This painting by William Kurelek comes from his collection entitled Northern Nativity.

During the Depression of the 1930’s, William was 12 years old. When he later looked back to that year, he remembers it as a hard time, with men riding boxcars, searching for work to send back support for their families, lining up in soup kitchens and knocking at doors for food for themselves. He also remembers how that year at school they had started rehearsing for the annual Christmas concert and how at Sunday School he had heard again the Christmas story … and Throughout that December when he was 12 years old William had these Christmas dreams. A few were long; others were more like pictures that flashed on very briefly. But they all started and ended with the questions – If it happened there, why not here? If it happened then, why not now?

From these childhood dreams came this wonderful collection of paintings. This particular canvas is entitled In The Mountains. It is a very Canadian scene, set amongst the majestic Rocky Mountains. There is a lodge, with skiers enjoying their Christmas vacation on the slopes, receiving group lessons, and on the balcony conversing. And in the foreground, Mary and Joseph are arriving on a difficult mountain trail. On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, this painting caused me to ponder anew the journey of Mary and Joseph to ‘the inn’, and also the unwanted journeys of challenge and struggle in our lives.

If you are in the area, we warmly invite you to join us. Certified child care and a programme for young children are offered during the service and there is free parking on the streets around (please note that the time-of-day restrictions on Clergy Street north of Queen are not in effect on Sundays) and in the surface civic lot just behind the church off Queen Street. 

Have a look at the Order of Service and bulletin below, and consider each hymn and prayer and announcement a personal invitation to join us in Christian worship, community and service. If you have any questions about forthcoming events and opportunities, please call the church office Tuesday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – noon, 613-546-6316, or email [email protected]

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And join us Christmas Eve, 7 p.m., for an hour of carols and readings in the beauty of the historic St. Andrew’s sanctuary. At the conclusion of the service, as the lights are dimmed, each person holds a candle with the flames dancing as stars in the cupola overhead, and together we sing ‘Silent night, holy night’.

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