News & Events

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

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.

Here are all your resources for Family Worship & Learning for September 26. This week we conclude out exploration of the Exodus as God rescues his people from slavery in Egypt.

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

Today’s Question

“When was a time you were protected?”

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

Question Sheet – Sept 26, 2021

Family Worship Video – Available at 8:30am Sunday

Big God Journal and Other Activities

Journal Page – September 26, 2021

Here are all your resources for Family Worship & Learning for September 19. This week we continue through the story of Exodus as God let’s us know who he is.

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

Today’s Question

“If you could give yourself a new name, what would it be?”

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

Question Sheet – Sept 19, 2021

Family Worship Video – Available at 8:30am Sunday

Big God Journal and Other Activities

Journal Page – Sept 19, 2021