This document is a newsletter from the Anglican Church of St. Nicholas providing information about upcoming events and services at the church for the week of December 9, 2012. It includes prayers, scripture readings, and details about Advent studies, Christmas services, outreach opportunities, and a tour being led by the rector. It also addresses properly sorting waste and a historical note about the church's former bell tower. The newsletter aims to inform parishioners and visitors about current happenings and programs at St. Nicholas.

1. The Anglican Church of St. Nicholas
1512 Kingston Road, Toronto, Ontario, M1N 1R7
Nick’s News – Please take this home
416–691–0449 www.stnicholasbirchcliff.com Sunday December 9, 2012
To contact the wardens directly, email: wardens@stnicholasbirchcliff.com
Advent 2
Prayers for the Week
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering persevere in prayer.” Rom 12: 12 We warmly welcome those who are visiting with us today. Please introduce yourself
to the clergy, sign our Guest Book at the back of the church, and join us for
For the world: For all those suffering in the midst of war, civil unrest or disaster. refreshments following the 10:30am service.
For the Global Church: The Diocese of Kigezi - Uganda
The Diocese: The Work of the ACW Today, we extend a special welcome to Archbishop Colin Johnson and
Parish Ministries: The ministry of our Wardens & Executive offer our thanksgiving for his presence with us as we conclude our
Parish Families: Joan Pantlin, Marcia & Joe Parum, Lu Philp 100th Anniversary Celebrations and look into the future.
This Week at St. Nicholas’…
The sick or those in need: Mary Harris, Doug Goss, Joan Wilson, Tuesday 8:45 am Morning Prayer
Beverley Spencer; Doone Warner; Barbara Donnelly; Marie-Louise Wednesday 8:30 am Staff Meeting
Lister; John Patterson; Helen Fice; Vernon Smitz, . 10:00 am Holy Eucharist
Thanksgivings – please add your personal thanksgiving. 11:30 am Advent Study
7:30 pm Advent Study
Prayers – If you desire prayers for yourself, family, or friends, please contact Thursday 8:45 am Morning Prayer
Elaine Fisher at 416–281–9659. Members of the prayer chain will uphold your 10:00 am Service At Chester Village
name (s) in daily prayer for 30 days. If you wish to be upheld in prayer for another 1:00pm Card Party
month, please re-contact Elaine. 7:30 pm Choir Practice
Sunday 8:30 am Said Eucharist
Daily Advent devotions – Special Advent devotions are available for families and 10:30 am. Sung Eucharist
individuals. Copies of Forward Day by Day are also available at the back of the 7:00 pm. Service of Lessons & Carols
church. This devotion includes a short passage of scripture, a brief reflection and
a prayer focus for each day of the week. Scripture Readings for Sunday December 16, The Third Sunday of Advent
Zephaniah 3: 14-20 Canticle 3 (Isaiah 12: 2-6)
If you are new to our parish, or you are visiting, we invite you to complete this Philippians 4: 4-7 Luke 3: 7-18
form. Please place it on the Offering plate, or give it to one of the Sidespeople
at the back of the church. Gluten free wafers are available for communion. To indicate your need, please pick
up a purple card from a sidesperson. With the purple card in your hand at the altar
You are a Newcomer You wish a Pastoral Visit rail, the communion minister will know that you require a gluten free wafer. You can
You wish to have Offering Envelopes keep the purple card and use it each week, or hand it to the sidesperson at the door
on your way back from communion.
Name_________________________________________________________
All baptized Christians, regardless of denomination or age, are invited to receive
Address_______________________________________________________ Communion in the Anglican Church. If you do not wish to receive the bread and wine,
please come to the Altar, and cross your arms over your chest to receive a blessing.
Postal Code____________ Phone#__________________________________
Children are welcome at St. Nicholas’! Children are invited to attend our Church
e-mail address __________________________________________________ School Program downstairs during the 10:30am service.

2. LOOKING AHEAD………more info in paragraphs below And they came, everyone whose heart was stirred up, and everyone whom the Spirit
made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering” 2013 Weekly Offertory
Dec 16 Festival of Lessons & Carols 7:00pm Envelopes are available for pick up at the back of the Church. St. Nicholas’ Anglican
Dec 23 The Christmas Feast Church is a financially self-sustaining church family. The prayerful support and
Dec 24 Christmas Eve Services 5pm, 7pm (Family Service) and 11pm generosity of members and friends allows us to carry out, and strengthen, our
Dec 25 Christmas Day Service 10:30am ministry of Worship, Christian Education, Children’s Ministry, Pastoral Care,
Jan 6 Epiphany Outreach, Property Stewardship and much more. St. Nicholas also offers an
Worship Committee Meeting opportunity for individuals to support the Parish’s ministry through monthly Pre-
Jan 7 Social Committee Meeting Authorized Giving (PAG). PAG Brochures, highlighting the benefit of the program to
Jan 13 Sidespeoples A.G.M. you and the Parish, have also been made available at the back of the Church.
Feb 10 Annual Vestry Meeting – The Vestry List is posted on the
Manderley Bulletin Board As usual, the Altar Guild will be decorating the church with Poinsettias this
Christmas. If you would like to donate to the cost of the plants, please use the
envelopes available at the back of the church marked “Poinsettias”. Put you name
and envelope number as well as the memorial name clearly on the outside of the
envelope and place it on the collection plate.
Special Advent Program: Hallelujah! The Bible and Handel's Messiah
When you have a chance, take a look at a few of our archived pictures of St Nicholas. Handel’s Messiah is, perhaps, one of the most famous pieces of music ever written
Do you see something that is no longer part of the building structure. Well, I did and as or performed and for many it is a staple of both the Christmas and Easter season.
some of you know, I've been trying to find out just what happened to it. It being the bell Over the season of Advent we will be exploring the powerful music and Scriptural
and belfry that rested on the roof of our church. There was a story floating around that texts of Messiah. The upcoming sessions will explore: “For Unto Us a Child is Born
it was struck by lightening. It was not. It has been said that it rests on our front lawn. It and “Glory to God in the Highest”. There are two opportunities to meet each
does not. The fact of the matter is, it was taken down and graciously donated to St. Wednesday–in the morning at 11:30 a.m. or in the evening at 7:30 p.m.
Simon's Highland Creek, which closed and merged with another church to become the
current St. Dunstan's. The bell on our front lawn was a donation from a former
parishioner, Byron Palmer, and Prue did a special dedication service, when it was Christmas Outreach Opportunities!
installed on the lawn. Once again this year there are several ways to get involved……
 We are collecting non-perishable food items for Christmas hampers
Do you have the travel bug? In 2013 I will be leading two tours with Craig Travel distributed by the “Share Christmas’ program at Birchmount Bluffs
(the company that advertises on the back page of the Anglican Journal). The first Neighbourhood Centre (BBNC). There is a container set up in the east
(Mar 5-27) will be an extensive 23 day tour of South Africa, and the second (July 19- transept.
Aug 2) “The Best of Ireland”. Information and brochures are available from the  We are collecting new un-wrapped toys and gift certificates for the kids who
church office, or e-mail me (nswrty@gmail.com) or 416-690-5132. Ian Noseworthy attend our Christmas Feast (in partnership with Wimpy’s Diner and BBNC).
Please keep the cost to a maximum of $20.00.
Please be aware of what you’re putting in the Green Bins, Recycling Bins and  As well, we are collecting items for the ‘give-away’ table at the Feast….gently
Garbage. This past summer the City of Toronto began charging all churches and non used items of clothing, sheets, blankets and towels. Also, shampoo,
profit organizations for garbage pickup. To keep our costs down, and because it is toothpaste and body wash and other necessities such as toilet paper,
environmentally responsible, it is imperative that we do a better job of sorting our Kleenex, detergent and soap.
garbage than we are. For more information, contact Deb Chapman 416-691-0449 x 222 or by e-mail to the
church office at office@stnicholasbirchcliff.com