Philip Lee, Julie Maston and Doug Milander welcome guests and provide grocery store vouchers.
Monday Outreach in December was held a bit earlier than usual, to provide pre-Christmas assistance to people in need before the holidays.
With generous help from St. Margaret's Anglican Church and New Maryland United Church, the Cathedral Outreach Committee helped 82 people in need in December. People who visited Memorial Hall on 16 December received a holiday-sized grocery card ($20); a treat bag with sandwich, juice, candy, snacks and fruit, and a non-perishable grocery item. They could also select from a variety of free used clothing and footwear, toiletries, toys for kids, and household goods.
The need in our community is great - and ever-increasing! The committee reports that the monthly average served in 2021 and 2022 was steady at 45; 52 in 2023; 66 in 2024. Many thanks to everyone who helped in any way this year!
Volunteers Rev. Kelly Burke and Steve Hayward from New Maryland United Church, Canon Rod Black, Susan Black, Sharon Miller and Janice Irvine-Meek provide food and other items to guests. Not pictured: the many tables of items that guests could choose from!
Learn more about Monday Outreach (typically held on the last Monday of each month) and our other local outreach initiatives.
Children at the November 24th service help Claire McKnight record the gift donations.
The Outreach Committee sincerely thanks the Cathedral congregation for fulfilling all 65 Christmas Angel requests in. The gifts were delivered to the Greener Village Food Bank by the Robinson family, and the organizers happily accepted the donations to help needy families in Fredericton. The estimated value of the gifts was $2,025.
Thank you to Amélia and Cecilia for creating lovely toppers for our angel trees, and thank you to all of the children who helped Claire gather and record the gifts after worship on November 24th. It was a joy to have so many enthusiastic helpers!
Have a look at the slideshow below for some photos.
Each paper angel hung on small trees in the Cathedral requestied a specific Christmas gift or gift card for a needy boy or girl in our city. 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 Fredericton Food Bank, Greener Village, coordinates the collection of names and wishes, and solicits local businesses and individuals to show kindness through gift giving.
The need is great, and this year, Greener Village anticipates filling wishes for over 2000 children in our city.
Although group donations have been collected, individual angels are still available on an Angel Tree located in the Regent Mall. In addition to angel tags requesting a specific gift, the program also accepts monetary donations to purchase gifts and help families in need through other food bank programs.
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 donations to the Cathedral Office by 15 December, to allow time for distribution to the charities.
Alex Pope and Linda Hall, two of the many volunteers who assisted with the Pause Table.
On 09 December, members of the Cathedral branch of Mothers’ Union spent the day giving baked goods, bagels, treats and encouragement to students studying for exams at UNB.
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 once again collaborated with faith communities to host Pause Tables during exams. Volunteers provided free food, beverages, a listening ear, and conversation, and handwritten personalized notes to give students a break from studying.
Thank you to everyone who provided time and treats for the Pause Tables!
The Rev. Canon Jon Lownds checks cameras and monitors during the 139th Session of the Diocesan Synod of Fredericton, held at Christ Church Cathedral. He was one of several people handing the technology needs of the day.
From the Bishop’s Charge to archdeaconry presentations, one word rang out: community.
Last spring, as Archbishop David Edwards began discerning his charge for diocesan synod, the word community came to mind — the concept of we, as Anglicans, being community for and in our communities.
All that culminated in a day that focused mainly on others, as 215 people— clerics, laity, volunteers, observers, diocesan staff and guests — gathered at Christ Church Cathedral Nov. 2 for the 139th Session of the Diocesan Synod of Fredericton.
The day began with...
* * *
Read the full article, written by Gisele McKnight and published in the December edition of the NB Anglican newspaper.
Also, enjoy the slideshow below - photos of members of the Cathedral congregation at the Diocesan Synod. Thank you to Gary Barfitt for his photography skills!
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
Benefits
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.
This year we're once again participating in Giving Tuesday to make an extra effort to reach out to the community. We've made a $2000 commitment in advance to the Home and School leaders at Montgomery Street School in support of their food and clothing programme helping children who need a little extra help (the Cathedral has helped the school in the past). Help us meet that goal and more. Funds raised in excess will be well used for other initiatives, including our Monday Morning Outreach. (Read Outreach support continues as weather turns cool - 31 October 2024)
You're welcome to use the form for giving online and receive a chartiable tax receipt by email. Or clearly mark "Giving Tuesday" on an offering envelope in your boxed set, one you can find in our pews or one of your own. You may also drop off a donation to the Cathedral Office during office hours, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Monday to Friday. A tax receipt will be sent to anyone who provides their contact information on the donation. We plan to continue the campaign until 15 December 2024 so there's still time to give.
Thanks for helping us make a difference!
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.
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.
Anyone from the community is welcome to attend.
