Sign of the Times

Sometimes we Anglicans are shy about that dreaded

‘E’ Word  (shhhh….say it quietly… evangelism… )

And it is certainly understandable.  In a time when Christianity is often associated with churches telling us we need to repent and convert or be condemned – no wonder !

I prefer to have faith and trust in God who loves us unconditionally, without restrictions, where there is no room for the dark and only for the light --- and who only asks us one thing --- to love God and our neighbour.

As part of our ‘Evangelism’ program  St. Faith’s has a new sign which will be on our lawn each weekday the church is open.

For St. Faith’s part of loving our neighbour means opening our doors to show we care (doesn’t matter if you come to church on Sunday or not) and so we hope our new sign helps to convey the message “Come... God loves you… and so do we”.

Christine

 

Reconciliation is a Journey: National Aboriginal Day of Prayer

On Sunday June 22^nd St. Faith’s observed National Aboriginal Day of Prayer.

Our Deacon, The Rev’d Christine Wilson preached on reconciliation.

Here is a link to her sermon.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/74275025/Aboriginal%20Day%20of%20Prayer%20copy.mp3

We also screened (or tried to) a video made by The Diocese of New Westminster Truth and Reconciliation Working Group. Unfortunately the projector did not cooperate.  Here is a link to the video -- It is well worth taking the time to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBEi9eYY_60&feature=youtu.be

 

Richard is in the news.....

Check out an article in the Vancouver Courier featuring St. Faith's Rector, Rev. Dr. Richard Geoffrey Leggett on Pentecost and Shavuot.
"Pacific Spirit: Parallel holy days reflect heritage Pentecost and Shavuot celebrated"


http://www.vancourier.com/community/pacific-spirit-parallel-holy-days-reflect-heritage-1.1117405

Called to be a risen Easter people in a Good Friday world

Alleluia!  Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

Every year as we journey through the season of Lent I feel this kind of dull pain  -- like my heart is getting tighter and tighter the closer we get to Holy Week.  And then as Palm Sunday service is ending I feel like I am holding my breath, waiting to exhale until the Easter Vigil.  It is not until I hear the Easter Proclamation “Alleluia!  Christ is risen” that I feel like I am able to breathe again.

 

And so each year during Holy Week I struggle – wanting to get past the pain of the crucifixion, eager to get through the darkness and into the light of the resurrection.

 

And each year as we re-live the journey through the cross in holy week culminating in the moment of the Easter Proclamation….. I rejoice in the knowledge that not only is Christ risen, but that we are risen with him.

During Holy week as we experience the heartbreaking journey of our lord on the road to the cross and through betrayal, pain and death we can come to know the Lord journeys with us in our times of fear, sorrow and loss.   We can be comforted that our Lord suffers with us.

And we through our faith in the risen Christ are able to give hope  --   to ourselves and others -- that in our good Friday world, there is wonder, beauty, compassion and kindness. 

While we may live in a good Friday world my friends

we  are called to be a risen Easter people.

Called to be the light of Christ in world

Called to support and love each other
Called to bring about god’s kingdom here on earth

Alleluia!  Christ is risen! 

The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia!
Amen

The Rev'd Christine Wilson

(excerpt from sermon Sat Easter Vigil April 19, 2014)

A St. Faith’s First

Every Wed at 10:00am St. Faith’s holds a service of Holy Communion and afterward we enjoy a half hour or so of coffee, goodies and fellowship.  It says a lot about us that our coffee time sometimes lasts longer than the service.

It has typically been a small group but over the last year our numbers have grown.  And yesterday we experienced a first… our little group had grown so that we needed to share worship bulletins and put on a second urn of coffee ! 

Christine

Welcome to our Blog

Saint Faith's is starting off 2014 with a brand new blog to keep you in touch with what is going on in our parish. We still have, of course, our awesome website at stfaiths.ca.

Although it is scheduled for a make-over in the next few weeks, St. Faith's website is the place to visit for a list of our upcoming events and other details about services and contact information. It also has links to our Facebook page, our twitter feed, our google plus account, a monthly calendar, the downloadable bi-monthly newsletter in pdf format, as well as recordings of sermons by Reverend Dr. Richard Leggett. 

But we wondered, is that really enough?

We didn't think so.

It is interesting to note "BLOG" the word itself comes from blending of the words web and log. A log, in this case, means "a regular or systematic record of incidents or observations". Important to ask - observations by whom? 

Richard Leggett, Parish Priest

Christine Wilson, Deacon at St. Faiths 

Well none other than our own Reverend Dr. Richard Leggett, (our parish priest) and Reverend Christine Wilson, (St. Faith's deacon).  The two of them will be updating this blog and keeping readers informed of new things happening at St. Faiths, commenting on recent events and hopefully adding a picture or two now and again.


But before they get started, let me add a couple of photos and a little write up of my own. Since this is a New Year's message let's start with a reminiscence of the beginning of the new year in our church calendar.

Think back, way way back, before Christmas, when it was still November. Remember when it was just the beginning of the Christmas season, back to the first day of Advent? St. Faith's marks this day with a very special, and unique service.

For many years in the past, St. Faith's had a long tradition of creating an Advent spiral for the children in our Sunday school. A spiral-shaped labyrinth made out of evergreen branches was laid out on the floor of our church hall and the windows were blacked out to create a darkened room. Once the children were settled  a large candle in the centre of the spiral was lit by the Sunday school teacher Katherine Cotton. With carol music playing softly in the background, one by one the children would silently walk the labyrinth, light their own small tealight candles from the large one and then carefully place them amidst the green boughs on the ground. While the adults were upstairs having their Advent Sunday church service downstairs this unusual, quietly contemplative, and very spiritual event with the children was going on right under their very feet.

Catherine Cotton with acolyte Kendra Pedersen
 fine tuning the spiral

Naturally, word got out to the adults, and many of them realized that a good thing was going on every year, and wouldn't you know they had to get in on it. 

Spiral with candles ablaze. Spread the light!

So about four years ago the decision was made to move the service for that Sunday downstairs to the church hall so everybody could  participate in the Advent spiral. Katherine Cotton still organizes the creation of the spiral, and head acolyte Kendra Pedersen, formerly one of those very children that participated in the Sunday school spiral now lights the centre candle.  Readings were added to the service and our music director, Ruben Federizon, now provides the music. It really is a very wonderful "St. Faith's way" to start our new year. 

 Come see for yourself next November.

Laurel Fahrni
St. Faith's webmaster and newsletter editor