Thanksgiving Food Bank Drive
Please consider a gift to the Agincourt Community Services Food bank during our annual Thanksgiving food drive. And this note - you can make your financial donation directly by contacting ACSA, or you can make it through St. Paul’s by using your envelopes and indicating that it is a "special" offering for "The ACSA foodbank". Doing it through St. Paul’s eliminates the commission fee for making a donation by credit card as well as contributing to the total gift from St. Paul's to ACSA. Donations will be accepted until the end of October.
Faithworks Reminder - A note from Peter Mentis, Director
. . . As we enter the final quarter of this year’s FaithWorks campaign, I’d like to give you a brief update. To date we have raised $710,000, almost half of this year’s goal of $1,500,000. On a monthly basis we are ahead of last year by almost 30%. Individual donations to date are $299,000, up by 42% over all of last year. This increase so far is due to a generous response to our appeals and the pandemic. Also, the Easter Appeal was conducted online for the first time as well as by direct mail. Thank God, people want to help!
But we are still short of our 2020 goal of $1.5 million. This final quarter is the season of parish campaigns. To give us added inspiration to reach our goal a generous donor has offered a $100,000 matching challenge grant for increases in parish contributions over last year. Will you be able to help FaithWorks take advantage of the opportunity this matching challenge grant offers us?
At St. Paul’s, last year’s total was $5850. So far, about $4000 has been raised.
Notes from Outreach
A couple of notes on behalf of the Outreach Committee. Several things are in the works, but these are starting to roll.
First, the annual Outreach Walk-a-thon has been adapted. We are asking walkers:
1) To signup - (call the office or send an email)
2) To collect sponsorships as usual,
3) to complete a 6 kilometer walk on their own (which is the distance of our usual walk),
4) and then to hand in forms, donations and pledges on All Saints Day - Sunday, November 1.
5) And . . . take a picture and send it in ([email protected]). We’ll create a collection of all the trails our walkers walked.
The sponsorship form is available from the office or online: www.stpl.ca/outreach.html
Secondly, start looking ahead for a "Virtual Maytime Melodies Concert" of St. Paul’s musicians, with proceeds to Outreach.
For more information, contact the office or Kathy.
The Doors of St. Paul’s Have Re-opened
In a series of careful steps, the doors are re-opening and services and programs are being resumed - starting with Sunday Services. We are working toward the resumption of other services and programs. However, because the virus remains active, safety guidelines are in effect and all online services will continue for the foreseeable future.
Four services are offered in the church. Ninety (90) people, which is 30% of capacity, are allowed in the church proper - main floor and balcony - at any one time. The hall, kitchen and rooms downstairs remain closed.
Sunday Schedule:
8.00 a.m. (at the church)
10.00 a.m. (at the church)
10.00 a.m. - Sunday School (online - see the church calendar)
10.30 a.m. - English service (online - see the church calendar)
1.00 p.m. (Chinese)
3.45 p.m. (Tamil) - also being streamed.
6.00 p.m. - Evening Prayer (online - see the church calendar)
Morning Prayer will continue to be offered on Zoom, Monday through Saturday, as of September 13th. Sunday School and the Sunday recording will continue to be offered.
Safety Guidelines
St. Paul’s is following the safety guidelines issued by the Diocese of Toronto which can be read on the Diocesan website
Other Services, Programs and Meetings - Gradually, we plan to resume other services, programs and meetings, but safely and carefully. Watch for updates and announcements.
Summary - Due to broad cooperation across the country, the safety guidelines ensure that it is relatively safe to come back to church in the same way that it is now relatively safe to go to the grocery store, drug store, or hardware store. We are grateful to the Bishops and Diocese for their guidance. Small steps, but all in the right direction. And, as has been true all along, the situation remains dynamic. We’ll do our best to keep everyone updated.
S.P.Y. - St. Paul’s Youth - Friday Nights, 7 p.m.
Looking for Work - If you’re looking, or know someone who is, here’s the national job site: www.jobbank.ca
Friday Night Bible Study - on Zoom - Next Friday, October 30. Revelation 15, Lesson 15.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/830877703
Telephone: 647-374 4685, or 647-558 0588; Meeting ID: 830 877 703
Have you moved? - If you have moved recently, kindly notify the office of your new address, phone number and e-mail address. We appreciate your help.
Gifts and Offerings - The emergency measures and suspension of all church services and programs presents a large challenge to churches and charities dependent on regular gatherings and fundraising events. Your faithful support is as important now as it has ever been. Church Envelopes can be sent by mail. Members may wish to sign up for the Pre-Authorized Giving Program (contact the office). Or, gifts can be made online at our website through CanadaHelps here: www.stpl.ca/give.html. Members who use online banking may now also make E-transfers (contact the office).
Contact
The clergy of St. Paul’s are all in the vicinity and can visit again, while observing the safety guidelines of the Diocese of Toronto. If any one of us can be of service, don’t hesitate to call or write.
Website: www.stpl.ca
Church phone: 416-499-1545;
Email: [email protected]
Fr. Dean Mercer: [email protected]
Rectory phone: 416-497-6352.
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