Church of the Advent is excited to announce that we will be watching The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005) from the Chronicles of Narnia series, for Movie Night this coming Saturday, March 14th at 6 pm in the hall. The movie is rated PG.

Bring a comfortable lawn chair or cushions/blankets, as well as your snacks and drinks and get ready to curl up for a cinematic adventure, followed by a discussion with Sr. Ingrid.

Sr. Ingrid is making popcorn.

Poster: https://www.imdb.com

Thank you to the crew who has volunteerd for garden clean-up at the church this Saturday from 9 am to noon.

Anyone else who would like to join in and assist is more than welcome.

Please connect with Ariana if you have any questions (A.M.Whitman@outlook.com).

Church of the Advent is thrilled to welcome vocalist Stephanie Greaves to our Jazz Vespers stage.  Stephanie’s penchant for song has helped her perform all over the world. With an untiring commitment to her craft, she’s become a household name at public events and private functions across Victoria and Vancouver Island. Be it at intimate solo shows, dinner theatre at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, or singing Canada’s national anthem for international dignitaries or tens of thousands of cheering Vancouver Canucks and BC Lions fans, Stephanie displays the versatility and grace of a natural performer. Stephanie will be accompanied by one of our favorite performers, award-winning jazz pianist Attila Fias.

In preparation for the Garage Sale happening on May 2nd, we need to clear the garage of last year's books from the Book Sale. 

Please consider taking a box or two to a thrift store or, preferably, to the Times Colonist Collection Station.

There will be a meet-up in front of the garage after the 10:00 service this Sunday for those who are able to pick up a box or two to donate on the church's behalf.

Thank you for your support!

Information About Donating to the Times Colonist

The process will start with a book dropoff weekend. Mark your calendars for April 18th and 19th. The location is the Victoria Curling Club at 1952 Quadra St.

What they are accepting: Quality books of almost every genre.

What they are NOT accepting: Books that are wet, mouldy, smelly or otherwise damaged. Encyclopedias, textbooks, magazines, directories, outdated reference works, Reader’s Digest condensed books or National Geographics.

A Maundy Thursday Agape Meal & Eucharist service will be held in the church at 6 pm on Thursday, April 2nd.

If you would like to attend and can contribute to the Agape meal, a sign-up sheet is in the Narthex. Please indicate there if you can bring either buns or bread, fresh or dried fruit, or nuts. These foods will accompany the soup that is being provided. This is for all ages!

We ask that everyone please bring their own cutlery, plate, glass and bowl.

Our annual Garage Sale is happening soon, on Saturday, May 2nd.  This has always been a major event in the life of our church family and our Westshore community and, as in the past, we’ll need lots of donated items! 

Please remember the Garage Sale when you and/or your neighbours are doing your spring cleaning and sorting.  Note that we are not accepting clothing, TVs, computers, large furniture, mattresses, carpets, cribs and car seats, travel mugs and water bottles or books, records and movies (you can save these last three for the Book Sale in October). 

We will be accepting donations during the following times:

Sat. April 25, 9 am to 3 pm

April 27 – May 1, 9 am to 3 pm

Any questions? Contact Linda Van Sickle at 778 265 5347, or lindavs51@gmail.com.

How do we live compassionately in a time of violence and despair? What can we do with our private disappointments and the anger we feel in such an unjust world? In his most personal book yet, Richard Rohr turns to the writings of the Jewish prophets, revealing how some of the lesser-read books of the Bible offer us a crucial path forward today. Drawing on a century of biblical scholarship, The Tears of Things breathes new life into ancient wisdom, paving a path of enlightenment for anyone seeking a way of compassionate living in a hurting world.

During Lent, for her Sermon Series, Sr. Ingrid will be drawing on Richard Rohr's new book, The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage. If you would like to accompany Sr. Ingrid on this Lenten journey of learning, you are invited to purchase the book, preferably from a local or Canadian bookstore, and join her after the service during coffee hour for a discussion (Week 2-6 of Lent).

Sunday Mar 29              Palm Sunday & Passion of the Cross 10 AM
    
Monday Mar 30             Meditation & Prayer Service, Chapel, 6 PM
Tuesday Mar 31             Meditation & Prayer Service, Chapel, 6 PM
Wednesday April 1        Meditation & Prayer Service, Chapel, 6 PM
    
Thursday April 2            Maundy Thursday Agape Meal and Eucharist
                                               Service, 6 PM
                                        
Friday April 3                 Good Friday, Church, 10 AM      
                                           (Meditation on the final words of Jesus)
    
Saturday April 4             Easter Vigil     (Spanish & English) @ 6 PM
                                            (with potluck dinner after)

Sunday April 5                Easter Sunrise Service, 6:30 AM
                                              Esquimalt Lagoon
                                           Easter 8:30 AM Service
                                           Easter 10 AM Service 
                                             (followed by children’s Easter egg hunt)

Beginning in this first quarter of 2026, we will be updating you with brief quarterly financial reports that give a snapshot of our year to date incoming and operating expenses for the church.

Thank you to Bill Van Sickle for providing us with these reports!

Here is the first quarter financial report:

 Ahead of Budget as at Feb 28, 2026

Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash

The proposed Anglican Church of the Advent branding was launched at the AGM, to great excitement and applause!

Many of you have already voted for your favourite - voting online and in person ends after the services on Sunday.

Elements of our values represented in the proposed Logo:
Our faith is centred on the cross of Christ, and God’s  love, which it represents. We wanted rainbow colours to represent the inclusive and diverse nature of our parish. We wanted a star to represent the name of our parish, and we wanted to hint at the quilting ministry of our parish. It was important that we highlight the word “belonging”, chosen by the parish as the best way to describe our ministry.  The cross is a stained-glass rainbow patchwork cross featuring a subtle star at its centre. 

We want to hear from you:
Please choose from Options 1, 2 and 3. Each is a different font. Within each option, please choose either a) capital and lower case lettering – a traditional look OR b) lower case lettering – a contemporary look. Vote either at the link below, OR vote in the Narthex using a sign-up sheet. Voting ends on 22nd March.

Members of the Ladies Guild enjoyed a creative project at their meeting this past Wednesday, March 11^th.  Each member was asked to consider how they would describe what being a member of Church of the Advent means to them.  Using old magazines, scissors and glue, they each created a collage of images and text that told their own story of life here in this church family.  Have a look at their creations on the bulletin board and cupboard door in the parish hall while enjoying your coffee Sunday morning.

This week’s Top Shelf displays the final selection of books for this Lenten season, these ones particularly suitable for Passiontide, which is fast approaching.

Timothy Radcliffe. Seven Last Words.

   Dominican friar Timothy Radcliffe provides seven illustrated meditations on the last words from the cross, which he calls “The Word of God spoken in the face of silence.” Their importance, he goes on to say, is that they are not in fact last words. Seen in the light of the Resurrection, they live.

Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan. The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus's Final Days in Jerusalem.

   An analysis of the gospel accounts by two leading Jesus scholars.

N.T. Wright. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is.

   A study of the historical Jesus, with a “so what does this mean for us now?” discussion of discipleship in our own time.

Peter J. Gomes. The Preaching of the Passion: The Seven Last Words from the Cross.

   This brief book contains seven short, powerful sermons on the last words from the cross by the late American Baptist minister and Harvard University professor.

The Passion Play of the Community of Oberammergau.

   Every ten years, the Bavarian village of Oberammergau stages its world-famous play, performed entirely by resident volunteers. This book, fully illustrated with colour photographs of the 1990 staging, also has commentary, a history of the play, and a little about the village (in German with English translation).

Jesus and his Disciples remains on the children’s table for one more week.

To borrow any book, fill out a green slip from the small bookcase in the narthex, and put it in the pink box labelled Library. To return a book, fill out a yellow slip and put it in the box, then leave the book beside or under the box.

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

Please note: Sr. Ingrid will be teaching the Diocesan Lay Leadership in Worship Course on Thursday nights during March and April and on 28th May. Bible Study will continue under the warm and wise leadership of Lisa Brodersen for this period.

Readings for this Sunday's services:

1 SAMUEL 16:1-13

PSALM 23

EPHESIANS 5:8-14

JOHN 9:1-41

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".

Mar 14 Parish Movie Night - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 6 pm, Hall

Mar 15 Jazz Vespers feat. Stephanie Greaves, 7 pm

Mar 17 Book Club, 10 am, St. John’s Room

Mar 25 Community Lunch, 12 pm, Hall

Mar 28 Spanish Service (Oscar Romero) & Potluck, 6 pm

Mar 29 8:30 Breakfast, Room C

Apr 1 Community Coffee Social, 9:30-11 am

Apr 2 Maundy Thursday Agape Meal & Eucharist, 6 pm, Hall

Apr 3 Good Friday Service, 10 am

Apr 4 Bilingual Easter Vigil Service & potluck, 6 pm

Apr 5 Easter Sunrise Service, 6:30 am, Esquimalt Lagoon
          Easter morning services, 8:30 & 10 am

Apr 6 Easter Monday, Parish office closed

Apr 8 LG Meeting, 1:30 pm

Apr 6-12 Sr Ingrid on Vacation

Apr 13-16 Sr Ingrid at Clergy Conference

Apr 21 Book Club (all welcome), St. John’s Rm, 10 am
             Parish Council Mtg, 7 pm

Apr 22 LG Community Lunch, noon

Apr 25 Spanish Service, 5:30 pm, & Parish Spring Potluck, 6:30 pm

Apr 26 8:30 Breakfast, Rm C

Apr 27-May 1- GARAGE SALE PREP WEEK

May 2 GARAGE SALE DAY; Taize Service, 5 pm

To RSVP, click on the following link:

https://soulfirekitchen.ca/community-dinner

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: Welcoming everyone to the table
"As we prepare for the Easter feast, I invite you to think about what your parish could do to spend more time at table with one another and to invite more people, from all walks of life, to join you at the table." 

Churches get creative to raise funds for new keys
A number of our parishes are currently fundraising to buy new pipe organs and pianos — and finding creative ways to raise funds. 

Lenten challenge enters its tenth year
Lent 2026 will see the tenth installment of the Metchosin Challenge, a Lenten challenge set up by a St. Mary, Metchosin parishioner.

New year brings new energy to St. Peter, Quamichan
St. Peter's teaches Holden evening prayer during Lent, and welcomes all for a youth and young person service.

Diocese to host a summer retreat on Salt Spring Island
Retreat participants will spend time reflecting on our call to be the salt of the earth amidst the challenges of the turbulent 2020s. 

100 years since breaking ground at the cathedral
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of construction on Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria. 

Ripples: March 2026 
Find out what's been happening around the diocese in this regular feature.

The stories we tell ourselves
What stories to you tell yourself during challenging interactions? And how do these stories seperate you from the love of God?

Alongside Hope partners understand the challenges their communities face
In Uganda, one of Alongside Hope's partners provides women and girls with vocational and business training.

How a Salt Spring Island experiment recovered Christian contemplation
How the Anglican tradition already possesses the spiritual depth many Western seekers cross oceans to find.

You are invited to a benefit concert in support of VICCIR (Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees) Hosted by the Parish of St. John the Divine.

• Sunday, March 15 | 7:00 PM
• St John the Divine Anglican Church, 1611 Quadra St
• Admission by donation ($20 suggested)

The evening will feature Jordie and Habbous (Arabic music) and Kvell’s Angels (Klezmer music), in a vibrant program spanning cultures, time, and place.

VICCIR is a federally registered charity providing vital mental health counselling to immigrants and refugees on Vancouver Island. They offer sliding-scale fees, work with interpreters as needed, and ensure no one is turned away due to financial hardship. Their work helps reduce trauma, build resilience, and support newcomers as they participate fully in our community.

If you’re able to attend, we’d be delighted to see you there. If not, you can still support VICCIR by making a donation. We’d also greatly appreciate you sharing this invitation with your networks.

You can donate here: https://www.viccir.org/donate

Thank you for helping support this important work.

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 (First Saturday of every month at 5 PM, except January, April and August.)

Fourth Saturday of the Month
6 PM - Spanish Language Anglican Eucharist Service  (Except April moved to 4th). There is no service in 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.