Find out how the New Year is going
In this issue
Adult Faith Formation
Financial Report
Giving Tree
Christan unit Reconciliation
Homilies
Adult Faith Formation
Now that the Christmas rush has ended, we’ve entered the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. However, there is nothing ordinary about Catholic “Ordinary Time.”
At All Saints Parish, we invite our faithful to mature in spiritual life and increase in faith during this “ordinary time.” Here is an update on our faith formation at the Parish.
This past week, we launched an online Alpha with 32 registrants. At the beginning of February, our faith formation leaders will begin the 6-week journey of online Discovery, to discover how God’s love is offered, proven and merciful for each one of us. We have approximately 17 registrants in Discovery.
Our RCIA Candidates are excitedly preparing to be received into the Catholic Church this Easter, some for the first time and some will complete their sacraments. They began their 6-week journey at the start of “ordinary time.”
Please keep all our registrants, candidates, RCIA Catechists and Faith Study Leaders in your prayers.
Here’s an update from one of our faith study leaders, Laura!
I am presently leading both a Commission and a Discovery study. If somebody were to ask me why I am still doing CCO studies, I would answer: I love and enjoy them and continue to grow too! How can I not experience joy and happiness when I see my participants light up and make personal connections with a lesson or scripture passage. I can literally see the faith come alive in their eyes! That then brings me encouragement and enthusiasm to continue doing what I’m doing! I’m an avid reader but never have I come across a book that offered so many different opportunities for reflection.
Our Discovery group recently looked at the story of the fall in Genesis and the Prodigal Son.
I know that so many of us have heard these stories over and over again; however, I almost always come away with something new to reflect on or learn.
In lesson two, we reflected on the story about the Prodigal son. As the oldest child in the family, I have always been stuck in connecting with the son who stayed home. However, we learnt that each of us has a bit of the Prodigal Son in them. We’ve all strayed away from God to varying degrees, but He is always there to welcome us back. I appreciated this new perspective!
I also love learning about the historical significance of different aspects of the story. Did you know that sandals symbolized a free man? With the father giving the younger son sandals upon his return, the son was welcomed back as the father’s son and not a slave.
Participants are happy to have a place where they feel comfortable sharing and asking questions. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but somebody else with a different life experience often adds to the conversation. Participants have shared that they don’t feel it is enough to just go to Mass on Sundays to understand the faith fully! But participating in the small group studies has helped to “put the puzzle pieces together” (each puzzle piece symbolizing a particular aspect of our faith).
I’m a pretty quiet person, yet it still surprises me that I’m leading these studies. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me at all – that is the work of the Holy Spirit within me! Many of us did not grow up talking about our faith, yet now I sometimes feel that I want to make up for lost time! Consider the parish’s Alpha and CCO faith study groups – come and check out what I’ve been talking about for yourself!
Financial report
Income | 2020 | 2021 |
Collections | $ 80,000.00 | $ 510,000.00 |
Project Advance | $ 93,000.00 | $ 92,000.00 |
Rentals | $ 135,000.00 | $ 150,000.00 |
Out of School Care | $ 50,000.00 | $ 95,500.00 |
Miscellaneous | $ 197,000.00 | $ 123,500.00 |
| | |
Total: | $ 955,000.00 | $ 971,000.00 |
Expense | 2020 | 2021 |
Altar Supplies | $ 15,000.00 | $ 19,000.00 |
Diocesan Tax | $ 74,000.00 | $ 70,000.00 |
Rectory Expenses | $ 7,000.00 | $ 7,000.00 |
Office | $ 14,000.00 | $ 6,000.00 |
Repairs/Maintenance | $ 20,000.00 | $ 42,000.00 |
Renovations | $ 20,000.00 | $ - |
Salary | $ 205,000.00 | $ 269,000.00 |
School Subsidies | $ 47,000.00 | $ 42,000.00 |
Utilities | $ 48,000.00 | $ 42,000.00 |
Taxes/Equipment | $ 12,000.00 | $ 22,000.00 |
Loan Repayment | $ 190,000.00 | $ 184,000.00 |
Out of School Care | $ 62,500.00 | $ 74,500.00 |
Miscellaneous | $ 58,000.00 | $ 84,000.00 |
| | |
Total: | $ 772,500.00 | $ 861,500.00 |
| | |
Net: | $ 182,500.00 | $ 109,500.00 |
| | |
Outstanding Mortgage: | $ 240,000.00 | $ 60,000.00 |
Giving tree
Thank You to all of the All Saints parishioners for your generosity, and a special thank you to the All Saints Advent Giving Tree Team; Lisa Styka, Quinne Davey, Michelle Kully, Sonia Camara, Erica DeFazio & Thu Peng. Check out these pictures!
Christian unite reconciliation
On January 20th, parishioners from All Saints Parish participated in a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Service. The gathering was organized and attended by our Parish, St. Lawrence Anglican, Good Shepherd Lutheran and Como Lake United congregations.
The theme was Reconciliation and Unity. The program consisted of Gospel passages, confession, forgiveness prayers, intercessions, sharing groups and reflections. The guest homilist was National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Mark McDonald who spoke about residential schools and his dialogue and relationship with First Nations (His grandfather attended a residential school.) He emphasized the need to educate ourselves about past injustices and to be positive instruments of compassion and hope in our own communities.