St. Paul’s United Church
Our Mission: Glorifying God through Worship, Proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, and Serving Others in Christ’s name.
From the desk of Rev. Michelle…
Did you ever play the game telephone as a child? To play, one child starts a message by whispering it in the ear of their friend, who then passes it to the next participant. This continues until everyone has heard the message, and then the last person says out loud what they heard. Often the message at the end is nothing like the original message. It can be quite funny.
When it comes to adult life, the experiences of the original story changing and morphing as people share what they think they have heard, often leads to stress and strain. Part of my week has been spent talking with and clarifying the record for people who have “heard on the street” that St. Paul’s is immediately or in the short-term closing, that we are amalgamating with Wilmot or that we cannot afford to keep the heat and lights on. There has been worry about our outreach programs, our staff, and our community of faith.
To set the record straight, as the person who has to be in the room for the Board to make a legal decision, there has been NO decision made to change anything and NO decision will be made until we have explored the idea, it impacts and gained feedback from you the congregation, on your support or rejection. Currently, nothing has changed with our operations on Sunday or throughout the week. We will be celebrating Christmas as normal.
Now this doesn’t mean that things won’t change in the future. I would say that the beginning of the new year will be critical for us, as we move into an intentional process of figuring out where God is calling us. In the New Year, your participation in the conversations and discernment will be needed to make sure we come to the best path for us. The one thing we know for sure is that continuing the current path is not a viable option.
Meghan has been hard at work pulling together information for our finance committee, which met last night. A 10+ year review of our finances has shown that our year-end results of income minus expenses have been fairly consistent. This sounds good except; we have been decreasing our budget to match decreasing givings. This has left us at the point where there is little wiggle room in our budget to cut further. That said, despite what the rumour mill says, please be assured that at this point, and with your continued support, we can pay our bills, and even fix the boiler should it break again.
This Sunday we enter into the season of Advent, the season of waiting and preparing for Christ’s manifestation in the world. In many ways, it is the perfect season to think about what we hope for and what we would like to see birthed. The lectionary in the next couple of weeks offers us readings from the prophets. They speak to the people about real struggles and about the hope and promise of God. They proclaim God’s faithfulness in caring for us, even when that care doesn’t come in the way we think it should.
Relating our situation to the Christmas story, we are in the pregnancy and labour period, we are birthing the new life God has for us. As a congregation, we are in our own time of Advent as we wait and prepare to receive the vision God has for us. This in-between time, as the Credence consultants pointed out, and anyone who has given birth knows is not an easy phase, it takes effort and is often messy. Yet as we behold what comes, like Mary holding the newborn Jesus, it will be worth the effort.
As we travel this advent road, we need to remember that not everyone will experience the journey the same way. There are those of us who like certainty, a clear map, and knowing where we will be in 2, 5, or 10 years. Not having a concrete plan and clear destination will be hard. If this is you, you may feel the desire to quickly grab onto one idea and run with it. Others among us thrive in the realm of possibilities. If this is you, you may feel energized by all the options available to us and excited to explore what our congregation could do. But when it comes to letting go of ideas that are less likely to work before they are fully fleshed out, it might be hard, and when the time comes to settle into one direction you may also find this a challenge. Part of the task ahead of us will be to hold both of these experiences together and give thanks that God has blessed us with complementary personality types to help us navigate this next phase.
For now, for the rest of this year, I invite you to approach the manger, to enter into the mystery and gift that is the Advent and Christmas season. Let us take joy in being the people of God who make up this faith community and give thanks that God is with Us, and will continue to be with us, for Christ is Emmanuel.
Let us pray,
God of expectant waiting,
You waited for us, to respond to your prophet’s call,
You waited for us, to live your ways of peace and justice,
You waited for us, to turn to see your presence in creation and each other,
You waited for us, so long, giving us so many opportunities to live our life in praise of you.
You waited and prepared for the day when we would be your people fully.
You waited until you could wait no more, and then you came to us.
So now we are waiting, preparing for you to come again.
Readying our hearts for your arrival,
Shifting our focus from ourselves,
Opening ourselves to joy and hope that is life in you.
As we look to the horizon of your birth, we wait.
Amen.
Featured In This November 30th Edition of St. Paul’s eNews
Worship This Sunday December 3rd
Carols By Glowstick
Bake Sale & New To You Sale At Wilmot United
Christmas Bazaar at Marysville United
Breakfast & Christmas Market At Gibson Memorial
Charpentier’s Messe De Minuit Pour Noel
FundScrip Orders Due This Sunday!
Brown Bag Lunch Program
Pantry Program
God’s Story, Our Story
Bible Study on Sunday Reading
Evening Small Group Faith Exploration
Memorial Tree Lighting Service
Advent Carol Festival
A Ceremony Of Carols
Songs Of Jubilee Organ Recital
Upcoming Dates To Remember
Worship This Sunday December 3rd
Please join Rev. Michelle for our Advent 1 Service with Communion at 10:30am
Can’t join us in person, join us via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81834519740
Meeting ID: 818 3451 9740 Passcode: 657067
Carols By Glowstick
Get your tickets for Carols by Glowstick happening this Friday December 1st from 6-7pm. We are singing the songs of the season. The focus is on fun! Ticket Prices: Online at https://www.eventbrite.ca: Single Ticket: $5.50 plus service fees, Family Ticket: (Max. family of 4) $20 plus service fees. Tickets can also be purchased by cash or etransfer at St. Paul’ s Office until 1pm Friday.
Christmas Bazaar at Marysville United
The Marysville United Church UCW are having their Christmas Bazaar and Turkey a la King take out on December 1st, with cream cheese squares. $10. Pick up is 4 to 6 p.m. Call the church office to order in advance. 506 450-3082.
Breakfast & Christmas Market At Gibson Memorial
Gibson Memorial United Church at 183 Gibson St., will be hosting a Breakfast & Christmas Market on Saturday, December 2nd, 2023, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. The Breakfast will be from 8:00 – 10:30 a.m. at $10/person. The market tables will feature Christmas cards & crafts by Lori Donovan, a church table with baking, pickles & knitting and a Book & Puzzle table. Everyone is welcome!
Charpentier’s Messe De Minuit Pour Noel
Inside our Church and out, this Christmas Season promises exciting and spectacular musical events. On December 2nd at 7:30 p.m. in Christ Church Cathedral, the Bel Canto Singers of Fredericton will present Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit pour Noel with full orchestration from the Elm City String Quartet. Other acapella pieces include pieces by Mendelsohn, Lauridsen and others. Tickets for Bel Canto are $25 General/$10 Student. Tickets are available online, at the door and from choir members Jane Blakely & Debbie West.
FundScrip Orders Due This Sunday!
Countdown for Christmas! Deadline for the next gift card order… and the last before Christmas… is Sunday, December 3rd. Convenient for last-minute shopping and welcome gifts for family and friends! If you usually purchase grocery store or gas cards, you may want to order extra cards in December as there will not be an order in January. The first order in the new year will be in February. Order forms are available in the church office, in the Narthex or click here December 3rd FundScrip Order Form. New supporters always welcome! Remember: Shopping is fundraising for St. Paul’s.
Brown Bag Lunch Program
This week, the program needs proteins with flip top lids, granola bars, and pudding cups. Thank you for your continued support and generosity of this program.
Pantry Program
The Pantry program needs the following items this week: orange juice, chili, pudding cups, Rice Krispies, canned tomatoes, white rice, canned milk, fruit cups, canned meats, Ritz crackers and white sugar. Thank you for your continued support of this increasingly busy outreach program!
God’s Story, Our Story
Pick up this reflection guide at the back of the sanctuary to use as a home devotional or with your own small group of friends.
Bible Study on Sunday Reading
Tuesdays from 10:45am-11:45am in the Board room. This is an opportunity to engage with our scripture and listen to God speaking. Can’t make it in person, Join by Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81736183320 Meeting ID: 817 3618 3320 Passcode: 750844
Evening Small Group Faith Exploration
Thursdays from 6-7pm in the Parlor. This group is for those seeking to grow in their relationship with God through scripture, prayer, and action. We hope you will join us.
Memorial Tree Lighting Service
McAdam’s & Oromocto Funeral Homes know that for many among us, the approach of the holidays will bring bittersweet memories of those who won’t be with us at this special time of year. As families gather, thoughts of loved ones who have died will often bring both smiles and tears. Though they may be gone they are very much alive in our hearts, especially during the holidays. Once again, we are pleased to host an evening of comfort and remembrance in our chapels, as we pause to reflect on the season and those who have shared seasons past. The annual Memorial Tree Lighting Service will be held at Oromocto Funeral Home on Dec 5th at 7pm and McAdam’s Funeral Home in Fredericton on Dec 6th at 7pm.
Advent Carol Festival
For years it has been the musical event that marks the start of the Christmas season in Fredericton! On Wednesday, December 6th, the Annual Advent Carol Festival returns to St. Paul’s United Church at 224 York Street. Beginning at 7:30 p.m., the program will feature both new and familiar Christmas selections. Ten church and community choirs will take part, each singing a favourite carol or seasonal song. The choirs will also unite for a mass sing and the audience will be invited to join in the festive singing, too! Come enjoy the music of the season in our beautifully decorated sanctuary and show your appreciation to the choirs, their directors and event organizers for over 30 years of commitment to this annual tradition. A freewill offering will be received for the CBC’s Feed a Family Campaign to support area food banks. Donations in past years total more than $100,000.
A Ceremony Of Carols
Fredericton Choral Society presents Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols” at St. Paul’s United Church on December 9th at 7:30pm. Tickets are $20 General/$10 Student. Tickets are available online, at the door and from choir members Jane Blakely & Debbie West.
Songs Of Jubilee Organ Recital
Please join Dr. Sharon Pond, organist at St. Paul’s United Church, for an organ recital at the church on Sunday, December 10th at 2:00pm. Songs of Jubilee will feature music of joy in a variety of genres… Baroque, Classical, Romantic, post-Romantic and contemporary… half of it being Christmas selections. There is no admission fee for this event; a freewill offering will be received to support the music program at St. Paul’s. A reception will follow in the church hall.
Upcoming Dates To Remember
December 1st ~ Carols by Glowstick at 6pm
December 3rd ~ Advent 1 Service with Communion ~ Fellowship Hour hosted by
Brad & Erin Webb
December 6th ~ Advent Carol Festival at 7:30pm
December 10th ~ Advent 2 Service ~ Fellowship Hour hosted by
Mel & Barb McGuigan & Debbie Allison
December 10th ~ Songs of Jubilee Organ Recital at 2pm
December 17th ~ Advent 3 Service ~ Fellowship Hour hosted by
Rachel & Stephanie Lavigne & Beth & Shawn Meister
St. Paul’s United Church
190 Years of Glorifying God through Worship, Proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, and Serving Others in Christ’s name
Contact Information
224 York St., Fredericton, NB E3B 3P1
Web: www.stpaulsunited.ca | Tel: 506-458-1183 | Email: stpaulsoffice224@gmail.com
Minister: Rev. Michelle Armstrong | Organists: Dr. Sharon Pond & Alexis Ervin
Church Administrator: Meghan Roebuck | Custodian: Rusty Blakely