News

Christmas Gift for Children

Last year’s campaign of support for the Family & Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region was a great success. We helped the young children in our region who were vulnerable and wishing for support. Let’s do it again!

There are red envelopes for you to use to donate to them through St. Paul’s. These will be near the entrance where our Handouts are placed and will avoid any confusion between these and our yellow envelope Offerings. Any cheques should be payable to St. Paul’s and we will forward that money to them on behalf of our church. Your offering will be included in your year-end tax receipt. The children say, Thank you!

Here is a link to their web-site:  https://www.facswaterloo.org/

Church Services over the Holidays

Christmas Eve’s service is 8:00 pm at St. Paul’s this year – the early service. St. Peter’s will be hosting the late service at 10:00 pm.   (That’s Saturday, December 24… )

No service will be held on Sunday, December 25 this year at either of our two churches.

New Year’s Day is a Sunday this year. A Joint Service will be held at St. Paul’s at 11:00 am January 1, 2023. (You can sleep in… )

Annual Meeting – 2023

Mark your calendars! Our Annual Meeting will be held on January 29, 2023 after 11:00 am Service. Yes, January, not February! Reports will be provided beforehand and your input is both needed and greatly appreciated. See you then!  (We need more Council members…)

Covid update from Eastern Synod

“With the ongoing circulation of COVID-19, the rise in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), as well as influenza we need to ensure that our worshipping practices are as safe as possible.”

Therefore, the Eastern Synod recommends you wear a “well-fitting mask during in-person worship as well as during all indoor social events.”  A mask will protect you and fellow members but will not be mandatory at St. Paul’s – your choice.

St. Paul’s Church Council

November, 2022

Thank you for joining us at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Erbsville.

A new Service has been recorded and posted for your enjoyment. Thank you Dan! June 19, 2022 is now available.

Service at St. Paul’s is 11:00 am on the 1st & 3rd & 5th Sunday of each month, and 9:30 am on the 2nd & 4th Sundays..

As stated in our “In-person Worship Guidance – ELCIC” post we are no longer recording and posting every Sunday’s worship. We provide recordings of previous services for you to enjoy. Thank you Dan!

Click on a link below and worship as if you were there, because you are here…

Previous Services available:

Best wishes,

Church Council

On July 17, 2022 at 10:00 am St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s will once again be uniting for our Annual Outdoor Service at the Hartung’s! (Yes, it was postponed for 2 years due to the pandemic…) Please mark your calendars in order to enjoy the fresh air and comradery with our sister parish. Thank you to the Hartung family.

As in years past, we will have Hot Dogs and Hamburgers on the BBQ. We ask that you please bring a salad or dessert. If you do not feel comfortable with sharing you are welcome to pack your own lunch to enjoy with everyone.

Please bring your own lawn chair or blanket and a cooler if you want to Bring your Own Lunch.

We look forward to seeing everyone.

Church Council

This week (June 10, 2022) the Eastern Synod provided new guidance with respect to Covid protocol. They have approved both indoor and outdoor gatherings and that social distancing is not required. The wearing of face masks is no longer a requirement but is still recommended. Communion may include bread and wine as long as the leader wears a mask and single cups are used. As we have from the beginning of this pandemic St. Paul’s will be following the Synod’s recommendations.

With this positive news Council has decided we no longer need to provide recorded services on-line every Sunday. Please join us in-person! Past services will remain on our web-site and future Special services will be recorded and posted.

From now on you will only be receiving Special Notice e-mails from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church – not every Saturday as during the pandemic – so please open them right away!

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The Eastern Synod has communicated with all member churches regularly during this pandemic and we now attach a link to their latest publication: https://easternsynod.org/covid-19-update-march-10-2022/

We have continually followed their guidance and therefore highlight Bishop Pryce’s words therein: “I would encourage all congregations to continue using masks for the time being.”

This practice will continue at St. Paul’s to our Annual Meeting and possibly beyond. Thank you for your care for all others.

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An update… St. Paul’s Council has declared March 6, 2022 at 11:00 am as our Return to In-person Worship date. Please spread the word. Let us gather as a family and celebrate this next step towards “the good old days”.

Please remember that masking, hand hygene and physical distancing requirements continue, and that the Eastern Synod has given “strong support for vaccination”.

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Previous Notices:

We will Not be returning to In-person Worship yet. The Eastern Synod has stated we should wait until at least February 20. Our decision of when will be coming in the near future. This pandemic is unpredictable. A link to the Synod’s recommendation can be seen via: https://easternsynod.org/covid-19-update-january-24-2022/

Our original notice of Service suspension remains below.

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Due to the rising number of Covid cases, and the restrictions implemented by our provincial governments, the Eastern-Synod has issued a notice asking all Congregations to suspend all in-person worship services for at least 4 weeks, effective immediately.

This news is disheartening, but not surprising.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, in partnership with St. Peter’s, will be creating virtual services once again for all members, family and friends to view from your homes, or anywhere. Let us thank our organist Dan Amorim and Pastor Olaf Poulsen in advance for their dedication to our parish. Notice of our service’s availability on our web-site  will continue to be sent on Saturdays.

The Eastern Synod’s communication can be read on their web-site via this link: https://easternsynod.org/covid-19-update-january-3-2022/    We will be receiving further direction before the end of January and will provide you with updates when available.

Offerings may still be mailed to, or delivered to, St. Paul’s or our Chair David Kachik (address on our web-site). Thank you in advance for your support.

Stay Safe everyone!

Blessings,

St. Paul’s Church Council