All Saints', Whitby
300 Dundas St. West L1N 2M5 Whitby, ON, Canada

Arleane’s Thought and Prayer for today........Tuesday, November 17 Every Sunday morning, at our house, we start up our various devices and open All Saints for digital worship. In the early spring, we as a congregation were worshipping entirely online through the first wave and shutdown of the pandemic. At Pentecost, Father Geoff was able to re-enter the chancel, and he presided from there (with Adriaan and Amanda providing musical support) for the rest of us on Zoom. In Se...Continue reading

So excited to welcome Rev. Jennifer Schlick!!!

Father Geoff’s Thought and Prayer for today.....November 12, 2020 Tomorrow, November 13, 2020 or November 14 in the USA, the Church celebrates the Feast Day set aside for Charles Simeon, Evangelical Divine, whose writings and priestly ministry have been a great inspiration to me over the years. Born in Reading, UK in 1759, Charles Simeon was educated at Cambridge University and spent the rest of his life in that city. He became a fellow of King’s College in 1782 and was ordai...ned priest the following year, when he became vicar of Holy Trinity Church nearby. He had evangelical leanings as a boy but it was whilst preparing for Holy Communion on his entrance to College that he became aware of the redeeming love of God, an experience he regarded as the turning point in his life. Many of the parishioners of Holy Trinity did not welcome him, since he had been appointed through his own family links, but his patient care and love for them overcame their antipathy and his preaching greatly increased the congregation. Charles had carved on the inside of the pulpit in Holy Trinity Church, where only the preacher could see, the words from John 12:21, when Philip brought the Greeks to our Lord, and they said, Sir, we would see Jesus. These words were a constant reminder to him that people came not to gaze on a great preacher or to admire his eloquence, but to seek Jesus. Simeon became a leading Evangelical influence in the Church and was one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society. He also set up the Simeon Trust which made appointments to parishes of fellow Evangelicals. He remained Vicar of Holy Trinity until his death on November 13, 1836. I first came across Simeon and his influence in the Church of England when I studied theology and ministry at Oak Hill College in north London prior to my ordination in 1995. As the College was considered one of the bastions of the evangelical wing of the Church, Simeon was regarded as one of the college’s heroes. His ministry of patient care and love of his congregation has stayed with me as example I have tried to follow in my own ministry. Prayer of the Day: Eternal God, who raised up Charles Simeon to preach the good news of Jesus Christ and inspire your people in service and mission: grant that we with all your Church may worship the Saviour, turn in sorrow from our sins and walk in the way of holiness, through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

How do geese know to fly south in winter? And what's that got to do with Advent? Find out at https://allsaintswhitby.org/news-events/

Joanne’s Thought & Prayer for the Day Tuesday, November 10 I consider myself fortunate for many reasons. One of these reasons is I have never had to live through the horrors of war. I am a baby boomer born in the 1950s. My childhood in Winnipeg was very idyllic. Family gatherings were large with lots of food and laughter. I had no fears (except for dogs and the sandman) and just assumed that the same was true for everybody.... I had one uncle though who knew first hand just how far from the truth that was. Uncle Michael was a WWII veteran who lost his leg while fighting overseas. When I was older my mother told me of the day she met the train when he came home. He was one of the walking wounded and spent months in a rehab hospital upon his return. Uncle Michael never spoke of his army days, no matter how many questions I asked him. The only thing he would say was that he was proud of his service and would do it all over again. Then he would tell me to never forget. They say an elephant never forgets but we humans are very forgetful at the best of times. That is why November 11 is so important. It is a day to remember and to reflect. It is a day to look inside ourselves and ask what are we doing to ensure justice for all? Jesus knew that we are forgetful and in the Gospel of Luke we read those familiar words Do this in remembrance of me. Words that we hear every Sunday when meet and share the Eucharist together. Just like my Uncle Michael, these words are Jesus telling us that he would do it all over again. This Remembrance Day let us remember to pause at 11 am and give thanks for all those who fought to keep our land free. Let us give thanks for the men and women who would do all over again. For those of us who have never known the horrors of war let us give thanks and pray we never will. Let us pray for all those who are suffering and live with the reality of war on a daily basis. For our country let us pray for those who are victims of injustice and intolerance. Every day may we pause and give thanks to God for all he has done and continues to do for us. On Sundays when we hear those words, do this in remembrance of me may we be truly grateful. Prayer: Heavenly Father, through your son Jesus Christ we find our perfect peace. We pray for all nations, countries, governments and leaders of this world. Grant them wisdom, understanding and a desire to make good decisions. We thank you for all the brave men and women who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom. Protect them and their families. Thank you for our freedom to worship, to speak and to pray. May we never take this blessing for granted. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Christmas Hamper Annual Appeal The All Saints’ Christmas Hamper Ministry has, for over 50 years, worked with partner churches to ensure that low income families in our community are able to share the special blessings of the Christmas season. This year is no exception, and while the Hampers will look a bit different this year, they will still be much appreciated. As always, we rely on your generous support to bring this Ministry to life. Here’s how you can help:... DONATE CASH OR GIFT CARDS by November 29: We are encouraging cash donations for food. Help provide the funds for our bulk purchase of grocery gift cards. There will be no Christmas Gift Tag Tree this year. Instead of children’s toys and clothing, we will be giving retail gift cards. Whatever you would have spent on Tree Tag merchandise, we ask you to allocate the same amount of money to the purchase of gift cards. you can purchase the merchant gift cards yourself and drop them off at the church office (We recommend retail gift card denominations of $25 or $30 each from such retailers as Walmart, Oshawa Centre, Giant Tiger, Babies/Toys’R Us, Amazon.ca) OR you can make cash donations towards the Hamper gift cards by placing your envelope on the collection plate and dropping it off at the church office, or by donating online here. Whichever donation method you choose, please make sure your donation is clearly marked for the Christmas Hamper Ministry and shows your name or envelope #. Donations should be made by November 29. DONATE SOME WRAPPINGS: Donations of Christmas gift wrap and tags would be appreciated. SPONSOR A FAMILY: If you would normally be going to a Christmas lunch with a group of colleagues from work or with friends, consider collecting that money and using it to sponsor a family. It costs approx. $200 to sponsor a family of 4. INVOLVE YOUR CHILDREN: For many families, the Hamper Ministry and Tree Tag Program are a way to talk to children about others who are less fortunate. Ask them if they would like to make a card or draw a picture for a child whose family will be receiving a Hamper, drop it off at the church office and we will include it with the Hamper package.