We are excited to announce this Sunday's presentation of our much anticipated annual Christmas Pageant! The pageant takes place at the 10:00 service and is open to all children and those young at heart. Anyone interested in participating is invited to come to the dress rehearsal happening this Saturday, December 13th at 11:30 to 1 PM. 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 need adults to participate!  Please let Rudo know asap if you wish to participate - her email is rudodmgodi@gmail.com.

Thank you to those who have already confirmed their participation.

Help adorn our altar, if you so wish, with the contribution of a small poinsettia. This Sunday, to enhance our worship experience, we welcome small poinsettias that can be displayed at the front of the church and the chapel. Thank you in advance!

To all who are joining in the caroling happening this Sunday, December 14th, please meet in the church parking lot at 2 pm for carpooling. If you haven't signed up yet but would now like to attend, please let Joan Hoffman know at 250 474 5446.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

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: Hall - Tuesday Dec 16
           St John’s Room - Tuesday Dec 23. 
               
When:  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. 

For some, Christmas is not a time of joy and celebration, but a time of loss and grief - whether it be the death of a loved one, broken relationships, loss, or estrangement. Our Blue Christmas service is a time when we can, with others, acknowledge the "blue" feelings we have at Christmas time. We can lift to God the reasons for our sadness.

Join us in the chapel on Saturday December 20 at 5 PM for a short service of scripture and prayer in a safe, loving and healing space.

Please consider inviting others who are in need of loving care during the Christmas season.

Dec 14 - Christmas Pageant Sunday

Dec 20 - Blue Christmas Service at 5 pm (chapel)

Dec 24 - Christmas Eve:
              Carols at 6.30 pm & Family Eucharist Service at 7 pm
              Eucharist Service with Choir at 10 pm

Dec 25 - Home Alone Christmas Dinner at noon.

Dec 28 - First Sunday after Christmas: Christmas Lessons and Carols. PLEASE NOTE that this is a combined service at 10 AM

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

If you volunteered to help out on the day, and were with Sr Ingrid last year, preparing food and serving at the lunch, you will know what a joyous and rewarding experience it was. We would love you to volunteer for this year's lunch!

We are catering for 80 people who would otherwise be spending Christmas Day alone.

How can you help?
- Set up and decorate tables or tidy up afterwards (setting the tables will be Monday, Dec. 22nd at 10 am)
- Prepare ham, turkey, vegetables, mashed potato or something else on the list below.
- Purchase something/a few things from the list below.
- Serve food on the day.
- Bake a dessert
- Donate a few dollars towards the cost of the meal

Could you help us to prepare or purchase some of the following?

What we need cooked:
* Two large Costco spiral hams
* Two 20 lb turkeys
* 4 x 10 lb bags of Russet potatoes, cooked and mashed (tell us how many pounds you'd like to prepare)
* Gravy
* Dressing
* Desserts and cookies

What we need to have purchased: (Let us know how many you like to buy)
* 2 giant bags of frozen mixed vegetables
* mandarins for each place setting (80)
* sweets and table ornaments

The load is easier if shared amongst many.
Sign-up sheets are in the Narthex for food preparation and purchase and duties such as serving on the day, setting up and taking down. 
Food that is prepared can be delivered either on Christmas Eve before the services or early on Christmas Day. 

For the preparation and purchasing of food, please indicate what you will be contributing by next Sunday, December 14th on the sign-up sheet in the Narthex. The list of what is needed is at the top of the columns on the signup sheet.  This will allow us enough time to purchase more food if needed.
Setting the tables will take place on Monday, Dec. 22nd from 10 am.

Please speak to Sr. Ingrid for more information. 

Due to the heavy recent rain we’ve had, the church grounds remain very wet and soft. To avoid adding stress to the grassy areas, we kindly ask that parishioners please drive and park only where there is pavement.

Photo by Jackson Simmer on Unsplash

Christmas letters are readyfor on Sunday for pick up in the Narthex.

Please find yours.

Assigned 2026 offering envelopes are ready and can be picked up in the Narthex.

Next year, our 40th Anniversary, is an important year for the Church of the Advent. We are taking the opportunity to strengthen our social media campaign on Facebook and expand it to Instagram.

Caroline DeCiantis, our parish administrator, manages the posting of parish events on social media and on our website. She needs information six weeks in advance of the event.

Shaena Wallace, our Communications Ministry Liaison and Sr. Ingrid manage the overall strategy for social media, and recently, Shyju Shabu has joined the team to manage the social media accounts. Thank you, Shyju! We're looking for another one or two people to share the load with him. This should not take more than an hour a month in total, with quarterly zoom team meetings. 

Are you Gen X, Millennial or Gen Z? Interested in raising the profile of our parish on Social Media? Contact Sr. Ingrid at iandersen@bc.anglican.ca

Photo by dole777 on Unsplash

Church of the Advent is planning two themed potluck meals next year to welcome the new Royal Roads University students to Colwood. The campus does not permit the advertising of religious services, and this is the best way to introduce new students to our welcoming community. 

Feb 7 - Celebration of International Black Cuisine  - We're looking for people to volunteer to make the foods of the African diaspora - Caribbean, African, Cajun and many others.  February is Black History Month.

Sept 19^th - Celebration of Asian Cuisine - We're looking for people to volunteer to make foods from the vast range of Asian cultures: East (Chinese, Japanese, Korean), Southeast (Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Indonesian), South (Indian, Pakistani), Central (Uzbek, Kazakh), and Middle Eastern (Turkish, Lebanese)

How can you help to welcome new students?

-Would you like to help cook food? 

-Can you offer recipes?

-Can you help to organise?

We need a small team to manage these two events. If you would like to be part of the team, please contact Terry Mikkonen, the Fellowship Ministry Liaison, at tlmikko@gmail.com. February is around the corner, so we'd like to set up the team soon.

Photo by Jacob McGowin on Unsplash

There will be no Community Coffee Social in December.

Please note that in the New Year, the Coffee Social will take place on the first Wednesday of the month, at the same time, 9:30 to 11 am.
Updates regarding changes of dates to certain months in the year will be shared well in advance.

Hurricane Melissa had a devastating impact on Jamaican residents. Most of us have wanted to help, but are not sure how. Here's a situation directly connected to one of our parishioners.

Bonnie Stuart's daughter, Pam, and her Jamaican husband, Len, have close friends, Clive and his wife Degrie, who have a wonderful ministry to their Jamaican neighbours. Degrie makes meals for some of her neighbours, yet until a year or so ago, she had no stove. She was making soup on a two-burner hot plate outside. As time went by, they were able to build a basic kitchen on the back of their home and Pam and Len bought them a stove and freezer. They have no fridge.

And now, thanks to the hurricane, they have lost the kitchen. They have lost so much more than that.

The money being raised by the fund raiser is to help them to rebuild their kitchen, get the car running again after major flood damage, to replace all the windows in the house and replace what has been ruined The money being raised by the fund raiser is for helping them rebuild their kitchen, get the car running again, replace all the windows in the house (the picture shows the makeshift coverings for their windows) and replace what has been ruined in the house so that they can get their lives on track again. And through all this, Degrie is still helping her neighbours.

How to help? A GoFundMe has been launched where you can donate, or you could give a donation directly to Bonnie, who will pass on to Pam all of the money collected. Pam and Len will be heading to Jamaica on the 24th.

Please contact Bonnie Stuart directly at bonniestuart25@gmail.com for more information. Thank you for your support!

This week, the Top Shelf has another selection of books for Advent reflection.

Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright. The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions.
   Liberal and conservative views on the historical Jesus

Ann Weems. Kneeling in Bethlehem.
   Reflections for Advent and Christmas in the form of short poems.

Henry van Dyke. The Story of the Other Wise Man.
   A much-loved short fable about being a follower of Jesus. Suitable for adults or older children.

Orbis Publishing. Nativity.
   Quotations from the King James Bible, illustrated by classical painters. Suitable for adults or older children. Presented to the children of the Church of the Advent on their first Christmas by the children of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church.

Susan J. Zonnebelt-Smeenge and Robert C. De Vries. The Empty Chair: Handling Grief on Holidays and Special Occasions.
   Grieving a loved one, with special reference to holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries.

THE CHILDREN’S SECTION

On display on the small table in the narthex:

The First Christmas.

   A very simple retelling of the Christmas story, suitable for children ages 2-4.

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 35:1-10

CANTICLE 18a

JAMES 5:7-10

MATTHEW 11:2-11

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".

Dec 14 Christmas Caroling, 2 pm

Dec 16 Parish Council Mtg, 7 pm

Dec 20 Blue Christmas Service. 5 pm

Dec 24 Christmas Eve Services:

                Carols at 6:30 pm

                Family Eucharist Service at 7 pm

                Eucharist Service with Choir at 10 pm

Dec 25 Christmas Day Home Alone Luncheon

Dec 26-Jan 12 Sr. Ingrid away on holidays

Jan 4 8:30 & 10 am services celebrated by Rev. John Steele

Jan 7 Community Coffee Social, 9:30 am

Jan 10 Celebration of life for Dietrich Rodwoski, Hall, 10 am

Jan 11 Morning Prayer led by Terry Mikkonen, 10 am (no 8:30)

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

Jan 29 Prayer Shawl Mtg, 10 am, St. John’s Rm

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.

Read the December issue of Faith Tides

In this issue

Bishop's Column: Responding to the rising tide of homelessness in our communities
Bishop Anna also spoke on this topic in her sermon for the first Sunday in Advent...

Nobody wants to sleep out in the cold 

Order of the diocese investiture honours faithful service

Crafty St. Philip’s parishioners make quilts for women in recovery

Lay leadership in worship course to run in spring 2026

Ripples: December 2025

Love must come before believing

Anglican Foundation resource helps parishes get the conversation on legacy giving started

Letter to the editor (December 2025)

For the second Sunday in Advent, Bishop Anna invites us to consider the teachings of John the Baptist. During a season dominated by bright lights and consumerism, John the Baptist calls on us to acknowledge the darkness of our world, and to seek ways of being that are Christ-centred and life giving.  

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

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  (except December)

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.