Announcements

It has been a monumental Year for our church and we now will be moving into our summer schedule. 

beginning the First Sunday in July  (July 2) we will move to worship at 9:30am through to Labour Day

We will be having regular worship during the month of July but will take a Summer break when the church will be closed for Sunday 6th ,13th  and 20th.   We worship will begin again on August 27th at 9:30am 

Rev Will will be on Vacation from July 13th to August 24th.   He will be available for only dire cases of emergency. 

We are so grateful for all of the hard work that everyone has gifted the church and pray that everyone has a restful and enjoyable summer.   

 My Dear Sisters and Brothers In Christ

When I was young about a century ago. I found Ellis Peters Cadfael Mysteries.  An 11^th century monk how is the Herbalist living in the Monastery of St Peter and St Paul in the town of Shrewsbury. As much as I enjoyed the mysteries I was captivated by the idea of the Monastic community.  It continued for me with another set of books by Ken Follett, Pillars of the Earth and World without End.  Both set again in this time the fictions town of Kingsbridge in medieval England.    Great stories and yes more of the monastic living.  It is no secret that I often call the Manse the Monastery.  I think it is the idea of community and everyone contributing their talents and gifts to the community.  They were not necessarily safe places and suffered under Viking raids and the desolation of the monasteries under Henry the VIII.  Yet in their time the produced such great works of art and writing.   The days were and are (there are still Monasteries and Abbeys) around worship.    I can imagine that there is a comfort in the ritual and song. 

Using writings from the present day Iona Community on the Island of Iona in Scotland an ancient site founded In 563, by now Saint Columba who came to Iona from Ireland with twelve companions, and founded the monastic community. . It developed as an influential centre for the spread of Christianity among the Picts and Scots.  And Yes it too knew the hard hand of the Norsemen.  I have edited together a weekly worship for you to follow over the four weeks I am away on Vacation. 

Find the sacred space, center yourself you may use a candle, a rock, a garden or nothing to help center your thoughts. 

One of the inspirational writers from the Iona Community John Bell challenges us when reading the scriptures not just to look at the story, but to consider the characters. Who are they, what are they feeling how do the interact.  In reading the gospel each week try to look beyond the words and reflect on the emotion and relationship between the characters.   Which one speaks to you. How do you feel towards them.   Then pray upon the scripture asking the Spirit to reveal it’s wisdom to your heart. 

Each week the liturgy is the same. Take time to read it again and allow it to take you to your sacred space.  The lessons Change weekly. 

As the Summer gives way to Fall I am confident that we will be able to gather once more as a community of faith gathered in Christ, touched by the Holy Spirit and Blessed by God. 

Blessings Rev Will 

  Creation

For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven 

Creation. 

In the beginning God created. God took his great boat and made great spheres. And God set sail across the heavens. God began the work of creation Setting these spheres of all sizes and colours out in the universe and the planets were created Still it was somewhat dark so God said” let there be light” and all the suns where created. Some yellow some red some orange and a few blue.  To all planets God visited. There God set out his boat full of water and it splashed across the landscape making oceans, seas lakes rivers ponds and creeks.  The water sparkled and laughed in the light of the sun.  God then created living growing things, of all shapes and sizes. God dipped his brush in the rainbow and made these growing things all colours. . Trees that kissed the sky, and little mushrooms who embraced the dark. Some would live on rocks and some in the oceans. For all places good created something to grow in its season. God created them all.   Then God formed all living things. From the depth to oceans to heights of mountains from crawling to flying God created all things. Each had their place, each added to the great wholeness of the planet.  After some time God decided on one more thing. Yes God would create his people they would be made in his image both male and female They would be all different sizes and shapes and colours but they all looked like God. They all would come to understand God each in their own way and each way would be sacred.  Then God smiled and thought “this is Good.” 

To everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven 

Will Wheeler . William’s Book of Hours. 

One: In quietness and darkness, in peace and confusion, Jesus Christ wants to make his home and meet his friends. He is the light of life

All: He is the hope for the world

One: In him there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant.

All: All are on in Jesus Christ

One : He is the light of life

All : he is the hope for the world.

One: in him there is neither blavck nor white neither north or south

All :All are one in Jesus Christ

One :In him is neither male nor female, neither master nor servant

All: All are one in Jesus Christ.

One: in him there is neither rich nor poor, neither middle class nor working class

All: All are one in Jesus Christ

One: Hi is the light of life

All:  he is the hope for the world.

Month 4 day 23   This is the Day Reading and meditations from the Iona Community.  Neil Paynter (Ed) 

Among the poor\among the proud\ among the persecuted\Among the privileged

Christ is coming He coming to make all things new

In the private house, in the market place, in the wedding feast, in the judgement hall,

Christ is coming, he is coming to make all things new.

With a gentle touch, with an angry word, with a clear conscience, with a burning love.

Christ is coming he is coming to make all things new.

The kingdom might come, that the world might believe, that the powerful might stumble, that the humble might be raised, Christ is coming. He is coming to make all things new. 

within us, without us, among us, before us, in this place in every place for this time for all time. Christ is coming he is coming to make all things new. 

(Month 3 day 25 John Bell This is the Day Reading and meditations from the Iona Community.  Neil Paynter (Ed) ) 

Prayer

 Lord Jesus, it’s good to know that you lived in the flesh

Walked where we walk, felt what we feel Got tired, had ore and dirty feet, needed to eat, and think about where the next meal was coming from.

But it’s even better to know that you enjoyed your food the feel of perfume on your skin the wind on your face, a child in your arms and the good wine at the wedding.

You didn’t mind when people touched you even those who were thought of as unclean. You kissed people with diseases and laid your head on your friend’s shoulder. Thank you for understanding our bodily pains and pleasures and for valuing them. All embracing, all love god, help me to remain open to the demands of welcome. All accepting, all seeing Christ hep me to recognise you in each tourist and pilgrim. Holy Spirit present everywhere always enter Help me serve with cheerfulness humility gentleness patience into me.

(Month 3 Day 30 Kathy Galloway This is the Day Reading and meditations from the Iona Community.  Neil Paynter (Ed) )

Lord’s Prayer 

 The New Creed

We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus,
crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death,
in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.

It has been a monumental Year for our church and we now will be moving into our summer schedule. 

beginning the First Sunday in July  (July 2) we will move to worship at 9:30am through to Labour Day

We will be having regular worship during the month of July but will take a Summer break when the church will be closed for Sunday 6th ,13th  and 20th.   We worship will begin again on August 27th at 9:30am 

Rev Will will be on Vacation from July 10th to August 21st.   He will be available for only dire cases of emergency. 

We are so grateful for all of the hard work that everyone has gifted the church and pray that everyone has a restful and enjoyable summer.