Please join the Dolan family in Room C after the 8:30 service this Sunday for their monthly breakfast.

For Christians, the season of Advent can offer us a peaceful time of reflection, of waiting and watching for Jesus's miraculous birth.

Journey through Advent with our ever-popular creative evenings for the whole family. We have all-new Advent colouring sheets from Illustrated Ministry (whose work we have used before) that combine to make one wide Advent banner. Enjoy the peace of colouring-in, as you listen to meditations from Advent and Christmas Wisdom, reflections and suggestions to make the most of this season, by much-loved author, Henri Nouwen. Bring your coloured pencils and markers. 

Where: St John’s Room - Dec 2,9, 23. 
               Hall - Dec 16
When: Tuesdays, December 2, 9,16 and 23
              6 – 7 PM (or as long as you wish)

Advent and Christmas Wisdom: The inspiring words of Henri J. M. Nouwen guide the faithful on a spiritual journey through the Advent and Christmas season in this book of waiting, hope, anticipation, and celebration. Each day of the Advent season (28 in all, to accommodate the varying number of days in the season) and each day of Christmas (12 in all, ending with Jesus baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist) contains a pertinent excerpt from the writings of Father Nouwen, a related quotation from Scripture, a prayer for the day, and a suggested activity that offers a concrete response to mark the season. 

This season the Compassion in Action Ministry would like to support Connection Point. They provide a gift shop for parents to shop for their children and gifts for the unhoused. Please provide however you wish with a gift, gift box, or gift bag/ backpack for a child adult or senior.  The gift box/bag could include toiletries, snacks and treats, cold weather items etc. Items can be placed in the Narthex closet. The deadline for receiving donations is December 7^th.

Thank you from the Compassion in Action Ministry Team.

You’re invited to join us and spread Christmas cheer at our annual Christmas caroling outing! Please click on the link below to fill in the form that gives us your date and time of preference (this also lets us know the level of participant interest). We are considering planning the outing for either Sunday, December 14^th in the afternoon or a later evening time, or the evening of Monday, December 15^th.  This is always a fun experience that allows us to connect with those who are homebound.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

We all look forward to the Christmas Pageant on the third Sunday of Advent! Our Christmas Pageant this year will be held on Sunday, December 14th at the 10 AM service, with the Dress Rehearsal the day before, Saturday, December 13th at 11:00 to 12:30.  The Pageant is open to all children and those young at heart. The children will be chosen to take on specific roles at the time of the Dress Rehearsal (we have a lot of costumes available).  

We'd also like to invite adults to participate - if you're interested, please email Rudo at rudodmgodi@gmail.com. Your participation will be greatly appreciated.

Nobody should spend Christmas Day alone - no matter who you are: retired with family far away, a member of the military, or a student.

The last two year’s Christmas Day Lunch for anyone who spending Christmas Day alone were very successful. We had a large turnout and saw lots of happy faces. So, mark your calendars because Church of the Advent will host the lunch again this year! 

Thank you to the planning team who over the years have helped to create a strategy for the Home Alone Christmas Dinner at Church of the Advent. We will be catering for eighty people this year. A simple meal will be served.

Thank you to those of you who have already said that they will be with Sr Ingrid on Christmas Day, preparing food and serving at the lunch. Not everyone is able to volunteer on the day, so 

How can you help?

- Roast a turkey or a ham
-Make a side-dish
- Provide dessert

- Volunteer to set up and decorate tables ahead of time.

Please speak to Sr. Ingrid or to Terry if you have any questions. Sign-up sheets are in the Narthex.

The Community Coffee Social for December has been cancelled. Please note that the schedule will change in the New Year, and the Coffee Social will take place on the first Wednesday of the month, still 9:30 to 11 am. Updates regarding changes of dates to certain months in the year will be shared well in advance.

Showcased this week on the Community Showcase noticeboard in the hall:

Capt. Tim Hamblin retires after serving 35 years as Colwood firefighter. See the Gazette news article posted in the hall.

Do you have news about your personal achievements that you want to share with the parish? Send information to Caroline in the parish office at admin@colwoodanglican.ca

This week, the Top Shelf features a diverse display of books for Advent reflection. These books will remain on the shelf for two weeks.

Thomas Cahill.  Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus.
   The life of Jesus in the context of his times.

Duncan, Ken. Where Jesus Walked: Experience the Presence of God.
   The Holy Land in photographs and word images.

William R. Grimbol. The Grace of Hope: Meditations and Prayers.
   A small book about the importance of hope, and finding a simpler path than the ways of the world.

Rick McKinley et al. Advent Conspiracy: Making Christmas Meaningful (Again).
   Celebrating Christmas with compassion instead of consumerism.

The Bethlehem Tree: a Family Advent Resource Book, by Mary Louise Tietjen.
   A project book for creating up to ten homemade Christmas tree ornaments.

THE CHILDREN’S SECTION

On display on the small table in the narthex:

The Nativity. Illustrated by Juan Wijngaard.

The Nativity story in the King James text, with modern illustrations.

To borrow any book, fill out a green loan slip from the small bookcase in the narthex, and put it in the pink box labelled “Library.” If you are returning a book, fill out a yellow return slip, put it in the Library box, and leave your book beside or under the box; please do not reshelve it.

All are welcome to join us on Thursdays for our relaxed, lively and interesting Zoom online Bible Study, to discuss the readings for the upcoming Sunday. The readings are posted in this newsletter.

No experience or prior knowledge is needed.

Time: 6 PM - 7 PM.

Zoom Link:  

https://bc-anglican-ca.zoom.us/j/88378461340?pwd=cU9wSUNEZG02M3h3bGVrUmpyMjRNZz09

Meeting ID: 883 7846 1340
Passcode: 4743031

Readings for this Sunday's services:

Isaiah 2:1-5

Psalm 122

Romans 13:11-14

Matthew 24:36-44

Read Sunday's readings online:
1. Go to https://lectionary.anglican.ca/  
2. Select next Sunday's date in the space at the bottom.
3. Click "Link to full text for this day".

Nov 29 Parish Council Christmas Dinner

Nov 30 8:30 Service Breakfast
              Advent 1 Parish Anniversary

Dec 10 Community Coffee Social is CANCELLED
              Ladies Guild Appreciation Lunch

Dec 14 or 15 Christmas Caroling

Dec 16 Parish Council Mtg, 7 pm

Dec 20 Blue Christmas Service

Dec 24 Christmas Eve Services

Dec 25 Home Alone Christmas Lunchon. 12 noon

Jan 7 Community Coffee Social, 9 am

Jan 14 Ladies Guild Mtg, 1:30 pm

Jan 18 Jazz Vespers, 7 pm

Jan 20 Parish Council Mtg, 7 pm

Jan 24 Spanish Service & Potluck, 6 pm

Jan 25 8:30 Breakfast

Jan 28 Ladies Guild Lunch, Noon

The Lay leadership in Worship course will once again be running in Spring 2026. Registration will open December 1, 2025 and will remain open until January 17, 2026.

The course will be run via Zoom, on Thursdays at 7-9pm. The course dates are: March 5, 12, 19, 26, April 9, 16, 23, and May 28. The course is free but participants are required to buy or borrow a copy of the required reading. 

More information about how to apply will be shared on the diocesan website soon! 

The second annual Bishop's Dinner will take place at the Laurel Point Inn on January 27, 2026 from 5:30-9:30pm. 

Join us for an engaging evening with Bishop Anna. Build relationships across the diocese, delve into her vision for a bright future, and explore the life-giving ministry thriving within the Islands and Inlets.

This 2nd annual dinner "Small Parishes, Big Impact" will highlight and raise funds for the ministry of our lay-led parishes. 

Tickets are $200 for individuals and $1500 for a table of 8. A donation of $200 can also be made and a ticket will be given to a recipient who would otherwise not be able to attend.

Limited tickets are available for purchase on Eventbrite here.

For more infomation visit:

http://bc.anglican.ca/events/bishops-dinner--855/2026-01-27

Faith Tides is the online, faith-based publication of the Anglican Diocese of Islands and Inlets (BC). Through news stories, reflections and feature articles Faith Tides aims to showcase the work God is doing through our churches. It is a space where people of faith and doubt can walk alongside one another, share their stories and grow together.

Bishop's Column: Growing into the new

St. Dunstan’s holds final service at church in Gordon Head 

Final women’s retreat explores faith in the turbulent 2020s

Anglicans support the revitalization of Indigenous languages

106th Archbishop of Canterbury announced

Rethinking the Anglican divide

Ripples: November 2025

For more infomation visit:

https://faithtides.ca/

All are invited to join with St Mary's, Central Saanich, for the December 6 National Day of Remembrance

We will gather to honour the lives of the 14 women murdered at École Polytechnique in 1989, and to stand against all gender-based violence. This National Day of Remembrance calls us to reflect, remember, and renew our commitment to building a safer, more just society. All are welcome—your presence matters.
We will be meeting at St. Mary's at 5 pm for a short service and then a time of Gathering. 

Sunday
 8:30 AM - Traditional Eucharist, Book of Common Prayer
(no choir) Chapel

10:00 AM - Contemporary Eucharist, Book of Alternative Services,
with choir 

First Saturday of the Month
5:00 PM - Taize service with singing  Chapel (except August and January)

Fourth Saturday of the Month
6 PM - Spanish Language Anglican Eucharist Service  

For any issues to report concerning the condition/maintenance of the church building and grounds, please email the parish office directly at admin@colwoodanglican.ca, or record them in the maintenance logbook that is located on the parish office door.

Office hours are Mondays  - Thursdays
from 9 am until noon.