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CHURCH GROUPS When people come to church they are being drawn in by God. let us foster their response by making them feel welcome to worship. History In 1895, the Ladies' Aid was organized. One of their projects was furnishings for the new church. The sum of one thousand dollars was raised for that purpose. United by a strong sense of loyalty to their church, they have continued to meet once a week over the years. Their beautiful quilts will be treasured in many households, for years to come. Around 1930, two women's groups, the Brant Auxiliary and the Presbyterian Women's Club, were organized. The Brant Auxiliary is the smaller group; it has been devoted to the work of the church at large. Perhaps this accounts for the strong bond of fellowship that unites its members. They not only support the finances of the church generously, but the budget as well. In 1964, two very handsome brass jardinieres for the sanctuary were given in memory of beloved and devoted members. The Women's Club has undertaken many worthwhile projects in property maintenance, both in the church and in the manse. Their most recent contribution to the church was a gift of one hundred bibles, in memory of loved members. The Women's Missionary Society was founded in Caledonia on December 12, 1878, with one of Dr. Ferrier's six daughters as president. The Misses Ferrer were responsible for two other organizations: The Farther Lights Mission Band, and the Salem cottage Mission Band. Today, the Salem Cottage Auxiliary is part of the W.M.S. organization. They are proud, indeed, to carry the name of the early Ferrier home. Over the years, a close relationship has been maintained. OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR CHURCH The Session The Session is the governing body of our church. Meetings are held in closed sessions the third Wednesday of the month. One of the duties of Session is to serve the Sacrament of Holy Communion four times a year. The Board of Managers The Board of Managers (BOM) meets the second Thursday of the month and is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the Church. They also ensure that money is received and disbursed in a proper manner. The term of office for Board Members is three years. Trustees The Trustees of Caledonia Presbyterian manage the money given in memory of loved ones, bequests and other sources of cash flow given to the church in memoriam. The money is invested at an appropriate interest rate and the income generated by these investments is transferred to the Board of Managers for the general upkeep of the church. If you wish more information about donations to the Memorial Trust Fund please contact the church office. Ushers and Greeters The duties of the ushers include welcoming and greeting all who come to Worship at Caledonia Presbyterian. They are assigned these duties in advance and serve for a month. They are also responsible for the collection and counting of the weekly offering. GROUP INVOLVEMENT MISSION SERVICES AND FELLOWSHOP Salem Cottage, WMS Salem Cottage Women's Missionary Society is one of the oldest organizations in our Church. It was organized through the efforts of Miss Jane Ferrier, daughter of The Rev. Andrew Ferrier founder of Caledonia Presbyterian Church, in 1886. Bricks from their home, Salem Cottage which means "House of Peace", forms a portion of the wall downstairs in McMillan Hall. Each fall they hold an "Olde Fashioned Bazaar & Tea" where crafts, baking and quilts are sold to further the work of their Missions. If you would like to get involved, the Quilters meet every Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. to work on current quilt projects. Their meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 8:00 p.m. where they and enjoy a Worship Service, a learning experience and a very warm fellowship. For more background information on Salem Cottage see the Brief History taken from the latch, May 26, 1996. Women's Club Women of all ages are invited to attend regularly scheduled meetings that are held at 1:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. The Club usually meets in the evening, but is trying the afternoon on a trial basis. They are involved with the organization of banquets, the Lenten Luncheons, special lunches for Birthday Celebrations as well as serving tea for funerals. They also provide Lillies and Poinsettia for decorating the church at Easter and Christmas. Women's Fellowship Although they tend OT think they are the "Younger" women, membership consists of ladies of all ages. Women's Fellowship is a very informal group that meets the second Tuesday of the month at 8:00 p.m. This small group gets involved with different fundraising events throughout the year and enjoy meeting and working with other members of the congregation. All are welcome to attend the meetings and get involved in as much or as little of the activities as you want. Senior Choir The senior choir, under the direction of Luella Albin, meets to practise every Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. The choir adds a special touch to our Sunday Service with their enormous repertoire of lovely hymns and other songs of praise. In 2000, these talented singers cut a wonderful CD of some of our favorites. Surprisingly, there are still a few copies available from the church office. E-mail for your copy. New members are always welcome! Junior Choir The junior choir meets on Sundays following the Worship Service. Many Sundays the junior choir graces us with their heavenly voices. Under the direction of Karen Richardson with Cole MacDonald accompanying the choir on piano and sometimes guitar, these wonderful young people inspire us through their music. They sing on special occasions during the church year. The Junior Choir meets Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. If your child is old enough to read and likes to sing, he or she is always welcome! The Women's Missionary Group was privileged, at its November meeting, to one of the junior choir's concerts where several young ladies of the choir sang beautiful solos to the delight of all those present. Our church is fortunate to have many talented musicians who play a variety of instruments. Each one adds a new dimension of enjoyment to our Worship Service. NURSERY Supervised Nursery Services are available every Sunday except those Sundays dedicated to Church Family Services where the children are invited to stay with their family. The nursery is always open and with the growing number of families with babies and children not trained, volunteers are always in demand. Male and female volunteers are needed to help with nursery duties. The more volunteers we have the less they are called upon to take on duties for Sunday mornings. If you feel that you would like to assist in this way, please contact Heather Vais. WELCOME TO THE CHURCH SCHOOL The Church School follows the rotational model that started this September 2004.Children ages preschool to grade 6 take part in a series of rotating workshops that include crafts, games, drama, music, cooking and so on. Volunteers to lead a workshop or to help the leader are always in demand. If you have a talent to share with the children please contact either Lorne MacDonald, Church School Superintendent, or Rev. Tom Vais. Each rotation runs 4 to 5 weeks. The Church School meets during our 10:30 a.m. Worship Service. The children are invited to go downstairs after the "time with the children" in our regular church service. Grade 7/8 meet with Les Miles/Ron Edwards in their own group each week. The youth group meets alternating weeks with Lorne MacDonald. THE LATCH Our Church newsletter is printed 4 times a year. It consists of information about coming events, special announcements, church family news and children's section - important information members and adherents need to know about the church and the congregation. Please submit any articles of interest to the church office. Back to the top of page