Presented by our Cathedral and the Cantata Singers of Ottawa, and featuring tenor Nils Brown, a children's chorus, and young Ottawa instrumentalists. A celebration of the season not to be missed! Tickets available here!

Empty gift bags are vailable in the foyer with a suggested list of items for you to fill them with for clients of Belong Ottawa (Centre 454, The Well, St. Luke's Table). These folks are in need of your loving support, so please be generous! Filled gift bags must be returned by Sunday, December 8th so that the Cathedral Men's Group can deliver them. Thank you!

Join in adorning our Cathedral with flowers and decorations to celebrate the season, and remember loved ones at the same time. To make a memorial donation towards the flowers please send an e-transfer to info@ottawacathedral.ca or donate online with a note specifying the names of those whom you would like remembered by Wednesday, December 18th at noon. The names of those being memorialized will be printed in the orders of service at Christmas.

Come and enjoy a heartwarming meal, celebrating the season! This dinner will be held after the lovely O Antiphons service at 4 pm.

Tickets are on sale (cash/cheque/credit) from the Cathedral office and after the 10.30 am service on Sundays. The cost is $10 for those 12 years old and under, $30 for those over 13 years old and all adults.

Archbishop Hosam Naoum of our Companion Diocese of Jerusalem has entrusted us with offering friendship and support to an outstanding young graduate of St George’s College, Jerusalem, who took up a partial scholarship in September for undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, majoring in neuro-science and immunology.

Tareq Qirreh, who is from a Christian Palestinian family living in Jerusalem, will be spending the Christmas and New Year holiday in Ottawa, as the guest of Bishop Shane and his family, and will attend several of our festive celebrations.

Come and meet Tareq over coffee and Palestinian treats, hear his story as he tells it himself, and ask questions. Please make him welcome!

Thank you to all our choirs, music directors and organists, servers and readers and all who attended this very beautiful service - what an excellent start to the season of Advent! Pictured, are our diocesan clergy whom we welcomed as readers: The Reverend Jonathan Askwith, The Reverend Simone Hurkmans, The Reverend John Holgate, The Reverend Dr. Thomas Brauer, The Reverend Susan Smandych, The Reverend Karen McBride. How lovely that Bishop Ed Lackey also appears in this photo, blessing us with his smile!

Earlier this week, volunteers were celebrated around the world as part of International Volunteer Day. The clergy and staff would like to take this opportunity to thank all our volunteers for their contributions to Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa in 2024.

International Volunteer Day is an opportunity to recognize and formally acknowledge the efforts of people who volunteer to bring focus to issues of concern to them or to support organizations in their community or elsewhere. Our Cathedral simply could not function with our volunteers! No matter your activity, you play an important role in supporting all aspects of our ministry and the life of our Cathedral. This year hosting the North American Cathedral Deans Conference and staffing the reception office were enthusiastically embraced by you, in addition to everything else. From our hearts to yours, thank you!

The annual wreath fundraiser was a tremendous success this year: 370 wreaths were sold, netting $4,810 for our Cathedral Boys and Girls Choirs. Thanks to all, and especially Hilary and Lena for their amazing work convening, organizing and delivering this initiative. They were supported by a crack team of choir parents and grandparents, and our Cathedral staff. The collaborative "can-do" attitude, fresh fir scent wafting through the hallways, and connection with the wider community makes this a fun and positive event in the life of our Cathedral. Thanks to all who volunteered their time and all who bought wreaths!

...to everyone who prepared for, participated in, volunteered at, and enjoyed this year's event!

December
Sunday 8th | 4 pm | St Nicolas A Ceremony of Carols - Cathedral Choirs with the Cantata Singers (CLICK HERE to purchase tickets)
Sunday 15th | 4 pm | Nine Lessons and Carols
Sunday 22nd | 4 pm | O Antiphons | 5 pm | Wassail Dinner (Tickets available at the office)
Tuesday 24th | 7 pm | Christmas Eve Reading of the Christmas Gospel, Carols, and Choral Eucharist
Tuesday 24th | 10 pm | Christmas Eve Festal Eucharist
Wednesday 25th | 8.30 am | Christmas Morning Quiet Eucharist
Wednesday 25th | 10.30 am | Christmas Morning Choral Eucharist with Children's Story
Sunday 29th | after 10.30 am service | Palestinian Student Welcome

January
Wednesday 1st | Noon | New Year's Day Eucharist and Festive Reception with our Acting Primate

A service of Lessons and Carols for Christmas was first developed in 1880 by Bishop Edward Benson of Truro (who eventually became the Archbishop of Canterbury). A later adaptation by King’s College, Cambridge, became widely known. Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa has further adapted this iconic Christmas liturgy, using readings and carols to narrate the story of God’s loving purpose in creation, from the Spirit of God, which moved over the waters at the beginning of time, and the covenant God made with humankind, to the abandonment of that covenant and the hope-filled promise of humankind’s redemption by the Holy Child of Bethlehem. This service is offered by Christ Church Cathedral as a gesture of peace and goodwill to the people of the Nation’s Capital.

This service will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/c/christchurchcathedralottawa

The O Antiphons, sung in ancient evening offices during mid-Advent as antiphons to the Magnificat, provide a rich source of devotional imagery, and are well known through the hymn “O come, O come, Emmanuel.” In this contemplative and gentle evening liturgy, they offer a tone of expectation and hope. “Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28

This service will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/c/christchurchcathedralottawa

These lovely calendars featuring scenes from around the Canadian church are available for sale in the Cathedral office. Get yours now - they make great stocking stuffers!

Take some time for yourself during Advent to hold a prayer in your heart and colour a beautiful image. Let yourself relax and be with God. There is a new image for each week during Advent and one for Christmas so download, print and enjoy!

Our Cathedral
All those who are ill or suffering, and those who care for them; those who keep up with the shovelling!
Our Diocese
The Right Reverend Dr. Shane Parker; Our Community Ministries; St. John's, Smiths Falls, The Reverend Dr. Thomas Brauer.
Canadian Cathedrals
St. Paul's Cathedral, Kamloops, BC, The Very Reverend Kyle Norman.
Anglican Church of Canada (ACC)
The Most Reverend Anne Germond, Metropolitan of Ontario and Acting Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada; Staff of the Primate's Office; The Most Reverend Chris Harper, National Indigenous Archbishop.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)
Bishop Susan Johnson; National staff; Bishop Carla Blakley.
The Moravian Church (MOR)
The Reverend David Bennett, President of the Provincial Elders’ Conference of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in America.
Companion Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East
The Diocese of Jerusalem, Archbishop Hosam Naoum; St. George's College, Jerusalem; peace in Israel and Palestine.

A Prayer for Peace
O God of all justice and peace, we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land. Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for people of all faiths - Jews, Muslims, Christians, and for all people of the land. While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to the violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples. Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honour as your children for, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Our Clergy and the Cathedral Prayer Team will pray for all requests sent to info@ottawacathedral.ca during the week.

Scripture Readings for Sunday, December 15th - Third Sunday of Advent | Zephaniah 3:14-20; Canticle 3 (Isaiah 12:2-6); Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18

Children's Worship Activities | Weekly worship bulletins, books and other activities are on the shelves at the entrance to the Cathedral. There is also a table in the Great Hall to use and the labyrinth to walk. If your child is interested in being a junior server, member of a choir, or a reader, please speak with our clergy.

Hearing Assist Sets | Are available at every service from our sidespeople.

Newsletter Deadline | Wednesdays at noon.

General Info | Please visit our office, call 613.236.9149, or email info@ottawacathedral.ca. Office hours are Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm, and Friday from 9 am to noon.

Parking | Street parking is free around the Cathedral on Sundays. Other options for free and paid parking are noted on the map.