THE PEWS REPORT T O U N I F Y A N D I N F O R M WORSHIP UPDATES MINISTRIES AND GROUPS OF THE PARISH STEWARDSHIP OF THE CHURCH DECEMBER 2025 Advent and Christmas: “The Will to Dream” By The Rev. Dr. Kyle Wagner, Rector Dear Friends in Christ, As the season of Advent dawns upon us, we begin the sacred time of expectation and preparation, a period of reflection as we journey toward the joyful celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas. This year, perhaps more than ever, we are invited to pause amidst the hustle and bustle of our lives and reflect on the profound hope, peace, joy, and love that Christ’s birth brings. Advent candles will be lit in our sanctuary each week, their gentle glow reminding us to open our hearts to God’s light. Yet, as we reflect, we recognize that many things in this world are not what they should be. In 2025, amid upheaval, we find trust fragile, truth contested, and divisions that stretch far and wide. The constant mix of political tension leaves many of us feeling anxious and uncertain. At times, the sense of community feels strained, and connection is harder to come by. Hearts are weary, and souls unsettled, and people are Subscribe to our Newsletter Stay connected, subscribe now for weekly updates, schedule of events, and explore the ministries offered at Christ Church searching—not just for answers, but for understanding, healing, and hope. This ache is a holy longing—a sacred desire for a world made whole. From this longing comes the will to dream—a persistent courage to imagine, resist, and rebuild a better world. This Advent season, Christ Church will enter into a period of dreaming! Our Advent theme is “The Will to Dream.” This season of Advent invites us into the Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany season, rooted in imagination—to see beyond what is and move toward what could be. Together, we will explore ways to confront despair, embody justice, and claim hope as a radical act of the Gospel. From Isaiah’s vision to Mary’s song, we will find ourselves in the Holy story—and begin to dream not as escape, but as spiritual resistance to the challenges of the world. Throughout the weeks ahead, I invite you to participate actively in our worship services. Whether gathering in person or from home, let us journey together, supporting and encouraging one another as we prepare to celebrate the wonder of Christmas as we dream together. May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace this Advent season! William and Charlie Wagner with Fred Lucas-Wilson prepping for the Christmas Pageant. Pastoral Ministry........................3 Christmas Pageant.....................4 Music Ministry............................5 Foodbank Ministry......................6 Sunday Suppers..........................7 Property......................................8 Reign of Christ Sunday...............10 DCF Partnership.........................12 Historical...................................13 A Day in the Life of our PA..........14 Christmas Hamper Program.......15 An Advent Message...................16 Christmas Worship Schedule......18 By the Rev. Dr. Canon Jody Clarke, Honorary Assistant, Parish Theologian and Grief Specialist There is something about the nature and substance of grief that makes it like water, it finds its way into life’s cracks. Grief does do it with purpose or intent, it simply happens. In the world of grief studies there is a phenomenon known as stimulated temporary upsurges of grief. These are the moments when grief floods back in and often catches the bereaved by surprise. The quickening of breath, the almost imperceptible awareness of moisture behind the eyes, the wrench of the stomach, the unconscious gulp or the gasp for air are all outward signs that unconscious feelings have been pushed to the surface. These emotional reactions are a reminder that people don’t “get over” a death, but rather they adapt to its presence. Advent and Christmas are ripe with upsurges of grief. The presence of grief gets in through a myriad of movements. Christmas and Grief For some, this is the first Christmas without a loved one. And there are the dinners, the festivities and the gathering around the tree. The gift not given, and the hug not received. They are all marked by absence. The pang of grief stands in stark contrast to the apparent merriment that engulfs the season. For those who are experience an acute loss, Christmas revelry can be overwhelming. If the anniversary of the death is close to Christmas then the season itself becomes an annual reminder of the many parts of life that have been lost in the wake of the death. For those who have lived through several Christmas seasons as a bereaved spouse, parent, child, friend or loved one, upsurges of grief come in surprising packages such as a favorite carol, a movie that was shared, an ornament, a particular sight, an old card or a treasured gift. These moments are bitter and sweet. Bitter because they hold a sting, and sweet because they hold a memory. I know that for myself my father loved Christmas. In this issue He was in all likelihood part Elf. Joe took great delight in finding the oddly perfect—or perfectly odd—gift. The one that would hold only the possibility of a smile. But I think there was something deeper that resonated with my father, I sense it had to do with the portent possibility of peace that resonates so deeply with the story of Jesus’s birth and finds a mystical bridge in those clear night skies of December. These upsurges of grief are unexpected guests. And as such they need to be received and not turned away. Grief does not find closure. It is not a condition to be remedied. It is a part of life. For those who are grieving, it is good to take time and tend to the pain. For those who are accompanying people on their journey try to avoid saying, “if you need anything, let me know?” That puts on the responsibility on the bereaved person. So, consider saying, “I am going for a walk, I would like you to join me.” Or “I am going to check out the Christmas Lights, I would appreciate your company.” The bereaved person may say no, but then they may say yes. 2 Golf Tournament.........................11 By Carolyn Chenhall, Chair of Pastoral Ministry Over the next weeks until Christmas the committee will have brought our ‘church family’ into focus: Sunday, November 23 - Reign of Christ Sunday - a presentation by Tim Bernard, Millbrook, NS, Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq - history & culture, a project that our parish members supported in our Spring ‘25 Alongside Hope campaign The service was followed by our annual Parish Potluck Luncheon - a family celebration. Plans are in place for a Tree Trimming event planned for December 7 at the 10:00 am service. Please bring an ornament from home of your choosing or use an ornament provided to decorate the tree to celebrate friends or family who were part of our church family - this family is celebrated every time we worship during this most Holy Season of Advent and Christmas. Church family members who are in care residences or unable to be out and about and those who are in bereavement will be visited and remembered with greetings by members of PMC and friends and Pastoral Visitors and for home communions during the week before Christmas. ‘Through Baptism we become part of a family much larger than our biological family, a family of people “set apart” by God to be Light in the Darkness” -Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey Pastoral Ministry at your Church The Lord's Prayer begins with "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". It continues with petitions for daily bread, forgiveness of sins, and guidance to avoid temptation and evil, ending with "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen". Opening: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name". First petitions: "thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Daily needs: "Give us this day our daily bread". Forgiveness: "And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us". Guidance and deliverance: "And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil". Conclusion: "Amen". Some versions add, "for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever.” Christ Church advent candles on Christmas Eve 2024. The Lord’s Prayer in detail... 3 By Heather Downey Did you ever wonder how the innkeepers (and their wives) coped with the throngs of people pouring into Bethlehem because of Caesar’s decree that everyone was to be taxed? All the noise, all the commotion! Come and find out what the fuss was about. On December 14, at our 10am service, we will be presenting this year’s Christmas Pageant – The Big Friendly Innkeeper. We are blessed to have a wonderful inter-generational cast, ranging from small children to others “of a certain age”. It is a labour of love, with many actors reprising their parts year after year. This year’s pageant has been written especially for Christ Church by parishioner Susan Leblanc who as a former actor and co-Artistic Director of Zuppa Theatre, and current MLA for Dartmouth-North. Susan has been a vibrant and dedicated advocate for the arts in Nova Scotia for over two decades. Come and join us on December 14, as our cast presents their Christmas gift to the people of Christ Church. Christmas Pageant “The Big Friendly Innkeeper” to take place December 14 th Clara Parsons and Graham Cook as baby Jesus and other Christ Church children waiting back stage with baby Jesus Below: The Wisemen on their journey to the manger at Christ Church. 4 How many Wisemen can you count in December’s Newsletter? Service of Lessons Music Ministry: “Let Heaven and Nature Sing!” By Tessa Short, Music Director Another year has come and gone with the choir, bringing friends new and old together. This fall has brought the return of Junjo (Rubio’s son), Sue Leblanc, and Rev’d Canon David Greenwood, which has been fun and encouraging. We also had a number of visitors at the piano this summer while Joey was away. Ria Kim and Alistair played for us again, and we made a new friend in the cheerful Indra Egan. We had our second Halloween Spooktacular this year, to great acclaim. Giocoso Community Choir made their triumphant return with two songs, including the ever-popular Monster Mash. Joey’s piano students were also featured and their costumes were fabulous. John MacDonald and I closed out the evening with a (loud) rendition of The Phantom of the Opera, assisted by Joey on piano and Alistair on the organ. peaking of the organ, we’ve had some bad news. A vitally important part of the organ has finally given out after 66 years. It may take over $11 000 to replace. Thankfully, we will be able to have a temporary part installed in order to have organ music for Christmas. In order to have a permanent fix however, we need to undertake some serious fundraising, so I foresee concerts and special events in our future. If you are able to donate anything to the music fund to help us get closer to our goal, myself and the choir would much appreciate it. We are gearing up towards Advent and Christmas now and we have some good tunes in store for you. Our annual Carol Sing is coming up too, so get your song requests in soon! I hope to see you out at our events, and hear you singing along. Above: members of the parish choir rehearsing before Sunday 10:00am service. Our Director of Music Tessa Short singing on Christmas Eve. & Carols December 28, 2025 one parish service at 10:00am 5 Food Bank Program Welcomes Record Numbers By Christine Hoehne, Food Bank Coordinator Our food bank has been growing steadily at an alarming rate. We provide food for approximately 130 Families each week. This is provided in three different sessions: delivery on Wednesday mornings, Wednesday evenings in person, and Thursday mornings in person. In person times are where clients pick up food based on the client choice model. The Public Good Society van driven by Alan Vaughn is used to take people home with their groceries. The challenge is providing enough quality food for our clients on a consistent basis. We receive a set weight per client/week from Feed Nova Scotia. Fortunately, we have been able to supplement this from the Christ Church Social Services Fund, however, we are still not able to provide a full weeks worth of food. All of this would not be possible without the reliable, caring work of our volunteers. It is a very unpredictable role as it goes from feast to famine constantly. These wonderful volunteers adjust each week as it comes. It is most difficult when we do not have enough food and clients are turned away. ” Sorry, no milk, sorry no meat” We work effectively with Feed Nova scotia through emails, workshops and phone calls. Our hard work was recognized with a volunteer award. Thank you volunteers, and everyone who actively supports our food bank. Above: Food meant to be enough meals for one person for three days. Parishioner Larry Graham preparing for Thursday morning foodbank with fresh fruit and vegetables Above: Our foodbank drive during Lent 2025. 6 By John MacDonald, Coordinator Sunday Suppers at Christ Church are alive and well and have been going since Lent 2024. Every Sunday we serve coffee/tea and cookies at 3 pm followed by a hot meal and desert at 4 pm. We have a steady number of guests averaging about 70 people and serve approximately 100 to 120 servings with seconds and “take-out”. Regular contributors to the Sunday Supper effort are the Dartmouth Community Fridge which handles the 1st Sunday of every month, and the Wooden Monkey which provides a Mac ‘n Cheese meal on the third Sunday of every month. The Fridge team handles cooking, set up and clean-up while the Wooden monkey supplies food and volunteers are required to set-up, serve and clean-up. We are now recruiting teams for the first quarter of 2026. Sign-up sheets for cooking, set-up and clean-up can be found at the back of the church and donations to cover food costs and paper products etc. can be sent to the church office designated for Sunday Suppers. Sunday Suppers are alive and well! Special thanks to Tim and Lil Horne and Joan Horner, Christine Hoehne and family and my own family for service their service answering the call. Folks preparing Sunday suppers in the parish kitchen. Tetiana Buchko, Sam Vardy, Carolyn Chenhall and others conversing at the Reign of Christ potluck. If you would like to contribute to this special ministry programme, please visit us online or contact the parish office today! 7 Property: Lots of things happening on our church campus By Dwight Corbin, Chair of Property Committee As Chair of the Property Committee, I would like to give a brief overview of the projects which our committee has undertaken this past year (s). To date the Property Committee has endeavoured to complete projects in and around the Christ Church property that required some major upgrades to make the structures of the Church and Church Hall viable for the next number of years. As you know we have an aging infrastructure that is designated a Heritage Property and that has made some areas of repairs and upgrades more challenging. However, we have managed through fundraising, grants and the kind donations of parishioners to undertake some of these major expensive projects. 1. Re-shingled the church roof to the required specs of the Heritage property designation. 2. Conversion of heating in the Church Hall to Heat Pumps through Efficiency NS. 3. Completion of a new kitchen area for the Church Vestry. 4. Installation of outdoor fountain for use by Christ Church and all downtown Dartmouth residents. 5. New double door for the lower Church Hall (Installation for Dec. 8/2025) 6. Installation of additional washroom for the Church (In progress). 7. Re-shingling of Church Hall due to a major leak. (Nov. 2025). When I was asked to take on the position as Property Chair I had no idea of the complexities of the position but I soon learned from the expertise of Larry Graham, previous Property Chair, as well as the current Property Committee that it was a position that required a diversified group of individuals who were willing to provide some much needed time and their many skills to complete the many tasks ahead. I was fortunate to have a great Committee of (Cathy Connors, Richard Derible and Jim Graham, Marg Seaman, Shawn LePage & Sam Vardy) who have innovative ideas and new energy which made for a great functioning group. Thanks to this group we have been able to complete many small and major tasks as previously mentioned. As well, have had two successful Pub/Steak Night suppers, which proved to be a hit with all in attendance. 8 Church Bathroom Fundraiser: Letter to the parish The Goal Our fundraising goal is $23,000 The Project A second washroom! We need a second accessible bathroom! We know that bathrooms play a big role in making a good first impression with newcomers. We hope to have a second bathroom to help support people during our worship services, and with community rentals, such as concerts and other events! The Ask Let’s hit our goal and make a serious improvement to Christ Church. Please prayerfully consider making an additional donation this month to the Washroom Renovation Fundraiser. If every giver simply makes an additional gift this month, we will hit our goal! October 2025 The Christ Church Property Committee is embarking on a fund-raising project as we continue to improve the infrastructure and viability of our church. As we know, Christ Church provides a space for numerous activities throughout each week; not only for the weekly services but for the many groups and activities that we host for the community of downtown Dartmouth. As we continue to host more community functions it has come to our attention that, the one accessible washroom we have within the church is not enough to service the number of people who use Christ Church for all our functions. Therefore, we have decided (Christ Church Executive with advice from our Property Committee, endorsed by Parish Council) that an additional washroom is required. The Property Committee has received a number of quotes, and the addition of a new washroom will cost $23,000 to complete. As this is a substantial amount and as current funds are limited, we will need to obtain these funds with your help by means of a fund- raising campaign. We are asking you, our parishioners, and friends of the church to assist us in raising the required amount by giving as much as you are able, to help accomplish our goal of raising the required amount of $23,000. We will be providing envelopes at the back of the church where you can place your donations each week. The committee also helped tremendously during our inaugural golf tournament and they continue to assist me and the church in an projects which come our way. How to give to the ministry of the church Open your phone camera Align camera with the selected code Click the pop-up 9 Reign of Christ Sunday: Parish Welcomes guest speaker Tim Bernard By Andy Sherin, Alongside Hope Representative for the parish Christ Church hosted a visit from Tim Bernard, Executive Director, Mi'kmawey Debert Cultural Centre (MDCC) at its service on Sunday, November 23. In introducing his message, he brought the voices from the MDCC Elder Advisory Council in a short video. The elders voices remind us that the land holds Mi'kmaw dreams and knowledge for thousands of years. For too long Mi'kmaw history was treated as though it had disappeared. Mi'kmawey Debert is about reclaiming that truth. Everything we are building at MDCC is about return, re- connection and renewal. MDCC will offer a permanent space for Mi’kmaw cultural stewardship, a year-round public centre on ancestral lands, healing programs, language learning, and education for all ages and a gathering space for all Mi’kmaw Chiefs and Council. It is planned that the building will be open in the fall of 2028. Construction is underway for the driveway and utility corridor. The Mi'kmaw belongings held by the Smithsonian Institute will also return to Mi'kma'ki and the MDCC in 2028. Alongside Hope and the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund has been working with the Mi'kmaw nation for 20 years. Most recently Alongside Hope has helped fund preparatory work for the return of Mi'kmaw belongings presently held at American Indian Museum (Smithsonian). Also during the service, a Survivors' Flag was accepted and blessed. The Survivors’ Flag is an expression of remembrance, meant to honour residential school Survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada. Mr. Bernard mentioned in his message the initiative to develop the Nora Bernard Park on the site of the former residential school at Shubenacadie. It should be open in the spring of 1926. Also guests at the service were Gillian Power and Leah Marshall, the new Diocesan representatives for Alongside Hope. Above: Gillian Power, Tim Bernard, Andy Sherin, Rev. Dr. Kyle Wagner and Leah Marshall holding the Survivors Flag. The Survivors’ Flag is an expression of remembrance, meant to honour residential school Survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada. Each element depicted on the flag was carefully selected by Survivors from across Canada, who were consulted in the flag’s creation. (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation) About the Flag Below: Our parish Christmas creche. 10 Fore! Christ Church holds its first Annual Golf Tournament at The Links at Montague By Dwight Corbin On July 12, 2025 Christ Church embarked on a new and exciting venture by hosting their first annual golf tournament. The tournament was held to raise some much-needed funds but also to provide our parishioners and friends a chance to have some fun and competition with any money raised as an added bonus. The tournament was held at The Links of Montague an executive style course in the Montague Mines area of Dartmouth. The Links of Montague was a great host providing not only a great venue but donated some terrific prizes and hosted an excellent barbecue following the golf which all participants thoroughly enjoyed. We had a beautiful day with a great turnout of 55 golfers; a combination of new golfers to old pros applying their skills to try and post a good score. Although scoring was not the main goal of the competition, at the end of the day, we did have Team Farquharson take home the inaugural Chalice Cup. Congratulations to Team Farquharson! As well as the golf and the scrumptious barbecue we also, had a silent auction which was organised by Carol Farquharson and Lynn Burgess. The auction netted us over $1200.00. These ladies worked tirelessly to get sponsors and auction items which added tremendously to the over all success of the day. In total we were able to raise $5900.00; certainly, a great result for our very first tournament. The response to this first golf tournament was tremendous with everyone saying they could not wait until next year for a repeat of their day of fun on the golf course. Many thanks go out to my co- organisers; Lynn Burgess and Carol Farquharson for their help and to all the volunteers for all their efforts in making our first golf tournament such a success. Above: Carol Farquharson, Dwight Corbin and Lynn Burgess, Chairs of the golf tournament at the Links at Montague. Above: The Christ Church Chalice Cup. Below: William Wagner, Rev. Dr. Kyle, Charlie, Dr. Julie and Elijah Wagner posing for a photo following a fun round of golf! 11 By Christine Nottegar Dartmouth Community Fridge marked its 3rd year of operation in May of this year. Christ Church continues to serve as the host and a supportive partner of this project; offering space, parking, garbage and recycling service, cost of utilities, camera surveillance and regular use of the kitchen and hall for meetings and events. The DCF and Christ Church continue to work collaboratively to address the needs of community members struggling with food insecurity. Hosts “Take Out Thursdays” in the kitchen at Christ Church with volunteers coming together once a month to make meals that are packaged and put in the fridge for community members to enjoy. Spends an average of $6300 monthly on groceries, including regular deliveries of milk, eggs and local produce Community partnerships with Parker Street Food Bank, O’Bees Market, Common Roots Urban Garden, the Mobile Food Market and the Wolfville Farmers Market The DCF was able to secure grants from TD Friends of the Environment, Department of Communities, Culture. Tourism and Heritage and JustFOOD. With these funds we have been able to hire a part time Garden Coordinator who has done an incredible job building, growing the garden and connecting with community members. We will have more garden beds, plants, soil and improved accessibility features that will be coming soon. More highlights from the DCF: More than 85 active volunteers Attends Alderney Farmers Market monthly to sell fundraising merchandise and talk to community members about the project The Food Bank often shares food from Feed NS with the Fridge to be sure nothing is wasted and everything gets to community members who need it. The DCF is a partner of the Christ Church Sunday Suppers, providing a meal on the first Sunday of every month. The Downtown Dartmouth Community Garden has expanded again this year and is a wonderful example of our partnership! Community Fridge Marks Third year of Operation The Dartmouth Community Fridge: A Partnership for the Community Above: students from Dalhousie's Architecture program lending their time and talent for the construction of the community garden. 12 By Janice Silver, Chair of Committee The Christ Church Historical Committee hosted several events this fall. On October 15th, approximately 30 members of the Dartmouth PROBUS group were given a 1 1/2 hour tour of the church that included lots of historical facts, as well as information about our current services we provide to the community. On November 16th, we hosted our 6th Lunch and Learn during the past few years. Approximately 50 attendees enjoyed a very interesting presentation about Shubenacadie Canal history by Richard MacMichael, followed by a chili luncheon. Stay tuned for news of another L and L in the spring! Also coming in spring is a presentation by the Committee at the Halifax Library about our Christ Church Cemetery. Apparently May is Cemetery month and we will be one of those featured! 1900, December - In the monthly Christ Church Parish Magazine, it was stated, "On New Year's Eve Day, The Total Abstinence Society will give an 'At Home' to the men of the congregation and their male friends. The school house will be open from 2pm to 10pm. Refreshments will be served and games, books, music, etc. will be provided." 1901, December - Reported in Parish Magazine that, "Our Sunday School children have certainly done much to give pleasure to others at this Christmas season. Anyone who took part in any way in our Gift Service will feel that the whole service from beginning to end was a great treat and the joy was entirely the joy of giving. This year the children's gifts were exceptionally nice. There were plenty of provisions and fruits, as well as toys and books. It was supplemented by a large bundle of clothing made up by the Women's Guild and the whole lot was divided into bags. Christmas cards were put in and sent out to about 20 families, who we are sure greatly appreciated the kind gifts of the children. Historical Committee: Remembering the Past, Honouring the Future Did you know? Below: photo of unknown boy in front of a snow covered Christ Church dated March 9, 1905. Christ Church on a snowy Christmas Eve 2024. 13 By John Gallant, Parish Administrator Since the end of the Pandemic the Parish Office has changed greatly! It has been become a hub of activity for Parishioners and others in our community. My role as Parish Administrator has also changed. The regular duties of bulletins, rentals, Power Points, and general accounting remains the same. These duties keep me grounded in the daily life of our parish. The Columbarium and cemetery also fall in the Administrator prevue. The Columbarium has become very well known as much a part of the Downtown Dartmouth community as the Church. There has been 24 niches sold in 2025 to date and as many interments. Being able to meet and assist families at such a difficult time in their lives is gratifying. My goal is to make everything go as smoothly as possible for people allowing them to grieve rather than worry about details of the interment. The biggest change has been on the side of Social Justice. With the approval of Executive and encouragement of Rev. Dr. Kyle I helped establish a Drop-In for the homeless and under housed in July of 2024. It is open twice a week, Monday and Thursday from 1-3pm, Bela Oliveira (the Street Navigator for Downtown Dartmouth), Grayson Titcombe, and Kerri Wilkinson help staff this programme. People are able to access housing lists, basic first aid, snacks, hygiene products, and most of all a community without judgement. A Day in the Life of a Parish Administrator Recently we had a pumpkin painting party for Halloween and sadly marked Kerri’s last day with POSSE and Grayson’s is coming soon. POSSE has lost their funding! Christine Hoehne attended the meeting representing Food Bank and invited us along. This has been a valuable resource for Bela and I. With the support of the members of the group we hope to continue Drop-In. Also, the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission graciously purchased a new washing machine to replace ours which outlasted its lifecycle. In the Lower Hall, Peer Outreach Support Services & Education, (POSSE) welcome people in to take showers, do laundry and build community. These three young people have welcomed over 1700 individual visits at Christ Church. I should add that the Drop-In has been at no financial cost to Christ Church other than my extra time and our space. Social Justice has become my ministry here at Christ Church. My relationship with the community around Christ Church has shown many people who are struggling that there is a friendly ear and a safe place. I have attended Court sessions, visited people at the Central Nova Correctional Facility, attended doctors appointments, assisted connecting people to housing (six people have been able to change to permanent housing through Christ Church and my intervention), arranged and attended appoints with Income Assistance and meet with Margaret’s House regularly. I have been given access to a special program called Community Volunteer Advocacy to launch inquiries with Service Canada and CRA. This program allows those who are homeless to set call back appointments from a dedicated team at Service Canada. This has been a blessing for those without regular access to a phone or email. I can ask that the call be returned at a given time like our Drop-In so people can have a quiet warm space to talk. I have been able to do this work is because of the trust Christ Church, Rev. Dr. Kyle and the Community has afforded me. I would also like to thank Christene Hoehne, Christine Nottegar and Emma Lang for their constant support. Above: Grayson Titcomb, John Gallant, Kerri Wilkenson, Bela Oliveira. 14 Thank you all for supporting Christ Church and all we offer to those less fortunate among us. The Sunday Suppers, Foodbank, Christmas Support, The Dartmouth Community Fridge, and Drop-In all strive for the same goal to create a welcoming community for everyone. By Marg Seaman, Chair of Holiday Support Program This year’s program is well underway! Over the past several weeks, we have been collecting Holiday Support registration forms from our clients who attend the Food Bank. In 2024, we were blessed to receive funds from Feed Nova Scotia and the Provincial government that allowed us to give generously to each of the 120 households that were served. Unfortunately, those funds have been drastically reduced due to the increased number of food banks throughout the Province. The support in 2025 will be reduced but we are committed to providing what we can to 120 households, including 65 children, who are in need. Each will receive a GIFT BAG containing: Annual Christmas Hamper Programme underway for 2025 Grocery Gift Card Denomination determined by family size ($100-$250) Wal-Mart Gift Card $75 Value for each child 17 and under Cookies 1-3 dozen per household Oranges & Clementines Christmas Card How You Can Help Financial Donations: A donation of $150.00 per hamper will supplement the monies we have received from Feed Nova Scotia but all contributions of any amount are welcomed! Baking: Like to Bake! Cookies are always a hit and any amount you can make is wonderful! Your cookies should be packaged in one dozen lots and delivered to the hall kitchen no later than Thursday, December 11 . th Cleaning your house!: Empty Cookie tins would be appreciated by Sunday, December 7th. Decorating a Gift Bag At the entrance to the church, plain brown paper gift bags will be available for you to use your artistic talents! Below: Dwight and Doris Corbin, and John Gallant prepping hampers in 2023. This was well received last year and we look forward to your beautiful creations again. Decorated bags should be returned no later than Sunday, December 7th. Christmas Card Writing: There will be packets of 10 Christmas cards with a script to be written in each card. Please return completed cards to Marg Seaman by Sunday, December 7th Friday, December 12 4:00- 7:00pm (maximum) Filling the Gift Bags and Tagging them th Saturday, December 13 9:00– 12:00pm Delivery of the Gift Bags to the clients th This is an important ministry and we couldn’t do it without all of your wonderful support! Any questions, please contact Marg Seaman at 902-478-3564 or email to mseaman@accesswave.ca 15 An Advent Message B y The Rev. Canon David Greenwood, Honourary Assistant As we approach Christmas, we often hear about the heroes of the fulfilment of the incarnation... the prophets who foretold of a messiah coming... Isaiah who told the people in exile in Babylon that a day was coming when they would be free to return and the trip home would be easy and filled with joy. We hear of Zachariah, a priest it the temple, who with his wife Elizabeth, longed for a son. And he was told a son was soon to come who would be a messenger to the messiah. We hear of Mary and Joseph and their encounter with angels. We hear of a friendly accommodating inn keeper. We hear of late-night working field hands who heard angel song and encountered amazement at a stable. All of these are regular folks, doing regular things, hoping for God’s call to them and their society. They all wanted their world to be better. And suddenly there was God with Us (Emmanuel) born. We stand on the shoulders of giants. We stand on the shoulders of centuries of church heroes. Of people who lived through plague and famine and war but kept the faith. People who taught the psalms and the prayers to their children and the children of their neighbors. People who tilled the field by day and supported their faith community buildings, temples, churches and cathedrals by night. People that brought the faith to new lands, wrote and sang music, taught in theology schools, led congregations, challenged kings. We call many of them saints. Christmas is a time to remember them all. For five years, I have been leading a small prayer group on Tuesday mornings. We read the readings for that week’s saints’ day and then pray for healing and for peace. We have heard the stories of hundreds of holy men and women, many of whom we call saints. They are an inspiration. Look at the front of the BAS pages 22 to 33 or the BCP pages ix to xii. Reading their names is like a prayer... we will remember them. As long as we can say their names and take a moment to google one or two to read their stories, we will remember them and their legacy lives on to inspire. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, these heroes are with us still. And we are better for them. Each one is a Christmas story, a tale of wonderment and faith. Let us remember too, the heroes that established and have maintained our parish church here in central Dartmouth. It is now over 200 years old. We call them saints and family. Some are our grandparents and their grandparents, and their ancestor too. Some came to Canada just last year. We remember them and call them saints, children of God – our brother and sister pewmates. Christmas is a time to remember them all. And to give thanks. Ruibiao, Zhenen Zhou, and Tianen Li practicing for the Christmas Pageant in 2024. Christmas Day Service with The Rev. Canon David Greenwood presiding December 25 at 10:00am th with Holy Eucharist from the BCP 16 Rectors Readers: A Book Lovers Delight! By Barb Leedham Hello Book Worms and those who want to be Book Worm Friends: “Book Worm” - a person devoted to reading or a real book worm beetle larva that feeds on books!......well that defines the folks who meet in Christ Church Office on the last Thursday of the month from 2 - 3 o’clock, (seems to be our best time to get together), for RECTOR READERS BOOK CLUB, sounds ominous doesn’t it? We devour, like the book worm, the words the authors have given us. All genres: Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction, Romance, History, and occasionally Fluff, etc.! Some are like Movie advisories....PG 14+, Violence, Sexuality, Smoking, Language... you get the picture! We get to suggest books we would like to read, sometimes looking at the year’s HRM library suggestions, and sometimes following favourite authors. Often there are Book Club Questions to discuss to get us started. Everyone shares their opinions, totally respected, likes and dislikes about the book of the month. It’s quite a treat when we find a book that everyone enjoyed! From gut wrenching to heart warming! Most of all we have become friends and YOU are welcome to join us! Announcements of our selections and dates are in the Christ Church Midweek Announcements!! See you there! Below: Heather Downey debating at our Theology on Tap. Above: During more challenging times (COVID 19), our Christmas Pageant during in 2022. Above: The Rev. Canon Dr. Jody Clarke leading our annual Easter Sunrise service at 6:00am this past year. 17 Christmas at Christ Church for 2025 December 24th A Family Service with Holy Communion and a special visitor 4:00pm Celebrate the Birth of Jesus with the whole family at Christ Church, Dartmouth. This service features Saint Nicholas, who shares the Christmas message. Sing along to your favourite Christmas Carols led by our full choir. Join us as we darken the church and light candles and sing Silent Night to mark a memorable evening among friends and family. This event only happens once a year! Contemporary Service with Holy Communion 6:00pm Contemporary Holy Communion Service with Christmas Eve Sermon. Sing along to your favourite Christmas Carols led by our full choir. Join us as we darken the church and light candles and sing Silent Night . Church of England Liturgy with Holy Eucharist 8:00pm This majestic service features Holy Eucharist, and a traditional Christmas Eve Homily. Light the taper candles and sing Silent Night. This experience leads us into Christmas Day, highlighting the Birth of Jesus Christ. December 25th Traditional Book of Common Prayer Service with Holy Eucharist 10:00am An intimate service of Holy Eucharist from the Book of Common Prayer A short traditional said service with a reflection on Christmas Day. The perfect way to celebrate the Birth of Jesus! December 28th A Fest