Weekly Announcements April 28, 2024

A Collaborative Anglican-United Church Open to All.

We follow Jesus Christ worshipping and serving with love and joy.

We open our minds, hearts and doors to the world.

Hybrid Worship Service, April 28, 2024, 10:00am

Easter V

Rev Suzanna Bates

Musician Dorothy Dittrich

Dear Friends,

Last Sunday we celebrated Earth Day during worship. Of course Earth Day is not just a day - but we should be mindful and live with respect and care for Earth and all its inhabitants at all times. It’s good though, to concentrate on these aspects from time to time and be reminded that, though we are individual, we are intimately connected to all life. We are literally made of the same stuff. We sometimes say, we are going out “into nature”, - truth is, we are nature. We are mud and clay and thousands of different components. Did you know that the word humility comes from the root “humus”, which means earth? It means being in touch with our own earthiness. 

The Earth is our home, it is the ground beneath our feet and the air we breathe. When we speak of the environment what we really mean is a relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it. We are part of nature and included in it and in constant interaction with it.  

This week we continue with that theme of deep connectedness to each other. Jesus illustrates this point with the image of a grapevine - in the way the branches are connected to the rest of the plant so that they may bear good fruit, so deeply are we connected to all life. It’s about joining the dots between us. It’s about sticking around long enough to find common ground; about being awake to life happening around us, and in us so that God’s love can stretch and reach and breath life into those corners and places, and people and situations that before had found and known no love. 

We life in tumultuous times of great change and upheaval. Of widespread intolerance and disregard for humanity. When we disregard the lives of people, of Earth’s creatures, of the trees and seas - we lose touch with our own humanity. We forget who we are and we need reminding of our place in this intricate balance of life. 

Let us learn to live in peace and love and in our connection to the Great Giver of Life, give a voice to the voiceless and work to knit community and come together in closer connection. 

If you’d like to be in touch, or if you’d like to meet me at the church for a conversation, I am available by phone, text, e-mail or even Zoom. Here’s how to reach me: E-mail - rev.suzanna@gmail.com      phone/text - 250-4665993

Blessings today,

Rev. Suzanna Bates
 
The pastoral ministry of CCG is visible in many ways. Weekly telephone calls, the provision of comforting meals, prayer, visits - these are some of the ways our fold engage with this vital ministry in our congregation. And there is another beautiful way of demonstrating care in a very tangible way - Prayer Shawls! Warm shawls are lovingly knitted or crocheted and then offered to folk as a symbol of being wrapped in love and prayer. We are so grateful to the folk who participate in this wonderful ministry!

On Sunday 5th May we’ll be blessing some of the newly created prayer shawls during worship. Even though we may not know where they will end up, we know for sure they will be given with blessing and love to the recipients.

Warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing.

May these mantles be a safe haven, 
a sacred place of security and well-being, 
sustaining and embracing, 
in good times and in difficult times. 
May the ones who wear these prayer shawls be cradled in hope,
kept in joy, 
graced with peace and wrapped in love. 
 
 
We are delighted to welcome CCG Bell Ringers to bring their 

music to our worship on Sunday 5th May. 

This wonderful group of people love playing together 

and making joyful sounds!

 
DID YOU GET YOUR BOOKMARK?

Have you signed up to bring flowers for our Sunday Worship Service? If you have, thank you! :-)
 

            Join us Fridays for 

Coffee Hour & Soup Social! 

10.30am-12.30pm

We are fortunate to have a number of musicians who entertain us and lead us in a sing-along.

Sunday’s Service - April 28, 2024

Order of Service, CLICK HERE

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