The Epistle



A LETTER FROM THE VICAR’S DESK“Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ “–Jeremiah 23:3-6 (NRSV)Busy, busy, busy. We are a busy people. We have things to do and people to meet. We have lists and agendas, online memos and Facebook names to tell us that Christmas is coming and boy do we have things to do between now and then! At Christmas time you could say that we all come down with a case of “busy-itis.” Like so many, I too suffer from busy-itis. I want Christmas to be meaningful and beautiful for all those that come through the doors of the church. I want to have plays and lively music selections, book studies and craft events that provide as much opportunity as possible, for as many people as possible, to engage in the season. Not to mention family and friends, animals and in-laws (not necessarily in that order of course) that I want to spend time with. Unfortunately there is no cream or pill for busy-itis. There is only the intentionality that we bring to this season of preparation. There is a reason why we don’t jump to the joy of Christmas hymns before we have prepared ourselves with the in-between time of Advent. The preparing time of Advent can help us to set aside the things that aren’t really that important in our lives. Advent can help us put our whole year, our life in perspective by inviting us to sit and listen to what God is calling us to be and do in our life and in our community. We are about to enter a time of preparation that doesn’t really have to do with vacuuming under the beds, putting out the guest towels, or stuffing the turkey but rather making ready our hearts to receive what the season has to reveal to us. So perhaps the mind frame that we might bring to this season is quiet, peace and tranquility. Perhaps we can be kind to ourselves when we do inevitably get busy-itis and forget to take the time to just be in the moment. This season be kind to yourselves and be kind to one another because we just don’t know what our neighbour might be going through. So sit. Be. Listen. Embrace the peace, hope, love and joy promises of the season. May you and yours have a very blessed Advent and a Joyous Christmas season. Blessings, Rev. Carla, Bert and the dogsUCWARE YOU BEING SERVED?The answer to the title was and is a resounding “YES”. The ladies of the church who attended the dinner on July 11, 2016 gave a nod of approval from the moment they walked into the “Fellowship Hall”. Jim Wagdin and Rick Todd were there to greet them with a fruit punch resembling Sangria. This was served in wine glasses which added to the festive occasion. Socializing with everyone gave us time to develop an appetite and before we knew it, dinner was being served.The menu was on each table and consisted of crab soup that was superb. This followed by a choice of Beef Wellington or Halibut with Parmesan Cheese. The vegetables were small roasted potatoes and carrots.Green beans added to the colour of the plate. Needless to say there was not a lot left on each plate. Jim and Rick did an excellent job of making sure that our glasses were filled with punch or water. The two of them served the 23 attendees with quiet efficiency. The dessert was Baked Alaska which was very decadent after such a delicious meal, but somehow, the dessert plates were cleaned.Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Gary Thompson and Dave Pearen were helping Keith Eddy with the preparations of each course. Keith is an excellent chef and showed his skills superbly. With the help of these five men, the ladies could relax knowing they did not have to set up, cook, or clean up. This made for a very special evening and we all were treated royally. As well, we gave $400.00 to the church to help offset the deficit.WACKY DINNERDawn Barkley, Ginger Chapleau, with the help of Tina Melville, organized and presented a WACKY DINNER on Monday Sept. 26, 2016. And that it was—WACKY! About 30 people attended. Dawn was on the ball, when she asked a number of young people to help serve. They are Brook and Shelby Cassidy, Alexi LaBelle, Lauren Court, Jacob and Zachary Ferguson. I think they had as much fun serving as the ladies who were being served. Melanie Cassidy and Barb Kernohan were the two other ladies who worked both the kitchen and helped serve. Each person was to choose what they wanted for each course by selecting a number. This number was a code and would tell the “servers” what to bring you. e.g. #4 might be a “pronged instrument” meaning you got a fork. Everyone agreed that the food was excellent: Caesar salad, lasagne, cobbler for dessert. These items were not always served in the order we might think. Tea and coffee completed the meal whether you got it at the beginning or end. People came to relax as they did not have to bring anything, do anything but eat. A good time was had by all.FOOD BANKAs you all know, the Food Bank for Richmond is worked out of St. Paul’s. Families needing help, call the church line and press #3. Each day Joanne Braaksma checks the messages and confirms the appointment for 10:30 am on the Sat. morning.The ladies and gentlemen take turns (two for each Sat.) to pack the bags with enough staples to help for a month. Each family receives gift vouchers so they can buy milk, bread, vegetables etc.Names are now being taken for the Christmas Food Hampers which will be prepared on Friday Dec. 16 and given out on Saturday Dec. 17, 2016.We are so blessed to have such caring people in the Richmond area and we say THANK YOU.BOOK CLUBThe second Wednesday of each month including the summer months, we meet at various people’s homes from 9:30 – 11:00 am. We share the books we have read and often take home new books. We try to choose one book for all of us to read so we can discuss it .Marg Walker, has over the years, read from various books to begin each meeting. At the Nov. meeting, Ginger Chapleau read about where one sits in church and how many people choose the same spot each time. The laughter was contagious as we could see ourselves. TREASURERSt. Paul’s is so appreciative of the support that everyone in the congregation brings to the church—whether it be time, talents, or financial. Gail GawrylukiCREATIVE WORSHIPWednesday afternoons from 1:00-3:00 pm we meet in either the Fellowship Hall or in someone’s home. At the end of Sept. We started making quilt square purses. As Bonnie Warnock has been “under the weather” lately, we will finish them very soon. We will be sure to show everyone our accomplishment when finished. Again everyone is welcome to join. Call Sharon Eaton at 613-838-3650FAMILY CHRISTMAS MEMORIESBY: Bryan GiffenLeading up to Christmas 1982, my Mom suggested what she really needed, when the subject of gifts came up, was a “Thinking Cap”. As all of us grow older we think our memories just aren’t what they used to be. Factually that’s not true for most of us. It’s just we have a lot more to remember or are so distracted by all the things we are doing, we just don’t pay as much attention as perhaps we should. Anyway, Betty and I decided to work on the Thinking Cap idea as an actual gift for her. Betty made up a wizard like hat and I decided to write a poem to accompany it. It was a great success at the time with much laughter and perhaps a few tears. It was something she often brought out to show friends or recount in stories, and it became an important keepsake for her. Probably more important than any of the other gifts we gave her that year.Following her passing in 1997, the hat and handwritten poem was given back to us to do with as we wished. The hat and poem now reside in an old well-worn Caplan’s gift box that Betty and my Mom used in alternate years to exchange their Christmas gifts to each other. That back and forth gift exchange in the same old Caplan’s box went on and on for many more years. And along with the hat and poem, make up part of our family Christmas memories.This Christmas we would like to share that Christmas Memory with you, our friends at St. Paul’s. May you also have and make special Christmas Memories in your families.PUT ON YOUR THINKING CAPBY: Bryan Giffen 1982Have you ever thought how great it’d be to have a Thinking Cap?To remind you when to crawl from bed or when to take a nap.To give you hints on, “What’s her name? Or where you put your keys?Oh yes, I’m sure it’d help a lot, so “sell me one thing please”.Where may I find a bonnet so, or have one made for me?To help bring forth those dusty facts I need from memory.I think I’d need size nine or ten, or maybe extra tallTo help me with those long lost things that slipped from my recall.So if you know an elf or gnome that knits, or sews a tatPlease give a shout so I can order up my special hat.I’d want it quick, for heaven knows, how forgetful I can beWhen telling stories from the past or from my family tree.Though I can’t remember why just now, I’m sure I’ll need that gnomeTo help me remember why I even started this poem.OUTREACH COMMITTEEWe held a Souper Sunday Luncheon on Oct. 16, 2016 and realized a profit of $285.00 which will be given to the church treasurer to be applied to our Church Operating Account.Our next Souper Sunday Luncheon will be sometime in January where the money will go to help with the expenses of Messy church (Jan.-June 2017) The average cost of each event is $150.00 for food and supplies.The process of how best to support Messy Church (responding to our St. Paul’s mission Statement to encourage involvement of youth) was discussed. It was agreed that we would provide $25.00 to each event this fall for a total of $75.00 in the form of 3 King’s Independent gift cards.On Nov. 19, 2016 the Outreach Committeehosted a Christmas Luncheon for our Food Bank Families. We have children’s toys and other items left over from last Christmas which were given out.We will NOT be putting up an Angel Tree this year. Instead we will ask everyone to bring in (unwrapped) warm socks for men and women to be distributed at our annual Christmas visit to the Richmond Lodge and Richmond Care Home in December. Everyone is welcome to join us at these events.White Gift Service will be held on Dec. 11, 2016.Sandy Smith Outreach CommitteeANNIVERSARY DINNER Isabel ThompsonThis past October 28, 2016 we celebrated the Anniversary of St. Paul’s with a dinner. About 186 people showed up to help us enjoy a delicious turkey dinner. Thanks to Henry Cassidy who donated 3-27 lb turkeys. We had almost just enough to feed everyone. Besides turkey there was vegetables (squash and turnips) potatoes, carrots, dressing, cranberry sauce, gravy, buns which almost completed the meal.Pie was the final pleasure. The problem: which pie to choose to have with your tea or coffee.Thank you to all who contributed supplies for the meal, those who worked at the cooking, setting tables, selling tickets, cleaning up, putting everything away, making deliveries and preparing the financial report to tell us how successful we were. We made close to $4,000SPIRITUAL EXPLORERSThis group meets in the Fellowship Hall every Monday from 12:00 to 1:30 pm. We bring out lunch and Bible and discuss various topics. We have been using an African Bible study outline to follow the Gospel. Closer to Christmas a new book will be chosen to study. Please consider joining us for some enlightening conversation. No appointment necessary. Just come!UPDATE FROM CHURCH COUNCILMarg Eddy ChairIf you have not heard, the Council is reviewing our function and a number of changes have been proposed. If you are interested in specifics, the minutes of our meetings will be posted monthly on the large Bulletin Board in the Fellowship Hall. We are excited about these proposals. In order to decrease the number of meetings, we are looking at combining some of the committees. If you have any suggestions, please place them in the Suggestion Box below the Poem Box at the back of the Sanctuary.There is a need for committee members for Finance and Stewardship. Please pray about these needs. We hope that you will find it in your heart to support St. Paul’s by filling one of these vacancies.If St. Paul’s is to fulfill its mission, everyone needs to participate and not leave it up to a few to carry the load. Feel free to speak to me about how you can help make St. Paul’s even more vibrant in 2017.We wish you a warm and blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year.UPDATE: RICHMOND VILLAGE REFUGEE WELCOME (RVRW)NOVEMBER MEETINGLynne PearenThe Canadian government has been slower of late to process refugee applications. As a result, the RVRW has been in a bit of a holding pattern and it has been over 6 months since the formal request for sponsorship of the Syrian refugee family. The family is still in Turkey and still awaiting security and medical tests to be initiated. Re RVRW is still hoping the family will arrive in Canada early in the New Year. The family of six is healthy, but remain stressed due to the situation in Turkey where the father continues to work in an Istanbul restaurant. St. John’s Anglican Church in Richmond has offered to rent out their manse for the family. The manse is presently being renovated. English as a Second Language (ESL) will be available in Richmond for the two youngest boys, but the older boys (13 and 15) will have to be bused to school. Donated furniture for a three bedroom residence is presently in storage.GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUNLynne PearenA remarkable fund raiser for the RVRW was held at St. Phillips Catholic Church Hall on Sat. Nov. 12, 2016. Over 165 women enjoyed a fun filled evening including a delicious roast beef dinner, entertainment, silent and live auctions, music and laughter which raised $17,400 for the RVRW. A big THANK YOU to Ruth Cameron of St. Paul’s, who organized this very successful event for a most worthy cause. Ruth said she would like to thank everyone that made it possible--the generous sponsors, the many volunteers, and of course the attendees for making the evening just perfect.PIE MAKERS Isabel ThompsonIn October 2000 we were thinking of ways to raise money to help with the purchase and installation of an elevator. Some of the ladies thought we could do something productive and make pies to sell to the public. That was 16 years ago. The elevator was installed in 2005 and we are still making pies every Tuesday morning from 9:00-11:30 am.It was decided at the time when this project started that we would not automatically give all our profits to the Operating Account of St. Paul’s. We have used approximately $144,000 for Church upgrades, manse windows and renovations. There is a list of projects we paid for on the big blue bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall.We have approximately 12 regular pie makers every week but when it is apple peeling season there is an additional 10 people. Some of the workers have no association with St. Paul’s but enjoy the social time with us.In 2008 we were asked by Shouldice Farms to make 10” pies for them sell at their market in Bells Corners. We continue to do that and average about $4,800 each year.We not only make fruit pies but also pot pies, quiche, tarts, apple crisp and Christmas puddings. We have both 9” and 5” which are great for one person. If you plan to order Christmas Puddings place you order before Nov. 29, 2016 to ensure delivery before Christmas.Tarts and pies should be ordered before December 5, 2016. All orders must be picked up by Dec. 13 so that the workers can slow down and enjoy their holiday.GIFT CARD FUND RAISER Isabel ThompsonAs Rev. Carls says in her letter to the congregation, it is a busy time of year and we all have “busy-itis”. Why not let the Gift Card Program solve a lot of your gift needs?Each Sunday, Gary or Isabel Thompson is in the Fellowship Hall. You can choose from a variety of businesses: e.g. Independent, Sobey’s, Food Basic, Tim Hortons, Sears, The Bay, Best Buy etc.To date (from 1996) we have made a profit of $140,600. That averages about $8,800 per year. We need to get back to that amount as we are only getting about $6,600 per year. Let’s work smart and not hard. Buy your gift cards from the church.WORSHIP COMMITTEE Sharon EatonAn update at what has happened at St. Paul’s.The MESSY CHURCH has been very successful as in October there were 47 people in Attendance. The next MESSY CHURCH is on Dec. 11, 2016 from 4-6:30 pm Every one is welcome to share in carolling, crafts, worship and MUNION DATESNov. 27, Dec. 24 (8:00 pm) 2016 Jan. 15, Feb. 12, Mar. 5, Apr. 16, May 14, June 18 2017CHRISTMAS & HOLIDAY SERVICESChristmas Eve 6:00 pm Children’s Service 8:00 pm CommunionChristmas Day 10:30 am Regular ServiceJan. 1, 2017 Regular Service 10:30 amVACATION FOR CARLACarla will be away Monday Nov. 28 till Sunday Dec. 4, 2016 Marg Walker will take the service on Dec. 4. Carla will also be away from Dec. 26, to Jan. 2, 2017. Joanne Braaksma will take the service Jan. 1, 2017BAPTISMSBaby Josh Parents: Sarah and Troy MacCloud Nov. 13, 2016Baby Cole Parents: Blair & Jennifer Pearen Nov. 20, 2016CARE HOME & RICHMOND LODGENovember 2016 Joanne BraaksmaDecember 2016 Rev. CarlaJanuary 2017 Joanne BraaksmaCHOIRIt was a compliment I’m sure. We were asked to sing at the Richmond Fair. Apparently we are the only church that has a regular choir. So we agreed to do this.We will also be giving a performance on Sunday Dec. 4, 2016 at 7:00 pm when all the churches gather together and share their talents.The free-will offering will be given to the Richmond Food Bank.David (choir director) makes our practices fun and we do learn new pieces all the time. Feel free to join us. You will be welcomed.CHILDREN’S PAGE ................
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