Page 25 - Presbyterian Connection, Spring 2020

Connection
GATHERINGS
St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Charlottetown, P.E.I., hosted two Christmas concerts to start the Advent season and as fundraisers toward the cost of the new church roof. Above left: Kendall Docherty and Friends per- formed to a sell-out crowd at St. Mark’s PC, singing both new and old Christmas favourites. It was the twentieth year Kendall and his band have been at St. Mark’s to start the Advent season. Above right: Men of the Harvest gave a Christmas concert on Dec. 1, 2019. The evening featured old familiar carols and some new compositions, punctuated with Christmas stories. The group, who are all volunteers, take their share of proceeds from concerts and donate them to various local charities.
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SPRING 2020
PRESBYTERIAN
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St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Orillia, Ont., continued its annual tradition of sending all offerings received at our Christmas Eve Service to Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D). Over $900 was generously given by those attending. As well, on Dec. 15, 2019 St. Mark’s PC held its annual multi-generational Christmas Pageant.
“New Life in Canada” was the theme on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, when ap- proximately 45 people attended a panel discussion to hear an update on Refu- gee Sponsorship within The Presbyte- rian Church in Canada. This event was hosted jointly by East and West Toronto Presbyterials, held at the national office in Toronto. Panelists were: Mounir Nasri (privately sponsored by Pickering Pres- bytery, now Canadian Citizen), Liz Stark (involved with Pickering Presbytery refu- gee sponsorship), Rita Dean (neighbour- hood sponsorship) and Rob Shropshire (PWS&D). Pictured above are Mounir and Liz.
Rani Ibrahim is a Lay Missionary of the Newcomers’ Mission at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Peterborough, Ont. His mother, Dunia Mdwar, assists him. Four short years ago, they came to Peterborough from Lebanon after fleeing Syria. Now they are Cana- dian! The congregation celebrated on Jan. 19 after church. Pictured above right are (left to right) guest preacher the Rev. Dave Graham, Rani, Dunia and Clerk of Session Janet Halstead.
Our eager volunteers at the Knox Presbyterian Church in Stratford, Ont., annual Christmas Children’s Shopping Spree eagerly awaiting their young shoppers.
Participants of the Parents and Babies program at Armour Heights Presbyterian Church in Toronto, Ont.
In November 2019, participants of Messy Church at Lucknow Presbyterian Church in Lucknow, Ont., made Advent calendars using paper rolls that were fastened together to look like trees. Each day was stuffed with a Bible reading, an activity idea, information about any local Advent/Christmas events and a treat.