The Latest News & Announcements
As of Thursday, June 5th
Community Dinner : Saturday, June 7th
On Saturday June 7 St. Andrew’s and Kortright Churches will be serving a community dinner at Royal City Mission. We are responsible for the main dish and juice for this supper. Several members of the congregation are going deliver some lasagnas to the Royal City Mission, and stay to help serve the meal. With the funds generously donated by the congregation, the Mission and Outreach Coordinating Committee will purchase and deliver more lasagnas and the juice for the dinner. St. Andrew’s outreach to the most vulnerable members of our community is a vital part of our mission and service to others.
Chalmers is in need of a couple of fridges:
The good news is that Chalmers is receiving increased donations of perishables from various sources. The not-so-good news is that we don’t have the refrigeration capacity to store it all. If you know of anyone who is disposing of a fridge that is in good working order, please consider gifting it to Chalmers.
Church Choir Singers Wanted - 2 Alto/2 Tenor Positions Available
We’re looking for dedicated choral singers to join our music ministry. If you - or someone you know - love choral singing, have some experience in liturgical music, and are currently enrolled in a post-secondary institution, this could be a great opportunity for you! Choir members commit to Thursday evening rehearsals and Sunday morning services, helping lead worship through hymns, anthems, and psalms. The position offers a stipend of $80 per week and runs until June 2025, with the possibility of renewal. Interested? Learn more and apply here.
A Pictorial Yearbook!
We are gathering photos to share in If you have photos of church activities, ministries, clubs, or achievements, and if you could remember to take them in the future, please email them to Grace. gldewolff@standrewsguelph.com
Pickleball at St. Andrew’s
Wednesdays 6:30 – 8:30 in the Hall. Contact Charlie Toth by phone at 519-822-8529 or email him at chatoth16@gmail.com by the Monday evening prior to the Wednesday you’d like to attend. This way, we’ll know we have enough people in attendance.
Chalmers Challenge | Can of the Month: June
May’s can of the month is canned green beans - a much needed pantry item!
Refreshing the Emergency Contact List
Our Board of Mangers is seeking to refresh the emergency contact list of people who can take a call from our building security company. The calls are very infrequent and usually related to human error, with rare incidents attributed to animals. Still, this is a very important aspect of our congregation’s life as we remain diligent in caring for our church home. Can you become an emergency contact person? Please feel free to talk to Mary Visser Kerr, or Steve Dodge of the Board of Manager’s Property Committee with any inquiries you may have. Thank you.
Visit the Library
The library on the main level offers a vast collection of resources to aid and enrich our growth in the grace and knowledge of God, Creator, Christ and Spirit, and our life of discipleship as individuals and as St. Andrew’s. Please feel free to access the library and to gather there.
Memorial and celebratory flowers
If you would like to place flowers in the sanctuary on a Sunday morning, please note the signup poster in the main hallway, or contact the church office.
Missions
Hot Weather Response Plan:
With the hot weather upon us, the Poverty Task Force would like to remind you of the Community Hot Weather Response Plan for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in Guelph and Wellington County. The plans outlines a protocol for the 2025 Hot Weather season to support individuals who are unhoused to access and get to cool-down locations and emergency shelter. The plan is not triggered by a specific temperature. Partners and community members are encouraged to use their judgement about the temperature and weather conditions, as well as the safety and wellbeing of individuals. Find Downloadable posters with all of the details here.
Let’s Talk About Human Trafficking — Right Here in Guelph
It can be hard to believe, but human trafficking is happening right here in our own city — and not always in the ways we think. A recent newsletter from the Guelph-Wellington Rotary Cluster tells the story of an Afghan refugee family trafficked into Canada, abandoned in a park in Guelph, and the community effort that helped them find safety.
This is part of Against Traffick, a local initiative to raise awareness and action. Alongside the story, there are resources for getting help, getting involved, and a lawn sign campaign that launched May 5 with the message: “See Something, Say Something.”
If you’d like a sign for your yard or want to learn more, you can email: ehtc.rotary@gmail.com
Click here to read the newsletter
Let’s be people who care, who notice, and who show up.
Thresholds Homes and Supports
Some of us may be aware that many of the apartments owned by St. Andrew’s are rented through Thresholds Homes and Supports but, it is not something that we seem to talk about. Through Thresholds, we are actually providing a type of permanent supportive housing! Again as you may be aware, the house next to the Manse on Norfolk St. (that used to be an Abbeyfield House) was most recently leased by the County of Wellington to provide group housing. For whatever reason, the house had been sitting empty but, St. Andrew’s recently negotiated a new 5-year lease with Thresholds. This is wonderful news!
Learn More: https://www.thresholdssupports.ca/
Parents and Tots Group
LOCATION: St. Andrew's Upstairs Nursery OR Upfield Residence.
Two Rivers and St. Andrew's are partnering to offer a new, weekly opportunity for parents and their young ones (aged 0 - 4 years) to gather for play and mutual support. The children play in the amazing nursery space provided by St. Andrew's (or in the Upfield backyard if the weather is good), while the parents can connect and chat. Simple and lovely. Organized by Alanna Upfield, this is a great resource for the parents in our community. So spread the word! And contact Alanna (alannadzehr@gmail.com) for location decisions and any questions.
