Welcome to St.Alban,Richmond

The Anglican Church of Canada

St. Alban is a parish of committed Christians, loving God and our neighbour, welcoming all people, pursuing spiritual growth through prayer, worship and education, and actively reaching out to and serving our world community.

Located at the corner of St. Albans and Bennett Roads in central Richmond, B.C.

St. Alban
an Anglican parish in the heart of Richmond.

The Anglican Church of St. Alban is an inclusive community of disciples of Jesus Christ serving God on the heart of Richmond through worship, ministry and outreach. There has been a parish of St. Alban in Richmond since 1893. Since 1953 people have met on the St. Albans Road site to worship God and witness to Christ's love for the world. We are strengthened and enriched by the diversity of our community. It is a place of caring, service and outreach, and a place that welcomes all.

Meet The Clergy		Notice Board
Contact Us		Parish Groups
Service Times		Outreach
Christian Education & Sunday School		Youth Group
History		External Links

Meet The Clergy

The Rev. Margaret Cornish, Rector

Margaret came to St. Alban in March, 2004, after serving as Assistant Priest at Christ Church Cathedral for three and a half years. She brings much needed musical and liturgical skills to St. Alban, and has interests in Volunteers in Mission and is a Naval Reserve chaplain at HMCS Discovery in Vancouver.

Notice Board

The following are some events being planned

Potluck Tuesdays	Every Tuesday at noon you are invited to share a potluck lunch in the Lounge. Bring anything along to share and enjoy the company of parishioners and guests!
St. Alban’s Players	Saturday and Sunday, November 22-23, curtain 7:00 pm. St. Alban’s Players present ‘A Spritely Tale’, Theatre & Dessert
Men’s Breakfast	Saturday, November 22, 8:00 am, for the men of St. Alban, St. Anne, and St. Edward with Special Guest The Venerable Andrew Pike ‘Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun’ and Other Stories: A Life in Ministry.
Reign of Christ	Sunday, November 23 ‘Reign of Christ’ 11:45 am ‘Bad Boys of the Bible’ Postponed Amazing Grace – Anglican Video Project
Dream Auction	Saturday, November 29, at Gilmore Park United Church, see http://www.gilmoreparkunited.org/dream_auction.shtml
Retirement Party for Archdeacon Andrew Pike	Response deadline Wednesday, November 26, please RSVP to Sheila Whelan at 604-261-4228 or secretary@stmaryskerrisdale.ca. Saturday, November 29 at 6:00 pm, at St. Mary's Kerrisdale, 2490 W 37th Avenue and Larch in Vancouver. You are invited to a potluck dinner and party to honour the ministry of the Ven. Andrew Pike. Having served three parishes in this archdeaconry, currently at St. Anne's, Steveston, Andrew will be missed after his retirement at the end of this year. Please bring your best wishes and a dish to share; beverages will be provided. For more info, contact St. Mary's parish office (as above).
Advent 1	Sunday, November 30, Advent begins ‘Advent Lessons and Carols’ at the 10:00 am Service ‘Bad Boys of the Bible’ Postponed
Fair Trade Fair	Saturday, December 6, in the Hall, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Gifts – Games – Ethnic Foods – Justice Tables. The Richmond KAIROS Committee (Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiative) invites you to attend the Richmond Fair Trade Fair. A vairety of fairly traded food and goods will be for sale, including 10,000 Villages Gifts (see www.villages.ca), World Vision Gifts, Cooperative Games, Guatemalan Gifts, Nepalese Gifts, Ethnic Foods, Justice Groups Information Tables, and Music.
Montreal Massacre Memorial	Saturday, December 6, 11:00 am at the Peace Labyrinth of St. Alban Hosted by the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre
Advent 2 Soup & Sandwich Annual Advent Fair	Sunday, December 7, Advent 2 Soup & Sandwich Sunday St. Alban Advent Fair following 10:00 am worship: Candles - Wreaths - Caroling - Crafts - Bulbs ‘Bad Boys of the Bible’ Postponed
SPECIAL VESTRY MEETING	Thursday, December 11, 7:00 pm Parish Council is calling a Special Vestry meering in the Church Hall to present our financial situation, given recent losses in our investments. Motions will be presented to deal with the financial challenges facing the parish.
Advent 3 Nativity Play	Sunday, December 14, Advent 3 Nativity Play during the 10:00 am service.
My Soul in Stillness Waits	Sunday, December 14. 5:00 pm Lounge, 6:00 pm Potluck Supper
Carols for the City of Richmond	Friday, December 19, 7:00 pm. Join community leaders from the City of Richmond as we celebrate Christmas with Scripture and Carols with the Salvation Army Band – Readers representing City Hall, the Fire Department, the RCMP, and many organizations in the City. Refreshments following the Service.
VST Free Public Lecture Series	January 13 – 14, 2009. Robert Alter, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley Lecture: "Seeing the Bible through a Literary Lens". Tuesday, January 13, 4:00 pm, Liu Institute, Reception to follow. Lecture: "How to Read Biblical Narrative". Wednesday, January 14, 12:00 Noon, VST Epiphany Chapel, Reception to follow. Research Seminar: "The Challenge of Translating the Bible". Wednesday, January 14, 3:30 pm, UBC Campus Location TBA Co-sponsors: UBC Dept. of Classical, Near Eastern & Religious Studies; Green College; Vancouver School of Theology; UBC President’s Lectures; CRC in Literature / Christianity and Culture; Itta and Eliezer Zeisler Fund; Diamond Chair in Jewish Law & Ethics.
Bad Boys of the Bible	Postponed until early 2009 EXPLORING MEN OF QUESTIONABLE VIRTUE Four Sundays, Margaret Morgan Lounge 11:45am – 1:00pm Sunday, TBA Cain Sunday, TBA Moses Sunday, TBA Samson Sunday, TBA Jacob Bring a bag lunch and join Reverend Margaret to reveal a seldom seen side of some of our biblical characters!

The Richmond Peace Labyrinth and Meditation Garden at St. Alban Anglican Church

Phase 1 of our Labyrinth at St. Alban’s has now been completed, and is open. You are welcome to walk and enjoy it..

We are very pleased to be able to acknowledge funding from New Horizons programme of the Federal Government as well as many local contributions that enabled this project to move ahead.

The Richmond Peace Labyrinth is located on the north side of St. Alban Anglican Church Hall and was built from bricks in a single winding purposeful path from the edge of the circle to the center. It is 42 feet in diameter with a 16 inch wide path. It is a replica of an 11-circuit labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral in

France

that was constructed sometime between 1194 and 1220.

A Labyrinth is a walking meditation tool. It represents the journey inward to our own centre and back out to the world again. Labyrinths are known to help promote meditation, a quiet mind, balance, and insight. They are used in celebration, in uniting community, in supporting mental health and as a path of prayer. The health benefits of walking labyrinths have been proven by their use in hospitals, respite and palliative care facilities. They have also been found in parks, churches, schools, prisons, memorial parks and retreat centres around the world.

Research conducted by Dr. Herbert Benson from Harvard Medical School’s Mind/Body Medical Institute has found that labyrinth walking is among the simplest forms of focussed walking meditation. He found that focussed walking meditation was a very efficient way to reduce anxiety and to elicit the relaxation response. Other effects included lowering blood pressure and breathing rates, reduction of insomnia, improved concentration and well-being.

The Meditation Garden od Phase 2 will also provide a calm, peaceful and beautiful environment for sitting meditation and further reflection in a busy city centre.

The St. Alban Labyrinth Team look forward to:

providing Richmond with its first labyrinth for all people as a cross cultural and inter-faith tool of well-being
providing an outdoor, accessible labyrinth that is open and available all day for every season
providing an easily accessible activity for both able-bodied and disabled individuals
providing seniors and the general public a place and activity that encourages social well-being, physical movement and spiritual practice
bringing diverse members of the community together to enrich their lives by reducing social isolation and promoting mental and spiritual health regardless of age, gender, physical capacities, or faith tradition
providing special events, programs, and workshops to community groups and interested individuals by trained facilitators
providing new opportunities for senior leadership and community service for all

Fundraising Goals:

To raise additional funds to complete the construction of a labyrinth & meditation garden, for labour, materials and constructions costs through donations from the generous community
All donations will be gratefully received and a tax receipt will be provided

For more information please contact the office.

115th Anniversary of the Parish of St. Alban

Bishop Michael Ingham visited on Sunday, June 22, 2008 to help the parish celebrate the 115th Birthday of the Church of St. Alban in Richmond.

PWRDF News

Under the Sun Insert in Anglican Journal

To celebrate our work over the past 50 years we are working on a special edition of our newsletter Under the Sun that will be included in the October issue of the Anglican Journal. It also includes our annual report. Please watch out for it and make sure you share it with your community. Additional copies will be available through pwrdf@pwrdf.org.

50th Anniversary
Short message from Carolyn Vanderlip, 50th Anniversary Program Facilitator: "It is my pleasure to greet you as the 50th Anniversary Program Facilitator for PWRDF. We are working on an exciting program of activities and events to take place over the next two years as we celebrate our past, and plan for the next 50 years! Throughout this time there will be initiatives that focus on celebrating the past, present and future, building awareness, engaging in educational experiences, and fundraising. An important element of the program will be sponsoring 50 refugee families for resettlement to Canada, under Canada's Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. For everything that is undertaken, there will be three values kept front and centre:

Be environmental stewards and work hard to minimize the carbon footprint
Be intentional in building communities with all ages and regions across Canada
Be grassroots-oriented - ensure collaboration with constituents that can provide their insights first-hand in order to facilitate a successful time together

This is an exciting time for all of us and we look forward to sharing the 50th anniversary journey together. 50 years after the Springhill disaster, we are asking Anglicans across Canada to continue to make a difference by joining us, working together, and helping to inspire the next 50 years of changing lives, changing communities and changing the world." To contact Carolyn: cvanderlip@pwrdf.org

Emergencies We are saddened by the challenges faced by our partners in the Caribbean this year due to the number of hurricanes sweeping through the area. PWRDF has responded with emergency relief funds to the peoples of Cuba and Haiti through our partner ACT International. PWRDF partner, the Cuban Council of Churches have already visited the areas affected by Hurricane Gustav in Cuba and is nowundertaking a second visit to evaluate Ike's most affected areas and assess the needs of the population. Losses in Haiti to housing, public infrastructure and agricultural production appear to be heavy and ACT is working through Christian Aid and Lutheran World Federation.
Our new booklet, Response - Emergencies is now available and is a great summary of how PWRDF responds to emergencies and how you can support this aspect of the work. It can be ordered through pwrdf@pwrdf.org.

justgeneration.ca
For information about the new Youth Handbook, Off-the-Grid, raising funds and awareness and the partner of the month, please check out the website justgeneration.ca.
In addition, there will be a youth event for those 11 years and over at Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Westminster, BC on Saturday September 27 from 5pm - 7.30 pm. Contact Rev Margaret Marquardt if you are interested in attending at: mmarquardt@telus.net

KAIROS Regional Meetings The 2008 meetings will include a look at climate change and alternatives to fossil fuels, fair trade, and the struggle against poverty in Canada and around the world. Meeting dates are as follows:
Oct 3-5 Vancouver BC contact: graceful@shaw.ca
For additional information please contact Julie Graham at jgraham@kairoscanada.org.

Contact Us

The Church Office and Hall are located at 7260 St. Albans Road, Richmond, B.C. V6Y 2K3 Tel. (604) 278-2770 Fax (604) 278-3384.

Office hours: Tuesday to Friday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Rector	The Rev. Margaret Cornish	(604) 278-2770 ext. 2
Secretary	Mrs. Carla Josephson	(604) 278-2770 E-mail: stalbansrmd@telus.net
Music Director	Thanks to Jonathan Der (interim director), and Florence and Emily Yeung, who provide us with music.
Youth Ministry Coordinator	Melissa Rourke
Rector's Warden	Tia Moras
People's Warden	Sheila Dempsey
Associate Warden	Nathalie Stewart

Bookings

Please note: Groups or individuals wishing to book the lounge, hall, etc. can do so by contacting the church secretary. If you wish to make a booking on the weekend, please leave a note in the binder for Carla. The binder is kept on the shelf just behind the front counter of the office. All bookings must be made through the church secretary.

Youth Group

The Youth Group is supporting the Richmond's Extreme Weather Project by collecting donations of socks, mitts, hats, blankets, hygiene products (toothpaste, deodorant, soap, face cloths, hand towels, etc).

"Generation" -The National Anglican Youth website

This is a new kind of website, designed from the ground up for young Canadian Anglicans. It's got blogs, coming events in all parts of the country, interactive features, creative expressions and more. The site is designed for Anglican young people, age 14 and older. Check it out at <generation.anglican.ca>

Service Times

St. Alban offers people a choice in worship styles within the Anglican liturgical tradition and both the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and Book of Alternative Services (BAS) are used. Our services are as follows:

Every Sunday:
8:30 am Holy Communion: A simple celebration using the Book of Common Prayer.
10:00 am Choral Eucharist: Celebrated with congregational hymns and varied music.

Every Thursday:
12:10 pm Eucharist in the Chapel followed by lunch in the Lounge.

Services are held once a month in three separate seniors homes.

Baptisms are scheduled frequently as required.

Special services are scheduled throughout the year, especially at Christmas and Easter seasons and throughout Lent.

Christian Education

Sunday School

Sunday School restarted on 7 September 2008, starting at 10:00 am in the Hall. On the first Sunday of the month, children will generally not be in Church, but on other Sundays they will join the 10:00 am service for the Peace. An exciting curriculum is being planned by Charis Nathan and helpers to explore the life of Moses, from his birth to the entry into the promised land, with breaks for Thanksgiving, Advent and Lent.

Cuddle Room

A child care service for children under three years of age is provided in the church hall during the 10:00 a.m. service. The children are brought back to the church during the Peace.

Library

The Library is situated in the lounge in the hall. We have over 1,500 books, cassette tapes and videos for both adults and children, as well as reference books. A special low book-case is filled with books, tapes and videos for children.

Adult Studies

We have started some good adult study programmes which we hope will continue, for instance: Living the Questions, in-church retreats and study groups for Lent and Advent, and home study groups.

Parish Groups

Choir and Music

The Choir at St. Alban plays an active role in the spiritual life of the community. The Choir consists of music lovers, some who read music and some who say they do not. We have a strong choral tradition. The choir has about 12 members and musical accompaniment is provided via organ, piano, guitars and flute. The new blue hymn book is used, along with other hymns occasionally printed in the pew leaflet. Anthems are sung about once a month at regular and special services.

New choir members are wanted and needed to help expand our activity level! The Choir practices each Thursday evening at 7:30 pm. Please think about joining for the Advent and Christmas seasons Please contact the choir director for details.

Altar Guild

St. Alban's Altar Guild is a group of ladies, under a coordinator. They prepare the Sanctuary and the Chapel for services. This involves seeing that the linens are kept clean, the brass polished, candles replaced and flowers arranged on the altar ready for Sunday services. They also prepare for daily Communion, setting up the chalice with linen, veil, and burse of the appropriate liturgical colour and putting out the wafers and wine.

The Altar Guild provides memorial flowers, wine, wafers and candles. For weddings, pew markers and satin cushions are provided. Guild members also help with any questions families may have about extra flowers. For baptisms, the Guild ensures there is water for the Font and a supply of Christening towels and candles.

For Christmas, Easter, St. Alban's Day, and the Harvest Festival, the Guild decorates the church with items purchased with donations from the congregation.

After services, altar flowers are taken by the Guild members to the sick in the Parish, or to those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries. After the Harvest Festival Service, the fruit, vegetables and canned food are donated to the Richmond Food Bank.

Sidesmen

There are approximately 20 sidesmen divided into teams under captains and a Coordinator of sidesmen. Sidesmen greet the congregation as they enter the Church, distribute pew leaflets and hymn books and assist with seating. During the service, they take up the collection and bring it up to the Sanctuary.

In addition, at the 8:30 a.m. service they may read a lesson.

Greeters

Two members of the congregation greet parishioners and newcomers as they arrive at the 10:00 a.m. service.

Readers - Intercessors - Lay Administrators to help with Communion

There are about 20 readers organized by a Coordinator. All three readings are used. The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible is used.

There are three intercessors who have been appointed by the clergy to lead prayers for the people.

Lay Administrators have been licensed by the Bishop and two assist at each main Sunday Communion Service by serving wine to the communicants.

Servers

There are youth servers overseen by the clergy. During the main Sunday services, one of them carries the cross and the other receives the collection and assists the Celebrant to prepare the bread and wine, and to clean the Communion vessels.

Breadmakers

There are breadmakers under a Coordinator who bake bread for the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Service. The members are joined by the children who carry up bread and wine (the Gifts of the People), during the service.

Ladies' Afternoon Guild

The Ladies' Afternoon Guild is an active group of ladies who meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. They sponsor a child through the Save the Children Fund and visit the parish shut-ins. They also provide and serve the refreshments for several teas throughout the year and when needed after funerals.

The Ladies' Guild has restarted the recycling of bottles program. Please place clean bottles/cartons in the named bins in the Church Hall. This will support a special project of the Guild.

Craft Group

A small group of crafters meets at 1:30 pm on the 4th Tuesday of each month in the Lounge.

Environment Ministry

An Energy Conservation Workshop took place on Saturday, April 28, with diocesan coordinator David Dranchuk and special guest Jason Packer of Green Solutions. Much of the day was spent hands-on, demonstrating low cost retrofits, including caulking of windows and door frames, installing door sweeps and storm guards, insulating hot water pipes, and other measures to reduce heat loss. All materials were provided. The hope is that participants will leave with skills that can be applied to their own homes.

For buying carbon credits to offset our polution, Jason recommends an organization is called the Solar Electric Light Fund, see their carbon neutral page. By contributing to SELF’s work of helping villagers install solar PV, instead of burning kerosene or diesel, you can offset your personal emissions of CO2. It’s not the full solution to global climate change, but it can be a small contributing part of the solution.

St. Alban now has a solar powered hot water heating system.

Contact the Environment Steward via the office for more information..

Outreach

Community Meal

Creating a safe, friendly and welcoming atmosphere in which to share a meal with children, youth and adults.

St. Alban prepares an evening meal for anyone who would like to come on Tuesdays at 5:30 pm.

A dinner is provided every Tuesday from September to June for anyone who wishes to come. An average of 100 people per week are warmly welcomed and a wholesome meal with hot vegetables, salad, buns, meat or chicken and dessert is provided at no charge. Many of the guests are street people, single parents and their children, immigrants, seniors and parishioners. The meal has been funded in the past by donations from St. Alban’s and individual parishioners and also from Stewards in Action (Diocese of New Westminster). However, the Stewards in Action (S.I.A.) donations have ceased and the Community Meal committee accepts further donations from the Richmond community. Volunteers are from both inside and outside the parish.

Community Groups

St. Alban provides a home for many small groups needing support: for instance, our kitchen is used by two groups who come for cooking.

Social Concerns

Members of the Parish are active in Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (P.W.R.D.F.) and the Fair Trade movement. Donations are made annually to Camp Artaban, the Vancouver School of Theology, and others.

A committed Social Justice Group of St. Alban's parishioners has joined together to focus on the issue of poverty and affordable housing in Richmond. Anyone interested in joining the group, please contact the office. The group is working in conjunction with the Poverty Response Committee of Richmond and other interested groups.

The Richmond Food Bank was started by St. Alban. Although it is now autonomous, many St. Alban's parishioners still support the Food Bank both with their donations and volunteer hours.

Fellowship

St. Alban’s is a friendly Parish. Active participation and social contact are encouraged at the coffee hour following the 10:00 service. Volunteers organize and rotate serving at these occasions.

Seniors Support Team

You are warmly invited to join the ‘Circle of Prayer’ wherever you are. A group of us will meet in the Margaret Morgan Lounge at St. Alban’s each Wednesday from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Every week - same day, same time - we’ll bow our heads, drink in silence, and become the body of Christ together. No matter where we are – the Lounge, at work, at home, in hospital, or at school. We will be calling our ‘Senior Seniors’ a half-hour before beginning our prayer to remind them of this opportunity to be together in prayer, to deepen our spiritual lives and support one another and the needs of others within our parish and our world. For more information, contact the church office.

After much discussion and brain-storming, the Group has discerned a way that will bring people of all ages together, including our ‘Senior Seniors’ - those shut-in or in hospital or nursing homes. On a regular basis, we put on a Senior's Tea, usually on Friday afternoons, complete with entertainment provided by church members.

A second group has undertaken to keep in touch with housebound seniors, providing transportation and making visits on a regular basis.

Extreme Weather Shelter

When the City of Richmond decides that the weather is too extreme for people to be outside all night, one or more of the following shelters will be opened:

Salvation Army’s Richmond House, 3111 Shell Road, men’s shelter
Richmond Youth Service Agency, #4 – 11220 Voyageur Way
St. Alban’s Anglican Church, 7260 St. Alban’s Road, Richmond

To find out if a shelter is open, please contact:

Salvation Army's Richmond House	604-276- 2490
Richmond Hospital Emergency Room - Social Workers	604-278-9711 or 604-660-4927 (after hours)
Chimo Crisis Services	604-279-7070
Touchstone Family Association	604-279-5599
Vancouver Airport Chaplaincy	604-303-3010
RCMP	604-278-1212

Extreme Weather Shelters are available generally between 9:00 pm and 7:00 am.

Parish Activities

Stewardship

The Stewardship Committee is responsible for the fall pledge campaign.

Blood Donor Clinics

Blood Donor Clinics re held in Richmond in the church hall every 8th Thursday from 1:30 pm to 8:00 pm (to be confirmed). Dates for 2008 are 31-Jan, 27-Mar, 22-May, 17-Jul, 11-Sep, 6-Nov. For more information, contact Canadian Blood Services at (604) 879-6001, or the Church office at (604) 278-2770.

External Links

News & Information
Anglicans Online                                                http://anglicansonline.org/
Anglican Communion Homepage                         http://www.anglicancommunion.org/
Anglican Communion News                                http://www.anglicancommunion.org/ac

Social Justice
Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund      http://www.pwrdf.org/
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/index.

International Centres
Anglican Observer at the United Nations              http://www.aco.org/un/
International Anglican Women’s Network              http://www.iawn.org/
World Council of Churches                                  http://www.wcc-coe.org/

Faith Formation & Education
Vancouver School of Theology                             http://vst.edu/
Sorrento Centre                                                 http://www.sorrento-centre.bc.ca/
Online Anglican Resources                                 http://justus.anglican.org/resources/

History

St. Alban, Richmond was established in Brighouse, Richmond in 1925 as an outstation of the parish of St. Anne, Steveston. Earlier parochial work had been conducted in the area, an area including the whole of Lulu Island, from St. Anne, Steveston. Churches included St. Jerome's, opened in 1902 and closed in 1915, and St. Alban, Eburne, which opened before 1900 and burned down in 1912. Later, St. Thomas' Mission was also opened in East Richmond in 1926 as an extension of the parish. This mission closed during the 1940's. St. Alban remained associated with St. Anne, Steveston until it received its own incumbent in 1953.

St. Alban has always been an important part of the Richmond community. The Church was at the centre of community life in the early days. St. Alban has a strong social service focus which is manifested in the nature of outreach programmes. The Parish founded (but no longer operates) the Richmond Child Daycare Centre and the Richmond Food Bank. We now offer a weekly Community Meal which is described later in this brochure.

St. Alban is one of three Anglican parishes within the City of Richmond. It is part of the Richmond-Delta Deanery, Diocese of New Westminster.

There are 200 families on the Parish List.

On Sundays we presently have an 8:30 a.m. and a 10:00 a.m. service. BAS and BCP are each used once each Sunday.

Webtender: Roger Nathan
Internet: RNathan@shaw.ca URL: members.shaw.ca/rnathan/ Last updated 21-Nov-2008.