Advent 4, Christmas Eve and 1st after Christmas Dec. 24 & 31 2023

Welcome to St. Laurence

Christmas Blessings to all! 

This Sunday, our Advent time of waiting—the “pregnant pause” of the church year—comes to an end as we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. We begin the day with a service for the 4^th Sunday of Advent, then conclude the day with services

for Christmas Eve. 

After the Annunciation 

This is the irrational season 

When love blooms bright and wild 

Had Mary been filled with reason 

There’d have been no room for the child. 

Madeleine L’Engle 

If you are unable to join us in person, please join our livestream service, or watch a video at your leisure. The link below will work for all livestreamed services. 

Please note we will be livestreaming the 8:00 pm Christmas Eve service, the 5:00 pm service will not be livestreamed.

The church office will be closed from December 22 to January 2.

In case of pastoral emergency please call Jane at 403-324-1958

To view our bulletin Advent 4, see here

To view our bulletin Christmas Eve 5:00 pm see here (No livestream)

To view our bulletin Christmas Eve 8:00 pm see here

To view our bulletin December 31 see here

Conversations

Join us each week in the Sunshine Room at 11:20 for reflection on theology, spirituality, and current events.

This week in Conversations: No Conversations today

This Week in Parish                                                 

Thursday Dec 28 10:00 am Centering Prayer

Thursday January 4 Contemplative Prayer

Advent and Christmas Services see here

Our Christmas offering will be to our sister Church, The Parish of Emmanuel, Ramleh Israel in this time of crisis. Please put Emmanuel Church on the memo line of your cheque.

Please note there will be no choir practice after Christmas Eve until January 18, to give the choir a well deserved rest.

A celebration of life for Rod Smith will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at 2 p.m., in the Sequoia Centre at the McCall Gardens Funeral Service, 4665 Falaise Drive, Victoria BC. There will be a short service of prayers followed by a reception.  

A livestream link will be available for those unable to attend in person. If you do not have Maggie's contact information, and would like the link, please let the office know at adminassist@stlaurence.ca, and we will forward your request to her.

Calendars Anglican Church of Canada

I have had word that the much-delayed calendars should be here in a couple weeks. The calendars have beautiful photos of Anglican churches across Canada and also dates of holy days in the church year. At $5, they are quite affordable.

Susan Himann

If you are interested in supporting immigrants, please see here

Upcoming Women’s Lunches

Monday, January 8, 2024

 At 11:30 am at Pho Pham Restaurant in Signal Hill. All are welcome, no rsvp required.

Prayer Ministry at St Laurence

If you have a prayer request, the best way is to email Ross Lennox

at rosslennox23@gmail.com or phone him at 403-606-2525

News from Villages Calgary:

Giving Week at Villages Calgary was a success.  PWRDF had a total in sales of $2690.08 and as a result, a cheque for $269.01 was sent to PWRDF. 

Thank you so very much for being part of this event.  Every dollar spent helps marginalized people in communities around the world. It also helps to support the intiatives of PWRDF.