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December 24th is both Advent 4 & Christmas Eve
Please remember the 4th Sunday of Advent is the morning of December 24th. We will have our usual Sunday service at 10am.
Christmas Eve Services – 7pm and 11pm
Christmas Day Service – 10am  

Light for the Journey - Advent Stopping Places: The Journey begins tonight and will continue every night until December 23rd from 6pm to 8pm. As you all know we have set up a lighted path with a number of stopping places to share the story of Christmas. A lot of hard work has been done over the last few weeks to prepare the huts and path to tell the story. We hope there will be a lot of support from the congregation to come along and participate; to invite friends and family, and even take a part to help in hosting one evening when the lights are on as people make the journey. The journey ends inside the church which will be in candlelight with Christmas Carols playing and people welcomed. This is a great opportunity to reach out to the community.
Would you like to host or be a greeter on one of the evenings? It would be great if we were able to have a number of people to welcome the pilgrims at the stable door and serve the hot chocolate. Please speak with the rector or one of the wardens. It is free to come along and enjoy but any donations made will go to the Surrey Urban Mission (SUM)    

Christmas Flowers Donations are now being received for the Christmas flowers given in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving. As a gauge for what your offering might be, each poinsettia plant costs about $25. Please make your Christmas Flower offering in a separate envelope and place it in the offering.    

Epiphany Celebration – Saturday, Jan 6th, beginning at 4pm A special service and potluck supper will take place to celebrate the Epiphany, the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus. The service will begin at 4pm and the potluck will follow. This is an event for all ages but especially families. Invite your friends and neighbours.  

Perfumes and Scents in the Church and Parish Hall We have all heard of the problems associated with breathing and the triggers that cause people real difficulties for breathing. In the last year, a number of parishioners have approached the wardens and rector in reference to their own difficulty breathing. The difficulty comes when members of the congregation, including both men and women, are wearing scents, colognes, and perfumes to church and other events in the parish hall. For some people, the throat begins to close or constrict and breathing can become severely restricted. This, of course, is quite serious, very scary, and can easily lead to a medical emergency.   It is important to understand that this has nothing to do with disliking a particular fragrance or scent. The church council requests members of the congregation, of their own volition, to refrain from using perfumes, colognes, and scents so that others who are easily affected may breathe easy. We hope everyone will be understanding of this.  

Forthcoming Dates for St. Helen’s
December 21st –1pm Celebration of Life Service for Beverly Seidler    

Readings for Next Sunday, December 24th Advent 4
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16;
Luke 1:46b-55 (Canticle);
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38