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We are a busy church, and many of our congregation are active in the groups and organizations profiled below.
The Senior Choir at St. David's is composed of about 12 members with
an age range of 13 to over 60. New members are always welcome. We
present an introit and anthem every Sunday, and special music for the
Christmas and Easter seasons. We use 4-part harmony, with and without
accompaniment, and our repertoire includes everything from the medieval
and baroque, through the famous classical composers, to gospel and
modern music. We undertake various projects on a regular basis within
the church and community, performing at senior citizens' homes, in
benefits for St. David's or other organizations, and with other choirs.
St. David's Choir is a venue for singers to use their talents to glorify
God, and to work hard and have fun at the same time. To view a song by the choir posted on YouTube, click here. For many years at St. David’s, there has been a discussion group relating the Scriptures to life. The focus has varied according to the interests of the members, from study of a particular book, topical studies throughout the Bible, social issues in the Scriptures, and in Winter 1998, a study with the help of a video on different views of the book of Genesis. The format has also varied on a continuum from theological analysis
at one end to something more akin to a spiritual cell group at the
other. The current group, seven to ten people plus children, meets one
morning a week for coffee, fellowship, prayer and Bible study. In the
Fall of 1998, the group examined the dynamics of the family from a
Christian perspective. During the Winter 1999 meetings, using the NIV
Serendipity Bible which is specifically designed for small groups, there
was a study series on coping with transitions.
Christmas pageant, December 2006 The Church School of St. David’s is a dedicated group. It has an enrolment of 37 children from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 9., with an average attendance of thirty children each Sunday. The crèche, serving infants from birth to age 3, regularly serves the needs of six to eight infants and toddlers each Sunday. We have a youth group serving junior & high school students. This group meets at 12:15-1:00 pm after church service. Church School children start their classes each Sunday at 11:15 a.m., following a brief children’s time delivered by the minister in the Sanctuary. The classes finish at 12:00 noon, just as the parents are leaving the church service. Most children join their parents for refreshments in the church hall before heading home. We have eight Church School teachers, two per class, who rotate their teaching responsibilities on a monthly basis. The curriculum used by the teachers is "The Whole People of God". The teachers usually meet once a month after church service for a soup lunch to exchange ideas and plan ahead. The Church School participates in several special events throughout the year. The Christmas Pageant is usually an exciting mix of music and drama, and is certainly a highlight of the advent season. Also at Christmas time, the children of the church participate in Operation Christmas Child and White Gift Sunday. Presentation Sunday, the Sunday that marks the end of the Church
School year in June, is a time when the children of the Church School
participate in the regular Sunday service, sharing their talents with
the congregation. The annual family picnic is usually held on a Sunday
soon after
Presentation Sunday. It is
held in conjunction with the congregation of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church. This event heralds the arrival of summer and the end of another
Church School year. The crèche remains open during the summer and
there is also a 'one room' Church School. Normal Church School begins again
in full in mid-September. The Aim of the Girl Guides of Canada is to help girls and young women to become responsible citizens, able to give leadership and service to the community, whether local, national or global. St. David’s Church has sponsored the Guiding program since September, 1975. From its beginning as an outreach program, Guiding at St. David’s has become the mainstay of District V. St. David’s hosts a full range of programs, Sparks (ages 5–7), Brownies (ages 7-9), Guides (ages 9-12), Pathfinders (ages 12-15), and Rangers (ages 15-18). The Rangers hold their meetings once every two weeks, and the other units hold weekly meetings. The program at each level reflects the Aims and Objectives of Guiding with activities appropriate to the age group. District V also includes a Brownie Pack at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church and a Guide Company at Gower Street United Church. The two Brownie Packs and two Guide Companies often hold joint activities, and several times a year all the units come together for district-wide events. The highlight of the year is the district camp attended by Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers and leaders. District V has a core of leaders with a long-term commitment to Guiding, and is fortunate to have constant infusion of new leaders The members of District V have a strong attachment to St. David’s.
District V takes part in the life of the congregation in various ways.
The major activity is the annual Christmas sale of crafts and baked
goods in conjunction with morning coffee. This sale raises funds for the
Christmas Hampers for St. David’s, St. Thomas’ and Gower Street
Churches. Members of Guiding at St. David’s provide a colour party for
Remembrance Day services, take part in the annual spring clean-up of the
Church grounds, provide individuals to serve tea/coffee and wash dishes
for morning teas, and when called upon, are happy to be of service in
any way they can. Good Companions is an organization of Seniors. It meets Thursday
afternoons from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and has a membership of
approximately thirty. Activities at the meetings include carpet bowling
in the hall and games of auction and bridge in the Armour Room. A cup of
tea is served during the afternoon. Other events during the year include
guest speakers and a few outings and dinners. Transportation to the
meetings is provided by members and friends from the congregation. The
organization has now been operating for sixteen years, and is one of the
most popular organizations in the congregation. Members are very active
and enthusiastic. The Women’s Auxiliary (WA) is a very active organization in the
Church, having a membership of approximately ten women who meet on the
last Tuesday of every month, except during the summer. Fund-raising
activities are conducted by the WA throughout the year, the most notable
being the Annual Fall Sale in November, the Flipper Dinner in April, a
Pancake Supper before Lent, and a luncheon for the Seniors Group in
March. They also hosted an evening for the women of the neighboring
Roman Catholic and Anglican parishes. As well as giving funds to the
Board of Managers, the WA also makes contributions of material goods,
most recently purchasing chairs for the hall and a dishwasher for the
kitchen. The WA also provides catering and other help for special church
functions at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. By virtue of being a
small group, the WA is well supported by the congregation.
The St. David’s auxiliary is affiliated with the Newfoundland and Labrador Presbyterial of the Atlantic Mission Society (AMS), under the Presbyterian Church in Canada. The organization exists to promote congregational involvement in the Mission work of the church, including prayer and financial support. Most, but not all, of the funds raised in this Province are forwarded for disbursement through the Atlantic regional executive. Provincial delegates attend the AMS annual meeting and other meetings as travel funds permit. The AMS meets monthly with an average of twelve members. This meeting
includes a worship service, mission study period, business meeting and
fellowship time. There are, in addition, approximately fifty Home
Helpers who help with fund-raising but who may, or may not, be able to
attend monthly meetings. AMS members are involved in service of various
kinds such as congregational visiting, flower distribution, hospital
visits, preparation and delivery of fruit baskets to seniors at
Christmas, and, until a year ago, had primary responsibility for
organizing the grocery hamper and white gift ministry to poor families
in the city. Members also participate in the annual Thank-offering
Sunday, usually in March, when the congregation’s support is solicited
for ongoing mission ventures at home and overseas. Over the years, the
AMS has been involved in a number of "special projects", such
as sponsoring a foster child, participating in welcoming and settling
new immigrant families, supporting the Mulanje hospital in Malawi, etc.
Currently the group is involved in enlisting the generous support of the
congregation for a new community health clinic in Ibulanku, Uganda.
In November 1979, a house adjacent to the church was purchased and extensively renovated. It has provided a home for several needy community organizations. Currently the house is occupied by Association for New Canadians. The Association for New Canadians is a non-profit organization formed in St. John’s in the 1970s to assist the great influx of immigrants. Many of the volunteers working with the Association were members of the St. David’s congregation. Early in the 1990s, when whole families were leaving countries where they had suffered persecution, the Group Home became an ideal place to accommodate all family members together for short stays. This arrangement with the Association has successfully operated
through the 1990s and we hope it will carry on well into the future. The
residents and the congregation have benefited greatly from the
interaction between the two groups. Some of the residents who stayed in
the transition house longer than others have been active in our
congregation. The Kirk Session consists of fifteen men and eight women, for a total of 23 elders. All remain active members of Session but four no longer have responsibility for districts. It is a strong group of dedicated individuals coming from a variety of backgrounds representative of the congregation. In close co-operation with the Moderator, the Session addresses its principal responsibility for the spiritual well-being of the church through the organization and arrangement of special services and activities and through the traditional periodic visitation with all members. Members of Session are also active in many of the organizations of the church. The Session, in co-operation with other church organizations, supports generous programs that provide a number of Christmas Hampers, White Gifts and other gifts for needy in the community. The Session upholds the tradition and government of the Presbyterian Church in Canada and seeks ways of applying these both within the church and through its outreach in the surrounding community. Clerk of Session: Lillian Crawford The role and purpose of the Board of Managers is to facilitate the functional operation of the church. Regular meetings are held monthly, with extra meetings convened as required. There are six committees, which monitor church business and needs as follows:
The Board usually consists of 15 managers. The minister is an ex-officio member of the Board. Members are elected to the Board for a three-year term at the Annual General Meeting of the congregation, from within the members and adherents of the congregation. Positions within the Board, namely Secretary, Treasurer, Chair and Vice Chair are filled by election at the first meeting following the AGM. Duties of the managers include processing of offerings (periodically, by roster), and participation in the monthly meeting of the Board. Each manager is also a member of a committee and has responsibilities with respect to that role. The six committees and three employees are empowered to manage
routine matters, while issues of greater substance are discussed and
acted upon by the Board. In addition, the envelope secretary manages
records for regulatory requirements (income tax receipts).
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Committee.
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