Author: standrewspcancaster

This Sunday October 24 we continue to worship in-person and online. This week is a special Mission service. Our guest speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Blair D. Bertrand. Blair is a mission liaison between The Presbyterian Church in Canada and the Church of Central Africa (Presbyterian) in Malawi.

Scroll down for in-person worship information.

Online Worship

Family Worship Video Premiers at 8:30am

Online Worship Service Premiers at 10:30am

Call to Worship – Psalm 37:1-9

Opening Prayer

Hymn: “Stand Up And Bless The Lord” #411

Old Testament Reading – Judges 11:29-40

Gospel Reading – Matthew 9:18-26

Mission Speaker – Rev. Dr. Blair Bertrand

Song: “May The Peoples Praise You”

We Respond to God’s Generosity

Closing Prayers & Blessing

In-Person Worship

We can safely accommodate up to 40 people in the church sanctuary at our usual time of 10:30am.

In-Person Worship Guidelines:

• • All persons 12 years of age and over must be fully vaccinated to attend worship. Please bring proof of vaccination the first time you come to worship and we will keep a record of your status.
  • Please wear a mask and maintain 2m (6 ft.) physical distance from other people outside of your household.
  • Please do not come to worship if you are feeling unwell or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID in the past 14 days.
  • For full details go to: https://standrews.ws/2021/09/26/updates-to-in-person-worship/ and https://standrews.ws/2021/08/13/in-person-worship/

News:

• • Going Deeper (Study Resources): To learn more about the book of Judges you can go to the Bible Project – https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/judges/. Next week we’ll be skipping ahead to the book of 1 Kings, so if you want to review the story of how Israel came to have it’s first kings (Saul and David) you watch the videos on 1 & 2 Samuel: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/1-samuel/.
  • Supporting Presbyterians Sharing: You can support Presbyterians Sharing as a part of your regular giving to St. Andrew’s – whether you give by offering envelope or PAR. If you have questions in how to do this please contact to Diane Robb (dianemrobb@gmail.com) You can learn more about Presbyterians Sharing or give directly here: https://presbyterian.ca/sharing
  • The Mission Team is sponsoring a drive for the Purse Project. The Purse Project collects purses and fills them with toiletries to give to women’s shelters around Hamilton.  We have 10 donated purses that we would like to fill.  The following items are needed and may be left at the marked basket at the back of the sanctuary.  All toiletries must be NEW regular size and not exceed 16 oz or (450ml). Please help support the homeless women in our community! Sunday October 31 is the last day for donations.
    • Feminine hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes and tooth paste, dental floss, lip balm, soap/ body wash, face cleanser, deodorant, small packages of Kleenex. New socks, hats, mittens, gloves, and scarfs would also be appreciated.

Here are all your resources for Family Worship & Learning for October 24. This week we look at a new story about Ruth’s great grandson, David who became king of Israel.

You can enjoy the full Family Worship Video below, or take part in the short Family Time in our In Person Service, or do both.

Today’s Question

“What is something you need right now?”

You can just ask the question together as a family or have your kids fill out and colour the Question Sheet.

Question Sheet – Oct 24, 2021

Family Worship Video – Available at 8:30am Sunday

Big God Journal and Other Activities

Journal – Oct 24, 2021

This Sunday October 17 we continue to worship in-person and online. Scroll down for in-person worship information.

Online Worship

Family Worship Video Premiers at 8:30am

Online Service Premiers at 10:30am

Call to Worship – Psalm 68:4-6, 9-10, 32

Opening Prayer

Song: “All the People Said Amen”

Old Testament Reading – Ruth 3:1-11; 4:9-17

Gospel Reading – Mark 10:46-52

Message – “Ruth: Putting It All Together”

Hymn: “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer” #651

We Respond to God’s Generosity

Closing Prayers & Blessing

In-Person Worship

We can safely accommodate up to 40 people in the church sanctuary at our usual time of 10:30am.

In-Person Worship Guidelines:

• • All persons 12 years of age and over must be fully vaccinated to attend worship. Please bring proof of vaccination the first time you come to worship and we will keep a record of your status.
  • Please wear a mask and maintain 2m (6 ft.) physical distance from other people outside of your household.
  • Please do not come to worship if you are feeling unwell or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID in the past 14 days.
  • For full details go to: https://standrews.ws/2021/09/26/updates-to-in-person-worship/ and https://standrews.ws/2021/08/13/in-person-worship/

News:

• • Mission Sunday: Next Sunday, October 24, will be a special Mission service. Our guest speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Blair D. Bertrand. Blair is a mission liaison between The Presbyterian Church in Canada and the Church of Central Africa (Presbyterian) in Malawi. Since 2017, he has been a Lecturer and the Director of Research and Educational Quality Assurance at Zomba Theological College. As well, he serves as an Educational Consultant to Theological Education by Extension Malawi. These two institutions train future ministers and lay leaders. Presently Blair serves from his home in Barrhaven with trips to Malawi expected soon.
  • Fresh Food for Mission Services: If you missed our Thanksgiving Food Drive for fresh produce last Sunday, you still can bring your fresh food with you this week (October 17). You can also make a direct donation to Mission Services.
  • The Mission Team is sponsoring a drive for the Purse Project. The Purse Project collects purses and fills them with toiletries to give to women’s shelters around Hamilton.  We have 10 donated purses that we would like to fill.  The following items are needed and may be left at the marked basket at the back of the sanctuary.  All toiletries must be NEW regular size and not exceed 16 oz or (450ml). Please help support the homeless women in our community!
    • Feminine hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes and tooth paste, dental floss, lip balm, soap/ body wash, face cleanser, deodorant, small packages of Kleenex. New socks, hats, mittens, gloves, and scarfs would also be appreciated.
  • Textile Recycling Drive: St. Andrew’s next textile recycling drive will be held on Saturday October 23, 9:00am-Noon. Acceptable donations include: clothes, towels, curtains, linens, bedding (NO PILLOWS or DUVETS) socks, underwear, shoes, purses and belts. Our volunteers will be following all current safety protocols. Let your neighbours know, so that we can keep these items out of landfills and do our part for God’s creation.

Here are all your resources for Family Worship & Learning for October 10. This week we finish the story of Naomi and Ruth.

You can enjoy the full Family Worship Video below, or take part in the short Family Time in our In Person Service, or do both.

Today’s Question

“What is something that you lost but then found?”

You can just ask the question together as a family or have your kids fill out and colour the Question Sheet.

Question Sheet – Oct 17, 2021

Family Worship Video – Available at 8:30am Sunday

Big God Journal and Other Activities

Journal Page – Oct 17, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving! This Sunday October 10 we continue to worship in-person and online. Scroll down for in-person worship information.

Online Worship

 Family Worship Video Premiers at 8:30am

Online Worship Service Premiers at 10:30am

Call to Worship – Psalm 126

Opening Prayer

Song: “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)”

Old Testament Reading – Ruth 2:1-23

Gospel Reading – Luke 6:32-38

Message – “Ruth: The Heart of the Matter”

Hymn: “For the Beauty of the Earth” #434

We Respond to God’s Generosity

Closing Prayers & Blessing

In-Person Worship

We can safely accommodate up to 40 people in the church sanctuary at our usual time of 10:30am.

In-Person Worship Guidelines:

• • All persons 12 years of age and over must be fully vaccinated to attend worship. Please bring proof of vaccination the first time you come to worship and we will keep a record of your status.
  • Please wear a mask and maintain 2m (6 ft.) physical distance from other people outside of your household.
  • Please do not come to worship if you are feeling unwell or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID in the past 14 days.
  • For full details go to: https://standrews.ws/2021/09/26/updates-to-in-person-worship/ and https://standrews.ws/2021/08/13/in-person-worship/

News:

• • Thanksgiving Fresh Food Drive: This Sunday, October 10 is our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for fresh produce. You can bring your donations of fresh produce with you to In-Person Worship or drop them off at the doors to the lower lobby between 10:00 and 10:30am if you’re not ready to attend yet. All donations will go to Mission Services. You can also make a direct donation online.
  • The Mission Team is sponsoring a drive for the Purse Project. The Purse Project collects purses and fills them with toiletries to give to women’s shelters around Hamilton.  We have 10 donated purses that we would like to fill.  The following items are needed and may be left at the marked basket at the back of the sanctuary.  All toiletries must be NEW regular size and not exceed 16 oz or (450ml). Please help support the homeless women in our community!
    • Feminine hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes and tooth paste, dental floss, lip balm, soap/ body wash, face cleanser, deodorant, small packages of Kleenex. New socks, hats, mittens, gloves, and scarfs would also be appreciated.
  • Textile Recycling Drive: St. Andrew’s next textile recycling drive will be held on Saturday October 23, 9:00am-Noon. Acceptable donations include: clothes, towels, curtains, linens, bedding (NO PILLOWS or DUVETS) socks, underwear, shoes, purses and belts. Our volunteers will be following all current safety protocols. Let your neighbours know, so that we can keep these items out of landfills and do our part for God’s creation.

Here are all your resources for Family Worship & Learning for October 10. This week we continue the story of Naomi and Ruth.

You can enjoy the full Family Worship Video below, or take part in the short Family Time in our In Person Service, or do both.

Today’s Question

“What is something you received that you weren’t expecting?”

You can just ask the question together as a family or have your kids fill out and colour the Question Sheet.

Question Sheet – Oct 10, 2021

Family Worship Video – Available at 8:30am Sunday

Big God Journal and Other Activities

Journal Page – Oct 10, 2021

This Sunday October 3 we continue to worship in-person and online. We can safely accommodate up to 40 people in the church sanctuary at our usual time of 10:30am. Today will be a Communion Service.

This week there are a few changes to In-Person Worship:

• • Vaccination will be required to attend in-person worship for all persons 12 years of age and over. We will be asking for proof of a 2nd dose of a COVID vaccine the first time you come to worship on or after this date, and then keep a record of who is fully vaccinated.
  • Live Vocal Music Will Be Reintroduced
  • Communion Will be Reintroduced and continue on a monthly basis.
  • For full details please refer to the email of September 24 or go here: https://standrews.ws/2021/09/26/updates-to-in-person-worship/

Today also marks the return of Bob Marshall to the in-person service.

In Person Order of Service – October 3 2021

Family Worship Video  Premiers at 8:30am

Online Worship Service Premiers at 10:30am

Call to Worship – Psalm 146:1,5-10

Opening Prayer

Hymn: “All Creatures of our God and King” #433

Old Testament Reading – Ruth 1:1-22

Gospel Reading – Matthew 12:28-34

Message – “Ruth: Ordinary and Extraordinary”

Song: “You Are Everything We Need”

We Respond to God’s Generosity

Closing Prayers & Blessing

News:

• • Thanksgiving Fresh Food Drive: Next Sunday, October 10 will be our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for fresh produce. All donations will go to Mission Services. You can bring your donations of fresh produce with you to In-Person Worship or drop them off at the doors to the lower lobby between 10:00 and 10:30am if you’re not ready to attend yet. If you would like to drop your donations earlier please call the church office.
  • The Mission Team is sponsoring a drive for the Purse Project. The Purse Project collects purses and fills them with toiletries to give to women’s shelters around Hamilton.  We have 10 donated purses that we would like to fill.  The following items are needed and may be left at the marked basket at the back of the sanctuary.   All toiletries must be NEW regular size and not exceed 16 oz or (450ml). Please help support the homeless women in our community!
    • Feminine Hygiene Products
    • Shampoo
    • Conditioner
    • Toothbrushes and tooth paste
    • Dental Floss
    • Lip balm
    • Soap/ body wash
    • Face Cleanser
    • Deodorant
    • Small packages of Kleenex
  • Textile Recycling Drive: St. Andrew’s next textile recycling drive will be held on Saturday October 23, 9:00am-Noon. More details to follow.

Here are all your resources for Family Worship & Learning for October 3. This week we jump ahead a bit and start a new part of the Big God story.

You can enjoy the full Family Worship Video below, or take part in the short Family Time in our In Person Service, or do both.

Today’s Question

“What is something you just can’t seem to get rid of?”

You can just ask the question together as a family or have your kids fill out and colour the Question Sheet.

Question Sheet – Oct 3, 2021

Family Worship Video – Available at 8:30am Sunday

Big God Journal and Other Activities

Journal Page – Oct 3, 2021

The Session of St. Andrew’s met this past Tuesday September 21 to consider some changes to our approach to in-person worship. We have been able to safely gather for 5 weeks now, and in the meantime the public health situation has shown signs of stabilizing. After much prayer and discussion Session has therefore decided to make the following changes:

1. 1. Vaccination will be required to attend in-person worship for all persons 12 years of age and over as of Sunday October 3. We will be asking for proof of a 2^nd dose of a COVID vaccine the first time you come to worship on or after this date, and then keep a record of who is fully vaccinated. We are happy to assist anyone in getting a copy of their vaccination receipt.
   2. Live Vocal Music Will Be Reintroduced on Sunday October 3. This will be led by members of the St. Andrew’s Choir and Band.
   3. Communion Will be Reintroduced on Sunday October 3 and (all going well) will continue on a monthly basis.

Vaccination Requirement for In-Person Worship

• • With the Province of Ontario introducing a vaccine passport system on September 22, the provincial vaccination rate approaching 80% of eligible people for both doses, and Ancaster being a community with a high rate of vaccination, Session feels that now is the time to introduce a vaccination requirement for in-person worship.
  • “Aren’t churches exempt from the provincial vaccine passport?” But as a Session we believe that voluntarily submitting to this public health measure allows us to be a good witness to our neighbours and do our part to keep everyone in Ancaster healthy. The Apostle Paul speaks of voluntarily setting aside his rights in order to bear witness to Jesus in 1 Corinthians 9 and says further, “‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up. Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other.” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)
  • All members of the St. Andrew’s leadership team are fully vaccinated. This includes the Minister and Session, members of the Board of Managers, and all church staff. The Elders and members of the Pastoral Care Team believe that most, if not all of our members and adherents are now fully vaccinated. We feel that requiring vaccination is the best way to keep our congregation safe, and to ensure that we are able to keep worshipping in-person week by week.
  • As of October 3, the screener at the door will be asking for proof of vaccination. This can either be the paper receipt or the emailed receipt on your cell phone. We will give some grace in the first few weeks of this new policy and will accept your verbal acknowledgment of vaccination if you have forgotten to bring it. You can simplify your screening process by sending the PDF copy of your vaccination receipt that you were emailed by the Ontario government to standrewsancaster@gmail.com before arriving. We will record your vaccination status and delete the copy of the receipt. If you have lost your vaccination receipt, we are happy to help you obtain one. Or you can simply go to any Hamilton Public Library branch with your health card, and they will print and laminate a copy of your vaccination receipt: https://www.hpl.ca/VaccineCertificates

Live Vocal Music

• • Having worshipped safely for 5 weeks with recorded music, and with the coming introduction of the vaccination requirement, Session believes we can safely reintroduce live vocal music into our in-person service.
  • Hymns and songs will be sung by a few fully masked members of the St. Andrew’s Choir and Band appropriately spaced on the platform at the front of the sanctuary.
  • We will not be resuming congregational singing at this time. Public health continues to discourage singing in large groups, even with masks on. However, you can hum along and prayerfully reflect on the words of the hymns and songs.
  • Session and the Reopening Team will continue to review public health advice. We eagerly await the day when we can all safely sing together in worship, but for the time being we are glad to be able to offer live vocal music again.

Communion

• • Based on public health guidance, Session believes we can safely reintroduce the celebration of the Lord’s Supper on October 3, and plan to offer it on a monthly basis going forward.
  • You will be offered a sealed, pre-packaged communion cup and wafer as you enter the sanctuary. When the time comes to take communion, you will be instructed to remove your mask, eat the wafer and drink the juice, then put your mask back on. There will be a waste container for used communion cups and packaging at the back of the sanctuary for you to use on your way out. We will review this approach after a few attempts.

This Sunday September 26 we continue to worship in-person and online. We can safely accommodate up to 40 people in the church sanctuary at our usual time of 10:30am. For the time being we won’t be requiring you to RSVP before attending.

See the ‘News’ section below for changes to our in-person worship service that will take effect on Sunday October 3. For current worship guidelines (such as requirements for masks and physical distancing) please go to: https://standrews.ws/2021/08/13/in-person-worship/

The online service will premier on YouTube at 10:30am and will be available any time afterward.

Family Worship: “The Lord Protects” Premiers at 8:30am

Online Worship Service Premiers at 10:30am

Call to Worship – Psalm 81:1-7, 10

Opening Prayer

Hymn: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” #321

Old Testament Reading – Exodus 11 & 12 (selected)

Gospel Reading – Luke 22:14-20

Message – “The Gospel of Freedom: Justice and Mercy”

Song: “Your Love Defends Me”

We Respond to God’s Generosity

Closing Prayers & Blessing

News:

• • Changes to In-Person Worship: There will be some significant updates to our in-person worship service starting on Sunday October 3. Full information can be found here: https://standrews.ws/2021/09/26/updates-to-in-person-worship/
    1. Vaccination will be required to attend in-person worship for all persons 12 years of age and over. We will be asking for proof of a 2nd dose of a COVID vaccine the first time you come to worship on or after this date, and then keep a record of who is fully vaccinated. We are happy to assist anyone in getting a copy of their vaccination receipt.
    2. Live Vocal Music Will Be Reintroduced
    3. Communion Will be Reintroduced and continue on a monthly basis.
  • September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: This Thursday marks the first observance of this day as a federal statutory holiday. You can mark the day by wearing something orange. To learn more about how the Presbyterian Church in Canada has approached Healing and Reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous Peoples go here: https://presbyterian.ca/justice/social-action/indigenous-justice/