Welcome to the St. Peter's Anglican
Church Website
located in
historic Cabbagetown in downtown Toronto on the North- East
corner of Carlton and Bleecker StreetRector:
Rev. Judy Herron-Graham
Please click
Here for the Sunday leaflet for January 24, 2010. PDF format.
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Christmas 2009 - Waiting to receive pictures of the
Christmas pageant.
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Advent, A.D. 2009
Dear Friends of St.
Peter’s,
As we come to the
close of another year, it is encouraging to look back at the change and
growth we have experienced over that time. Our average Sunday
attendance continues to grow, and this is reflected in a larger choir,
more enthusiastic congregational singing, a growing Sunday school and
increasing numbers participating in worship as readers, greeters,
servers, etc. To those of you who have joined us during this time,
welcome!!
As I write this, we
have just completed our second Natural Church Development survey, and
the preliminary results reflect our growth and health as a
congregation. Early in the new year, a debriefing session will be
scheduled for those who took part in the survey, as well as the
Advisory Board and the wider congregation, so that together we can
consider the implications of these results for our congregational life.
As those of you who
have been parishioners for some time are aware, we have ongoing
challenges to maintain our aging buildings. Some of these challenges
are cosmetic, some are functional, while others, the more serious, are
structural. Of particular concern is our parish hall, which structural
engineers have inspected and call a ‘mature building.’ By that they
mean that it is on its last legs.
In November, Bishop
Yu met with the Churchwardens and gave his approval for us to continue
to explore ways to improve our parish hall and program facilities. Over
the next few months the churchwardens and I will be exploring funding
options and partnerships which will allow us, we hope, to do this. What
we hope to have at the conclusion of this process are updated and
renovated program and office space within our existing building. Stay
tuned, as I expect that in the new year there will be a way forward
presented which will offer St. Peter’s exciting new future ministry
possibilities. In the meantime, your prayer and support of the
churchwardens, who will be working overtime on your behalf, is much
appreciated. It goes, almost without saying, that these proposed
changes will come to the vestry for its consideration and approval.
With this
newsletter, you will receive information about FaithWorks, our annual
diocesan appeal for Anglican charities in the Diocese of Toronto. On
December 6, Garry Glowacki of The Bridge Prison Ministry will be our
guest preacher. I heard Garry speak last spring and he brought tears to
my eyes with the stories he told, and how we can make a difference in
these people’s lives. Please consider prayerfully how you can support
FaithWorks this year.
The seasons of
Advent, Christmas and Epiphany will soon be upon us, each with their
own theme and emphasis. During Advent, there will be a special dramatic
presentation each week. On Sunday December 13 at 4 p.m. we will
have a joint Service of Lessons and Carols hosted by St. Luke`s United
Church, across the road from us on Carlton St. There will be a mass
choir, and much joyful music of the season followed by good food and
fellowship. Please plan to attend and invite your friends and
neighbours to this community outreach event. Special music will also be
a part of the service on December 20, when The Brass Conspiracy and a
guest soloist will enrich our worship.
On Christmas Eve,
we will have a candlelight service of Holy Communion at 8 p.m. This
service will include the use of incense. On Christmas Day, we will have
a service of Holy Communion at 10:30 a.m. We will celebrate the
Epiphany on January 3, again with incense; and we will renew our own
baptismal vows as we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord on January 10.
On January 17, we will celebrate our Feast of Title, the Confession of
St. Peter, with an anniversary service to mark the beginning of the
147th year of the parish. On January 24 at 4:30 p.m. we will have an
evening prayer we are calling `New Year – Old Hymns.` Your requests for
hymns from former hymn books that are not included in our present book
are invited. It is a chance to come and sing some of your old
favourites with old friends in a prayerful context. Hymn request forms
will be available in the new year.
In the busyness of
the season, I encourage you to care for your spirit. Attend worship
with others who believe that Jesus is the reason for the season.
If you have access to the internet, you may want to visit The Advent
Conspiracy at www.adventconspiracy.org , for ideas on ways to
de-escalate the hype of the secular season and keep its true meaning
before you. If ill health prevents you from attending church and you
would like communion brought to you at home, please call the parish
office at 416 924 1891 to arrange an appointment. May the Prince of
Peace be born anew in your heart this Christmas.
Yours
faithfully,
The Rev’d J.
Herron-Graham
Incumbent
Holy
Eucharist