Christian holiday. Mittens and Barndance 3. And yet, the theology behind the transformation

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1 V{Ü áàåtá _ z{à Would you be surprised to know that December 25 th is not the actual day of Jesus birth? We don t know when Jesus was born, though scholars surmise it may have been sometime during summer. Why then, did the Church choose December 25 th to celebrate the birth of Jesus when there was no historical record for that day? The answer has to do with the Winter Solstice. Almost every culture and religion has some kind of festival of light during the darkest days of the year. Such was the case of the Roman Empire which celebrated the Roman Saturnalia, the birthday of the Temple of Saturn on December 17 th. It began with a public sacrifice to the god Saturn, a banquet and private festivities that included gift-giving, continual partying and a carnival atmosphere. The festivities eventually expanded through December 23 rd. The Latin writer Macrobius explains the holiday at length in his work Saturnalia. He presents Saturnalia as a festival of light leading to the Winter Solstice, with the abundant presence of candles symbolizing the quest for truth and knowledge. The renewal of light was celebrated in the later Roman Empire at the Dies Natalis of Sol Invictus the Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun on December 25 th. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun was replaced by the birthday of Jesus the Son of God. It was a brilliant move by the Church which solidified itself in Roman Inside this issue: culture by transforming a pagan feast day into a Coming Home for Christmas 2 Christian holiday. Mittens and Barndance 3 And yet, the theology behind the transformation is even more important. Jesus as the Son of Children s Ministry 4 God is also the Light of the world. In the An End of the Year Message 5 Prologue of St. John s Gospel, we have these words: In the beginning was the Word, and Announcements 6 Upcoming Rector's Class 7 (Continued on page 2) Mark Your Calendar 8

2 PAGE 2 the Word was with God, and the Word was God. *** What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. St. John goes on to declare, The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. Think of that. Jesus is the light of the world not the Sun God but the Son of God. Jesus takes our night and turns it into day. Jesus overcomes the darkness that can smother us the darkness of depression, despondency, disappointment and defeat. The Son of God comes into our lives shining brightly, giving us new life and renewed hope to face the future with faith. Whatever burdens and pains we now experience, whatever heartbreaks and heartaches we suffer, whatever fears and anxieties threaten us, whatever worries we have for our world or our loved ones, still we have reason to celebrate and rejoice this Christmas the light that enlightens everyone has come among us Jesus the Son of God, Word made flesh, light of the world, our Savior, Redeemer and Lord. In 1741, George Frederick Handel was ready to quit. His health was shattered. His right side was paralyzed and he could barely manage to hold his pen. His money was gone. Creditors threatened him with imprisonment. Handel sank so low into depression that he wondered whether he should hurl himself into the river. The future seemed so dark and dismal that he felt that he could not continue. But then, Handel was given the libretto for the Messiah. He sat down at his desk to write the music, and for twenty-three days he secluded himself in his room, barely touching the food that Maybe you ve had an ache. An ache of what s been missing in your life. And ache you ve tried to fill with other things. Maybe that ache is your distance from God. And you don t know how to bridge it. We can help you find your way to a place where you can feel at home. Embraced. Supported. And fulfilled. Come home to St. James this Christmas. We miss you. God misses you. VÉÅ Çz [ÉÅx yéü V{Ü áàåtá was brought to him each day by his housekeeper. He wrote feverishly and he found reserves he didn t know God could give him. Describing his feeling when the Hallelujah Chorus burst in his mind, Handel later said, I did think that I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God himself. The next time you listen to selections from the Messiah, remember that this immortal music came from a man who composed it during a time of deep depression in his personal life, when only the light of God kept him going. It s amazing how the Son of God, the light of the world, can work in our lives! This holiday season, I hope you will make every effort to allow God s light to shine in you. I hope you will worship, praise and give thanks to God, who comes to earth so that we might go to heaven. I hope that you will receive the Holy Communion of Christ s Body and Blood with a grateful heart, knowing God holds nothing back. I hope you will feel anew the warmth of God s love, a love which none of us deserve but God gives anyway. I hope you will know that you never walk alone but that God is with you every step of the way. I hope you will feel strengthened and sustained by the God who lifts us up every time we fall, and whose mercy and forgiveness is without end. I hope you will celebrate this Christmas as if you really believe it to be true: that God, the Lord of the universe and the Creator of all that exists, became one with us in Jesus and he did it because he loves us. Your Friend and Rector, The Rev. Dr. Gary Nicolosi And maybe you miss God more than your realize. If you ve been away from St. James for whatever reason, we invite you back with open hearts, open minds and open arms. Whoever you are and wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are always welcome!

3 Mitten Drive Dear Good People of St. James Westminster, Some of you may know that I teach Kindergarten. I love it every day and consider myself incredibly blessed to have a teaching job. However, there are challenges. My school has many students that come from families of a low socioeconomic status. The other staff members and I work hard to support our students by providing good, safe, loving environments for learning every day, as well as food and clothing when necessary. But with the early snow this past week, many of my young kindergarten students did not have mittens, or had mittens that became lost or wet during the school day. I know this challenge will continue for the rest of the winter but I also know that I m not the only teacher or the only school dealing with this. PAGE 3 I wonder if the Good People of St. James can help us? I invite you to buy or make a pair of mittens (or two or ten pairs) and place it on the Murray Alter during Advent. I bet we can cover the Murray Alter with mittens by Christmas. These mittens will be blessed by Father Gary and Father Matt and distributed to children so they will have warm and dry hands this winter. Please continue to pray for those who need extra help this winter season, and may God continue to bless you. Laura Manias Barndance for Brekkies The F event, Barndance for Brekkies, was a huge success! Fun, Fellowship and Fundraising indeed! The music, meal, dancing, and auction were fabulous and over $ was raised in support of our Community Breakfast Program. Congratulations and thank you to all of the participants. God's Blessings, Tracy Grit

4 PAGE 4 Children s Ministry Notes Christmas Pageant and Children s Program Christmas Eve, Tuesday December 24, at 4pm. Come be part of the story of Jesus birth at the Annual Christmas Pageant. There will be a rehearsal Monday, December 23 rd 10am-11am. Children are also invited to stay for a free children s Christmas program 11am-1pm. Lunch will be provided after the rehearsal, then we ll have Christmas lessons and activities. Parents - do you need extra time to prepare for Christmas? Parents are welcome to leave their children with our capable Christmas Program team while they finish shopping, wrapping, cleaning, baking, and all the other wonderful necessary preparations for Christmas. A free three hours! What will you do? Children of all ages are welcome! Sign up by contacting Laura Manias: sundayschool@stjameswest.ca or call Sunday school upcoming events: Saturday, November 23 rd 2-4pm Children 8-10years old are invited to help us finish the Moses Chronicles displays. Painting is involved, so wear suitable clothing. Sunday, November 24 th 10:30 service Moses and the Ten Commandments Following the service the displays of the Moses Chronicles will be set up in the Parish Hall and we ll sing Pharaoh Pharaoh. The children are very excited to show the rest of the congregation what we ve been working on for the last five weeks. Sunday, December 1 st 10:30 service We begin our journey through Advent Following the service, stay for the parish lunch and join in Advent crafts and activities. Monday, December 23 10am-1pm - Christmas Pageant rehearsal and Children s program Tuesday, December 24 4pm Christmas Pageant and Mass Bon Voyage Shannon! Please join me in wishing Shannon Kelly bon voyage as she leaves for Tours, France in January for a semester abroad. Shannon is our faithful nursery coordinator who cares for our youngest St. James members every Sunday. She will return to us in June. Please keep Shannon in your prayers while she s away. We ll miss you Shannon! In the interim Jeff Sercombe has agreed to fill this important role. Jeff is a frequent nursery volunteer and has been well trained by Shannon. Welcome Jeff!

5 PAGE 5 An End of the Year Message from Your Rector A man walking down the street saw two men working with bricks. He asked them, What are you doing? One of them said, I m laying bricks. The other said, I m building a church. What are we building at St. James? We are building a church a centre of ministry where we worship God in the beauty of holiness, where Christ s love, mercy and grace richly abound, and people find healing, hope and strength for their lives. We are building a church that is the largest Anglican Church in Canada west of Toronto. We are building a church where there are more children and adult Christian education programs than any other church in our diocese. We are building a church with so many ministries that our program brochure is eight pages long. We are building a church with an exceptional music program that for an Anglican Church is one of the most diverse and versatile in the country. We are building a church that spends thousands of dollars on outreach to the poor and hungry, giving vouchers to any who ask, offering breakfasts to any who come, and donating food and money to Daily Bread and other meal programs in our city. We are building a church with a highly talented staff in music, pastoral care, administration, property, and now a Coordinator for Children and Youth. We are building a church that is a place of hospitality in Wortley Village, a stalwart in the Diocese of Huron, and a guiding light on how to do church for the Anglican Church of Canada. So what are we building? We are building a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity, compassion and joy who are faithful to God and committed to fulfilling Christ s mission in the world. We are building a church of good news and good works with a big heart and a warm welcome for all. As your rector, I ask you to continue your financial support for our church in 2014 along with your daily prayers and weekly attendance. Stretch your giving if you can, because St. James is worth your money. We are transforming lives in Jesus, engaging in compassionate and caring ministries, nurturing our children and youth in the Anglican way of being Christian, and impacting our community with gospel values. Much work remains to be done. The challenges are great, but opportunities abound. So give generously, sacrificially and joyfully. What a great time to be the church of Jesus Christ! The Rev. Dr. Gary Nicolosi

6 PAGE 6 Aces High is a social group that meets on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Monday of each month in the Westminster Room to play bridge and euchre, unless a statutory holiday occurs. For a complete list of dates visit Select About and click on Aces High. AT THIS TIME WE NEED NEW MEMBERS TO PLAY EUCHRE. PLEASE COME AND ENJOY PLAYING CARDS. Aces High 2013 You do not need a partner, but please bring along any interested friends. We are a group of varying skills of play from beginner to expert. So feel free to join us for an enjoyable afternoon of fun. We arrive at 12:45 p.m. to begin play at 1p.m. Coffee, tea and refreshments are served. There is a nominal cover charge of $2.00 Contact Chairperson Lyon Barnum at for more information. New Bible Study - Be Astonished by the Gospel A base community approach to reading the Gospel offers a new opportunity for spiritual growth, within the context of an intimate community setting. All are invited to join us starting November 25th and every Monday after at 6:30pm in the Westminster Room. We are looking to discern meaning in a world struggling with injustices, and to inspire hope as the people of God. Prayer, mindful reflection and meaningful sharing will allow us to explore, and familiarize ourselves ahead of time with the Gospel for the coming Sunday. Questions? Speak with Rev d Matthew Martin or curate@stjameswest.ca Youth Update There are 3 youth groups meeting regularly at St James to share in fellowship, fun and faith. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month during the 10:30 service in our small youth groups and on the 3rd Sunday with all youth in one large group facilitated by Hilary and Mark Dencev. Our middle school youth are in grades 6 through 8 and are led by Lisa and Duncan Archibald. High school youth from grades 9, 10 and 11 meet with Norman and Ann De Bono and our post-pilgrimage older kids are led by Elaine Jones (who meet at 9:30 on the 2nd and 4th Sundays). Along with our regular Sunday morning sessions, we are currently working on a wonderful Advent Outreach project with our youth where we will collect donations in the St James neighbourhood for the Daily Bread food bank, while inviting our neighbours to attend many of our beautiful church services during the Advent and Christmas seasons. If you live in the area, please watch for us on Friday, November 29th! Or, if you would like to donate to our project, please see any of our youth or leaders.

7 The Articles of Religion PAGE 7 A new Rector s Forum will begin on Sunday, January 12 th and continue each Sunday to April 13 th in the Westminster Lounge from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m. on the 39 Articles of Religion, the mainstay of Anglican faith and doctrine. After a late spring and summer hiatus, the course will continue in late September and finish in December. All 39 Articles will be covered, put in their historical context, and compared with the faith statements of other Churches, including the continental Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic Church. This is an ideal course for anyone interested in Reformation history and theology. You will not only learn classical Anglicanism but also basic Christianity as the English reformers understood and taught it. Although couched in the language of the 16 th century Tudor Church, the Articles have profound relevance for us today as the Anglican Church of Canada struggles to gain a firm foundation on who it is, what it believes and where it is going in a world of rapid change. The Articles can help in our discernment. The Articles were agreed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops of the Provinces of Canterbury and York as well as the whole clergy in Convocation Announcements The Jewelry Guild will be having its first Sale on Sunday December 1 BOTH between services AND after the second service. Payments may be cash or cheque or you may use PayPal after taking home the item(s) purchased. This is a fundraiser for the church. We will be holding our Christmas Parish Bake Sale on Sunday Dec. 8th after both services. We will need lots of donations of muffins, pies, cookies, etc. On Saturday, Dec. 7 at 1pm we will do pie baking in the kitchen. Congratulations to the Rev. Matthew Martin on his ordination to the priesthood on November 28th at St. Paul's Cathedral. Photo Directory: All families in the parish are listed with their addresses and phone numbers and the majority are represented with a colour photo. A limited number of books are available in the office. Get yours before they are all gone ($7 a copy). A big thank you to James Wood as well as Christine Thorpe and her group of telephone volunteers for all their work in producing the new church directory. held in London in The purpose of the Articles was for the avoiding of diversities of opinions, and for the establishing of consent touching true religion. For over 450 years, they have remained the only formal statement of faith approved for all Anglicans. Here are the Articles we will cover this term, all of which can be found in The Book of Common Prayer beginning on page 698: January 12 An Introduction to the 39 Articles January 19 Article I January 26 Article II February 2 Articles III, IV and V February 9 Articles VI and VII February 16 Article VIII February 23 Articles IX and X March 2 Articles XI, XII, XIII and XIV March 9 Articles XV and XVI March 16 Articles XVII and XVIII March 23 No Class March 30 Article XIX April 6 Articles XX and XXI April 13 Article XXII Notes will be distributed at each session. For more information on the course, speak with Dr. Nicolosi. CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP Are you caring for a loved one and feeling overwhelmed? Come and talk to other people who have the same concerns. We meet at 10:30am on Wednesdays in the Westminster Lounge. Contact Rev. Matt Martin curate@stjameswest.ca

8 Advent and Christmas at St. James THE SUNDAYS OF ADVENT December 1, 8, 15 and 22 Advent Wreath Candle Lighting Ceremony with the Sunday school children at the 10:30 Eucharist. December 1 Parish Luncheon after the 10:30 Eucharist followed by an Intergenerational Advent Programme. December 1 is also Renew Sunday when we celebrate the renewal of our church and diocese. CHRISTMAS LESSONS AND CAROLS SERVICE Procession and Candle Lighting Sunday, December 22 at 4:00 pm CHRISTMAS EVE, December 24 4:00 p.m. Children s Christmas Pageant and Holy Eucharist 7:00 p.m. Christmas Jazz Mass 10:00 p.m. Solemn Eucharist of Christmas Eve CHRISTMAS DAY, December 25 10:00 a.m. Christmas Holy Communion from the Book of Common Prayer with Hymns and Music CHRISTMAS I, December 29 8:30 Prayer Book Communion 10:30 Contemporary Eucharist EPIPHANY SUNDAY, January 5 8:30 Prayer Book Communion 10:30 Contemporary Eucharist Note: If anyone would like to schedule Baptism at the 10:30 worship service on either December 22 or December 29, please speak with the Rector. January 12 The Baptism of Our Lord Sunday For inquiries regarding baptism on this Sunday or at any other time, please speak with the Rector. Key Dates for 2014 January 19 Bishop s Visitation Bishop Terry Dance will make his Episcopal visitation to St. James. He will preach and celebrate at the 10:30 Eucharist. A reception for Bishop Dance will follow in the parish hall. (Note: If anyone wants to be confirmed, please see the Rector. Parish Confirmation is once again available.) January 26 Vestry Sunday The annual Vestry meeting will take place in the parish hall after the 10:30 Eucharist. A luncheon will precede the meeting and nursery care and a children s programme will be offered. All vestry reports are due by Mon., January 6. February 9 Concert 3 Keyboards: Peter Clements, Stephen Holowitz and Angus Sinclair will perform in the church at 2:30 p.m. Saint James Westminster Church 115 Askin Street, London, ON, N6C 1E7 Ph: office@stjameswest.ca Web: