Kindred in Christ,

With a new year, comes a new way to get the news from St. Paul’s! We will continue to send out weekly notices, but the format is changing.

From now on, near the top will be title information, and if you scroll down to the corresponding number, you will find more details on the subject.

Weekly Announcements for December 31st, 2020

  1. Information to join us for worship through Zoom
  2. Office will be closed Monday. 
  3. Planning for the New Year
    1. Preaching Coverage
    2. Lay Presiders
    3. Emergency Pastoral Care
  4. 2021 Envelopes
  5. Message from your Heritage & Resource Committee
  6. Financial Update
  7. Submitting Announcements in the new year
  8. Happy New Year!
  9. Thanks from Rev. Richard

 

Scroll down to see more information on these announcements

  1. Information to join us for worship through Zoom: We continue to live into a hybrid worship, where we have seats available for those who would like to worship in-person, but will continue to offer streamed worship through Zoom. However you join us, we are glad to have you!.
    • The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85811548808
    • The password for this meeting room is: 200188
    • For those who would prefer to call in the number is: 1 647 558 0588 then use the Meeting ID: 858 1154 8808, and then enter the passcode 200188 when prompted

           2. The Church office will be closed Monday January 4th.

           3. Planning for the New Year: We know that many of you have been wondering what the shape of the new year will be. Who will be preaching? Who do we call in case of a pastoral emergency? Fortunately we have had some dedicated volunteers doing this prep work so that from January to June, we are covered! Special thanks to Roger Miller and Janis Violette. Both have been instrumental in creating a schedule for the coming months.

    1. Preaching Coverage: Each week we will welcome a guest preacher to guide us through the word. Some we will know well, and others will be new faces with new perspectives to share. Rev. Michelle has even agreed to come back once a month so that there is always a familiar face. Some of those preaching over the next 6 months include:
      1. Bev Sharpe
      2. Mike Bravener
      3. Heather Donnelly
      4. Bill Randall
      5. Rev. Rose-Hannah Gaskin
      6. and more! 
    2. Lay Presiders: You have seen these dedicated members of our own congregation from time to time over the last 4 months, but starting on January 3rd, we will have a Lay Presider accompanying the guest preacher every week! The people who have stepped forward to share in leadership are:
      1. Beth Henderson
      2. Derrick Grant
      3. Ann Krause
      4. Jane Blakely
      5. Brad Green
      6. Mike Berry
      7. Ron & Lynne Naugler 
    3. Emergency Pastoral Care: Sometimes we go through hard times, whether it is wrestling with anxiety and depression and needing someone to hear you, other times we are in hospital and could use some prayerful company. May and June are still being worked on, but there is some time between now and then to ensure that there is coverage for your pastoral emergencies. For you Emergency Pastoral Care needs, we have the following individuals each taking a month at a time. Watch for their contact information in the announcements for the month they are covering.
      1. Rev. Bob Jones (January) 476-8020 Emergency Pastoral care
      2. Rev. Peter Short & Rev. Ellen Beairsto (February)
      3. Rev. Kay Clowater & Rev. Ellen Beairsto (March)
      4. Rev. Nathan Wright (April)

           4.  2021 Envelopes are available for pick up in the Narthex on Sunday morning. Contact the office 458-1183 to pick them up during the week.

           5.  Message From Our Heritage & Resource

With Christmas upon us, we want to thank all those who have given of their time, talent, and treasure throughout this year. Your gifts ensured that – when the pandemic hit – we were able to continue to worship on Sundays, feed people throughout the week, and reach out and stay connected through this year. Who we are today is a result of your generosity and dedication to this community of faith. 

As this unusual year comes to a close, we also come to you with a request: if you are considering making a year-end contribution, please consider doing so earlier than usual. Receiving your gifts earlier helps us in two ways. First, it allows us to ensure that everything is entered by December 31st, 2020. Our hope is to have as little of what 2020 was spilling over into what 2021 could be. Second, the earlier we have numbers, the sooner we can finalize our plans for the year ahead, something that is particularly important as we navigate these unsettled times.  

To make things as easy as possible for your offering to reach us before December 31st, here are some ways you can give:

We mentioned what your donation does for us, but it is also important to know what your offering does for you. Below is a table outlining your possible donation, the eligible tax credit for that amount, and the actual cost to you when it is all said and done:

 

Donation amount Tax credit eligibility Your donation cost
$25 $6.17 $18.83
$50 $12.34 $37.66
$100 $24.68 $75.32
$200 $49.36 $150.64
$500 $190.21 $309.79
$1000 $424.96 $575.04

 

To find out more about maximizing these tax credits, visit https://www.canadahelps.org/en/tax-time/.

In addition to cash gifts, St. Paul’s also gratefully accepts direct donations of securities. Giving your gifts in this way:     

  • Entitles you to a tax receipt for the full market value of your contribution;
  • Generates a non-refundable tax credit you can use to reduce your income taxes in the year you donate, or it can be carried forward for up to five additional years; and
  • Eliminates the capital gains tax on the appreciated value of your securities, maximizing your charitable dollars!

To learn more, speak with your financial advisor or check out the helpful guide at CanadaHelps: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/donate/donate-securities/ 

We close by reiterating the key role your offerings play in keeping St. Paul’s not just alive, but strong. On November 17, the Board provided an update on our current financial situation, noting that the pandemic has had a significant impact on our rental and fundraising income. Fortunately, because of government COVID assistance, income from our housing properties, and now, FundScrip donations, we have been able to keep going. Your weekly and special offerings, however, continue to be a crucial source of support. Normally, we would have three services on Christmas Eve, a time we know people often give generously to the life and work of St. Paul’s. This year – as with everything else – our Christmas Eve will look quite different. Instead of our usual services, we will have one in-person service (limited to 220 people) and one recorded communion service. If you normally give at a Christmas Eve service, we ask that you prayerfully consider making that offering through the office, CanadaHelps, or by e-transfer. This will help to cover the loss that we will experience on a Christmas Eve unlike any other.

In closing, we know that the year has not been easy on anyone, because it has not been easy on our church community. But, together we are stronger. United, we can support one another in a new year and in new ways of engaging our faith. Let’s work together to close out this tumultuous year and start anew in 2021.

          6.  Financial Update: One of the things we have been worrying about a lot since the pandemic hit is how our finances are and how we look going into 2021. There is some good news to share with you all on that front! 

    1. First, as many of you know, we had quite a bit of clearing up to do with regards to the 2019 finances so that we knew how much was where. Thanks to the hard work of Dixie and Eric, the mess of year end 2019 has been cleared up, and we have a clear and organized understanding of the finances moving forward.
    2. Second, in the past we have treated the low-income housing project as something separate from the church that we manage, but the Board and the church has changed the way that we understand that relationship. Now we treat it as a part of our mission, something that supports the church financially, while still ensuring that there is a healthy cushion of emergency funds should the houses need work or repair.
    3. Lastly, there have been and will be some significant salary changes for St. Paul’s. For a large part of Rev. Michelle’s maternity leave, we have been topping up her salary, and that ended with the last pay. Also, with Rev. Richard transitioning to a different church, his salary will not be our responsibility moving forward. This will mean 6 months of breathing room for St.Paul’s, but we should not get too comfortable. It is also an opportunity to build, to prepare for Rev. Michelle’s return in June, and to find our focus as a community of faith that serves the downtown. We ask that our members continue to give as we build together.

           7.  Submitting Announcements in the new year: To get your announcement in this weekly notice, we ask that you submit them to the office with a small paragraph of detail by Wednesday of the week you want your announcement to run. Also include the number of weeks that you want this announcement in our weekly notice.

            8.  Happy New Year! 2021 will bring a lot of changes, but one thing will remain constant for St. Paul’s as a community of faith. So long as we keep seeking, we will find God together. Have a blessed start to this new year!

            9.  Thanks from Rev. Richard: As I sit in an empty office tying off loose ends this week, I have spent a lot of time thinking back over the last 6 years. Thank you so much for being the blessing in my life that you have been. I hope that, by God’s grace and guidance, I have been a blessing in your lives as well. Go in peace into the new year, as you seek Christ together.

From those of us working in the office we want to wish you all a Happy New Year, and a safe weekend!