When a Musical becomes Magical you know it has taken a multitude of talents to make such a fun and joyful advent worship time! To those who made the sheep, those who sang, those who danced, those who told the story, those who played the piano, those who provide our worship slides, those who provide the sound and live streaming, we thank you for all your time, all your energy and all your talents to make it meaningful in so many ways!
But behind such a magical time is our most wonderful, dedicated Debby Dorcas! Debby has incredible vision, and organization is her super power! She finds the enormous energy it takes to bring it all to fruition. Choosing the songs, writing the story, dividing up the parts, arranging practices, sending out reminders, printing colourful song sheets, changing parts on the fly, and always encouraging everyone under her care. Debby leads with humility, grace and kindness!
Endless Gratitude to Debby for all her creativity to Glorify God in such a meaningful way
~ Inge Murray

Epiphany is just around the corner!!  To bring the community together to decorate the sanctuary for this season, we will be creating ALL kinds of stars!  Bring your family for this fun, creative activity.  After our ‘star making workshop’, we’ll enjoy a bowl of soup and a bun together in Trinity Hall!  
Mark your calendars for January 4 (Saturday) from 10:00 - 12:30 am in Trinity Hall.
Contact the office (403-255-0001), or sign the sign-up sheet in the Foyer if you are interested.

January 5 we will start our journey through Epiphany (a word that I struggle to spell e-v-e-r-y single time I type it).  We’re thinking it would be great to have a little treat to go with our coffee on our first Sunday of the new year, so if you can donate in either of these two ways, we would be appreciative!

1. Bring along a dozen or so sugar cookies Sunday morning Jan 5 - if they can be shaped like stars, all the better!  You’ll make Laurie’s heart happy!!
2. If you have leftover cookies, squares, treats of any shape or size that you just don’t want sitting in your house tempting you, bring them along Sunday morning and you can tempt your friends over coffee hour.

Thanks everyone!!   ~ Deb

Worship, Church School and Special Studies/Events: Dec 22 - 29
PLUS LINKS to our Team/Group Meetings and Monthly Calendar!

We are excited and grateful to have the following 4 people join St. Andrew’s Session in 2025:  Lorna Andronikou, Deanne Barrett, Bill Judd, and David Townsend.  We know these people well, and know the giftedness they will bring as leaders of our congregation.  To help you get to know them better, here is some information on each one.  And please join us in Worship on Sunday, January 19, 2025 as Lorna, Deanne and David are ordained, and Bill is admitted to Session.

This is a reminder to ALL TEAM CONVENORS/COORDINATORS/LEADS to get your 2024 annual report in to me by end of day WEDNESDAY,  JANUARY 15th.   If you haven’t received an email from me, please be in touch so I can confirm the information we are looking for.   Thanks all!!
~ Deb

We are having issues with some of our computer programs, including our office email.  If you have sent an email to office@standrewscalgary.ca between November 15 and December 15 and have not received a reply from Dolly or Debby, please resend your email to dforcade@standrewscalgary.ca with the words RESENT OFFICE EMAIL in the subject line.  We are working to resolve these issues, but we want to make sure we haven’t missed important information!!
~ Dolly & Deb

There is still time to bring gifts to be included in the Children’s Gift Bags that will be put together by the children at 4:00 pm Christmas Eve.  These gift bags will go to the WINS Children’s Gift Room. We are looking for donations of small toys, fashion accessories, books, games or puzzles, underwear and socks, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes, etc. Items can be dropped off at the Church Office or bring them with you this Sunday, Dec 22.

Your LinX team (Kevin MacFarlane, Barbara MacFarlane, and Debby Dorcas) do our best throughout the year to keep our church family connected with the ‘goings-on’ of this busy church.  LinX will be taking a ‘short break’ at the end of the month ~ here is our LinX schedule for the next while:

• Wed, Dec 11 - regular weekly email
• Wed, Dec 18 - regular weekly email
• NO LinX Dec 25
• NO Linx Jan 1
• Wed, Jan 8 - back to our regular weekly email

Kevin, Barbara and I would like to wish everyone a blessed Christmas, and a safe, healthy, and happy New Year. 
~ Deb

If you would like to help bring a little extra cheer to the 41 households, including 22 children, to our friends at Claire House, please mark your donation for 'Claire House' in the memo line of checks, the 'other ministries' line on offering envelopes, or look for the 'Claire House' option in the pull-down menu for on-line giving.  Woven into the neighborhood…  loving like Jesus.
~  Bill Judd

The congregation is invited to attend the service and a lunch following the service.

Dec 22nd: 10:00 am
Greeter: Marianne Attridge
Ushers: Jo-Anne & David Platt
Coffee Hosts:  Linda Johnson
Shepherd: Steve Henrichsen
Welcome & Land Acknowledgement: Craig Murray

The EDGE After School Youth Drop In Program  - CLICK HERE
GriefShare - CLICK HERE
Growing Generous Life Brochure - CLICK HERE
Sunday Morning Bible Study - CLICK HERE
Youth Group 2024 Schedule - CLICK HERE

In her book Inner Compass, Margaret Silf writes that all of us are affected by an outer and an inner landscape. The outermost circle represents circumstances over which we have little control. A middle circle represents how we experience and respond to events over which we have some choice. An innermost circle represents who we are when we experience God and our identity. As we approach Christmas, let’s think of where we find our true north through the compass of our faith
~ Geoffrey

Please be advised that the office will be closed on the following days:

• Wed, Dec 25
• Thu, Dec 26
• Fri, Dec 27
• Wed, Jan 1

Be sure you read page 14 of this newsletter.  St. Andrew’s is highlighted.  AND… look and see which of our youth got recognized as a ‘published photographer’!

Did you know that the Presbyterian Church is part of the Kairos Canada Justice network?  Rev. Laurie has shared with us that she has donated this year in memory of her mom, who taught her how to look out for the little ones of the earth and work for justice in small and global ways.  What a lovely lesson to take with us into Christmas.