St. Marys Presbyterian Church
P.O. Box 247,147 Widder Street East,
St. Marys, Ontario N4X 1B1
(519)284-2620;(519)284-0367 (fax) stmaryspreschurch@on.aibn.com
Connect to Presbyterian Church in Canada
You are invited to
An Afternoon
with Herb Gale
Herb Gale is the Associate Secretary of Planned Giving and a past moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. He travels across the country preaching and presenting about ‘Visioning’ and ‘God’s Call to God’s People’.
On Saturday, March 3 from 1 to 4 pm we have invited Herb Gale to lead us in a discussion and dialogue about what God might be calling us to as part of presence here in St. Marys. We will be discussing the ‘Enduring Mission Fund’ and the long term goals that were created for this amazing program. We will be listening for possibilities of what it is we might do in the community as God’s people. All members of the congregation are invited and indeed urged to participate in this great opportunity.
Join us on Saturday,
March 3 from 1 to 4 pm
in the Gathering Hall downstairs.
For more information
speak to your Elder,
Clerk of Session Val Thompson, or Rev. Gwen
Italy in September - Rev. Terry Hastings is hosting a trip to Italy from September 19 - October 3! This is a great opportunity to experience the best of Italy from Venice and Tuscany to the Amalfi Coast and Rome. Special discounts are available until the end of February. For a full itinerary brochure and any other information, you can contact Terry at 226-880-2120 or at his email of terryhastings@rogers.com. You can also review the itinerary on-line at www.rostad.com and click on 'Italy'.
Congregational Activities
Our quarterly mission project for February, 2012
is support for our local Salvation Army Food Bank
Our Salvation Army Food Bank serves quite a vast area. Within our boundaries, we are responsible for Ailsa Craig, Avon Bank, Avonton, Denfield, Elginfield, Exeter, Fullarton, Granton, Harrington, Kintore, Kirkton, Lakeside, Lucan, Rannoch, Russeldale, St. Marys, St. Paul Station, Thorndale, Woodham. Though the largest percentage of our clients are from St. Marys, we do have families from the other areas who use our food bank too. In return, though, we are allowed to send our Christmas Appeal letter to those other areas as well and we do get donations from all of the above listed towns.
The Food Bank supports approximately 100 families. Not all the families require our services every month, but there are those on fixed incomes who cannot get through a month without a hand up from us. In such circumstances, situations rarely change. Rent is due, as are utilities and groceries need to be purchased, and with little or no disposable income toward the end of the month, these families need the services of the food bank to get by. In particular families with school aged children.
Our Food Bank relies quite heavily on St. Marys and surrounding areas to keep stocked. When stock at the food bank runs low, as it tends to toward the middle of the year, it can be a challenge to fill a family's needs each month. We give generously as we realize that a few tins of food will not be sufficient to feed a family of four, for example, for the balance of the month.
We try very hard to make sure there is enough protein in each hamper so that a family can maintain a reasonably healthy diet. By no means is a "food bank diet" meant to be a long term solution, but rather a method of bridging the gap when one's resources run out. We are especially challenged by clients with heath issues, such as diabetes, or allergies. We do the best we can for those people, but sometimes it's not enough.
Another challenge we face each week is having enough school snacks on hand for families with school aged children. It is important that these young children have healthy lunches and snacks to take to school. And it is especially important that they have a good breakfast to start out their day. The food bank is always in need of peanut butter, tinned fruit, rice, beans, cereal, and of course school snacks, such as pudding cups, fruit cups, apple sauce, and juice drink boxes. Tuna, salmon or any tinned meat is also a valuable source of protein. We try to give each family at least one package of lean ground beef when they come for a hamper as that ground beef can be stretched into more than one meal if one is making spaghetti sauce, for example.
Bread is something we can always use, but seldom receive. Occasionally, one of our grocery stores will give us bread that is expired or close to expiry and we tuck that away into our freezer and give it out to our families.
We are very grateful for any and all donations. Without the generosity of our donors we would be challenged beyond our means.
Pam McGirr, Family Services Coordinator
On behalf of the Session I ask you to prayerfully consider supporting this worthwhile project of helping our friends and neighbours on February 26, Communion Sunday. Donations of Food or Funds will be gratefully received.
Yours in Christ,
Val Thomson
Change Her World will be collecting bras in addition to underwear to take with us to Malawi on our return trip in the spring of 2013.
Bras must be new but any
size, style and colour is fine but with an emphasis on bras for young girls and
women.
Many thanks for your support of this mission.
Rabbie Burns Nicht
Celebrating 40 Years
Rabbie Burns Nicht began in 1972 when the Minister, Reverend Fred Howick suggested to the board that it might be a good money raising event. Doris Webb was the secretary of the board, and the only women on it, so she assumed the organization of the first meal. Many others in the church helped Tom McGiveron, Don Webb, Murray Mitchell have been some of our Haggis bearers. Don McIver, Norman Hill, David Prosser and Stewart Robinson have given the address to the Haggis. Over the years many highland dances and Scottish songs have been enjoyed by 180 people annually.
Congregational Camping Weekend
June 23 & 24
Mark your calendars for the 4th weekend of June for our Annual Congregational Camping Weekend at Camp Kintail. While for the past few years we have had this over the Father’s Day weekend, we are teaming up with the congregation of Knox, Stratford to partner for a joint camping weekend on the fourth weekend of June. This is a wonderful time to enjoy God’s creation and Camp Kintail, and then as an added blessing we will get to know some folks from a sister church. Stay tuned for details.