November News

Check the attached file to read the ADVENT NEWSLETTER. Yes, Christmas is just around the corner. AND if you wish to order a Christmas Poinsettia, the order form is attached as well. 

November 27, 2021

Tomorrow is a big day at church. The doors are open for worshippers. Well, with reservations and lots of protocol. The COVID-19 fourth wave is waning following an extended period of guidelines from AHS. Dave and I have had our three shots around here each and have used our QR cards lots of times. The sad part for me is showing my Driver's License... I turned 75 this month so have a new picture which will last until I'm 80 and it is less than beautiful.  

We have watched with horror the effects of the "atmospheric river" event in BC and, having made a trek to Vancouver via vehicle at the beginning of November, we travelled upon roads that will not be ready for travel again for a long time. Even so, we had to detour this side of Golden and again, West from Merritt, to the TransCanada then south. We drove through areas that were burned out this summer and followed the winding river bed that became the focus of mud slides and wash outs. We bought gas in Abbotsford and, just last weekend, our daughter and granddaughters flew to Abbotsford and were able to make their way to Surrey. 

The ACTS group under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Wayne Holst and chair, Joan Gray, had the opportunity to lead in worship last week. Our group met Monday Nights on ZOOM and had a faithful following weekly. P.S. the slide presentations for each night can be found on MINISTRIES/Adult Spiritual Development.

On Wednesday past, our sanctuary was prepared for Advent. Christmas decorations can be found in various places in our church and now, we can enjoy them as Christmas approaches. This will be our last Advent with Rev. Peggy who is retiring at the end of the year. Remember: if you want to contribute to the gift we will be giving to mark the occasion on Dec. 19, 2021, the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Also, the Giving Tree is awaiting you in the sanctuary with gifts being directed to the Children's Cottage Society and the Calgary Newcomers'. We will have spokespersons from both groups with us over the Sundays of Advent. 

Check out the Newsletter which is attached as a file on this page. 

November 14, 2021

I'm so excited.... the new cameras, computer, monitors, switcher... etc. have been installed as of yesterday. The picture is of Allan, who is our video/sound guru and those are the boxes he arrived with on Saturday morning to begin the install.

We are excited as a church community to be able to livestream our services and open for face to face worship on November 28, 2021, the First Sunday of Advent. This will be the final series through which our dear Rev. Peggy will lead us. Remember that donations to Rev. Peggy's retirement gift may be forwarded to the church office. (The office will be open during Advent for regular hours.) 

Christmas eve service will begin at 7:30 this year and there will be no service on Dec 26, 2021, the day after Christmas, so that Rev. Peggy's final service with us will be on Christmas Eve. We wish her all the best in her retirement. We will miss her a great deal -- she has served our church for 13 years. 

Our Monday Night Book Study and Thursday Morning Bible Study will soon be finished for the Fall session. Next Sunday, Wayne, Joan and I will be participating in the worship service which will be the final in the sermon series, "Sacred Earth, Sacred Work. We hope you will join in with us. Right after service next Sunday will be the AGM for the St. David's Foundation and for St. David's Congregation. We will be using ZOOM one more time to bring our community together.

Remember that, in two weeks, our sanctuary will be open to worshippers for our service. We trust that you will be wearing your mask, exercising social distancing protocols and have been doubly vaccinated. Some of us have had three jabs!!! That is because we are old enough -- a benefit of age. We will be signing in for service upon arrival, singing through our masks but enjoying each other's company in person -- even if we are seated 6' apart!! See you there. Have a great week. 

November 6, 2021

We have enjoyed a gorgeous week with lots of sunshine, a little wind and our last brief swing with fall. Yes, time falls back tonight to Standard Time so tomorrow we will have that hour back that we lost in the spring. 

The crosses and poppies have been in place along Memorial Drive for some time now but tomorrow, November 7, 2021, we will be remembering at St. David's with Rev. Peggy, Brent, and the rest of us. We are hoping that all will be ready for a return to regular worship (i.e. not just ZOOM) on November 28 with the First Sunday of Advent. That's right -- it's soon Christmas time. Decorating for the season will happen on the week previous. We also hope to be able to livestream the service so that those still reluctant to mingle during this time of COVID-19 can be assured that we will be wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and hoping that all who attend will be double vaccinated. (On that note, we have been showing our QR vaccination codes and ID as we enter the cinema or restaurants of choice ever since we were able to download our codes.)

Today, we will be joining the Foreman family as they remember our dear Hazel who passed away on August 19, 2020. The service will not be zoomed. Hazel was 94 at the time of her passing. Her obituary is attached as is her picture.

See you on ZOOM!