Were you wondering what nifty things might be happening in November at St. Andrew's? Here are some things to look forward to and get involved in:

• Sunday, Nov. 1st - Submissions for the newsletter are due.
• Sunday, Nov. 1st - Youth Group & PYGG Bowling Night @ Eastview (7:00 p.m.)
• Mondays, Nov. 2,9, 16 & 23 - Book Study continues on Diana Butler Bass's book, "Christianity for the Rest of Us" (7:00 p.m.)
• Thursday, Nov. 5th - Thursday Group: Speaker Giselle Doell, Executive Director of the Friendship Inn (1:30 p.m.)
• Sunday, Nov. 8th - Sunday Worship with a focus on Remembrance and Prayers for Peace in the World (11:00 a.m.)
• Wednesday, Nov. 11th - Women's Missionary Society invites women and men to join them for a new study on refugees prepared by our national church: "Making Connections: Staying Rooted in an Uprooted World." (7:30 p.m.)
• Sunday, Nov. 15th - Canada Youth 2009 worship service will be shared at McKercher Drive (9:15 a.m.) and Calvin Goforth (11:00 a.m.) churches (just in case you missed it at St. Andrew's).
• Sunday, Nov. 15th - "Saints Alive" newsletter will be distributed by email or paper copy in your mail slot at the church.
• Thursday, Nov. 19th - Thursday Group meets at 1:30 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 20th - Presbytery of Northern Saskatchewan meets at St. Andrew's (10:00 a.m.)
• Sunday, Nov. 22nd - Guest speaker from the Saskatoon Core Neighbourhoods Youth Group (11:00 a.m.)
• Friday, Nov. 27th - Kids' Club Bowling Night at Eastview (7:00 p.m.)
• Saturday, Nov. 28th - "Pre-Christmas Tea & Bake Sale" hosted by the Women's League (2:00 - 4:00 p.m.) Donations of baking or time are greatly appreciated. Baking may be dropped off any time after 10:00 a.m. on the 28th.
• Sunday, Nov. 29th - First Sunday of Advent. We celebrate Holy Communion and the Advent Appeal Begins. Details about how you can participate in the Advent Appeal by giving to our local missions and programs will be in the Sunday bulletin soon.

You are invited to worship at St. Andrew's this Sunday, October 25th @ 11:00 a.m. The youth and young adults who attended Canada Youth 2009 in July will be leading the worship, and sharing about their experience at this National gathering of Presbyterian youth from across the country.

As we gather for worship, you will be invited to consider and respond to the following question: "How have you experienced God's presence in the last week?" You will have the opportunity to answer on a slip of paper, and to place it in the "Emmanuel Box". We will celebrate God-with-us, not only in our worship, but throughout our daily lives.

We hope that you will join us at St. Andrew's to hear about how our young people experienced God's presence at CY09, and how it was a time of being rooted and grounded in God's love.

October 17-23 is the 6th Annual Poverty Awareness Week: “All Together Toward Dignity and Peace: Eliminating Poverty in Saskatchewan”, and the Saskatoon Anti-Poverty Coalition has many events planned throughout the week. (You can pick up a copy of the schedule of events from the church, or email the church office and we'll send it to you.)

St. Andrew’s is pleased to be participating in the program this year by hosting a simple soup and bannock supper followed by a sharing circle on the topic “What is poverty?” This will take place in the lower hall at St. Andrew’s on Wednesday, October 21st from 6:00-8:00 PM. You are invited to join us for this time of listening, sharing, and learning from one another.

This Sunday, October 11th, is Thanksgiving Sunday. We hope that you will join our Christian community at 11:00 a.m. to worship and thank our loving God for many good blessings. We give thanks for food, shelter, and the necessities of life... for loving community experienced in friendship, family, and our church family... for health and wholeness... and for many other good things.

Due to recent concerns about the spread of the H1N1 virus, St. Andrew's is making hand sanitizer available for your use at church. There are dispensers located at the three doors that are used most often. We encourage you to please make use of them. Also, if you feel uncomfortable shaking hands during the outbreak of H1N1, don't hesitate to decline a hand shake, and to offer a verbal greeting and a smile as you greet your sisters and brothers in Christ.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (2 Thessalonians 5:16-18)