Mark's Midweek Musings ... July 1, 2020

Happy Canada Day!!

Today Canada turns 153 years old!!! That's a sure sign that summer has arrived. Only this year celebrations will certainly be different. No parties in the park ... no midway ... no carnival atmosphere ... no fireworks. Yes, like so many other things that we normally do in life, celebrating Canada Day will also be different from what we're used to.

And yet, it's important to stop and remember what the essence of this day is about for us as Canadians. I will reflect further in my musings below. Despite what we can't do today, it's important to do what we can as we recognize the blessings we enjoy and our hopes for the future as a country.

A reminder that I will be taking the next two weeks off as vacation time. There will be no worship video offered from St. Paul's on Sunday 12. However, I will make sure that you have the link to the service offered from St. Jame's Cathedral.

If there are any pastoral emergencies during my time away, please contact the church office by email at stpaulsuxbridge@yahoo.ca or leave a message by telephone at 905-852-7016. Evelyn will be checking messages regularly.

This week ...

Keeping Connected email ... Tues & Thurs
Online Zoom Compline Tues at 7:30 pm
Mark's Midweek Musings ... Wed
No "Zoom" Coffee & Conversation on Wednesday
Conference Call Bible Study ... Thurs
On line worship for Sunday ... we celebrate Canada Day in partnership with Trinity United Church

I have been asked to share
some scripture passages
that people can read over the week
and reflect in their own personal times
of prayer and bible reading.

These are the appointed lectionary readings
from the psalm and the gospel
for celebrations of the Eucharist

Tuesday ... Psalm 5; Matt 8: 23-27
Wednesday ... Psalm 50:7-15; Matt 8: 28-34
Thursday ... Psalm 19:7-10; Matt 9: 1-8
Friday ... St. Thomas the Apostle ... Psalm 126; John 20: 24-29
Saturday ... Psalm 85: 7-13; Matt 9: 14-17
Sunday .. .Psalm 45: 11-18; Matt 11: 16-19, 25-30
Monday ... Psalm 145: 1-9; Matt 9: 18-26

This week in our parish cycle of prayer
we remember and pray for ...

Robert & Lori Budgeon
Julie Bunger
Mae Burley
Geoff Carpentier
Magery cowley
Jane Cramm
Beth Crook
Heidi Chusing
Cindy D'Hollander
Robin & Susan Dhillon

Throughout July and August

Zoom Coffee & Conversation
will be July 22, August 5 & 26

I will be taking some vacation time in July.

Here is what to expect ...

Wed July 1 ... Canada Day ... NO COFFEE & CONVERSATION
Thurs July 2 ... Thursday Connectons
Thurs July 2 ... Online Hymn Sing
Sun July 5 ... Online worship in partnership with Trinity United celebrating Canada Day
Week of July 6 to 12 ... Mark on full week's vacation
Sunday July 12 ... no online worship from St. Paul's ... a link will be sent out directing you to St. Jame's Cathedral for worship
Week of July 13 to 19 ... Mark on a partial week vacation with video taping for July 19 online worship
Sun July 19 ... Online worship from St. Paul's
From July 6 to 19 ... there will be no connections, zoom Compline, musings, Zoom Coffee & Conversation, conference call bible study or online hymn sing
Tues July 21 ... Tuesday Connections & Zoom Compline
Wed July 22 ... Midweek Musings & Zoom Coffee and Conversation
Thurs July 23 ... Thursday Connections & Online Hymn Sing
Sun July 26 ... Online worship from St. Paul's
Tues July 28 ... Tuesday Connections & Zoom Compline
Wed July 29 ... Musings ... NO ZOOM COFFEE & CONVERSATION
Thurs July 30 ... Thursday Connections & Online Hymn Sing

We have our "Canada Helps" account
up and running
and ready to receive donations.

For those who would find this
a helpful way to continue
supporting St. Paul's.
here is the link ...

Thank you in advance
for your support of our ministry at St. Paul's

Thank you to the wardens
and especially to Dorothy
for working on this.

If you or someone you know
is in need of pastoral support
during this time

please leave a message
at the church office or email me.

Trust me when I say
it is no bother!!

This is what I'm here to do!!

Happy Canada Day!!

Today, we celebrate the 153rd birthday of our country of Canada. For my musings this week, I'd like to reflect spiritually and prayerfully on what this day means for us as we honor and give thanks for our past, acknowledge our unfaithfulness through our history and express our hope for who we might become as a nation and as individual citizens.

First ... gratitude for the past

Canada has a glorious landscape that stretches from ocean to ocean ... from North to South and East to West ... rugged coasts; gorgeous mountains; flat prairies; great lakes ... our natural beauty is something to celebrate and give thanks for as a gift we have been blessed with

Canada has a wealth of natural resources ... trees and forests; minerals; oil; water ... we are abundantly blessed with what is above the ground as well as below the ground

Canada is blessed with diversity among those who have chosen to call our country home ... different cultural backgrounds; nationalities; various religions ... and together we form that cultural mosaic we know as Canada, each one of us equally Canadian

Canadians live each day with the basic freedoms of life ... religion; free speech; ability to vote politically ... all of those freedoms enhance our life day to day

Canada remains a country where we live peacefully ... there are disagreements and differences of opinion; but thankfully war is not a reality within our borders

Second, unfaithfulness through history

to our indigenous people ... residential schools; reservations where water is undrinkable; murdered and missing women and girls; poverty whether in rural communities or larger urban centers; continued stigma and discrimination that continues today ... we've apologized with words, but what about our actions and attitudes towards our First Nations people

discrimination and racism that undermines our multicultural makeup as a country ... whether towards blacks or any other individual ... everyone who calls Canada home is entitled to the basics of respect and dignity and to be valued for who they are and all they offer

how we have contributed to colonialism ... thinking that the British European way of doing things was right and best ... and those who were and are devalued as a result

the interment of Ukrainian Canadians after WWI an of Japanese Canadians after WWII ... thinking they were the enemy and couldn't be trusted ... even though many were born here and were full Canadian citizens

the time it's taken for LGBTQ2S+ rights to be fully given ... that individuals may live with authenticity, integrity and apologetically for who they are

that we have not been as committed as we can be to the issues of climate change and the compromising of our environment

Third ... what we hope for in the future

that every person who lives here currently will be treated equally experiencing fully the rights and freedoms of what it means to be Canadian

that the worth of every person might be valued and what they have to offer in terms of skills and abilities are appreciated and acknowledged

that we might continue to work on the world scene as peace keepers striving to avoid wars, violence and oppression

that we would take our part in caring for the environment and valuing the gift of God's creation

that we can continue to be a sanctuary for those seeking refuge from life threatening experiences in the countries where they live

our governments at various levels will allocate their financial resources in such a way that all people can benefit ... to bring poverty to an end; to actively support mental health; to provide opportunities equally for all people

We have an incredible heritage as Canadians. For certain, our history is not perfect ... we have made mistakes and contributed to injustice. But I think the essence of who we are is inherent in how others around the world look at us. Sometimes others are amused by the Canadian "Thank you" that is always expressed; or the phrase we use a lot, "I'm sorry". But I also think that there is respect from others in that national outlook that others see in us and perhaps wish for themselves.

On this Canada Day, let's enter into it not just as a civil celebration, but spiritually too as a people of faith. Let's acknowledge that God has blessed us ... let's confess the wrongs we've contributed to ... let's pray with faith and trust in what God can do for us and through us.

A prayer for Canada Day...

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Our website is:
http://www.stpauls-uxbridge.ca/

Our location is:
59 Toronto Street South, Uxbridge Ontario L9P1H1 Canada

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St. Paul's Anglican Church, Uxbridge · 59 Toronto Street · Uxbridge, On L9P1H1 · Canada