The creche by Janet Callary, one of the prizes at the bazaar!
Incumbent’s Report, November 28, 2021
November seems to have flown by.
We celebrated our patronal feast, All Saints’ Sunday, in fine style with two baptisms on November 7th, and Remembrance on the 14th. In addition, on the evening of November 2nd, the Commemoration of All Faithful Departed (All Souls’), we held a service of mourning and remembrance in response to the many losses that we as individuals and as a community have sustained since the pandemic began. The service was offered once on Zoom and once in person.
On November 6th, we hosted the funeral of the Venerable Gordon Guy, at which Bishop Mary preached and celebrated. This was the first time since the pandemic that the church has been full to capacity (capacity at the moment being, of course, 50 people). The same afternoon, I attended the Induction of the Rev’d Joel Amis at Christ Church, Beaurepaire.
Peter Lekx’s Lay Committee met on October 24th to reflect on his first (official) sermon with us, and he is continuing to participate in our worship, pastoral care, and fellowship activities as he wraps up the first semester of his In-Ministry Year. If you haven’t scheduled a one-on-one with Peter, he would love to be in touch!
On November 4th, the clergy of the diocese assembled for a Clergy Day in person for the first time since February of 2020; it was wonderful to see my colleagues again after so long! On November 16th, the Worship Committee met to plan Advent and Christmas, and on the 18th, I attended my friend and colleague Deborah Meister’s first profession of monastic vows at the Cathedral.
Our second annual Virtual Christmas Bazaar is in full swing, with new enthusiastic team members and lots of fun items for sale!
On November 21, three of our wonderful young people began meeting to prepare for Confirmation, which has been scheduled for Pentecost (June 5, 2022). (A fourth confirmand still hopes to be able to join us for the next meeting.) Adults who wish to be confirmed or received are more than welcome to plan to be part of that service as well, so if you’ve never formally joined the Anglican church and would like to do so (or would like to reaffirm your baptismal vows), please let me know!
For Christmas, we will have a hybrid Lessons & Carols at 4 pm on December 12 (places for the congregation will be very limited, so sign up early!) and our usual two Christmas Eve services at 4 and 10 pm (with carols before the late service at 9:30). If there is high demand for in-person places on Christmas Eve, we may add a third service, so again, if you plan to come, please sign up as soon as possible!
Christmas Day is a Saturday, so on Sunday, December 26, we will have a service of Christmas Lessons & Carols with Eucharist, and then regular worship on January 2.
The end of the year approaches, and with it the Annual Vestry which will be held in February 2022. If you are feeling called to serve the church through leadership on the Corporation or a committee, please let me know!
Peace,
Grace+
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