Christmas Basket Collection

This weekend we begin our annual Christmas Basket collection.

Please enclose your donations in an envelope marked “Christmas Baskets” and place them in the collection. Please remember to include your name or envelope number on the envelope.

Holy Redeemer will send all of the donations we receive to the Christmas Exchange, who will distribute the funds among the few agencies able to take applications this year.

If you missed our announcement regarding Christmas Baskets, it is available HERE.

Sunday Missals

Reminder: Due to COVID-19 we will NOT be selling 2020-2021 Sunday Missals in the church this year. We have ordered a LIMITED number of copies which will be available shortly. The cost remains at $5 per copy, which will need to be paid in advance. To reserve your copy, please use the form located HERE. If you know someone without internet access who uses an annual missal, please encourage them to call the parish office (653-6830) soon. Once our initial order is spoken for, we will not be ordering additional copies.

Ushers

We still need additional ushers to assist us with the important responsibility of ensuring that we all safely comply with the province’s social distancing requirements. Ushers also aid in the orderly flow of people entering the church. If you feel you can help Msgr. Henneberry in this ministry, please email the parish office: holyredeemersj@gmail.com

Christmas Baskets

PLEASE NOTE – due to COVID we will not be accepting applications this year for Christmas Dinners.

We will be accepting donations to help with Dinnersall monies received will be passed on to the Christmas Exchange, and you will be credited for Income Tax purposes by us. The Christmas Exchange, in turn, will distribute these monies to the very few organizations which are willing and able to physically meet with applicants needing help in our area. We would appreciate receiving donations beginning the weekend of October 3/4 – we will have to send our cheque to the Exchange by November 1 as they have to coordinate just how far the money will go.

Please keep in mind there are a lot of families who no longer have jobs due to COVID and we appreciate whatever help we will receive through your donations; through the efforts of the Christmas Exchange and through other organizations handling the many, many families who will be applying.

Anyone who has ever worked with us during this Christmas Dinner season can understand IT IS NOT SAFE for this sort of interaction. Others who have been in the church hall to see how many people are involved and how difficult (sometimes impossible) it is to practice social distancing will also comprehend our reluctance to do something endangering our own health and the health of everyone in attendance.

It saddens us to make this announcement! In years past it has been the ‘beginning’ of our Christmas season and it was always a joyful time of helping those in need. But, unfortunately this is a whole new world we’re living in and ‘staying safe’ is the way we have to go. Please God, by this time next year, we’ll be able to take applications and share with those who need our help.