Mark's Midweek Musings
... Who is essential??

Another week goes by and so much is the same and yet so much around us in nature is changing and coming to life. I'm enjoying watching the garden as the perennials are sprouting. The daffodils have flowered nicely and brightly adding color to these often dreary days. Nature is always an abundant gift from God. But especially it is so during such a time as this.

For our Pentecost liturgy
I need four people
who can read the Acts passage
in different languages.

Email me if you can help with this!

Thanks!!

Each week ...

Keeping Connected email ... Tues & Thurs
Online Zoom Compline Tues at 7:30 pm
Mark's Midweek Musings ... Wed
There will be no Mid week Online reflection video this week
"Zoom" Coffee & Conversation ... Wed
On line Hymn Sing ... Thurs
Conference Call Bible Study ... Thurs
On line worship for Sunday

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 138; John 16: 4b-11
Wednesday ...Psalm 148; John 16: 12-20
Thursday ... Ascension Day ... Psalm 93; Luke 24: 44-53
Friday ... Psalm 47: 1-6; John 16: 20-24
Saturday ... Psalm 47: 1-2, 7-10; John 16: 23b - 28
Sunday ... Psalm 68: 1-10, 343-36; John 17: 1-11
Monday ... Psalm 68: 1-6; John 16: 29-33

First ... thank you on behalf of the wardens
for the donations we have received
through the mail and through Canada Helps.

To possibly make it easier
for you to make your offerings
I will be at the church
up on the landing of the south door
for you to drop your offering off
on the first Friday of each month
from 1 to 2 pm.

As well, I will be available
to pray and offer a socially distanced blessing.

For the sake of safety
please enter off of Toronto Street
and not from the lower parking lot.

If there are a number who
show up at the church at the same time,
please be sure to follow
appropriate social isolation.

The offerings will be blessed
as part of the following Sunday's Online liturgy.

Upcoming dates to keep in mind
related to our Online Worship ...

Sun May 31 ... Pentecost ... we will worship together with Trinity United Church to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit ... what better way to celebrate this glorious spirit filled feast day than ecumenically with out brothers and sisters in Christ

Sun June 14 ... we will celebrate Pride as an affirming parish with Bishop Kevin Robertson preaching

Sun June 21 ... we will be blessed to have our Primate, Archbishop Linda Nicholls preaching as part of our liturgy

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.

A message from Gail Browne ...

Hello everyone,

When I picked up my order at Otter Greenhouses today, I learned that
they have cancelled their planned fundraising campaign with schools and churches, and are instead donating 5% of their plant sales to the Uxbridge and Port Perry food banks... a great way to help those in our communities who are finding it especially difficult during the Covid-19 crisis. If you can, please support this very important campaign.

As you may know, St. Paul’s collects food once a month for the Loaves and Fishes food bank. We also take part, with other churches, service clubs and individuals, in providing a pay-what-you-can Wednesday lunch for clients and friends of the food bank. All food is donated, and money collected is donated to the organization.

As stores and services begin to re-open, remember to stay safe... wear a mask when shopping, wash your hands frequently, and practice social distancing.

Gail

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!!

Who is essential??

Throughout these days of Covid 19 we are appropriately aware of and grateful for those who have been labelled as essential. These include the obvious front line workers in our medical system of hospitals and long term care facilities. However I was also pleased to see that the list of those deemed essential includes those who work in grocery stores and garbage collectors to name but two. We need together to acknowledge and give thanks for those who are continuing to work these days, often putting themselves and their health at risk.

This led me to ponder the spiritual question of who is essential and what makes them essential. From God's perspective, we are all essential as God created us and calls us to exercise ministries following His will and direction for us. Not one of God's creation is superfluous; we all have value for who we were created to be; who we are; and all we do as faithful children of God and followers of Jesus Christ. The question to ponder is do we believe ourselves to be essential in the larger schemem of things and in the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus. The truth is ... we are all essential whether we think we are or not.

What makes us essential? I believe that we all have some part to play in the building of God's kingdom. God has blessed each of us with gifts, talents and abilities to be offered back to God in ways that bring to life the gospel message of hope and promise. There are opportunities for each of us to be ambassadors for Christ; to be the disciples we are called to be and that we have committed ourselves to be through our baptisms.

I think that especially during times like we're in now, living with Covid 19, we undoubtedly have the opportunity to share with even just one person how we manage these days. Who might be that one person for you ... a friend ... a neighbor ... a family member?

Remember ... what we share doesn't have to be eloquent or in depth. All we need to say to that person is this is where I turn when I'm anxious ... this is where I find peace ... this is what helps me to have hope ... this is what brings me joy. I suspect that for each of us, we know the answers to those questions and they come out of our faith, our relationship with God and our trust in Jesus Christ.

Take heart in the passage from Matthew 10: 19 ... "don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words."

I invite each of us individually in our own lives and collectively as the church to reflect on how essential we all are and how we can affirm that truth for each other when we're not so sure. And then pray to God for the opportunity and the wisdom in the moment to live out that essential witnessing to the truth of all we believe and who we are as children of God and disciples of Jesus Christ.

This hour we turn to you, O Lord,
in full knowledge of our frailty, our vulnerability,
and our great need as your mortal creatures.
We cry to you, as one human family,
unsure of the path ahead,
unequal to the unseen forces around us,
frightened by the sickness and death
that seem all too real to us now.

Stir up your strength and visit us, O Lord;
be our shield and rock and hiding place!
Guide our leaders, our scientists, our nurses and doctors.
Give them wisdom and fill their hearts
with courage and determination.
Make even this hour, O Lord,
a season of blessing for us,
that in fear we find you mighty to save,
and in illness or death,
we find the cross to be none other than the way of life.

All this we ask in the name of the One
who bore all our infirmities,
even Jesus Christ our Risen and Victorious Lord. Amen.

Copyright © 2017 St. Paul's Anglican Church, Uxbridge, All rights reserved.

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

Mark's Midweek Musings ... Who is essential??

Mark's Midweek Musings
... Who is essential??