Join us for a lively and joyful service, followed by a delicious potluck meal 

Since 1974, Victoria Women’s Transition House has been supporting and advocating for women as they move forward with their lives after experiencing domestic violence.

This Sunday, we are collecting both new and gently used tea towels as a donation to the Women's Transition House. 

Thank you in advance for your support.

Following the 10:00 service is a Safe Church training in the St. John’s room. If you haven’t yet completed your Safe Church certification, please join us there. It will take no more than an hour. Safe Church is required for anyone who is an active volunteer in the church.

New to the parish? You are warmly invited to our Welcome Coffee Social at noon after church on Sunday, February 2nd in the St. John’s Room. Get to know each other and learn more about Church of the Advent and its people. We hope you can join us!

Please RSVP to the Parish Office at admin@colwoodanglican.ca 

The Eucharistic Visiting Kits for the pastoral care team members who are doing home visits are now available for purchase. Our thanks to Margaret Roberts for creating the corporals for the kits. Please pick your kit up in the parish office. They are $25 each.

Team members, please look out for an email from Sr. Ingrid about scheduling a practice session in the next few weeks.

Messy Church is a fun, creative form of church for people of all ages, a celebration time with story, prayer, and songs; and a sit-down meal together at tables and hospitality.
It’s church for people at all stages of faith journey and of any age. Come and join us – you’ll enjoy it!

Come to Messy Church at Gordon United Church on Saturday, February 1st (10 am to 12:30 pm) for crafts, activities, music, stories and lunch. 

Church of the Advent’s Annual General Meeting for the year 2024 is scheduled on February 23^rd following the combined 10:00 service. Those who are reporting on special ministries will have received an email from the Parish Office, requesting their report. All reports are now due, so if you have not emailed yours, please do so by Tuesday, January 28^th!

Ticket sales are well underway!  Be sure to invite your friends and family and get your $5 tickets from Bev Somers, Gwen Doust or the office.  We already have several bakers signed up for desserts but we need more.  If you plan to make a dessert, please sign up on the entranceway table or email Jeanine Woodman at jwoodman326@gmail.com. Several local businesses and parishioners are contributing items for the Silent Auction and more are welcome.  Let Deb Wastle know at debwastle@gmail.com if you have items.  This is shaping up to be an evening of enjoyment and fun, with Jack Knox as our celebrity auctioneer, all while raising funds for the Goldstream Food Bank and the church. 

Our parish is growing rapidly, and it's important for us to know each other by name.

The Church of the Advent nametags are made of a light brass, laser engraved with a magnetic backing so that it will not damage your Sunday finery.  The cost is dependent on the number ordered. We usually order in batches of 12 or more. If you are interested, or would like more information, please see Mike Armstrong after church or email spike39@shaw.ca with ‘Nametag’ in the subject line.

Church of the Advent is pleased to welcome back the Greater Victoria Police Chorus for another spectacular performance. Join us at the church on Sunday, March 2nd at 2 PM. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased in advance through the Parish Office or at the door. You won't want to miss this great performance!

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25

The theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is taken from John 11:26, and connects to the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325 CE) and the Nicene creed. In this second week of books on the theme of common faith, the Top Shelf is featuring a selection of Bible editions and Bible resources.

Karen Armstrong. The Bible: A Biography.

   The origins and history of the Bible: how it came together, how it came to be Christianity’s sacred text, and how it has been interpreted and used.

Marcus Borg et al. The Lost Gospel Q: The Original Sayings of Jesus.

   A reconstruction of the early gospel believed to underlie the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

Richard Rohr. The Great Themes of Scripture: Old Testament, and The Great Themes of Scripture: New Testament.

   Summaries of the various parts of the Bible, an overview of how they relate to one another, and an account of the overarching themes of salvation history.

NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture.

    The New International Version, annotated with information about cultural contexts.

Recently acquired:

First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament.

   A recent scholarly edition of the New Testament, translating it into the North American indigenous cultural context, and providing a new perspective to well-known texts.

Jan 25 – Spanish Service, 6 PM

Jan 26 - 8:30 Service Breakfast

Feb 1 – Messy Church at Gordon United, 10 AM

              Taize, 5 PM

Feb 2 – Welcome Coffee Social, after 10 AM service

Feb 15 – Dessert & Silent Auction

Feb 22 – Spanish Service, 6 PM

Feb 23 – Combined 10:00 Service

  AGM, 11 AM

Mar 1 Taize, 5 PM

Mar 2 Police Chorus Concert, 2 PM

Mar 5 Ash Wednesday

Mar 4 Shrove Tuesday

Mar 8 Family Games Night

Mar 15 Parish Council Retreat, 9 am - 1 pm

Mar 16 Jazz Vespers

Mar 26 Ladies Guild Lunch

Mar 29 Spanish Service, 6 PM

Readings for this Sunday's services:

NEHEMIAH 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

PSALM 19

1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-31A

LUKE 4:14-21                                                                                             

Read Sunday's readings online:
1. Go to https://lectionary.anglican.ca/  
2. Select next Sunday's date in the space at the bottom.
3. Click "Link to full text for this day".

All are welcome to join us on Thursdays for our relaxed and interesting Zoom online Bible Study, to look at the readings for the following Sunday. No experience or prior knowledge is needed.

Time: 10 AM - 11 AM.

Zoom Link:  

https://bc-anglican-ca.zoom.us/j/88378461340?pwd=cU9wSUNEZG02M3h3bGVrUmpyMjRNZz09

Meeting ID: 883 7846 1340
Passcode: 4743031 

Book Study: We are discussing Chapter One of "Conversations with Scripture: The Gospel of John" by Kittredge on Thurs 6 February

On Saturday, January 18, 2025 the House of Bishops and the Provincial Council of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon elected Bishop John Stephens as their new Metropolitan.

With his election as Metropolitan, Archbishop John Stephens remains the head of the Diocese of New Westminster. He adds to his duties and responsibilities for the Ecclesiastical Province of BC and Yukon.

The 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will take place on January 18–25.

Ways to get involved:

• You are invited to join an ecumenical service on Sunday, January 19 at 3:00PM at St. Andrew's Cathedral (740 View  Street, Victoria). 
• Resources for parishes are available on anglican.ca/weekofprayer, including a video reflection from Scott Sharman, the ecumenical and interfaith animator for the ACC. To view these resources, CLICK HERE.

For more information on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, CLICK HERE

This year's World Religions Conference will take place at 4:30PM on Sunday, February 2, in the Gary Oak Room of Saanich Commonwealth Centre. Speakers from 8 faiths will present their perspectives on the theme "Healing in a Polarized World." Among the speakers is St. John the Divine, Victoria incumbent Alastair Singh-McCollum. 

To view the full program, CLICK HERE.

To register, CLICK HERE.

Sunday
 8:30 AM - Traditional Eucharist, Book of Common Prayer
(no choir) Chapel

10:00 AM - Contemporary Eucharist, Book of Alternative Services,
with choir 

First Saturday of the Month
5:00 PM - Taize service with singing  Chapel (except August and January)

Last Saturday of the Month
6 PM - Spanish Language Anglican Eucharist Service  

Office hours are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays

from 9 am until noon.