St. Thomas Anglican Church
305 12th St. T9W 1G7 Wainwright, AB, Canada

Good Morning, Everyone and Happy Advent 3 It has gotten a tad chilly outside this weekend, so if you must go out then wear a mask, under a scarf, a hat, a coat ...hood and maybe even an extra blanket This morning's worship is pasted in below. I hope you have time to sit back and relax and worship God with me while we are apart. Here are today's announcements: - Peanut Butter - the St. Thomas PB Christmas Tree is growing! Alice and Bob are still collecting those jars. You can drop them off to Alice or to me at the house or just hang on to them until we are able to meet again. They won't be donated to the Wainwright FoodBank until we have had a chance to bless them in an in-person, in-church worship service. So, you've got lots of time to keep an eye out for sales on Peanut Butter at the Co-Op. And just think, if you're stuck on what to get someone for Christmas or as a stocking stuffer, look no further - Peanut Butter - what a prefect Christmas present and you can shop local to get it! - The BIshop had a Clergy Zoom meeting with us this past Thursday - the Churches in the Diocese are closed until at least Epiphany - 06 January. The hope is that Albertans will take this lock down seriously and by then the numbers will have sufficiently receded that we might be able to re-open. I think that this may be an overly-optimistic desire. If we are open by Epiphany, there will be an evening service to celebrate Epiphany at St. Thomas in Wainwright. The plan is being put in place that there will be a diocesan-wide liturgy that every church will use that day. If necessary, I imagine it might be an on-line liturgy. If we are able to re-open for Epiphany, our church groups and activities will not resume until the following week of Sunday, 10 January. So, BIble Study would resume on Wednesday, the 13th, etc. However, this is all contingent upon decisions made at the provincial and diocesan levels. More to follow as soon as I know. - Envelopes and Year-End Giving - Please remember the Churches as you are worshipping from home. The heat and hydro and regular expenses do continue even when the Church is closed. If you would like your offerings to count toward your 2020 Charitable Tax Receipts, we need to receive them prior to 31 December. These can be mailed to the churches or you can call me, Allan Samm or Lynne Jensen to make arrangements. - The Diocese is preparing a Christmas Lessons and Carols service for on-line worship on the 27th of December. Our very own Margaret Yurchak will be featured as a reader! This is the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's, so you will be able to curl up in your pyjamas and listen to all the wonderful Christmas season scripture and carols at home while worshipping with the entire Diocese! - The Rural Ministries Group in the Diocese is preparing a Blue Christmas or Longest Night Service to be on-line for 21 December. This is a wonderful resource for those who have had loved ones die in the past year but they are also working to acknowledge and help us all deal with the stresses and dark realities this year has held regardless. As soon as the link is available, I will send it out and place it on the Facebook pages. - Yesterday we had people gather - one at a time and socially-distanced - to record our Lessons and Carols service for next Sunday's Advent 4 service. Connie Coleman came in and recorded some lovely and familiar Christmas hymns and Rob Parker has been working his fingers to the bone trying to edit it into one cohesive service. A big thank you to all who participated. (As I know Rob won't read this email, I am going to ask all of you to say a quick prayer of gratitude for my husband who has been learning how to become a videographer and producer of these Sunday worship services. He is happy to do it but has been taking time out of his week and spending all day every Saturday trying to make these better. Next Sunday's worship is pretty intricate and he is doing a great job.) - As the days get shorter and dark descends, I understand how tough this pandemic, and now lock down, can become. Please know that if you need to talk or would like me to be praying for you specifically (and confidentially), all you need to do is call me at 780-703-2018 or email me at [email protected] I am working from home and learning how to do this new thing (on-line worship) but I am still your pastor, even if we can't see each other face to face! - Upcoming services will be: Sunday, 20 December - Lessons and Carols Christmas Eve - available at 4:30 pm that day Christmas Day - available at 10 am that day Sunday, 27 December - Diocesan Christmas Lessons and Carols Sunday, 03 January - 2nd Sunday after Christmas - available at 9:30 that day - A Christmas service has been made and the link will be sent out to the Auxiliary, Battle River Lodge and Points West Living or the Recreation Directors to share with the residents. That will be emailed out later today. - In case you didn't know, there is a Monday-Friday Church at Home reflection that is up by 11 am at the latest every morning, Just something to help us keep focused and connected. You can find the link on the FaceBook pages every day or on my YouTube channel. This morning's readings are: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Canticle - The Magnificat - Luke 1:46b-55 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28 Our service is from the Book of Common Prayer. In the Parish Cycle of Prayer this week we are praying for: Eleanor Anderson Allan Samm Velma Withnell (There is nothing to worry about for these folks - we are just praying for them because they are a part of our Church Family and we love them. Your turn to be prayed for will come too!) If I have forgotten anything, I do apologize. I am computered out after yesterday's 12 hour marathon of Lessons and Carols prep. God bless you all. Rachael+ See more

Our numbers are rising! We are at twenty-one (21) active cases of COVID-19 in the M.D. of Wainwright. Please follow Alberta’s tougher restrictions. Details can be found at: https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx

We are back up to eighteen (18) active cases of COVID-19 in the M.D. of Wainwright. Please find information on Alberta’s tougher restrictions at: https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx

Happy Friday, Everyone It's cold outside and slippery. A good day to stay home and stay safe. I hope you have a good weekend. I won't post tomorrow but the Mor...ning Prayer Service for Advent 3, filmed at St. Thomas will be up for 9:30 on Sunday morning and I will be back with Church at Home on Monday. God bless and if you are reluctant to wear a mask, think about Jesus ... He would totally wear a mask! R+

Happy Thursday! Here is today's Church at Home reflection. I hope you are all holding up okay. Don't forget to pray! And wear your masks!... God bless. R+ See more