In our Parish Cycle of Prayer we pray for Rosemary Barnes; Roseann Barry; Pat Barton; Wendy Bascom & Margaret Beale.

In our Community and Partners Prayer Cycle we pray for Hamilton Out of the Cold.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea.

In the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada we pray for the Venerable Alan Perry, General Secretary, and the staff of the (Anglican) General Secretary’s Office; Peace Anthony-Idoko, Director of Finance and Administration, and the staff of (Lutheran) Finance and Administration.

In our Diocese of Niagara we pray for our Bishop, the Right Reverend Susan Bell; and for St. John, Jordan, the Reverend Pamela Guyatt, Rector; the Reverend Deacon Joyce Richardson Tufford, Deacon; the Reverend Canon Ian Chadwick, Honorary Assistant; and the people of that parish.

As a community we pray for the isolated, the lonely and those mourning or remembering the death of family and friends.

Those who have asked to be remembered in our prayers: With ongoing needs Celina Liong; Ernie Taylor; Susan Andrews; Cathy Johnston; Larry Andrews; Susan Worrall; John; Wayne & Michelle; Jane; Helen; Lisa LaRush; Rachel & James; With current needs Kim; Heather Clark; Judy Robertson; Dawn Romig, Charlotte Read; Ann Fricker; The Reverend Michael Clark; Erin Cvitanovich; Alex and Emma Gilling; The Reverend Charles Meeks; Richard Cunningham; Hazel.

Those preparing for baptism Riley Robinson; Irannah Tumwesigye.

Those who have recently died Mark Lemon; Giles Gilling.

Flower Dedication Flowers at the High Altar are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of the Johnston, Wright, Bell and Gates families, given by Michael and Kim Johnston.

SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

8:30am - Holy Eucharist in person

10:30am - Festival of Lessons and Carols in person and on the

Cathedral's YouTube channel

DECEMBER 17 ORDER OF SERVICE

WEDNESDAY 20 DECEMBER

8:30am - Morning Prayer via Zoom followed by coffee and conversation

12:15pm - Eucharist in the Cathedral

FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER

12:15pm - Litany of Reconciliation in Bishopsgate

SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER - FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

8:30am - Holy Eucharist in person

10:30am - Festival of Lessons and Carols in person and on YouTube

CHRISTMAS EVE

4:30pm - Family Eucharist with Blessing of the Creche in person

10:00pm - Choral Eucharist in person and on YouTube

MONDAY 25 DECEMBER - CHRISTMAS DAY

10:00am - Holy Eucharist in person and on YouTube

SUNDAY 31 DECEMBER - FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

10:00am - Choral Eucharist in person and on YouTube

In these sessions, we're taking a Bible Tour - an overview of what's in the Bible, where it came from, and how it came together in this extended survey of the scriptures.

Next on the Bible Tour, we look at Joseph and his amazing technicolor dreamcoat. (Never mind that technicolor wouldn't be invented for another 3000 years.) We'd be happy to have you in the Spence Room after the 2nd service at 12:15-1:15pm

After this Sunday, Digging Deeper will take a break and resume on January 7.

For further information, please feel free to contact Matthew Green at 905-865-9863.

Our doors will be open one Sunday per month for anyone to come and enjoy some quiet space in the middle of our busy city.  Feel free to light a candle, say a prayer, or just sit quietly in this beautiful space.

Any willing and available hands are invited to join us for one of our biggest cleaning and polishing events of the year. Come help make the Cathedral shine!

The Christmas 2023 edition of Contact has been published and is available in print in Church, or digitally HERE. Congratulations to Sally Braun-Jackson, Sue Crowe-Connolly, and all who have collaborated in this impressive production.

We give thanks to God for the cooperation and progress made at COP28 in the interests of the environment, and for the agreement by nearly 200 countries to transition away from climate warming fossil fuels.  But we must continue to pray for the needs of low-income countries whose populations are already suffering from the climate crisis, and for courage, leadership, and prudent action to make the transition possible. 

Every Step of Climate Action Counts!

December's Action! Buy fewer items locally, shop secondhand, and repair what you can! Instead of buying everything new this Christmas, focus on repurposing, regifting, or rehoming.

Why? Electronics, clothes, plastics and other items we buy cause carbon emissions at each point in production, from the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing and transporting goods to market. And supporting local small businesses stimulates the economy where you live!

Impact? Plastics alone generated 1.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 – 3.4 per cent of the global total. Buying fewer new clothes – and other consumer goods – can also reduce your carbon footprint. Every kilogram of textiles produced generates about 17 kilograms of CO₂e.*

*From the UN's Actions for a Healthy Planet

Envelopes for Christmas memorial flowers are available on the narthex table and at each of the collection boxes.  Please print clearly the names of those that you would like remembered in the Christmas bulletin. Envelopes must be returned to the church office or in the collection box by Sunday, December 17 in order to allow for printing of the bulletin.

Christmas cards are again on sale on Sundays, and you can buy the Anglican Church calendar ($5.00) at the same table. Christmas cards were first sold in 2008 in response to requests from those who wanted “Christian” Christmas cards and the acknowledgement of Christmas in the message in place of “Season’s Greetings”. The price today is the same as in 2008, so you can save money and help the cathedral!  Each card is $1.25 ( 4 for $5.00, $15.00 per dozen) – AND the price is 20% LOWER for orders of $50.00 or more.

Christmas is a time of generosity.  Gifts are given and received.  At Christ's Church Cathedral we are thankful for the generosity of our parishioners.  Because of your faithfulness, we are able to maintain and expand programs and ministry.

Recently, you picked up or received the Dean's Christmas letter in the mail.  We recognize that there are many competing interests asking for your financial attention at this time of the year.  Still we ask that you prayerfully consider adding Christ's Church Cathedral to your gift list this season.  

So often we start the month of December facing a financial deficit.  Sadly, this year is no different.  God is faithful and his people are generous.  It is our prayer that we will once again end this year without a deficit.

Thank you again for your generosity.

Towards the end of every year, our Parish Coordinator orders numbered envelopes for parishioners who elect to make their regular donations at time of collection during services.  For those who are already using numbered envelopes, no action is required.   The Cathedral will ensure that your envelopes are re-ordered for the new year.  However, please let us know if opting not to use them in 2024.  For instance, if you've moved to Pre-Authorized Givings, chances are you will not need numbered envelopes. 

For those who are not using numbered envelopes and are filling out the generic donation envelopes every week, you would likely find numbered envelopes both easier and efficient.  If you'd like to know more about how numbered envelopes work, please do not hesitate to email the Cathedral Office or call 905-527-1316 ext 240, or just pop in!

Please Note:  Unused envelopes from the current or past years cannot be used in future years.  That is because we often need to re-assign envelope numbers from one year to the next.  In other words, your number may change from one year to the next.

We are now hiring for a new Parish Coordinator.  The posting is on the Cathedral website.  If you know anyone who might be interested in and qualified for the position, please make them aware of the posting and encourage them to review it.

We are very excited to announce that as part of the City of Hamilton’s Winter Response, Christ’s Church Cathedral, in partnership with St. Matthews House, Hamilton Out of the Cold, and 541 Eatery & Exchange is offering a daily drop in, Monday to Saturday, between the hours of 9 am to 4 pm from December 1 to March 31, 2024.  

The Cathedral Café is a warming and resting centre for "street-involved" and precariously housed individuals in our community.  The Cathedral Café will expand its operations from a totally volunteer run ministry to that of one with paid social work staff and coordinator augmented by a team of volunteers.  We are seeking  more volunteers for the Cathedral Café under the new model as the continuity of this ministry is critical.    

Volunteers are needed to fill the the 3 shifts per day Monday to Saturday: 

• 8:30 am to 11:30 am
• 11:30 am to 2:00 pm
• 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm

 High-level expectations of volunteers are to:

• Greet and welcome guests
• Organize food, drinks, and other supplies and present guests with refreshments
• Prepare refreshments, as required
• Wash dishes, as required
• Verbally interact with guests in safe, respectful and caring manner
• Refer guests to on-site social worker, as needed
• Distributes naloxone kits to guests upon request
• Sanitize/disinfect table used by each guest
• Disinfect refreshment table/kitchen frequently
• Monitor washroom
• Monitor and report to Centre Coordinator adequacy of supplies and/or additional support for guests. 

For full details, please refer to the full Cathedral Café Volunteer Position Description.

If you or someone you know are at all inclined to help as an on-site volunteer, please complete the Volunteer Declaration form and/or connect with Kerry Lubrick at kerryllubrick@gmail.com or call 905-679-2818.

A great stocking stuffer and a wonderful way to help support Cathedral Café, a very important ministry of Christ’s Church Cathedral and the Diocese of Niagara. $20.00 per copy. To get your copy, please connect with Kerry Lubrick at kerryllubrick@gmail.com or 905-679-2818.

1. We celebrate with Cathedral parishioners Robinson, Gerry and Micheal who have moved to Hamilton from Uganda, and have found a home. They moved into their new apartment in the King and Sherman neighborhood on December 15, and most of their household needs have been met thanks to the generosity of Cathedral parishioners and Cathedral Cafe volunteers. We are still looking for a few things including a bit more bedding (including mattress covers for a queen and a twin bed, and bath towels). If you have any of these items (clean and in good condition), please contact Elizabeth Wensley (eawensley@gmail.com), Kerry Lubrick (kerryllubrick@gmail.com) or David Savage (dsavage3@cogeco.ca).
2. If you have a general-interest hard copy magazine subscription (Canadian Living, National Geographic, Time, car or sports magazines etc) and have been putting issues in the recycling bin after reading, the Cathedral Cafe warming centre would like to have them instead.  Recent issues (last 3 months) only, please.  We are also looking for 2 or 3 "C," "micro-USB," and iPhone lightning phone chargers, as well as power blocks (wall plug to USB).  If you have any you're not using, contact Elizabeth Wensley (eawensley@gmail.com).

Hearty thanks to all participants in the planning study for a possible capital campaign by the Diocese. The development firm the Steier Group has worked since September on the study, interviewing more than 200 priests and parishioners. More than 200 others participated in town hall events in November or through mail and online surveys. The Steier Group will present its final report to the diocese on December 20. Diocesan leaders will review the report and Synod Council decide in early 2024 whether to move forward with a campaign. Please pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide the discernment process!

Reflections on Farming, Family and Faith in the midst of the Climate Crisis

During this season of Advent, subscribe HERE to PWRDF’s free resource. You will receive an email each day that also includes a PWRDF story or video. You can also download the resource in its entirety as a PDF (you will be required to provide your email address).

Diocese of Niagara PWRDF Advent Challenge

Bishop Susan is challenging the Diocese of Niagara to purchase 39 farms from the PWRDF “World of Gifts” catalogue. The World of Gifts allows you to support PWRDF partners by funding items of need for their programs. A “Diocese of Niagara” crowdfunding page has been created to track the donations to this Advent Challenge. If donating online, please go HERE. If sending a cheque to PWRDF, please write ‘Diocese of Niagara Advent Challenge’ on the memo line.

Let’s do our part to help purchase 39 farms!

For more information on other ways to support PWRDF, please contact your Parish Representative, Louise van Woelderen, at louise.vanwoelderen@gmail.com or 905-387-1820.

At the back of the Cathedral there is a Tap donation device.  You can use your debit or credit card to "tap" and donate $5 to Christ's Church Cathedral.  If you wish to donate more, you can tap up to four times!  Your generosity is appreciated as it allows us to continue to maintain our beautiful facilities and offer innovative ministry to our community.  Thank you!

Please note that the Cathedral Office will be closed from 12:00noon on Friday, December 22 until 9:00am on Tuesday, January 3.

If you need to contact clergy in an emergency between now and Monday, January 1, please call  365-324-4503; between Tuesday, January 2 and Saturday, January 6, please call 905-865-9977.

Please forward items for the Chronicle by 1:00pm on the Wednesday prior to publication to the Parish Coordinator at cathedral.admin@niagaraanglican.ca or 905-527-1316 ext 240.