Welcome to the November 2007 issue of the St. Giles Presbyterian Church, Ottawa, e-newsletter. Please take the time to review the details of our upcoming events and information items.
If you need more information on any of these events, please contact the church office at 613-235-2551. Also, if you would prefer to be removed from the e-newsletter list, reply to the church office.
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COMING EVENTS

Starting Nov 4, 2007 SPACE FOR GOD - STUDY and PRACTICE of SPIRITUALITY AND PRAYER
Join us in the sanctuary at 6 pm on Sunday evenings for time set apart to explore where the Space for God is in individual lives. We will be using the resource, Space for God, Study of Spirituality and Prayer by Don Postema. Six weeks in Nov/Dec and six weeks in Jan/Feb. For more information or to indicated your interest contact Ruth Houtby at rhoutby@sympatico.ca

Wednesday, Nov 7, Session meeting at 7:30

Saturday, Nov 10, Christmas Bazaar: 9:30 to 2 pm - Your help is needed to make this a success!
Help on Sunday by setting up tables after coffee time.
● Call all your friends and relatives and invite them to come to the bazaar. Maybe arrange to meet them at our bazaar lunch which is served from 11am to 1:30pm. $10 for turkey pot pie, salad and bread, a great dessert, tea and coffee.
● Buy your own lunch ticket today or call 613-235-2551 during the week.
● If you don't have a job at the bazaar yet please call Jean at 613-235-2551. Help is still needed for a variety of jobs on the day – none very difficult.
● Bake some goodies for the home baking table. You can make whatever you enjoy making. Label it! Info. About when to bring it in from Betty 613-733-9438
● Got used books, toys, Christmas decorations, kitchen stuff? Bring them to LoganVencta Hall, 174 First Ave for our flea market. No clothes, textbooks, or computer equipment please. Info. 613-235-2551
● The Kidzone still needs small new items for children to buy and wrap for their families. Ask Jan 613-248-8528
● Make a batch of muffins, any kind, for the coffee bars


Sunday, Nov 11, Remembrance Day. We will observe our Silence of Remembrance at the start of the service. The quintet, Polished Brass, will provide special music throughout the service. All are invited for a soup and bun lunch following the service.

Saturday, Nov 17 "Mini-Bazaar" also the Santa Claus Parade. Come at 9:30 and help to sell coffee and hot chocolate as well as left-over bazaar items to the families coming to Bank Street for the parade

November 18 at 7:30 p.m., FAIR TRADE: Bringing together southern producers and northern consumers. Kathy Neufeld, member of the management team of the new Ten Thousand Villages shop on Bank St. will speak on the topic of Fair Trade at Southminster United Church, 15 Aylmer Ave, (at Bank & the canal).
New models of fair and just trading relationships are integral to the very notion of social justice. Ms. Neufeld will explore this growing world-wide alternative, drawing on the Ten Thousand Village experience as one example. Ten Thousand Villages is a non-profit program of the Mennonite Central Committee, long known for its peace, justice and social and economic development work throughout the world.

Fair Trade olive oil from Palestine will be on sale in the church at coffee time on Sundays.  Those who attended the Presbytery organized panel discussion "Hearing Voices for Peace in Israel and Palestine" at St. Giles last March will remember the wonderful smell of the oil.  Your purchase of 1litre of extra virgin olive oil for $15 will support farmers in palestine and peace in the Holy Land.


Saturday November 24, 7:30 BETWEEN HEAVEN and EARTH, Variety concert hosted by The Twisted Haloes and other performers. This will be a free will offering fund-raiser for the Roof and Furnace Fund.

Wednesday December 12 evening Christmas concert with the Cameron Highlanders. This will be a fund-raiser for the Emergency Food Centre so the admission price will be cans of food or a few dollars for the Centre.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS

HARVEST HOME DINNER Our meal on Fri 26 October was a huge success. Many thanks to Ruth Smyth and her large team of cooks, servers, pie-makers etc. The dinner raised $3,028 for the church operating budget. It was also a great social event in the neighbourhood and a good example of a community working together to achieve something worthwhile.
Every year we borrow chafing dishes from The Mission to keep our food hot at the serving table. We would like to say thank you in an appropriate way. The Mission is always in need of new men's underwear and socks. We would like to collect some packages in the lobby next Sunday to take to them. Since winter is coming warm mitts, hats and scarves would also be useful. If you enjoyed the Harvest Home this would be a neat way to say thanks.

GARDEN AND OUTDOOR SIGN
Be sure to walk along Bank Street and look at our beautiful Fall garden and the big sign. Thanks must go to Rob Brandon and his gardening helpers, Linda McNaule for painting the signboard and Stan Currie who changes the message frequently.

Ever feel like the Christmas Season comes and goes and you just didn't get to sing enough carols? Why not join the choir from now to December and get all the singing you want. We're a fun loving group and always welcome new singers. Thursday evenings at 7:30. Use the first Ave church door. See you there!