Category: Announcements

CHRISTMAS EVE December 24, 2022

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

Christmas Services at St. Mary’s:

December 24th Christmas

• 8.00 p.m. Holy Communion with Carols of Christmas

December 25th Christmas Day

• 10.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
• 10.30 a.m. Holy Communion with Carols of Christmas

January 1, 2013 Octave Day of Christmas and Circumcision of Christ

• 10.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
• 10.30 a.m. Holy Communion with Carols of Christmas                               

January 6, 2023, Feast of the Epiphany

• 6:00 p.m. Holy Communion with Carols of Christmas followed by pot luck supper and all-age Twelfth Night Party in the Parish Hall.

Parish Life Notes

The Rector’s Christmas Message is available > here <.

The Christmas Gift to the Rector made be made using the special Christmas offering envelopes or cheques made out to Rev. Claude Schroeder may be placed in the offering plate at our Christmas services.

2023 Envelopes Boxes of weekly and monthly donation envelopes are now available for pick up from the table on the landing. If you don’t see your name on a box and would like to become a regular donor, please tell Blair and he will make the appropriate arrangements. 

St. Mary’s Hand-dipped Beeswax Wax Candles make an excellent Christmas gift or stocking-stuffer. Available after worship today at a cost of $6.00 pair.

THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

December 18, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

Parish Life Notes

Christmas Services at St. Mary’s:

• December 24th Christmas Eve: 8.00 p.m. Holy Communion with Carols of Christmas
• December 25th Christmas Day: 10.30 a.m. Holy Communion with Carols of Christmas

The Christmas Gift to the Rector made be made using the special Christmas offering envelopes or cheques made out to Rev. Claude Schroeder may be placed in the offering plate at our Christmas services.

2023 Envelopes Boxes of weekly and monthly donation envelopes are now available for pick up. Please grab yours from the table on the landing. If you don’t see your name on a box and would like to become a regular donor, please tell Blair and he will make the appropriate arrangements. 

St. Mary’s Hand-dipped Beeswax Wax Candles make an excellent Christmas gift or stocking-stuffer. Available after worship today at a cost of $6.00 pair.

Christmas Concert featuring local musicians and performing classical repertoire will be held at St. Mary’s on Wednesday, December 21 at 7.30 p.m. All are welcome and invited!

Update from Vestry

Vestry met on Sunday Nov. 27.  Topics for discussion included reporting in on the regular life of the parish, an update from the Refugee Sponsorship Committee, and the state of parish finances.  Here are some highlights:

• Giving thanks for ongoing preparations for the St. Nicholas Day Festival, the Lessons and Carols service on Saturday Dec. 17th, and our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.  Thanks so much to everyone who has helped with the planning and preparation for these events!
• Claude met with Bishop Helen in November to discuss parish life.
• The Mapiou Deng Arok family will arrive in Regina on January 17th!  Since we were originally expecting them to arrive in October, we have had to continue paying rent on their home October through December.  We are grateful to the Diocese for approving this expense, as the house is a very good situation for the family, and has already been furnished.  We will arrange a greeting party for the family in the new year!
• Vestry passed a motion that any proceeds from the St. Nicholas Day Festival will be divided as follows: 50% to St. Mary’s general revenue fund, 25% to CityKidz, and 25% to the Marian Centre.
• Vestry also passed a motion that this year’s Christmas offering will be given to Claude and Hilary.

Update on Parish Finances.

As of November 30, we have a total income of $155,593.18 and year-to-date total expenses of $178,789.98, for a net operating loss of -$23,196.80. This is not good, but it is better than the -$34,000.00 deficit we were projecting in the summer.  This is largely due to the generous giving of parishioners, so thank you.

Vestry will be finalizing and voting on our 2023 budget in January.  We appreciate your prayers as we seek God’s wisdom and his will for St. Mary’s.  The budget will be presented at the Annual Parish Meeting in February.

As the Churchwardens, Beth and Mary will be organizing our annual request for pledges from the congregation in January.  Gathering as much information as we can on your giving plans for the year helps the Vestry to create an honest and accurate budget for the church.  Look for a letter in the mail from Beth and Mary in the coming days, and please consider carefully what you can give to St. Mary’s in 2023. Pledge forms will be available online through the church website and paper forms will also be available.  We greatly appreciate your contribution to the planning process.

Giving Thanks

We give thanks to God for all the signs of life at St. Mary’s that point to the wonder of our life together as the Body of Christ.  We are thankful for Anya as she prepares for her confirmation.  We are thankful for the wonderful time we had welcoming friends and guests to St Mary’s for the St. Nicholas Day Festival, and for everyone who pitched in to make the day a success.  We are thankful for the continued health and safety of the Mapiou Deng Arok family as they look forward to their new life with us starting in January.  In a season that emphasizes preparation as we await the coming of our Saviour, we are grateful that we prepare and wait with you!  Thank you for making our church family the blessing that it is.

Beth,
On behalf of St. Mary’s Vestry

Worship This Week

Morning Prayer

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
• Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Evening Prayer 

• Wednesday at 5:30 pm. 

THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT – December 11, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER!

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

Parish Life Notes

Post St. Nicholas Celebration. Join us after worship today to view the photo album from the St. Nicholas celebration, and share your impressions, suggestions, and stories. 

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

Luke 10. 17-20

St. Mary’s Hand-dipped Beeswax Wax Candles make an excellent Christmas gift or stocking-stuffer. Available after worship today at a cost of $6.00 pair.

Aboriginal/ Non-Aboriginal Intercultural Christmas Dinner and Potluck takes place at St. Mary’s on Wednesday December 14th starting at 5:00 p.m. in the Upper Hall. All are welcome!

Vestry Update

Vestry met on Sunday Nov. 27.  Topics for discussion included reporting in on the regular life of the parish, an update from the Refugee Sponsorship Committee, and the state of parish finances.  Here are some highlights:

• Giving thanks for ongoing preparations for the St. Nicholas Day Festival, the Lessons and Carols service on Saturday Dec. 17th, and our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.  Thanks so much to everyone who has helped with the planning and preparation for these events!

• Claude met with Bishop Helen in November to discuss parish life.

• The Mapiou Deng Arok family will arrive in Regina on January 17th!  Since we were originally expecting them to arrive in October, we have had to continue paying rent on their home October through December.  We are grateful to the Diocese for approving this expense, as the house is a very good situation for the family, and has already been furnished.  We will arrange a greeting party for the family in the new year!

• Vestry passed a motion that any proceeds from the St. Nicholas Day Festival will be divided as follows: 50% to St. Mary’s general revenue fund, 25% to CityKidz, and 25% to the Marian Centre.

• Vestry also passed a motion that this year’s Christmas offering will be given to Claude and Hilary.

Update on Parish Finances.

As of November 30, we have a total income of $155,593.18 and year-to-date total expenses of $178,789.98, for a net operating loss of -$23,196.80. This is not good, but it is better than the $34,000.00 deficit we were projecting in the summer.  This is largely due to the generous giving of parishioners, so thank you.

Vestry will be finalizing and voting on our 2023 budget in January.  We appreciate your prayers as we seek God’s wisdom and his will for St. Mary’s.  The budget will be presented at the Annual Parish Meeting in February.

As the Churchwardens, Beth and Mary will be organizing our annual request for pledges from the congregation in January.  Gathering as much information as we can on your giving plans for the year helps the Vestry to create an honest and accurate budget for the church.  Look for a letter in the mail from Beth and Mary in the coming days, and please consider carefully what you can give to St. Mary’s in 2023. Pledge forms will be available online through the church website and paper forms will also be available.  We greatly appreciate your contribution to the planning process.

Giving Thanks

We give thanks to God for all the signs of life at St. Mary’s that point to the wonder of our life together as the Body of Christ.  We are thankful for Anya as she prepares for her confirmation.  We are thankful for the wonderful time we had welcoming friends and guests to St Mary’s for the St. Nicholas Day Festival, and for everyone who pitched in to make the day a success.  We are thankful for the continued health and safety of the Mapiou Deng Arok family as they look forward to their new life with us starting in January.  In a season that emphasizes preparation as we await the coming of our Saviour, we are grateful that we prepare and wait with you!  Thank you for making our church family the blessing that it is.

Beth, on behalf of St. Mary’s Vestry

Christmas Services at St. Mary’s:

December 24^th Christmas Eve: 8.00 p.m. Holy Communion with Carols of Christmas

December 25^th Christmas Day: 10.30 a.m. Holy Communion with Carols of Christmas

Worship This Week

Morning Prayer

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
• Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Evening Prayer

• Wednesday at 5:30 pm. 

THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT – December 4, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

Parish Life Notes

St. Nicholas Christmas Market will be open following today’s service!

Aboriginal/ Non-Aboriginal Intercultural Christmas Dinner and Potluck takes place @ St. Mary’s on Wednesday December 14th starting at 5:00 p.m. in the Upper Hall. All are welcome!

Worship This Week

Morning Prayer

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
• Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Evening Prayer 

• Wednesday at 5:30 pm. 

THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

November 27, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

PARISH LIFE NOTES

Continue reading “Advent 1, 2022 – Bulletin”

SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE ADVENT

November 20, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

Parish Life Notes

CELEBRATING SAINT NICHOLAS UPDATE.  This week we received the good news that the Regina Ladies Choir will be bringing an ensemble of singers to provide musical entertainment at the Christmas Café, and will be joined by our own Terrance and Kelsi. The baking team continues to bake Christmas goodies for sale, and home crafters are also preparing items for sale. The St. Mary’s Ethiopian Congregation have committed to running a table at the market. Last Sunday parishioners received invitation cards and posters to distribute. Terrance is spearheading our advertising on social media.  

Today’s call:

1. Please continue to pick up invitation cards to distribute to your social circle, and posters to pin up.
2. Further volunteers to bake and make crafts for sale are welcome. Please speak to Angèle.
3. Lend us your Christmas trees, garlands, lights, and decorations to decorate the hall, and be sure to label them!
4. Please pray. ALMIGHTY God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give commandment to the Apostles that they should go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature: Grant to us whom thou hast called into thy Church, a ready will to obey thy Word; and fill us with a hearty desire to make thy way known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ST. MARY’S DINNER THEATRE OUTING on Wednesday, November 30^th for Evening Prayer at 5.30 p.m., Potluck Supper at 6.00 p.m., and Regina Little Theatre’s of C.S. Lewis classic work, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” at 7.30 p.m. If you have season tickets to Regina Little Theatre, and would like to join the group, you can change your ticket. Phone the box office (talk to Melissa or Erin) and give them your confirmation # on your ticket.  

CANADIAN CHURCH CALENDARS have arrived. The profits from the sales go to St. Augustine’s Anglican Church.  Calendars will be available at $5.00 each after today’s service. Please see Norma for payment. Thank you!

THE SEASON OF ADVENT which begins next Sunday marks both the beginning of a new year in the Church calendar, but also a season of preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Advent collect describes how Jesus came to us in great humility. He was born of a woman and laid in a manger. God in the flesh! This is what we will celebrate at Christmas. Over the course of this coming year we will seek to grow in our response to the Incarnation by learning to love more deeply the world Jesus came to redeem.

But the coming of Christ is not simply to be understood as something in that occurred once in the past. He comes to us here and now in and through His Holy Spirit, who draws us into union with God and with each other, and so in Advent we renew our intention to live as members of the Body of Christ with peace and joy and all the gifts and fruits of the Spirit!

The coming of Christ also has a future aspect, as we declare in our Creed, “He will come again in glory to judge both the living and the dead.” Advent teaches us to look forward with hope and expectation to that day when “we shall rise to the life immortal” in the new heaven and the new earth where God will be all in all. As we look forward to the Advent of Gods kingdom, we seek to live now as worthy citizens of that kingdom.

The colour of Advent is purple, representing penitence, hope, and expectation, with which we prepare for Jesus ‘coming. As John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord by calling people to repentance, so Advent is a natural time to renew our spiritual lives through the practice of prayer, stillness, meditation, and confession.

Worship This Week

Morning Prayer

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
• Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Evening Prayer 

• Wednesday at 5:30 pm. followed by light supper in the Upper Hall. 

TWENTY SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY – November 13, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

Continue reading “Trinity 22, 2022 – Bulletin”

ALL SAINTS SUNDAY

November 6, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

Parish Life Notes

NOTE OF CONDOLENCE. We pray for Bishop Helen who is travelling to England this week to bury her father, Barry Jackson. May he rest in peace and rise glory.

ST. NICHOLAS (NOT SANTA CLAUS) IS COMING TO TOWN! There has been some confusion, both historical and liturgical, around St. Nicholas and Santa Claus. St. Nicholas was a 4^th century flesh and blood Catholic Bishop who loved God, the Church, the Children and the Poor. He attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 which defended the “consubstantiality of the Son and the Father’ against the heretic Arius. St. Nicholas’ Feast day is December 6 when many Christians in times past exchanged gifts, freeing them up to celebrate on December 25^th God’s gift to us of His well beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Santa Claus was a 19^th century American invention, a fantasy character in the service of consumer economy (“What do you wish for Christmas?”) and moralistic religion (“He’s checking his list, he is counting it twice.) Happily at St. Mary’s we will be  celebrating St. Nicholas on Saturday, December 3 in preparation for Christmas.  The program will include outdoor bonfire, and food grill, musical entertainment, Christmas market, church tours, visit from St. Nicholas and Family Vespers. Our theme is: “Growing in Love: for God, for the Church, for Children, and for the Poor.” 

ALL HANDS ON DECK! Please consider how you will support and be a part of “Celebrating St. Nicholas.” Today we are taking in names of volunteers to bake Christmas cookies, make crafts, and runs stalls. Please speak to Angèle following the service. Baking Bee will start this Thursday at St. Mary’s from 10.00 until 1:00 p.m.

ST. MARY’S DINNER THEATRE! Join us on Wednesday, November 30^th, for Evening Prayer at 5.30 p.m., Potluck Supper at 6.00 p.m., and Regina Little Theatre’s of C.S. Lewis classic work, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” at 7.30 p.m. Today is the last day to order tickets. Please speak to Angèle following the service.

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Morning Prayer

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
• Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Evening Prayer 

• Wednesday at 5:30 pm.  

TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

October 30, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER!

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

Parish Life Notes

LAY WITNESS TALK for St. Mary’s Unstewardship Campaign will be given today by Lorna.

FINGER FOOD LUNCH follows the service today provided for us by Shelley.

PRAYER SHAWL MINSTRY at St. Mary’s seeks to bless and comfort those in need with shawls knitted with prayer. Today we bless the most recent batch of shawls, those who have knitted them and those who will receive them!

ALLHALLOWTIDE. The Octave ( 8 days) of Allhallowtide runs from sundown on Oct. 31 to November 7 and is the season in which we remember the dead, including martyrs, saints, and all faithful departed Christians. We remember them but also celebrate our ongoing communion with them as members of the mystical Body of Christ our Lord. In addition to the services of Morning Prayer this week, please note the following:

• All Saints Day, Tuesday, November 1: 5.30 p.m. Holy Communion.
• All Souls Day, Wednesday, November 2: 5.30 p.m. Holy Communion with commemoration of the faithful departed followed by light supper. Please pass on the names of family members you wish to have remembered to Canon Claude.

ST. NICHOLAS (NOT SANTA CLAUSE) IS COMING TO TOWN! Planning is underway for St. Nicholas Day Celebration on December 3. Our vision is to expand on our past efforts with a view to inviting and including the community to come to St. Mary’s. The program will include outdoor bonfire, and food grill, musical entertainment, Christmas market, church tours, visit from St. Nicholas and Family Vespers. Our theme is: Growing in Love: for God, for the Church, for Children, and for the Poor.” 

REFUGEE SPONSORSHIP UPDATE. Due to public health concerns in Uganda, from where the refugee family will depart, the schedule and flight have been revised because refugee family will need to complete 21 days for monitoring before they leave Uganda. The Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will inform us about the new date of arrival to Regina.

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Morning Prayer

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am. 
• Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Holy Communion

• Tuesday at 5.30 p.m
• Wednesday at 5.30 p.m.

NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

October 23, 2022

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

Parish Life Notes

ST. NICHOLAS (NOT SANTA CLAUS) IS COMING TO TOWN! Planning meeting today after worship for our December St. Nicholas Day Celebration. Our vision is to expand on our past efforts with a view to inviting and including the community to come to St. Mary’s. Our theme is: Growing in Love: for God, for the Church, for Children, and for the Poor.” If you are able to part of the planning, please speak to Claude.

VESTRY meets this Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

REFUGEE SPONSORSHIP UPDATE. Due to public health concerns in Uganda, from where the refugee family will depart, the schedule and flight have been revised because refugee family will need to complete 21 days for monitoring before they leave Uganda. The Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will inform us about the new date of arrival to Regina.

DID YOU KNOW St. Mary’s has a small freezer in the room right of the kitchen? When you are cooking freezable dishes (soups, stew, chili) or baking (crisp, cookies, muffins) please consider making extra. Label and package carefully with ingredients and date visible. Record the type of dish and date made in the binder on the freezer. These foods are distributed to those in need be they parishioners or those in the community.

DAY OF PRAYER AND FASTING. We continue our practice of prayer and fasting this Wednesday. Fasting supper will follow Evening Prayer at 5.30. All are welcome.

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Morning Prayer

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
• Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Evening Prayer 

• Wednesday at 5:30 pm.