What a busy and beautiful summer it has been and we are so grateful to have so many of you back again from pilgrimages at home and abroad. 

As we look ahead to the fall, we do so with a sense of joy, expectation and gratitude for the ways we continue to practice the presence of God together at these crossroads. 

With the beginning of fall, we have entered into a 'season of creation'  where we focus on our relationship with God and the natural world. This fall will also see the launch of several new ministries which you can read about in this newsletter and we welcome a new staff member and look toward our family gathering at Synod.  

As we enter this change of season, may you have space and time to reflect on what God is bringing to harvest in your own life. As you return to work and school or just settle into the new patterns that fall brings, may you have a deep sense that God walks beside you on the road, offering both sustenance and peace. - The Reverend Meagan Crosby Shearer 

Creator, we give you thanks for all you are and all
you bring to us for our visit within your creation.
In Jesus, you place the Gospel in the Centre of this
Sacred Circle through all of which all creation is
related. You show us the way to live a generous and
compassionate life. Give us your strength to live
together with respect and commitment as we grow
in your spirit, for you are God, now and forever.
AMEN

(A Disciple’s Prayer book -Anglican Council for Indigenous Peoples)

Happy September!

September signals new things. Students and teachers have prepared for their new term; our Jewish sisters and brothers start Rosh Hashanah (new year) on the evening of September 9th. ; our sisters and brothers in Islam begin Muharram (new year) on the evening of September 11th ; AND … St. Matthias has undertaken lots of work to renew our spirits and our surroundings!
In the main church building, the chapel has taken an additional identity as The Chapel Gallery (still a place for worship and prayer, but also a place to appreciate new art). At the same time, we’ve updated the lighting in the church to enhance our worship and other activities. Enjoy the new-to-us benches in the courtyard while you spend quiet time with the garden. Our neighbours in Rogers Court are enjoying a new roof and exterior painting. Even more work is underway to support our worship and community activities. It seems the summer “pause” didn’t really “pause”!!
The Welcome BBQ, set for September 16th, offers us all a chance to greet those wishing to “sample” the St. Matthias community of faith and fellowship -- and a chance to catch up with long-time parishioners.If you can’t be at the BBQ, no matter:there’s always a warm welcome at St. Matthias!
Cory Herrera & Penny Martin

On Sunday the 16th we will mark the end of summer and the start of the fall season with a great service of worship followed by a BBQ!  Rob+ will preach on St. Francis (and maybe even show some of our vacation pics!) Come and join us and bring a friend! We can't wait to welcome you home again. 

St. Matthias is thrilled to welcome Jennifer Sharlow to our leadership team. 

"Jennifer Sharlow is a teacher at Emmanuel Preschool and has assisted with St. Philip’s Sunday School for many years. She has also been involved in many Summer Camps and Pageants. She has a BA in Psychology and a Certificate in Counselling from London, England. She has recently begun a Master’s Degree at the Vancouver School of Theology. Jennifer is also the wife and mother of three lovely daughters aged 17, 14 and 10. She is thrilled to join St. Matthias Church as the Children’s Minister."

Our Sunday School is back after the summer break and we have a great year planned! 

With the support of the Diocesan Vision Fund and the St. Matthias Outreach Fund, we are so excited to be launching our new ministry "The Chapel Gallery"

Led by the vision of Nicky Rendell and an amazing team of volunteers, the Chapel Gallery envisions a way to share our understanding of the creativity of the Divine with the community – including those who might never think of entering a church.

The wider church has had a long relationship of engaging faith and the arts as a way of reflecting back the beauty and wonder of the Divine and the Presence of God in all of creation and the folk of St. Matthias want to share a safe space for appreciating creativity and inviting contemplation.

To learn more check out the Chapel Gallery page on our website. 

Our opening reception will take place on Friday September 21st at 5pm. 

We  are honoured to be featuring the work of Jill Ehlert. "Jill is an artist based in Cobble Hill, BC. Her creative practice spans 35 years with specific emphasis on the creation of experimental works combining mixed media, drawing and collage. Nature, organic forms and cellular structures inspire her work."  

We hope you will all come out to support this new initiative in the life of our community!  

The Choir will be at it again this fall! Conducted by our Music Director, Victoria Beauchesne, the choir will be practising in their new space Room B in the lower hall on Thursdays from 7:30 to 9:00 pm and before the worship service on Sunday mornings at 9am. We would love to have you join us! 

Attic Treasures sales are held in the church the fourth Saturday of each month in conjunction with recycling on the parking lot. Our Next dates are: September 22, October 27 and November 24. We always have books for sale and lots of other gently used and unique items. If you are interested in donating or volunteering for Attic Treasures, please contact  marilyndenton@hotmail.com or call 250 361 9677.  

Recycling Day 20th Anniversary.

In September 1998 we initiated partnerships with Fairfield Community Association (FCA) and our own Project Upgrade to launch Recycling Day. FCA dropped out in 2015 we formed a new partnership for the entire event with Threshold Housing Society (THS). Bring your refundable bottles and cans (wine, beer, cider, pop, water and juice). Clean plastics (containers, bottles and bags, styrofoam products, food containers and packing material), as well as electronics. All are accepted for a small charge and can be sorted on site. Donations go to support life-skills training for youth at THS. contact ghowellj@telus.net or call 250-383-2501 for more information.

Join us for a Gourmet lunch, great entertainment, a talk on health or art or history, old fashioned board games, Food, Fun and Friendship!

Do you know a senior or a person wanting a place to connect with others? Bring them along. Everyone is welcome!
(Suggested $5.00 donation)

Chat and Chew is still looking for volunteers. Please let Michael in the office if you are able to help!

This new ministry is supported by the St. Matthias Outreach Fund

We'll soon be meeting as a diocesan family at our biennial family gathering called Synod. Check out the video message from our Bishop as well as his Charge and keep the whole of our church in prayer as we approach this important time of prayer and discussion together. 

Church Lighting and Hall Lighting Retro-Fit

L.E.D. lights have come down to a price in the last few years which made the conversion from the old incandescents essentially a no-brainer. Thanks in part to a very generous discount by one of the managers at Canadian TireHillside, we were able to retrofit all of the lights in the Church as well as the hall at a cost which will be paid back within a year. From then on the hydro bill for lighting will be reduced eighty-five percent over current costs. An added benefit is that we can look forward to not having to replace the bulbs for fifteen to twenty-five years. There will now be better visibility at night and as the church is now being utilized to a greater extent for concerts and evening presentations, this will hopefully enhance audience enjoyment.