We are thrilled to welcome Rev. Dr. Ray Aldred as guest preacher at our Service of Holy Communion. 

Reverend Doctor Ray Aldred is a husband, father, and grandfather. He was first ordained with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada and is now ordained with the Anglican Church of Canada. He is status Cree from Swan River Band, Treaty 8.  Born in Northern Alberta, he now resides with his wife in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.  Ray is the director of the Indigenous Studies Program at the Vancouver School of Theology whose mission is to partner with the Indigenous Church around theological education.

Formerly Ray served as the Assistant Professor of Theology at Ambrose Seminary in Calgary, Alberta. He is a former chairperson and board member     for Indigenous Pathways. He is former Director for the First Nations Alliance Churches of Canada, now a committee member, where he works to encourage Indigenous churches. Ray also has had the privilege of addressing several college conferences and meetings.  Ray’s passion is to help as many as possible hear the gospel in their heart language.

Ray and his wife, Elaine have also been involved in ministry to help train people to facilitate support groups for people who have suffered abuse.  Also, Elaine and Ray have coordinated Marriage Encounter.  Ray and Elaine have four adult children, Jenny, who has graduated from the University of Regina and the Alliance University College, a school teacher, is married and lives in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada; Raymond, who is pursuing a PhD in Philosophy at McGill University; Catherine, has earned an MA in Religions Studies at McGill University; and Rueben who works in the Oil Field in Northern Alberta.

Ray will have copies of his book, Our Home and Treaty  Land available for purchase. Ray's daughter, Jen will also be with us, with some of her artwork on display. 

Following the service, all are invited to a feast of bison soup and bannock. 

ELCIC Workshop on Re-imagining Space and Volunteer Capacity
Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 4:30 PM (PST) on Zoom

You are invited to join an engaging ELCIC workshop, Every Square Foot Counts – Re-imagining Space and Volunteer Capacity. This session will explore creative ways to make better use of underutilized church spaces, reduce volunteer strain, and discover new partnerships and grants that can support outreach and renewal.

This workshop is open to all members, and we encourage anyone interested in the future of our shared ministry to attend.

Register here:
https://form.jotform.com/252925112109248

Join us next Sunday after coffee time for a short introduction to Advent. In just 30 minutes, we’ll explore what Advent truly is—and what it isn’t—as we enter this season of waiting with fresh eyes. We’ll also take a gentle dive into the wonder of the Incarnation, asking together: Who is Jesus Christ, and why does His coming matter for us today? So grab a cup of coffee and come with your curiosity and your sense of wonder as we anticipate our journey toward Christmas.

Image by Shot by Cerqueira on Unsplash

This Christmas season, we are once again sponsoring economically vulnerable persons in our community through the North Shore Christmas Bureau. We will be supplying Christmas gifts and gift cards to two seniors as well as one teenager.  

Deadline for donations: Saturday, December 14

Our first senior gentleman is 68 yrs old Gerry who will enjoy a quiet  Christmas by himself. Gerry is wishing for the following;
-  Levi jeans, boot cut, 28 waist, 32 length
If your budget allows, he also enjoys;
- Shortbread, chocolate almonds, ground coffee.

Our second gentleman is 84 yr old Michael, who loves volunteering in Lynn Valley and he loves to Lawn Bowl. Michael would love to receive one of the following:
- rain poncho to go over his mobility scooter - 4 wheel Shop Rider - in case it rains
- slippers - (high instep) 10 1/2 wide fitting
If your budget permits, this senior would also enjoy:
- Robertson's Ginger Marmalade, Ferrero Rocher Chocolates

We are also contributing gift cards (Value $25 each) and or gifts to the Christmas Bureau which they will distribute to their teenager clients. The Christmas Bureau is suggesting gift cards from any of the following stores: 

• Sephora • Sport Chek • Best Buy • Ardene • Zara • Shoppers Drug Mart • Urban Planet • H & M • Indigo  • London Drugs 

Deadline for donations: Saturday, December 14

Your generosity will help bring warmth, joy, and hope to those who might otherwise have very little this season.

For the past three years, our English Conversation Circle has been a place of laughter, learning, and friendship for Ukrainian women in our community. Though we’re taking a short break this fall, we’re delighted to invite all past participants to a special Potluck Lunch and Social Gathering!

Come reconnect with friends, share food and stories, and enjoy a few Ukrainian folk songs together. Pastor Vida will also offer a short reflection on a contemporary Ukrainian icon of the Annunciation. Let’s celebrate the beautiful connections that continue to grow among us!

All are welcome, bring a friend — and don’t forget a favourite dish to share!

See poster in the link below. 

Explore a beautiful selection of handmade items from Bethlehem, Hebron, and Nablus in Palestine. Each piece reflects centuries of tradition and culture, making them perfect for meaningful Christmas gifts. The table will be hosted by two of our own, LaDonna and Lin. 

There are no tourists these days, and Bethlehem's economy has traditionally been fueled by tourism (70% of their income). The number of visitors plunged from around 2 million in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 in 2024. Unemployment is hovering around 50%. The tens of thousands of Palestinians who used to work in Israel have had their work permits cancelled (150,000 across the West Bank) Many of those who sold items online have had their bank accounts frozen as companies outside of Israel and Palestine 'reduce risk', so even online sales platforms have had to close. Palestinians in the West Bank want to work and earn a living, but most of their means of doing so have been cut off.

By attending this fair, you can help support these artisans while finding unique, handmade treasures for the holiday season.

Saturday, December 6, 2:00–5:30 PM
St. Andrew’s United Church
1044 St. Georges Avenue, North Vancouver

Discover the stories behind each piece and make your holiday shopping truly meaningful.

Join us for Conversations Across the Church on November 30, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST for what we hope will become a regular churchwide online gathering. [please note the event will air 3:00pm - 4:00pmPacific Time] 

Be a part of the conversation! Make sure you complete the following question on the registration form: If you could ask Bishop Larry one thing as he begins his new ministry as National Bishop, what would it be? You might hear your question asked during the gathering!

You can register here. 

We encourage you to have a candle ready to light before the start of the event. We'll take time at the beginning to light the candle together. 

*This event will be recorded. Not able to attend? Sign up so you can receive a link to the recording.

Did you have a chance to watch Bishop Larry's first video as National Bishop? Have you shared this with your congregation? You can access the video here.

Our very own Sue will be performing with the North Shore Community Singers on Sunday, December 7 at 2:00 PM

at St. Stephen's Anglican Church.

Enjoy a delightful afternoon of beautiful choral music in a warm, festive atmosphere.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or in advance by contacting Sue directly.
Don’t miss this chance to enjoy an inspiring musical performance!

Give Gifts from the Heart this Christmas! Canadian Lutheran World Relief’s new Gifts from the Heart catalogue has something to inspire and delight anyone on your list this year. It’s full of meaningful, tangible gifts that will touch your loved ones and share God’s love with the world! In order to beat any delays due to possible postal strikes, we encourage everyone to get their gift orders in immediately and, if possible, to make their donations online at clwr.org/gfth or over the phone at 1-800-661-2597 (Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:00pm CST). And don’t forget to enter our colouring contest open to all ages, details can be found at clwr.org/colourcontest!