506) 450- 8500.
The Christmas Season is upon us and with it comes memories of Christmases past. We have once again asked members of the congregation to share some of their favourite Christmas memories with us so that we can share them with you. We hope you will enjoy a little glimpse into the memories shared here and perhaps be encouraged to share yours as well.
Christmas in the Deanery
Submitted by Ashley Walton Bird
"2021 was our first Christmas at the Deanery and the first Christmas together for John and me. We had a large Christmas party that year with our friends and family and it was one of my best Christmas memories to date. I can still hear the Christmas music and recall the delicious scent of the holiday desserts and appetizers. The best part was having everyone we love under one roof enjoying the togetherness of the Christmas Season."
Note: Ashley and John live in the former Deanery of the Cathedral, located between Christ Church Cathedral and Memorial Hall. They have been restoring the house, and you can see some photos of the interior below and on John's Instagram page, The Lost Loyalist.
Ms Jane Martinez is the Principal of St. Hilda's School in Belize, and also facilitates the Cathedral scholarship program for graduates of St. Hilda's elementary school. She recently sent an update about our scholarship students: Korey Kelly (grade 12), Caleb Martinez (grade 11), Sylvia Trapp (grade 10), and new scholarship recipient Amalio Revolorio (grade 9). Please keep the high school students, elementary school students, their families and teachers in your prayers.
You can donate to the Belize mission (scholarship program and yearly support for the elementary school) anytime by marking your offering envelope or donating online. This program makes a huge different in many lives, and your support is sincerely appreciated.
Greetings Rebecca,
I pray that this email finds you well. It seems that each year starts with new challenges and I have to share myself in different directions.
Our students have started out well. They are all excited about the new school year, especially Amalio. His mom said that he kept praying that he would get the opportunity to go to high school. His prayers were answered. I got reports that he is the top performer in his class.He is also the class president. Thank you so much for giving him this opportunity.
Silvia also received awards for her performance last school year. I am sharing those with you. I spoke with each recipient and encouraged them to work hard this school year. We are looking forward to great results.
Please express our sincere gratitude to our friends who support us. I cannot explain how much their support means to us. We are eternally grateful that you chose St. Hilda's. This year we have 141 students. Our preschool is in its third year . We recently erected a fence for the safety of the preschoolers. We will be making other improvements soon.
One of our parents was the victim of a house fire last week. The lightning struck her house and everything burned to the ground. Caleb also lost his grandmother at the end of September. She suffered from a heart attack. Please continue to keep us in prayer as we continue to minister to these children. We love you all.
Blessings, Jane
About the Cathedral's Belize High School Scholarship Program
In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of tuition for high school. High school is not publicly funded in Belize, and many families do not have the financial ability to pay for their children to attend. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line.
Currently, the congregation of Christ Church Cathedral provides scholarships for four students who would not able to attend high school without support. Each scholarship is $1000 CAD per year, and we currently support one student in each of the four grades of high school. This additional education provides the teenagers with important skills and opportunities which can improve their lives.
The Cathedral has a special relationship with the staff and students of St. Hilda’s Anglican School, an elementary in the rural village of Georgeville. Over two hundred children attend the school, ranging between kindergarten and grade 8, in addition to a recently established preschool.
Cathedral teams have travelled to Belize five times: in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018. Over 60 Cathedral members ranging in age from 15 to 79 have participated in a mission trip to Belize, and hundreds of people in Fredericton have supported the work at St. Hilda's through organizational support, donations and prayers.
In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed students from St. Hilda’s to apply for a scholarship to continue their education past grade 8. Some of the graduates supported by the Cathedral have continued on to post-secondary education, and all have gained knowledge and experience that will help them in their future.
We are grateful for all who have helped to provide scholarships for these teenagers, and support for programs at the elementary school. Learn more about our mission work in Belize.
You can contribute to the mission in Belize through offering envelopes or donate online.
If you are interested in participating in future endeavors benefiting the students in Belize, please contact the Cathedral Office to connect with members of the Belize mission committee.
Why not add something to your devotional life to mark a fresh start?
Choose from the following list of diverse opportunities on the Advent weekdays to deepen your prayer and/or study and/or worship.
MONDAYS - beginning 2 December
The Four Last Things: Seasonal study of the traditional eschatological themes—death, judgment, hell and heaven. Facilitated by the Dean, Geoffrey Hall. 1:00-2:00 pm in the Boardroom; online connection option.
* Email to register <dean at christchurchcathedral.com>
TUESDAYS - beginning 3 December
Taizé Worship: A simple and contemplative half hour of scripture, prayer, silence and song. 5:30 p.m. start.
3 and 17 December on Zoom
10 December in-person and livestreamed from the Cathedral
* Link through the Cathedral Calendar or from Kurt.
WEDNESDAYS - beginning 4 December
Celtic Advent Spirituality Series: Contemplative ideas and practices for Advent and beyond, presented in the “Threshold Gathering” model/format. Led by Kurt Schmidt. In-person, 3:00-4:30 pm, Memorial Hall Lounge.
* Please reserve your seat with Kurt for any/all sessions.
THURSDAYS - beginning 28 November
Art & Faith: Conversation and short, guided weekly meditation on a work of sacred art related to the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel and in the tradition of Ignatian (imaginative) contemplation. 5:30-6:00 p.m. on Zoom.
* Link through the Cathedral Calendar or from Kurt.
DAILY / ONGOING
Divine Office: Regular, short daily prayer opportunity in the Cathedral. Morning Prayer at 8:45 a.m., Evening Prayer at 4:45 p.m. Weekdays.
* Just drop in any time -- or sign up to lead!
Dante Group: But reading not-Dante now! Led by Alan Hall. Thursday evenings, 7:00-8:00 p.m., Cathedral Memorial Hall Lounge.
* Just drop in any time!
Holy Eucharist: Wednesday mornings, 10:00 a.m. in the Cathedral.
You are encouraged to add at least one new Advent-ure to your schedule this year!
Questions or expressions of interest can be communicated to Cathedral Director of Christian Formation, Kurt Schmidt by email <formation at christchurchcathedral.com> or by phone/text to (506) 259-3711. Thank you, and Advent Blessings!
Join Deacons Isabel Cutler and Debbie Edmondson for a new program called Listen, Love and Pray: Grief and Loss Support.
Growing in faith, grace, gratitude, hope, and love - holding space for being together with loss. People feeling grief and loss of all types will gather to reflect and support each other’s experiences.
Beginning Monday, 09 December 7:00-9:00 p.m. and continuing on the second Monday of each month. Cathedral Memorial Hall, Lounge, 168 Church Street, Fredericton.
Mothers' Union volunteers served students at university 'Pause Tables' in April 2024. Held during exam weeks, the event has become a welcome tradition.
The 'Pause Table' initiative has become one that is welcomed by university students during exam week.
Campus ministries at the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University are once again collaborating with faith communities to host the Pause Tables during upcoming exams, and the Cathedral branch of Mothers' Union will be participating again this year.
Volunteers will provide free food, beverages, a listening ear, and conversation, and handwritten personalized notes to give students a break from studying. Mothers’ Union will host a Pause Table on Monday, 09 December, 2024.
Donations of food from the congregation would be greatly appreciated. Non-perishable items such as hot chocolate, granola bars, juice boxes, microwaveable noodles etc.) can be delivered to the Hall Kitchen any day during office hours (9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon). Perishable items (baked goods, sandwiches, fruit, etc.). can be dropped off on Sunday, 08 December during services. Please mark items for UNB.
Mothers' Union also welcomes anyone who would like to spend some time at the Pause Table interacting with students. Contact Diane Nash <mrsnash68 at gmail.com> or Susan Watson <bagel.watson at hotmail.com> if you have any further questions or wish to be added to the schedule for that day.
The Robinson and McKnight girls helped to decorate the trees in the Cathedral.
Sixty-five paper angels from Greener Village (the Fredericton food bank) are waiting to be chosen from small Christmas trees in the Cathedral. Each requests a specific Christmas gift for a needy boy or girl in our city.
Please print your name and telephone number on one of the clipboards to indicate which angel you're adopting (each clipboard lists different numbers). This is important in case you misplace your angel, and helps us keep track of the gifts. Bring the unwrapped gift, with the paper angel firmly attached, to the Cathedral on Sunday, 24 November. Drop-off boxes will be set up near the angel tree.
If you can't bring your gift on Sunday, please take it to the Cathedral Office any weekday between 9 a.m. and noon. The final deadline is Monday, 25 November at 12:00 noon.
Please mark your calendar - the Outreach Committee will have to buy any gifts missing at the final deadline.
If you have previously participated in this program, you will notice a change to the angels. This year, instead of asking for stocking stuffers, Greener Village is requesting a $25 Regent Mall gift card. This will allow parents the flexibility to choose stocking stuffers that suit their child's unique interests.
For over 30 years, the Angel Tree program in Fredericton has provided gifts for children in need, and the Cathedral congregation has been involved for over 25 years. The need is great, and this year, Greener Village anticipates filling wishes for over 2000 children in our city.
Another way to give:
Would you prefer to support Christmas outreach initiatives in a different way? Write a cheque payable to Christ Church Cathedral and indicate Christmas Outreach on the memo line or mark your offering envelope. As in past years, these funds will be divided equally among the Fredericton Homeless Shelters, Women in Transition House Inc. and the Fredericton Community Kitchen. Please deliver these cheques to the Cathedral Office by Friday, 13 December, to allow time for distribution to the charities.
“My favourite childhood memories revolve around Christmas Eve. There was a feeling of great anticipation in the house as we all got ready for the evening church service, which kicked off the festivities. It was exciting to get “dressed up” for a special outing. And although we’d had all day to get ready there was always a last-minute rush to get us four kids out the door and into the car. Inevitably, Dad had to stay back for a few minutes because he couldn’t find his keys, or his gloves, or his hat. It was only much later that I realized that he was busy putting gifts under the tree. You see, it was during the Christmas Eve service that Santa visited our house, as he brought gifts to help us celebrate Jesus’s birth. The service was filled with carols, and I remember looking forward to the next 'song' – some things don’t change! Upon returning home, we would dash to the living room to see whether Santa had arrived and we would be amazed at what was waiting for us. Mom would prepare a feast, and we would enjoy special treats. When we headed to bed, our hearts – and bellies – were full.”
“When I was about 7 years old, we moved from Saint John to Lower Lincoln. Our home church became St. John’s Anglican in Oromocto. We always attended the 'late service' Christmas Eve, and that alone, lent a special air to the evening. Being allowed to stay up 'till midnight was absolutely unheard of in any other circumstances! I can almost feel the giddy anticipation of getting dressed up in our finest and heading out with a quick visit to the living room to check out the Christmas tree and making sure it was unplugged. I remember the manger scene at the front of the church but most of all I remember singing my little heart out. There’s nothing like a Christmas carol to make me want to sing! And when the service was all over, I remember stepping outside into the frosty night air and being surrounded by folks exchanging hugs and sharing best wishes with each other. Such a strong all-encompassing feeling of warmth, of kinship, and excitement all rolled into one. And maybe, just maybe, there might have been a quick glance at the sky to check for possible sleighs, before getting in the car and heading home for the most exciting sleep of the year."
