Category Archives: Feature 2

2024 Christmas Pastoral Letter

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2024 Christmas Worship Schedule

Advent 2024
Fredericton NB

Dear Friends,

As I write, the celebration is already in full swing. Christmas began long before the 1st of December in the retail sector. Many houses on our street were lit inside and out for Christmas back in November. Most “Christmas” parties and concerts have already happened. It’s tempting, especially in a seasonally demanding profession, to feel burnt out even before Christmas begins. You may share those sentiments for your own reasons. If you think you might be the perfect candidate to replace Jim Carey in the next Dr. Seuss movie or would like to audition for the part of Scrooge this year, you're probably not alone. The reality is, all of us have our reasons for not welcoming the coming of what our culture has decided is the biggest festival of the year commercially and otherwise. Rose will be facing her first Christmas without her husband. Gil needs to deal with what losing his job last July will do to Christmas at his house. Dexter will spend Christmas away from home for the first time.

The celebration of Christmas is so often tied to our past and its memories. We have the expectation that this year needs to exceed all the other Christmases put together. That’s seldom, if ever, possible. I wonder if our expectations, and those the culture places on the Season, don't eclipse what the Christian celebration is all about.

Tradition is a wonderful gift. Christmas customs of celebration are valuable and create memories that last forever. However, tradition and custom can also cut us off from the reality of the present, and it may be there we most feel the pain. The coming of our Lord was not meant to cause pain. The message of Christmas is good news of great joy. If the celebration this year is causing you anxiety as the past squeezes you too forcefully into the uncertain future perhaps it’s time to consider again the “reason for the season.”

Jesus comes to bring the assurance that “God is with us.” God knows our pain, not because he has a good imagination but because he ‘shared our human nature.’ The Incarnation reminds us that when we cry, God cries. When we laugh, God laughs too. The true peace of Christmas has to be sought in the present not re-manufactured from the past. I’ll bet this Christmas is going to be different in your household just as it is every year and will be in mine. Recognizing the grace in the present moment will be a key to the celebration. God is with us, even though it’s just not the same this year. The true celebration of Christmas should help us along into the future, not cause us to wallow in the past or be helplessly swallowed up by it.

So celebrate “Christmas Present” this year. Discover again what Cindy Lou and all the little Whos in Who-ville already knew but needed to be reminded. It’s not about stuff. It’s not about the past. It’s all about the “presence.” The Church will gather once again to stand as community in the light of the miracle of the Incarnation. God is with us. The schedule included should be easily posted in a convenient place or shared. If necessary, Communion where you are is as easy as a reply, a message to the Cathedral Office or to me. Have a blessed Christmas.

Give a festival offering

Or use the envelope in your boxed set

Yours sincerely,

Geoffrey Hall (The Very Rev’d)
Dean of Fredericton
GMH

December Outreach provides pre-Christmas assistance

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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.

Christmas at the Cathedral

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Celebrate Christmas at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Fredericton!

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, you are warmly welcomed to join us in worship. There is no dress code, you are free to sit where you wish and to participate as you feel comfortable.

Christmas Eve ~ 24 December
* 4:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist (contemporary/family) [organ & hymns]
* 8:00 p.m. Come Worship Eucharist (contemporary) [worship band]
* 11:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist (traditional) [organ, choir & hymns]

Christmas Day ~ 25 December
* 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (traditional) [organ & hymns]

Christ Church Cathedral is located at 150 Church Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick. On-street parking is available on nearby streets. Several accessible parking spaces are marked and available in the Cathedral driveway. The Cathedral is wheelchair accessible and has accessible washrooms.

Children are welcome at any time. The 4:00 p.m. 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.

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. Our office will close at 12:00 noon on Christmas Eve.

Life-Enhancing Opportunity

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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

  1. Schedule and conduct meetings of the Christian Formation Committee
  2. Complete reports for Bishop and Chapter, and attend Chapter meetings
  3. Submit budgetary requirements and requests to the Chapter
  4. Coordinate the completion of a year-end Committee report for the Annual Congregational Meeting

Benefits

  1. Ongoing development and enhancement of your own faith
  2. Fellowship opportunities
  3. Knowledge of Bishop and Chapter activities and processes
  4. Opportunity to help all members of our Cathedral community to grow and deepen in their life of faith
  5. 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.

 

 

2024 ADVENT-ures

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The new Church year is once again upon us!

 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

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!

 

Certificate in Stewardship 2025

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The Certificate in Stewardship is a learning opportunity beginning in early 2025. The Dean of Fredericton invites individuals to join him in a local learning group for 7 or 8 sessions with the goal of exploring Time, Talent, Trust, Treasure, Terrain, Theology, and Thanks as it pertains to the topic of Christian Stewardship. A workbook and teaching videos will help guide the study. For those wishing to obtain the certificate, completion of a written or video assignment is required near the end of the sessions. Others may decide to audit and not submit the final assignment.

Offered through distance education at Atlantic School of Theology, the local learning group is welcome to pace itself with a recommendation of completion by Spring on 2025. AST has this to say about the program:

AST’s Certificate in Stewardship is available to anyone. People who work or volunteer in the charitable sector, non-profits, university, government, education, church, and other fields will benefit, as well as anyone who would simply like to do some learning and personal growth. As long as you have Internet access and a device that allows you to open a document, watch videos, and prepare a short final assignment, you can take this program.

Local Learning Groups may be organized and start at any time, according to the time frame determined by the designated leader.

For each of the seven components, there is a module that includes:

    • Pre-recorded video teaching materials (one hour per module)
    • A list of recommended materials for further learning
    • Reflection questions (or discussion questions for group settings)
    • A final integrative assignment (written or video)

For more information visit Atlantic School of Theology or specifically the Certificate in Stewardship information page.

Contact the Dean of Fredericton or the Cathedral Office if you would like to discuss participation.