Newsletter: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all!

It seems like 2022 went out like a very snowy lion, and 2023 is coming in like a spring lamb. I hope that you had an enjoyable holiday season and that you are entering into the new year refreshed and ready for the challenges that lie ahead.

Things continue to be very dynamic in our church building. We continued to host the emergency shelter through Christmas and are still finding our way negotiating that with some of our other renters. For the most part, everyone is working to accommodate this valuable service for vulnerable people. We will have a brief presentation from the Lookout Housing Society who is operating the shelter after the 10am service this coming Sunday.

And Meals on Wheels is planning a move. At the end of January, they will be moving their offices to the building with their kitchen in Aldergrove. They will continue to use St Andrew’s as a drop-off point for volunteer deliveries, but we will soon be able to use that lounge room again. I wonder what you dream of having in that room once Meals on Wheels has resettled…

We’re also starting to look at some yard clean-up since the weather is so nice. Cathy & Andrew Barnes and Bill Hammond are going to be cleaning up some of the fallen branches and broken trees over the next while. If you are interested in helping with yard work, talk to Cathy one Sunday.

Don’t forget to pick up your new offering envelopes in the church. And, if you would like to move away from envelopes and try the Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) program, I can give you the form to fill out. Thanks to you all for your generous contributions in the last months of 2022. Stay tuned for information about our 2023 budget and the Vestry meeting.

And, looking ahead a few weeks, Lorie & I have decided to revamp the Saturday evening Spiritual Practice & Evening Prayer sessions. For the next few months, we’re going to try doing afternoon retreats instead. These will be a bit longer, with the spiritual practice session starting at 1:30pm and going until 4pm, and then Evening Prayer from 4 until 4:30pm. The January session will be on the 28th and is called ‘Come, Listen’. It will be led by Katherine Murray who is a spiritual director and retreat leader from the Abbotsford area.

Do be in touch to let me know if you or someone you love would appreciate a visit from the clergy!

With love,

Andrew

the Rev Andrew Halladay, Vicar

Getting to know you… the Rev. Lorie Martin

Interviewed by Judi Georgetti

I was born in Edmonton where I went to school, got married and had three babies. I was pregnant with #4 when we moved to BC after which we had another child bringing our family to 7. Busy times. I worked hard to create a loving and safe home for our family as my own childhood was not ideal.

I went to Sunday school on a bus and fell in love with Jesus. This took me to a Christian ministry in many ways. I began as a Sunday School teacher, created a Church Cook Book, became a spiritual director and then pastor overseeing a prayer ministry and led me to fulfilling my goal of becoming an Anglican priest this year.  I had always wanted to go to “Bible School” and was finally able to take the opportunity to go to seminary in my 50s and graduate with a Masters in Divinity.

My family has been amazingly supportive. They are all adults now living in Edmonton, Vancouver, Burnaby and Abbotsford. We lost a daughter and a year after her death our middle grandchild was born on my birthday and helped me to find joy again. God has mysterious ways of blessing us!

Dwight and I love living at Cultus Lake – our retreat get-away that is open to many. Our three grandchildren are PERFECT and love coming to Family Church at St Andrews. My role at St Andrews has allowed me to meet a wonderful group of committed church friends and to witness persons loving and meeting with God in all of life – what could be better! My hope is that we continue to grow in our love and connection with God and each other and that it overflows to those who need hope in these challenging days. God is our refuge and strength!

Lorie with one of her grandchildren