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GROUPS Music Ministry Library BOOTC Book Group Taize Prayer Centering Prayer The Music Ministry of St. Andrew's The focus of the music ministry at St. Andrew’s Barrie is Soli dei gloria that is “ to the greater glory of God.” We seek to celebrate God’s love through music; uphold the fine liturgical heritage of the Presbyterian Church; encourage and promote participation in and appreciation for the music of the Christian Church. Our ministry strives to depict the wonder, the mystery, the suffering, the awe, the greatness and the joy of our God amongst us. The Music Ministry at St. Andrew’s has a rich and varied tradition. The senior choir has been led by many fine musicians and several devoted choristers have been sharing their talents faithfully for over 40 years! Talented individuals contribute their solo vocal and instrumental gifts regularly. The skilled core of the choir enables new members to learn confidently. Their collective skill, devotion and hard work enables them to prepare a anthem that moves the congregation to a more profound experience of the weekly scripture message. The church is a beautiful space acoustically; voices blend to create a sound that feels close and present but also hints at the divine. The children’s choir brings the sound of pure enthusiasm in their voices to the sanctuary several times a year. We hear the promise of our future when we hear young voices sing a traditional hymn or a “new song unto the Lord. “ Our youth bring the contagious spirit of contemporary Christian sound to our sanctuary. All our choirs are ready to explore exciting new Christian music written in all styles. Hymn-singing at St. Andrew’s is a powerful experience. When over 200-voices give their all on the final verse of a favourite hymn the unanimity of spirit is tangible. Our congregation also appreciates the opportunity to acquire new favourite hymns. A tradition of strong congregational singing goes hand in hand with an outstanding pipe organ. Our elders had a clear vision for the music ministry when they hired Casavant Freres, Canada’s eminent organ-builder to build their opus 2712 in 1962. In 1995, the Angus Ross Estate funded the re-voicing and the addition of a majestic trumpet sound to the organ. The organ’s many voices express beauty and richness from the mystery of quietest flute during the prelude to the glory of full organ in the postlude. Our music ministry is an expression of the optimism for the future of our faith tradition Let every instrument be tuned for praise! Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise! And may God give us faith to sing always Alleluia! Amen. Chris Bohdanowicz / Director of Praise Back to Top Library With over 1,300 resources (Books, CDs, DVDs, Videos and Cassettes), the Angus Ross Memorial Library is working to support St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church as it worships and serves God through Jesus Christ. The Library is staffed after Sunday Service but the easy borrowing process makes it possible for folks to borrow resources when the Church is open. Library Cards are available. The Children’s Library is located in the Sunday School Room and the main Library is located just down the hall. If you wish more information, have resources you wish to donate, or would like to become involved in the work of the Library, please contact our librarian, Anne McAfee, through the church office at (705) 728-3991. Back to Top BOOTC info for St. Andrews’ website The Barrie Out of the Cold program (BOOTC) began in Barrie in 1998 at St Andrew’s Church. The 2005-2006 season includes 6 Barrie churches hosting meals and shelter in the winter months. Go to www.barrieoutofthecold.org for further information. St Andrew’s BOOTC night is on Mondays. Contact the St Andrew’s Church office for further information at (705)728-3991. Back to Top The Book Group of St. Andrew’s Our purpose By reading and discussing books in the context of the Christian journey, we aim to enrich our minds, strengthen our faith and the bond of our unity in Christ. Meeting Schedule The book group plans to meet every two months, with a goal of reading six books throughout each year. Meetings will be held in the Church Library on scheduled Sunday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. The first part will be allocated for coffee and gathering with the discussion starting no later then 7:30 p.m. Membership Everyone is welcome to join! Membership is not exclusive to members of St. Andrew's, so bring a friend. It is not mandatory to read all books. We hope to select a wide variety of books to appeal to everyone's interest and to broaden the scope of books we normally read, however, members may choose to read only a selected few from the reading list. Hosting a Meeting Members are invited to suggest books to be read from the categories listed. If your book is selected, you will be encouraged to host a meeting. Hosting a meeting involves: • Providing coffee/juice and light snack • Starting the discussion • Introducing the author and providing relevant background information • Guiding the discussion and encouraging everyone's participation Selection of Books We want to be diverse in our book selection and cover the following categories of writing: • Christian Classics • Contemporary Christian Growth • Humour • Historical Fiction • Allegory or Prose • International Publication • Social Ethics • Popular Fiction • Creative Non-Fiction Newsletters Newsletters are published 3 or 4 times a year with a list of future readings and dates. Back to Top Taize Prayer  Since 1940 the village of Taizé, in the hills of Burgundy, France, has been home to an ecumenical community of brothers whose prayer is at the centre of their life. The rich, simple and beautiful songs and prayers of Taizé are now used by Christians throughout the world. St. Andrew’s is one of seven churches in Barrie that participates in a monthly Taize Prayer service. Anyone is welcome to come and experience this beautiful form of prayer that involves singing, silence and peace. Quiet prayer and meditation can help people overwhelmed by the complexities of life to reconnect to their faith in God. Taize offers a peaceful philosophy that is worth investigating. For information on Taize Prayer please contact Susan Stott-Hood at sstotthood@georgianc.on.ca Back to Top Centering Prayer Group A Centering Prayer group started in Barrie during the fall of 2005. This form of prayer or meditation attracts people from a variety of churches as well as others in the community not committed to any particular church. Centering means to become quiet. Through the use of a sacred word, participants practice letting go of thoughts and entering into silence. It is here that we can enter into our deep inner spaces of divine communion. The format of the group includes twenty minutes of centering prayer and then tapes or books on centering prayer are used to build up the practice. On the fourth week of the month the centering prayer is followed by the practice of lectio divina or meditating on the scriptures. The group follows the structure set out by Contemplative Outreach which is an international spiritual network of individuals and small faith communities committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel in everyday life through the practice of Centering Prayer. (www.contemplativeoutreach.org) The group meets every Monday evening, 6:30 to 8 pm, at St. Andrew’s Church (enter off Worsley Street). If you think you would like to explore Centering Prayer, then please join us. For more information contact Susan Stott-Hood at sstotthood@georgianc.on.ca Back to Top |
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47 Owen St. Barrie, ON L4M 3G9 705-728-3991
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