Well that was quite the blast of winter!! I guess to be expected given the saying "in like a lamb, out like a lion"!! I only hope we've see pretty much the end of that kind of cold and snow. Let's hope spring is now on its way. Soon plants and flowers that have died will come back to life. And how appropriate in this upcoming time when we focus on our faith in the midst of the story of death and resurrection.
Throughout Lent, the sermons will focus on the understanding and reflecting on the promises of our baptismal covenant. In particular, we will be asked how we hope to live them out faithfully.
This past Sunday, we were asked, "how will you strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being?"
with my prayers
reach out to LGBTQ community
listen to what the other person is saying and do what I can to help ... with God's help
listen intently to people's stories
show respect to others as often as I can
awareness of my community
I can not do alone but together we have the power ... with God's help
I will try to connect with people I see and meet ... with God's help
by making my opinion known to family, friends & politicians
by lobbying for change ... with God's help
making services accessible at work
celebrating difference
ensure governments make decisions for the benefit of all people
be conscious of inclusive language
be open, loving, proactive in visibly accepting LGBTQ
volunteer with community care helping the elderly with drives and errands
listen with ears to hear; observe with eyes to see; respond with a heart of compassion
one day at a time
to smile at all people ... everyone needs the love thru smile
treat all as equal and lead by example
by putting others before myself
This Sunday's question in advance ... "How will you strive to safeguard the integrity of God's creation, and respect, sustain and renew the life of the earth?”
Please note the time change ...
The candlelight communion is at 7:30
& the series at 8:00
For he past couple of weeks as part of our Lenten observance
we have been focussing on Faithworks.
Please consider any donation you can make
to support Faithworks ministries of our diocese.
Last year we distributed more than $1 million
to organizations that work for justice
and minister to those most in need.
Any donation will be gratefully received.
You can add a monthly donation to your PAR
if that is helpful for you.
Together, our response to faithworks makes a difference!!
And remember that 15% raised stays in the parish
for our own outreach initiatives.
“Muffins for Pikangikum”
A reminder that each Sunday during Lent
the Outreach Committee is selling muffins
in support of clean water for Pikangikum.
As well, we have a jar for any donations
you'd like to make to this initiative.
Thank you for your support!
Gail Verwoerd has been involved
in the leadership of "Lunch & Learn"
for many years since this ministry began.
Gail has decided go conclude
her role as coordinator for "Lunch and Learn".
First, we are grateful to Gail
for all she has given and her commitment to this ministry.
We will miss your leadership
but pray God's blessing on the other things you are involved in.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!!
We believe that this ministry is vital and important
to the over 50 people we have registered
and who attend regularly.
In order for us to continue into the future
we need to add to the organizing committee.
Please consider if this is something
you might be interested in being part of.
Please speak to Gail Browne or me.
If you would like to make a donation
for memorial Easter flowers
there are envelopes available
at the back of the church.
Please have them in the office
by Sunday April 14.
Calling all volunteers
to make palm crosses for Palm Sunday
We gather at the church
on Friday April 12 at 1:30 pm.
It's a fun time of fellowship together!!
Speak to Joan for more details.
Wed Apr 3 ... 7:30 pm ... Lenten Candlelight Communion followed by "Becoming the Story we Tell" series
Thurs Apr 4 ... 10 am ... Communion followed by "Becoming the Story we Tell" series at Mae's
Thurs Apr 4 ... 12 noon ... Lunch and Learn ... Fraud Alert
Sat Apr 6 ... 8:30 am ... Men's Breakfast
Sun Apr 7 ... 8:30 & 10:30 am Communion Services
Mon Apr 9 ... 9 am ... Warden's Meeting
Wed Apr 10 ... ... 7:30 pm ... Lenten Candlelight Communion followed by "Becoming the Story we Tell" series
Thurs Apr 11 ... 10 am ... Communion followed by "Becoming the Story we Tell" series at Mae's
Thurs Apr 11 ... 1:30 pm ... TAB & ACW
Holy Week
Sun Apr 14 ... Palm Sunday ... 8:30 and 10:30 am Communion services with the blessing and distribution of palms
Mon Apr 15 ... 1 pm ... Coffee & Chat at "Tin Cup"
Mon Apr 15 ... 7:30 pm ... Candlelight Communion
Tues Apr 16 ... 7:30 pm ... Candlelight Communion with anointing for healing
Wed Apr 17 ... 7:30 pm ... Candlelight Communion with Stations of the Cross
Maundy Thursday ... note that there is no morning communion or bible study
... 7:30 pm ... Communion with symbolic hand washing and solemn stripping of the sanctuary
Fri Apr 19 ... Good Friday
9:15 am ... Family liturgy for Good Friday
11:00 am ... Solemn Service of the Passion of Jesus
1:30 pm ... Community Good Friday Walk ... stopping at strategic places to pray for the marginalized in our community and around the world who live in the midst of the stations of the cross thorughout their lives
4:00 pm ... Good Friday Concert ... Cantorei sine Nomine ... Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri'
Sat Apr 20 ... 2 to 4 pm ... Uxbridge Gay Straight Alliance
Sun Apr 21 ... Easter
8:30 am ... Communion celebrating the resurrection
10:30 am ... Festive Communion celebrating the resurrection with special music
Thurs Apr 25 ... 10 am ... Communion followed by "Becoming the Story we Tell" series at Mae's
Fri Apr 26 ... 7 to 9 pm ... Gaymes Night
Sun Apr 28 ... Foodbanks Sunday ... with the launching of "The Table" please note the change in service times
... 8:15 am ... quiet traditional communion
... 9:30 am ... "The Table" ... casual, comfortable communion ... with baptism
... 10:45 am ... Sung Communion service with choir
... 2 pm ... Douglas Crossing communion service
Mon Apr 29 ... 7 pm ... "holy spirits ... faith conversations over a pint" at Wixan's
Tues Apr 30 ... 6:30 pm ... Bishop Shaw's Town Hall Meeting ... St. George's, Pickering Village
We have identified and made a commitment at vestry
to reach out and help those in need
in our community of Uxbridge!!
If you are interested in becoming an advocate
and in entering into a process with other stakeholders
to discern where the need is most,
please speak to me or send me an email.
We plan to arrange a time to meet
with North House and the local Salvation Army
to begin strategizing how we can move forward together
and then invite other churches and people from the community
to join us in this work for justice in our own neighborhood.
Help is needed to distribute our posters around town.
These posters attract people to our services, Lunch & Learns, dinners, concerts and other events.
Each person would have no more
than 12 posters to distribute.
The town has been divided into 4 areas,
and should take no more than 30-40 minutes to complete. P
lease speak to Evelyn Pogue if you are able to help.
Volunteers are needed to help water
and weed the gardens at St. Paul’s.
If you could give a couple of hours twice a month,
please leave your name with Evelyn Pogue.
Saturday May 4 at 2 pm
we will welcome and host
the Trent Durham town hall meeting
with Bishop Andrew Asbil
here at St. Paul's
Bishop Andrew wants to hear from lay people in every episcopal area about their hopes, fears and dreams for their parishes and the diocese.
"Our spiritual pantry ..."
I quite enjoy cooking and even more so creating. Rarely do I follow a recipe to the letter, but rather add this ingredient or that ingredient. Sometimes it depends what I have in the pantry to work with. And, if the recipe calls for one spice that I don't have, I look for what I might substitute.
My favorite recently is my homemade spaghetti sauce. It's so easy to make in larger quantities and tastes so much better that we never buy bottled sauces anymore. And in truth, they never turn out exactly the same each time I make them because I often don't measure. But the basics are the same ... caramelized onions, peppers and garlic, fresh tomatoes, wine, Worcester sauce, salt, pepper, salsa and crushed tomatoes. That sauce can then have cream added to it to make a delicious creamy tomato sauce. I get hungry just writing about it!!
I enjoy the process of creating and seeing what it tastes like in the end. Sometimes it really doesn't work ... I'v had a few flops for sure. But most often there is something at the very least redeemable that's worth eating, even if we don't always make it again.
God has blessed us with a spiritual pantry of many ingredients that make for a faithful, committed and growing life of faith. We have scripture, the tradition of the church over the years, the gift of rich liturgy and worship, prayers that go back centuries, different styles of pray that are each quite meaningful including meditation and contemplation; we have the gathered community of the church; we're part of a larger family in the body of Christ around the world; we have the encouragement to ask questions of our faith; we are blessed with a sacramental faith that brings God present into the moment of now; we have a wealth of music and hymns that engage the soul. Yes, our spiritual pantry is full and ready to be used in creating in us a faith which is integral to our lives and which is growing deeper and deeper within us.
The question is, how do we use that pantry and all those ingredients for a healthy, vibrant faith and relationship with God? How can all those practices within the rhythm of our spiritual lives contribute to the creation of something that is inspiring in who we are and how we live out our lives? What could God accomplish in us, in our hearts and souls, if we allowed God to truly use those ingredients in our spiritual pantry to create in us something beyond our imagination?
From time to time we need to take stock of what's there in our spiritual pantry and how we use it. But also ask if there are additions we could make by adding another element on to our personal shelf. I encourage myself and all of us to look at our spiritual pantry ... and use all that is there to develop a faithfulness within ourselves that will bring zest to our own lives, and hopefully the lives of those we meet too.
Let's, each one of us, get creative, as creative as I can be when I'm cooking in my kitchen!
I offer us this prayer for the desire to live faithfully attentive to all the spiritual gifts God has so wonderfully bestowed upon us ...
Dear God, as we rise to meet each new day,
please let us be filled with Your spirit.
Wherever we go, let us spread love,
joy, peace, goodness, and faithfulness.
Let us desire to become more like you
and to worship you in all we do.
Help us desire these things
so much more than the sin that entices us.
Thank you for always going before us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Remember, if you have a question, I encourage you to send it to me in an email and I will do my best to answer it either in a weekly update or in a sermon.
As always, my inbox is open, and so is my office door if you'd like to chat. I'm usually in my office most mornings Monday through Thursday unless otherwise announced due to a meeting. Stop by or make an appointment!
