Parish Cycle of Prayer:   Anne Kaewmongkol & Ted Chrysler; Robin Lane; J. Lefebvre. 

Anglican Cycle of Prayer:   In the world-wide Anglican Communion we pray for the Church of the Province of Central Africa. In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada we pray for The Reverend Paul Gehrs, Assistant to the National Bishop, Justice and Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations; Gretchen Peterson, Assistant to the National Bishop, Youth and Leadership. In the Anglican Church of Canada we pray for The Reverend Dr. Eileen Scully, Director, and the staff of Faith, Worship, and Ministry; Sheilagh McGlynn, Youth Ministries Animator; The Reverend  Canon Dr. Scott Sharman, Animator for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. In our partner diocese of Cuba we pray for the parish of San Pablo in Bolondron; the Candidate Rodhin Alonso Colomar and the people of that parish.  In our diocese of Niagara we pray for our Bishop, The Right Reverend Susan Bell, St. Saviour, The Brock Memorial Church, Queenston, The Reverend Janet Cashin, Priest in Charge, 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 and those who help,  support, counsel and care for them.       

Those who have asked to be remembered in our prayers:   Susan Andrews; Eric Mills; Susan Worrall; Linda Andrews-McFarlane; Michael F.; Joseph C.; Kathy Johnston; Gary Hanna; Brandon Johnson; Joshua Fitzpatrick; Larry Andrews; Pat Crowe & family; Jeff & Sally Braun-Jackson; Justin; Charlotte; Allan; Veronica; Brian; Diana; Michael; Mildred; Paul.   

The flowers at the altar are given to the glory of God.

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 19th in order to allow for printing of the bulletin.   

The Generosity Team asked Rob Miller, a candidate for ordination in the Diocese of Niagara completing a ministry placement at Christ's Church Cathedral, to reflect on our December theme of hospitality.  Here are his thoughts.  

Hospitality is the-love-of-stranger. When expressed in the world––when lived out––hospitality is a love that seeks commonality in conflict. By its very nature, the-love-of-stranger, invites difference and conflict that common ground might germinate a new understanding of divine love and bring about new channels for genuine exchanges that strengthen the bonds of faith. This is how the world is recovered. The estrangement that exist between us cannot be eliminated, but must be slowly and patiently reconciled.  

The word for hospitality as it appears in our greek New Testament: φιλοξενία (fil-on-exee’-ah). Φιλο, meaning love, or friend, and ξενία, meaning stranger, or other. It is a fascinating word, φιλοξενία, and a bit of a paradox, at least on the page. But when manifested in the day in-day-out of life, well then, my goodness, it’s a beautiful thing; in my opinion it is one of the greatest virtues we as Christians can manifest. And of course, we are able to manifest this love of-stranger because God, in Christ Jesus, has given us the ultimate exchange; in the person of Christ we have hospitality par excellence.  

If, in the exchange, a peaceable intent fails to be received, and conflict arises—like when one throws a pearl at a pig, let the reader hear—then there are perhaps two options. The first would be to abandon the pursuit of the-love-of-stranger. The difference is too great and neither the giver nor the receiver lands the exchange, the attempt is a fumble and fails to produces the fruit of divine-love. Switch analogy now, it’s like two people playing catch over too great a distance, the ball often fails to connect the bare hand to the gloved hand. The second option, however, is to risk another exchange, this time simpler, that the gap of difference may be spanned and a common ground might be established. The giver and the receiver might consider the others task in the exchange and make adjustments accordingly. If the attempt at hospitality fails yet again, we must find the common ground through humbler means, perhaps without words.  

Surely you have heard it said, “don’t hide your face from your own kin.” Maybe this is one of our greatest hindrances in the maturing of our faith. We have feared our differences and failed to conceive divine-love in the gaze given and held. My friends, with eyes on our example, let us pursue the-love-of-stranger with baby steps this coming Christmas season.   

Christmas Eve

4:30pm Family Eucharist

Presider:  The Very Rev. Dr. Tim Dobbin

Storyteller:  The Reverend Canon J Lefebvre

8:30pm Congregational Carols - Come sing with us!

9:00pm Holy Eucharist 

Presider & Preacher:  The Right Reverend Susan Bell

CHRISTMAS DAY - Celebration of the Birth of Our Lord

10am Holy Eucharist

Presider & Preacher:  The Very Reverend Dr. Tim Dobbin

CHRISTMAS ONE  - December 26th

Holy Eucharist 10:30am (one service only) 

Presider:  The Very Reverend Dr. Tim Dobbin

Preacher:   The Venerable Lynne Marchant

Christmas Cards
Highlighting the Cathedral stained glass windows.
$1.25 each,  $15.00 per dozen, 4 for $5.00 or 8 for $10.00

Anglican Church Calendars  $5 each

A Visual Tour of Christ’s of Church Cathedral $12  Compiled during COVID-19 to support community.   

All charitable donations for 2021 must be received in the Cathedral Office by December 31st.   Thank you.

Due to a recent change in our Covid protocols this group will now meet via Zoom.  Please contact Rob Jones or Rob Miller to obtain the link.

Are now available on Sundays at the registration table.  If you are unable to pick up your enevelopes please contact the church office and we will arrange for delivery.

PWRDF's Advent Resource 2021 - Advent IV - The Word Made Flesh

Register to receive a daily email containing a reflection from a PWRDF partner, volunteer or staff member, followed by a guided meditation (to read or listen to). Visit www.pwrdf.org/advent2021 to fill out the subscription form.  Please be sure to check your junk/spam folder if you have subscribed and you are not receiving your daily emails.   

PWRDF WORLD OF GIFTS

Support PWRDF's partners by funding items of need for their programs. Your donations go directly to their stated use unless an item is overfunded, in which case funds will be allocated to an area of similar need.  

Visit www.pwrdf.org/world-of-gifts/ to browse through the catalogue and find a gift to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or Christmas!  

You can order from the catalogue online, by mail, or by telephone at 1-877-936-9199 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday).   For additional information on other ways to continue to support PWRDF, please contact your Parish  Representative at louise.vanwoelderen@gmail.com   

Are available on the narthex table and at each of the collection boxes in the church.  Copies of The Dean’s letter are also available on the narthex table for those who have not received it electronically or through Canada Post.