Community and Ministry

ANGLICAN CHURCH WOMEN ACW

All women of the parish are members of the ACW. Come into the church on any day of the week and you will likely find one or more women busy doing something. They may be in the kitchen catering a luncheon, preparing for a camping trip, making pies or even preparing for a Victorian Tea. Women of the Chancel Guild may be upstairs preparing the altar for a church service.

Money from the crafts, catering and pie making is given back to the church to cover repairs, new equipment and for significant expenditures. In the past few years funds have been used to reinstall a cross on the roof, purchase a kitchen air conditioner and to paint the lower level. The ACW funds also cover the costs of shipping bales of clothing and gifts to Kenora several times throughout the year. 

The ACW meets from September to June on the 3rd Wednesday of every month in the St. Martha’s room at noon. All are invited to bring lunch, join in the fun and fellowship, and be a part of all we do. While we may be busy working, the time is spent laughing, having fun and just being there for each other. 

Contact: Cherie Laughlin

CHOIR AND MUSIC

St. Jude’s choir meets once a week from September to June on Thursdays at 7:30 pm to prepare music for the weekly 10 am services.  The St. Jude Festival Choir is a special group that meets from October to April and prepares full cantatas for Christmas and Holy Week.  We support students from Western’s music department as part of our Choral Scholar program where students receive a scholarship to sing with our choir, cantor, and perform solos for weekly services. Parishioners of all ages and singing experience are welcome to join in this vital ministry.

Contact: Christina Willatt

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
  • Christian education and formation is not only for children who attend Sunday School. We are committed at St. Jude’s to teaching and nurturing believers of all ages. Throughout the year, education and formation opportunities are made available to parishioners and the community.

    • Weekly Bible Study from the Fall through Spring – 1 hour each week over Zoom to discuss the meaning of scripture passages
    • Lenten Series – programs offered by the SSJE https://www.ssje.org/ to guide daily reflection, and weekly opportunities to pray together, to talk about faith, to study scripture and to get to know one another.
    • Bible Study – the Deanery of London offers Bible Study programs where participants gather for remotely or for dinner and fellowship and then study the scriptures in a new way, often to prepare for the season of Advent.
    • Confirmation Classes are an important part of teaching and nurturing believers who are preparing to receive the Holy Spirit and make a mature commitment to the promises made in Baptism through a celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation. The Deanery of London offers Confirmation Classes as needed. 

CRAFT GROUP

A very active craft group gets together every Wednesday in the St. Martha’s room for fellowship, lunch and tea. All are welcome to stay for all or part of the day to make treasures for the annual Christmas bazaar. We are always grateful for people who can cut fabric, glue, sew or quilt. No experience is necessary and new ideas are welcome. Non-parishioners also join this group for the fellowship and to help. Samples of our handiwork can be viewed in the glass showcase in the Narthex and can be purchased at any time through the year. Some crafters use materials donated to the group to work on projects at home if unable to come to the church.

Contact: Nancey Orosz

 

LUNCH BUNCH

St. Jude’s Lunch Bunch is a social group consisting mainly of seniors, completing its 40th year in 2019. The group gathers usually on the first Friday of each month, September through June, for a pot luck lunch. There is no cost to attend the lunch, as attendees contribute a favourite main dish, salad or dessert, to be shared by all. Parishioners and friends are invited to attend. Following lunch, participants enjoy a presentation, by invited guests or parishioners, which may include: beautiful photographic presentations, local support and outreach programs, journeys to local and exotic destinations. At Christmas and for St. Patrick’s Day, music is enjoyed by all. On hiatus due to Covid concerns at present.

Contact: Church office

PRAYER AND PASTORAL CARE TEAM

The Church of St Jude has a very active Prayer and Pastoral Care Team. Prayer is an important core value for the Parish and our team. Parish members are encouraged to notify the Prayer Team or clergy when prayers are needed. Requests can be made by phone, email or signing the prayer list in the church Narthex.  

  • Privacy, confidentiality and permission are key to a faithful prayer team so specific details re prayer requests are limited to certain team members and first names are used.
  • Requests for prayers come from parishioners, friends, and across the diocese and are shared with the team and where appropriate, with the congregation. 
  • While prayers for health related issues may be the most common requests, we are glad to offer prayers of thanksgiving and celebration as well. The team also prays for those who have died and those who are grieving. 
  • The Team is developing guidelines for a friendly visitor program with a different focus from traditional pastoral visiting. 
  • Prayer resources include: 
    • The St. Jude’s booklet of Prayers, Inspirations & Reflections
    • Small prayer quilts given to those in hospital or on home visits.
    • The Cycle of Prayer based on the 5 Marks of Mission 
    • The Anglican Fellowship of Prayer AFP http://anglicanprayer.org/ provides extensive resources of in hard copy or on-line as requested. The AFP Newsletter is emailed to all members and a hard copy posted in the church. Locally, all are invited to attend the annual Bishop’s Prayer Conference in May and the Fall Gathering. 
  • Prayer Partnerships:
    • St. Jude’s is a Prayer Partner with the International Justice Mission (IJM) https://www.ijm.ca/, a religious group working to end slavery, human trafficking and injustice throughout the world. 
    • As part of the London North East Ecumenical Group of churches, we are active participants in the annual “World Day of Prayer” https://wicc.org/world-day-of-prayer/

Contacts: Father Bill [email protected]  

Prayer Team leader Sharon Frank [email protected] or any Prayer Team member.

Bus routes that stop at the
Adelaide and Fanshawe
intersections are #16, #25, #92

1537 Adelaide St N,
London, ON N5X 1K6

Office open from
9 am - 1 pm Monday to Friday