St. John's

From The Clergy

Dear Friends:

            I was flabbergasted when an acquaintance declared that on December 26^th  she removed all Christmas decorations from her house. For her, the weeks leading up to Christmas Day contained all the celebrations she needed, and then it was over. I said that in our house, we would be celebrating the long established tradition of the Western Christian Church, which provides for 12 days of Christmas from Christmas Day to the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6^th). She, however, would follow the tradition of the recent decades, whereby our modern secular world encourages us to celebrate Christmas before it arrives, and then once it is here, forget about it.

            I believe we should reclaim the 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany, because, this time reminds us of the realities of life and the ever presence of God. Here is a thumbnail sketch of the special days of Christmas.

December 25^th  - Christmas Day - Our God is born as the baby Jesus Christ in a stable (manger) in the small town of Bethlehem.

December 26^th – St. Stephen is remembered as a deacon who helped and served the poor, as well as for dying for his faith in Jesus Christ.

December 27^th – St. John the Evangelist, who recorded the good news of Jesus Christ in several written forms, was imprisoned for his beliefs.

December 28^th – The Holy Innocents – this is a day to remind us that violence is ever present in our society, and a day to remembered all the innocent babies who were massacred by Herod in his attempt to destroy Jesus Christ.

January 1^st – New Year’s Day – on this day we look to the past with thanks and to the future with hope; as well, this is the day when Jesus was given His special name.

 January 6^th – Epiphany –this is the day we celebrate the foreign astrologers who came to pay homage to the ‘new born king’, and the manifestation of Jesus to all people.

During the 12 days of Christmas we are invited to celebrate God’s love; to reach out and help those in need; to realize that we may pay a price for our faith; to help protect the vulnerable of society; to give thanks for the past and pray for the coming year; and to rejoice in the epiphany that God’s love is for all.

As the darkness of the evening disappears with the dawning of another day, so may the darkness in our lives be replaced by the message of love, hope, peace and joy through the birth of the light of the world, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Hollis Hiscock, Rector.

 
Dear Friends:

          OurDiocese of Toronto has established a Sexual Misconduct policy to ensure that our branch of the Christian church is a safe place for children and vulnerable adults. Several members of our parish were instrumental in the development of this policy and we thank God for providing us with such professional, talented and caring individuals.
         Please consult the Anglican Diocese of Toronto for information on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Misconduct Training. A copy of our policy can also be viewed in the church office.
   The Anglican Diocese of Toronto
   
         I commend the care of all God's people to each of us. 

HollisHiscock,

Rector

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