Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We continue, as we have for the last couple weeks, to hold our brothers and sisters (some actual siblings) along the Saint John River in prayer. Even as waters recede, let us join together in the fellowship that Christ calls us to as we support one another in rebuilding homes and lives affected by the river’s flood waters.
As we seek to support one another, we journey through May which is filled with opportunities to celebrate one another, the church, and our faith as well!
We hope that this coming Sunday, May 13th, you join in worship and praise to God as we also celebrate the mothers in our midst! On Mother’s day the fragrance of carnations will fill the air as we hear the passage Philippians 2:1-13 in which Paul shares what is believed to be a hymn for unity from the followers of Christ. As we pray for unity amongst Christians and indeed all children of God, let us celebrate those among us who are a binding and leading force in our lives: mothers and those who fill that role!
The following Sunday, May 20th, we celebrate the birth of the original church on the day of Pentecost! On this day we acknowledge the movement of the Holy Spirit in and through us since the beginning of our faith. We will also be celebrating new members during this service of worship. If you aren’t a member and would like to be one, there is still time to contact Rev. Richard or Rev. Michelle at the office 458-1183, or by email, rev.bowley@outlook.com and michellenarmstrong@hotmail.com.
After worship on these 2 Sundays there will be cake to punctuate our celebrations, so we hope that you bring your sweet tooth as well.
On Sunday, May 27th we are having another edition of Bring a Friend to Church Sunday. For this day we encourage you to invite your friends, family, and co-workers to come and share in the faith that you have found in this place. An added incentive for this particular day is that there is a free potluck lunch following the service. Come and bring some food to share, and if you can’t, then come and share in the food and the fellowship anyway. All are welcome as we gather around the table as friends.
In between now and the end of the month, there are also a couple of times to get together and do what many United Church folk do best: share in good food and good conversation.
On Saturday, May 12th the Men of St. Paul’s are hosting a breakfast for the community. Coffee will be available at 8:30 and breakfast will be served at 9. This is a free will offering, so if you can give something to say thanks to the guys, great, if you can’t, that is OK too. Bring yourself and share in the meal and the fellowship. The guest speaker for this breakfast will be The Very Rev. Dr. Peter Short.
On the evening of Monday, May 14th, the men’s and women’s groups who walked through the book Bullseye will be gathering to reflect on what was learned over a potluck supper. The grace and the meal begin at 5:30. We hope that many of you who participated in the reading of the book can make this shared meal.
***FROM THE GIVING’S TEAM***
We want to thank everyone for their participation in this year’s Giving’s Program, “Called to be Church: Loving Our Neighbour”. We have heard back from a fair number of you, and the information will help the church as we plan for the rest of 2018 and all the programs and special events that will be happening between now and the end of the year. If you were unable to complete your orange Response Card, don’t worry, we will be accepting them until they stop coming in. You can drop them off in the offering plate on Sunday or right to Cathy in the office through the week.
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As we continue to find ways to deepen our faith through community and conversation, we will have our 3rd installment of Theology on Tap. As a group, we gather with people from the wider community at Dolan’s Pub to talk about faith. The last two gatherings focused on the fear of God talked about in scripture and what that means today, and the afterlife, good and bad. Come and share in the conversation and good food on Tuesday, May 15th at 8 pm at Dolan’s Pub down on King St.
With the Spring season in full swing, many of you are probably looking to get your gardens on the go. The Vessy’s seed orders that were made during Lent were shipped this week and should arrive at the church in the near future. Keep an eye out for an update when they arrive.
We would also like to invite you to be a part of keeping our community connected in a broader sense. As part of the ministry in this place, we lead worship services at nursing homes in the city. The next one is Thursday, May 17th at 10 am at Windsor Court. We hope that we can have some people from the congregation help with singing and even playing. Let Rev. Richard know if you can help out for this service.
Looking farther ahead to June, we want to give you a heads up about our Worship and Picnic in the park. On June 10th (the 93 anniversary of the forming of The United Church of Canada) we will be gathering in Wilmot Park for a worship that marks the end of Sunday School, celebrates the teachers, and celebrates the church! We will meet at the gazebo near the splash pad for worship at 10:30 am, so be sure to bring a folding chair. Following worship, please come and share in the fellowship of a bbq up at the Stepping Stones Complex (just a short walk from the gazebo).
As we head into the weekend to celebrate our mothers, let us pray:
Loving God, your love and care for us is like a hen with her chicks. You watch over and guide us in our lives. Be with us in the days and weeks to come as we strive to share that love with those around us. Watch over all who rebuild as waters recede, give them the courage to face whatever tomorrow may bring and give us the strength to stand as support for our brothers and sisters who struggle. In all of us, kindle the flame of hope, a light that shines through the nights where despair seems all around us. And embrace us, O God. In those moments when we feel lost, embrace us and remind us that we are never so lost that you cannot find us, that we are never alone because you are beside us. AMEN
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Richard & Rev. Michelle
Also the bulletin is available for download here.