The motto of the Guild of St. Joseph is “Serving God and Church with heart and hands.” The focus is the maintenance and repair of the fabric of the Cathedral, the Green, and Memorial Hall.
Once again, the Guild (affectionately known as the "Holy Joes") held a Christmas Reception with invited guests. This year's was a bit different in that they chose to hold it after Christmas, on Twelfth Night afternoon. It was a lovely gathering of food and friends, to ring in the New Year.
The Guild hosts an annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, provides a Halloween watch, spring flood watch and the 'Greening of the Cathedral' during Advent. They have done many repair and beautification projects, and have resumed the “Guild Work Period” where, once a month, members gather to perform required maintenance work.
The group meets in the Hall Lounge on the first Tuesday of each month (September through June), and warmly welcomes new members. For more information, speak with the Guild President, Gary Barfitt, any member, or contact the Cathedral Office.
On Sunday 14 January, middle school members of Cathedral Youth Group -- along with a smattering of friends, parents and younger siblings -- took advantage of lovely winter conditions and went for an evening skate around Fredericton's newest ice track at Officers' Square. Warm apple cider and cookies were also enjoyed.
Such a blessing and a pleasure to revive our CYG Skate Nite tradition!
Did you know that faith-full young adults hang out in the Cathedral on some Friday nights?!
That's right -- since September, a small group of YA-types (people aged between 19 and 30) have been getting together at the Cathedral for biweekly 'Friday Night Lights' gatherings. These gatherings comprise food, fun, fellowship and faith in an informal, no-stress environment.
And a few members of the crew will be preparing in early 2024 for a pilgrimage experience in/to Grand Manan Island in May!
For more information about Friday Night Lights and/or the pilgrimage, please contact Kurt Schmidt, the Diocesan Director of Young Adult Formation.
We received this letter from Ms. Jane Martinez, the Principal of St. Hilda's Anglican School. It's wonderful to hear about our friends in Belize. Please keep the teachers, students and their families in your prayers.
Greetings Kelley,
It's so wonderful to hear from you.
We started off the school year with major challenges because I had three teachers out and no replacement. I had to go into the classroom until the end of November and the management shuffled teachers from other schools so I could have gotten some assistance. With all the challenges, our first part of the year went well. Our enrollment went up and we have a feeding program in place for an average of 50 children daily.
We are planning to get our playground and fencing project for the preschool going this year.
Thanks so much for thinking of us and for the continued support. Here's a video of our children showcasing activities for the first term.
Love and appreciate you all. I pray that this year will be a blessed one.
The Good and Beautiful Life: Putting on the Character of Christ
By James Bryan Smith
Intervarsity Press / 2010 / 264 pages
According to Dr. Smith, we have bought into false notions of happiness and success. It is these false notions that lead us down the pathways into vices such as lying, anger, lust and judging.
The Good and Beautiful Life follows the Sermon on the Mount guiding us to replace our false beliefs with Jesus’ description of life in the Kingdom of God.
The book is divided into twelve chapters such as Learning to Live Without Anger and Learning to Live Without Worry and Living in the Kingdom Day by Day. As Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline says, “Dr. Smith has thought long and hard about the process of human transformation into the likeness of Jesus.”
The book begins with the following: I have never met a person whose goal was to ruin his or her life. We all want to be happy, and we want it all of the time.
What follows is a course in learning to live the way Jesus taught us to live. It is the result of a desire to create a “Curriculum for Christlikeness”.
- by Gail MacGillivray
About the Author:
James Bryan Smith is a theology professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, as well as the director of the Christian Spiritual Formation Institute there. A writer and speaker in the area of Christian Spiritual formation, Jim Smith is a founding board member Renovare. Smith is an ordained United Methodist Church minister and has served in various capacities in local churches. He is also the author of A Spiritual Formation Workbook, Devotional Classics (with Richard Foster), Embracing the Love of God, Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven and Room of Marvels.
Dean Geoffrey Hall and Cathedral Treasurer Jamie Yeamans were pleased to visit Montgomery Street School on 15 December to present a donation to help children in need at the school. They were welcomed by Principal David Burrell and several children, who were thankful for the $2000 donation toward the school lunch and winter clothing programs.
Members of the Cathedral congregation had contributed to a Giving Tuesday campaign to support the programs at the school, which has a number of children in need.
Montgomery Street Elementary School is located up the hill from Christ Church Cathedral, beside the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University. It has a diverse student body. Approximately 250 children are enrolled in Kindergarten to Grade 5, and the child to parent ratio is high. Its Home and School Association, a volunteer group of parents, guardians and staff representatives, regularly fundraises for school initiatives and to support students and families in need.
This is the third year that the Cathedral congregation has been involved. In 2021 and 2022, donated funds were directed towards the lunch program and ensuring that children in need have adequate winter clothing to safely enjoy Fredericton's winter climate. In 2021, funds also helped to create sensory rooms for children with developmental challenges.
We're grateful for the contributions to this community outreach project which will help to feed and clothe our neighbours in need.
Principal Burrell shared this message for our congregation:
I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation on behalf of the staff, students and families of Montgomery Street School to Christ Church Cathedral. Your generous contribution during your Giving Tuesday campaign will have a positive impact on our school community. We are fortunate to have community partners like Christ Church Cathedral who share in our ongoing pursuit of providing assistance for families in need, especially at this time of year. Thank you and happy new year.
Godly Play at the Cathedral was certainly active this past fall!
Our circle of Godly Players -- children between the ages of 5 and 12 -- have gathered together eight times since September, and explored stories regarding the Circle of the Church Year, Creation, the Great Family, the Exodus, the Ten Best Ways (the GP version of the Ten Commandments), the Ark and the Tent, and the weeks and themes of Advent.
Our children wondered and worked imaginatively with these stories -- and shared a 'feast' together after each one, too.
Our two Cathedral storytellers, Cheryl and Kurt, were mightily impressed with the faithfulness and interest demonstrated by the children. What's more, they are excited to welcome at least two more adult Doorpersons to the Godly Play roster early in 2024.
For more information about Godly Play at the Cathedral, and/or to connect a child or children who might be interested in joining, please contact Kurt Schmidt. Email <formation at christchurchcathedral.com>.
The ACW and Health Ministry enjoyed planning and presenting this luncheon, and sharing their collections of unique and favourite Santa Claus and Snowmen decorations.
The empty chairs you see in the photo were filled with more than 40 people from our congregation on 05 December, which was a lovely winter day.
The soups were a hit, and few Christmas sweets were left for the elves. There was no fee for the meal, but many donations and items in gift bags were collected for Grace House women’s shelter.
Deacon Debbie Edmondson offered a thoughtful and timely reflection as to the hope and anticipated joy of the Advent season. Catherine Macdonald provided a lovely piano medley of Christmas favourites during the lunch period.
To bring so many together to enjoy fellowship – and food, was a blessing and reward for the hosts of the day.
The Rev'd Canon Rod Black, Doug Milander, Susan Black, Steve Hayward & Michele LeBlanc
On Monday, 18 December, the Cathedral Outreach Committee and volunteers from New Maryland United Church welcomed people in need to Memorial Hall for a pre-Christmas edition of Monday Outreach (usually held on the last Monday of each month).
64 guests received goodie bags, fruit, candy, socks and groceries. Guests also received a Christmas card with a $20 grocery store gift card. Toys and treats were given to people with children or grandchildren, and people could choose gently used clothing and household goods from a table of donated items.
The next such event will be held 29 January, 2024 with treat bags, used clothing and $10 gift cards. The committee deeply appreciates the congregation's support of these efforts, and the support of New Maryland United Church, who also gave a substantial financial donation toward the Outreach program.
Ann Deveau with Steve Hayward from New Maryland United Church, handing out special treats prepared by his church (longtime supporters of the Monday Outreach program).
The photos show some of the volunteers that were at the Hall helping to bring Christmas joy to our neighbours in need. We missed getting a photo of the crew in the Formation Room with the children's items (Rev. Kelly Burke from NMUC, Julie Maston & Joanne LeBlanc Haley).
Thank you to everyone who helped, onsite and in advance. The pre-Christmas assistance was sincerely appreciated by the guests.
Celebrate Christmas in historic Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Fredericton!
You are warmly welcomed to join us in worship, whether you are a Christian who has worshipped in the Anglican tradition, are of another Christian denomination, another faith entirely or, simply interested in understanding more about what our faith community is all about. There is no dress code, you are free to sit where you wish and to participate as you feel comfortable.
Join us Christmas Eve morning to celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent, and then in the evening for 3 different types of Christmas Eve Worship. Join us again on Christmas Day.
4th Sunday of Advent (Sunday, 24 December 2023)
* 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Book of Common Prayer) [no music]
Christmas Eve (Sunday, 24 December 2023)
* 4:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist (Contemporary/family) [organ & hymns]
* 8:00 p.m. Come Worship Eucharist (Contemporary) [band]
* 11:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist (Traditional/Book of Common Prayer) [organ, choir & hymns]
Christmas Day (Monday, 25 December 2023)
* 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Book of Common Prayer) [organ & hymns]
Children are welcome at any time. The 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service is a particular favourite of families with young children, and it lasts approximately one hour. An infant changing station is available in one of the washrooms. This service promises a couple of special treats for the Cathedral family – and families – this year. Some of the youngest ones among us will be helping to narrate the Godly-Play-inspired story of Christmas and the Créche. And then some of those same ones will be leading us in song as a newly-formed Youth Choir!
Masks/respirators are available for those who would like them.
Christ Church Cathedral is located at 150 Church Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick. On-street parking is available in our neighbourhood. Several accessible parking spaces are marked and available in the Cathedral driveway. The Cathedral is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible washroom.
If you would like additional information, please phone the Cathedral Office at (506) 450-8500. Our office hours are 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
