What’s Happening

Donations to the Primate's World Relief & Development Fund (PWRDF):

Click the donate now button. Under fund/designation, select an option.

Ash Wednesday:

Please bring in last year's palm crosses and place them on the information table.  They will be burned and used at the services on the day.  There will be services on Ash Wed. (Feb. 22nd.) at 10:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Food Bank:

Our focus for February is canned fruit and canned vegetables and pork & beans. They have a freezer, so if you want, you can take frozen fruit/vegetables to the CRS (food bank). Thank YOU!  Your contributions make a difference in the lives of many in our community.

Confirmation Classes:

for those wishing to be confirmed will be held on Thursday evenings beginning on Feb. 16th at 7:00 p.m.

Marriage Prep Course:  Sat. Feb. 18th 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

at St. Mark's Church.  Making Marriage Work.  Working to build and strengthen healthy marriages.  By Pastons Counselling and Therapy, Essex.  Phone:  519-776-7914, Email:  jpostons@cogeco.ca.  Click here for registration form.

Scout/Guide Program during Sunday School, Online with God": Sun. Feb. 19th at the 10:30 a.m. service

Sunday School children, staff and visitors are welcome.  Several ways to pray will be discussed and interactive activities with prayer pretzels, a prayer circle and a Taize chant will be experienced.

Ash Wed. Children's Holy Day: Wed. Feb. 22nd 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at St. Mark's

"Practice with Prayer to Become More Aware".  The focus will be the use of prayer to better connect with ourselves and God.  Schol age children will learn about different forms of prayer and meaningful ways to pray through worship, art, drama, storytelling, baking and music.  A non-perishable food item is requested from each child for the food bank. Snacks & lunch provided.  Format & registration packages will go out to each deanery parish at the February clericus meeting.  Click here for registration form and please register your child prior to the event.  Also click here for a letter to the child's school so as not to be marked as absent.

World Day of Prayer 2012:  Fri. March 2nd

Let Justice Prevail.  Written by the women of Malaysia.  Please join us at one of the following services: 

• 7:30 p.m. @ Church of the Nazarene, 347 Fairview Dr., 519-753-7261 (wheelchair accessible, child care & fellowship) speaker: Rosemary Redshaw, chaplain, Grand Valley Institution for Women, Kitchener;
• 1:30 p.m. @ Faith Lutheran Church, 57 Brant Ave., 519-753-3833 (wheelchair accessible, child care & fellowship) speaker: Rev. Stephen Scheidt, Pastor, Faith Lutheran Church;
•  1:30 p.m. @ Heritage United Church, 360 Colborne Street, 519-753-1931 (wheelchair accessible, child care & fellowship) speaker: Rosemary Redshaw, chaplain, Grand Valley Institution for Women, Kitchener;
• 7:30 p.m. @ New Covenant Church, 22 Holiday Drive, 519-753-4549 (wheelchair accessible, child care & fellowship) speaker:  Charlie & Sue Kopczyk, founders, Why Not City Missions.

A sign up sheet for readers (man & women) is on the information table.

Study Group:  Wednesdays at 1:15 p.m.

The Wednesday afternoon study group led by Jo McNeil is starting the book, The Jesus I Never Knew on Wed. Jan. 11th through a DVD & question format.  Anyone interested in attending or wishing more information should contact Kathy Dunning in the church office. 

CLAY (Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth Gathering)

will be having a get-together in August 2012 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for youth aged 14-19. CLAY gatherings take place every two years at different locations across Canada. They will encounter scripture in meaningful ways, experience ancient and modern ways of worship, learn in special interest forums, enjoy fantastic social events, tour Saskatoon, make connections with youth from all over Canada and celebrate our life together. Please check out their web site for more information and registration. It costs approximately $1,300.00 per person to attend and two of our youth are interested in going. Please support Ainslie Robertson and Dylan Van Heck in this. Feel free to talk to either of them, if you have any questions/comments.

To offset the cost and provide our support, St. Mark's will offer the proceeds from the penny jar and provide them with the opportunity to offer frozen foods as a fundraiser to our parishioners.  Please see them for more info.

Personal Care Bags 2012:

Due to your generosity, we already have enough kleenex, toothbrushes and pens for Christmas 2012!  As of Feb. 5, we also have 14 shampoos, 18 bars of soap, 16 washcloths, 2 men's deodorant, 2 women's deodorant, 157 razors, 2 pkg. of bandages, 48 tubes of toothpaste, 5 notebooks, 16 hairbrushes and no pkg. of hard candy.  225 of each item is collected throughout the year and then packaged and distributed to the people attending the Christmas dinner at the Daily Bread Meals program at Grace Anglican Church.  Thank YOU!

Flower & Candle Charts for 2012:

The charts ave available at the information table. We invite you to use this opportunity to remember loved ones/special occasions by putting flowers on the altar or by lighting the sanctary candle. Information brochures are also available.

Offering Envelopes:

Adult and Sunday School envelopes for 2012 are available on the table in the hallway outside the church. If you currently do not hold envelopes and wish to have a set or would like information about preauthorized donations, please sign the list on the table.

The Penny Jar:

Proceeds from the penny jar will be used to offset the cost for two of our youth members to attend CLAY (Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth Gathering to be held in August 2012 in Saskatoon.

Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations:

1) radical hospitality 2) passionate worship 3) intentional faith development 4) risk-taking mission & service 5) extravagant generosity Check out their web site at http://fivepractices.org for more information.

Knitters & Crocheters:

There is wool and cotton to share as well as some patterns. Contact the church office or Sylvia Learn.

Sharing Our Story:

The Huron Church News is always looking for stories and pictures from our parish to share with our church family in Huron. If you or your group has news/photos, please submit them to Edith Freeze in person or at edith@stmarks.on.ca

Hospital Visits:

Please inform the church office when you or a family member is in the hospital. The parish clergy appreciate knowing so they can visit.

Hymn and Prayer Books:

can be given in memory, in thanksgiving or "just because". The Book of Common Prayer used at the 9:00 a.m. service costs $20.00, the Book of Alternate Services used at the 10:30 a.m. service costs $20.00, the Hymn Book (words only) costs $25.00 and the Hymn Book (with music) costs $30.00. Please see Mary Ogilvie for more details and to order.

Major Ballachey School, Community Wish Closet:

is in desperate need of clothes, coats and boots for babies, children and adults. Donations for the Community Wish Closet housed at Major Ballachey can be taken to the school on weekdays OR brought to the church on Sundays. Thank YOU!