Author: standrews-arnprior

Thanksgiving Message from the Minister – October 2018
Tornados are destructive in so many ways. They appear out of nowhere, touchdown and destroy everything in their path. The recent tornados in Ottawa, Dunrobin, Kinburn, Gatineau & other local places bring the extreme power of these forces close to home. At thanksgiving this year, we give thanks to God for walking with those whose lives have been turned upside down, and for our ability to give assistance to them. We pray as we sit down for our Thanksgiving turkey dinner that our hearts will be filled with praise & thanksgiving to Jesus Christ for his peace in the midst of storms. I hope you enjoy this reading which I thought was timely.
“‘Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters . . . ’” — Leviticus 23:42
Jews around the world are observing Sukkot, Feast of the Tabernacles. In contrast to the solemnity of the High Holy Days, Sukkot is one of Judaism’s most joyous holidays, focusing on thanksgiving and gratitude.
The popular 1970s band Kansas made these words famous: “Don’t hang on; nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.” However, recent research suggests that even the earth and sky won’t last forever. Scientists have confirmed that our universe is dying, even if it might take a few billion years. Still, the news is compelling. It reminds us that nothing lasts forever — except for God.
This is one of the main messages of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. We are commanded to leave our permanent homes and live in a temporary, rickety shelter called a sukkah. No matter how uncomfortable it might be to live in the booths for an entire week – in some climates it’s too hot, in some it’s too cold, or it rains – we know that it’s just for one week. We don’t fuss over the lack of fancy furniture or comfy beds, because again, it’s temporary. The rabbis teach that the sukkah is a metaphor for our lives year-round. Everything is temporary.
While we might think that when we move from our home to our sukkah we are moving from permanence to something that is fleeting, the opposite is closer to the truth. Our homes and our possessions are completely transient when compared to the everlasting spiritual gains we will make while in our sukkah. The sukkah breaks us free of the illusion that we will live forever and reminds us that we are only passing through this world. As the Jewish new year is about to start in earnest, we are directed to think about what we really want to do with our ephemeral lives.
There is a story about a businessman who was traveling and stopped over at the home of a famous and well-respected rabbi. When the man entered the rabbi’s home, he was shocked to see that there was barely anything in it. The man couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Excuse me for asking, but are you in the middle of moving homes? Where are all of your belongings and furniture?” In response, the rabbi asked the businessman, “And where are all of your belongings and furniture?” The man replied, “Why would I have those things with me? I’m just passing through here!” The rabbi smiled and replied, “So am I.”
And so are we.
Life is temporary. It is a test and an opportunity to do good and to be good so that we might store something truly lasting in eternity. How might this clarity affect the way you spend your day today? How might you choose to fill your years? When we grasp the brevity of life, our priorities shift, and we live more meaningful lives.
The Apostle Paul said: “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1

Thanksgiving Newsletter –October 2018
1. Over the past 3 months, we have observed three funerals.
July 24th Margaret Powell (Doug’s mother)
August 26th Herb Betts
September 13th Jane Theaker
August 27th Interment of Ian Day in Montreal

2. Wedding: On September 21st we celebrated the wedding of Carrie Burden and Alex Robertson at St. Andrew’s. Their reception was near Kinburn on the family farm. Despite the tornados the tent remained in place and the reception was enjoyed by all.

3. September has seen the resumption of ongoing ministries here at St. Andrew’s.

1- Men’s Bible study now meets at the home of Robert Jones, Wednesdays at 10am.
2- Woman’s Missionary Society has begun their monthly meetings.
3- Bible study on the letter of James is almost half way through and meets on Wednesdays at 7pm in the Church.
4- Helping Hands has resumed their lunch time gatherings.
5- Choir Practice is held on Thursday, from 7-8:30. New members are welcome to join!

4. From Session:
1- The Ordination & Installation of Gail Carroll as an Elder was conducted on Sunday, September 23rd. Welcome Gail
2- Gail Carroll & her son Justin have taken over the job of updating our Church Website. Changes have been made & in the near future you can watch recent worship services. Our Website is

Welcome to St. Andrew’s Church in Arnprior

3- Our Annual Fall Piano concert has been postponed until the spring!
4- Elders available to pray: If you are ill or not feeling well, in need of prayer, the Elders have been trained & are ready to go to your home and pray with you and anoint with oil. The word from James 5 says that if anyone is sick they should call the Elders & they will come pray and anoint with oil. We are challenged with this question: “Do we have the faith to make that call?” Call Rev. David at the Church & he will make arrangements for your request to be answered.
5- Elders Districts have been revised & an every member visitation will begin in October.
6- Tutti Concert: Saturday, September 29th was the Tutti Concert held here at St. Andrew’s. We were treated to a variety of Anglo-American Spiritual Songs led by Lisa Webber. All donations from this event will be going to families affected by the tornado that hit Dunrobin.

5. From the Board of Managers:
1- As of September 10th the amount outstanding on our line-of-credit is $4000.00. Congratulations to Sadie, Sandra & Annette for their zeal and devotion to this project.
2- New locks have been installed on both entrance doors to the Church. They are high security locks. New keys have been distributed and a ‘who has a key’ log is being kept. This was a recommendation from the company that insures our building.
3- New Office Hours: The Human Resources Committee responded to a request from our Secretary/Treasurer to reduce Office hours from 20 hours per week to 12. Margaret assured the Board that she can complete the weekly work in 12 -15 hours. Margaret has also taken on a part time job at a local Dentist office.
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 8:30am to 12:30pm

6. Upcoming Events:
1- Lanark & Renfrew Presbytery Elders Workshop will be here at St. Andrew’s on Saturday,
November 3rd from 9:30 to 3pm.
2- Spaghetti Dinner on November 10th from 4:30 to 6:30pm
3- Soup Lunch after Worship on Sunday, October 28th.

Sept 23rd

The next WMS Meeting is Monday October 15th at 2pm in de Renzy Hall.  All are welcome.

St. Andrews has an active WMS group. The study guide, Glad Tidings magazine is up for renewal. Anyone interested, please see Margaret Hughes.
Here’s a link to the WMS website. https://www.wmspcc.ca/ You can see what’s going on with our mission there.

Who We Are
Welcome to the WMS: come study, pray, serve and join in fellowship

On Overview

The Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) is an autonomous organization within The Presbyterian Church in Canada. To carry out the purpose of the WMS, local groups have been established in congregations from Quebec to British Columbia. The local group is the mainstay of the Society.

Groups meet regularly to study, pray for, and serve the mission of the church. They are informed about current and relevant mission and justice projects through the use of church mission studies, Glad Tidings, and other resources from The Book Room.

Groups transform their knowledge into action through prayer and service. They regularly respond to long-term and emergency need in congregations, communities, and the world. Their contributions to the national WMS office support mission grants, yearly mission projects, resources, and staff.

There is a money collection tin in the vestibule for your convenience or see a list of food items posted on the notice board at the entrance door. Thank you for your continuous support.

Please Pray For… Joyce Ellis, Mary Gibson, Ken Black, Robert Jones and Sam Lavoie’s family this week.

Please join us for our Tutti Concert Saturday September 29th at 7pm. All proceeds were initially going towards the ‘Pay-the-Line’, line of credit, but the we have decided to donate all funds to the Dunrobin Tornado relief fund. Please join us for an entertaining evening of music.
We will be treated to a variety of Anglo-American Spiritual Songs led by Lisa Webber.
All donations from this event will be going to families affected by the tornado that hit Dunrobin.

Our Bible Study of the Book of James continues until October 30th. We meet Wednesday evenings upstairs in the church from 7pm till 8:30pm.

We had another successful rummage sale. Thanks to all our wonderful volunteers and donations!Join us on Saturday October 20th from 9am till 11am for our Fall Rummage Sale. This is our main fundraiser for our Women’s Missionary Society. Please drop of used clothing, toys, household items Tuesday to Thursday October 16 -18 between 9am and 3pm and Friday October 19 between 1 and 4pm. No electronics please. Coffee and donuts will be available. Thank you for supporting our WMS.