3rd October 2021- 27th Ordinary Sunday

Hello everyone.

Daylight saving begins this Sunday with clocks turning forward an hour at 2 am. This means we lose an hour of sleep. Our 9 am online service will seem earlier than we all expect! I’m looking forward to seeing you bright and early.

The other big date this week is our online Organ Recital, Saturday 9th October at 2 pm. The YouTube link will be emailed out next week, and will also be up on our church website and Facebook page. I hope you are looking forward to this as I am.

Obviously, everyone is keen to know when we are able to come back to church in person. The NSW Government has recently made this decision easier for us with a very helpful announcement. Once NSW reaches 80% double vaccination of over 16s, we will be allowed to hold church for everyone, i.e., both vaccinated and unvaccinated. We will still be under COVID restrictions, particularly spacing requirements in church, and no congregational singing.

In light of this, our plan at St Jude’s is to re-start in-person gatherings on Sunday 7th November. By that time NSW should have comfortably met the 80% target (and our roof renovations will be finished). During November we will have one morning service (9 am) and one afternoon (4 pm). Once further freedoms arrive in December, the plan is to bring back both morning services (8 am and 10 am).

I am prayerfully optimistic that our Carols Picnic (Sunday 12th December 4 pm) and all our usual Christmas events will be possible.

And with Christmas in mind, please read on…

 
Samaritan Purse Christmas Child Operation 2021

 

Over the past years St Jude’s Parishioners have responded wonderfully to the Samaritan’s Christmas Box appeal and we are hoping for the same response this year despite the difficulties presented by the pandemic.

Due to COVID, Samaritan Collection Week has been put back to the beginning of November. Boxes can be delivered to the church office on these following dates and
during the hours of 9.30 to 4.30pm:-
Tuesday 2nd, Thursday 4th, Friday 5th, Tuesday 9th, Thursday 11th and Friday 12th.

Boxes can also be deposited in the church porch on the Sunday Morning Service and the Parish Room for the 4pm Service on these following dates;-
Sunday 7th and Sunday 14th.

This year there are two options for packing a Christmas Box:-

  1. Pack a Shoebox online– get on line and you can choose what sex and age child and what you would like to put in it. You pay $30 which includes $10 Postage and you can also write a message to put in the box.
  2. Pack a Shoebox yourself-Boxes will be available from the church during office hours or you are most welcome to use your own shoe box.

 

Please remember that all items need to be new and no fluids of any sort can be can be placed in the boxes.

Please go to Samaritan Christmas Box Appeal in your search engine or https://samaritanspurse.org.au/. All the information you need to know is on this site.

For a quick reminder see below:-

  1. Get a shoe box
  2. Decide girl or boy and Age( 2-4, 5-9, 10-14)
  3. Fill with gifts-a WOW item eg Soccer ball with pump, stuffed animal etc
  4. Fill with other fun items, hygiene items or school supplies.
  5. Pray for the child who will receive the gift.
  6. Include a personal note or card.
  7. Label and donate (you can pay the $10 postage on line and print out a label or if you pick up a box from church their will be brochures with labels and you put the $10 in an envelope and attach to outside of box with rubber band.
  8. Drop off on one of the above days and times.
 
REMEMBER DO NOT SEAL UP BOX IN ANY WAY.
JUST PUT AN ELASTIC BAND AROUND BOX

Any questions ring Philippa Skuja