Notices for the Week of May 14th - 20th
Notices for the Week: May 14th – 20th
Tuesday
7pm Parish Council meeting – Upper Hall
Wednesday
7pm ACW meets in the upper hall
Thursday
7pm Music Restructuring Workshop in the Church
Music Restructuring – This Thursday, beginning at 7pm, there will be a workshop for a conversation about music restructuring for the Eucharist and other times of worship and prayer at St. Helen’s. This is open to the whole congregation and we expect the workshop to be finished around 8:30pm. We have invited the Rev. Andrew Halladay of St. Augustine’s, Marpole; and The Reverend David Taylor of St. Dunstan’s, Aldergrove. Both Andrew and David have a great deal of experience in leading church music and are very active in helping others re-imagine the place and role of music in Anglican Worship. They have often led music as well as conducted music workshops at Sorrento Centre. We are looking forward to them facilitating our conversation as we look toward to having a permanent Organist/Pianist/Musician and Choir Director.
Food Bank Sunday is today Sunday May 14th. Our Surrey Food Bank are thankful for our participation in helping to provide food supplies. They particularly welcome canned proteins such as meats, fish, beans etc. Keep an eye on sales that feature these, things no matter what day of the month. Stock up & make it a win, win for our brothers & sisters in Christ. Thank you.
Bottle Drive Sunday, May 28th: Kelly & Les will be delivering all our deposit recyclables to the recycling depot. Please bring in all yours to go. They need to be left outside the lower hall door before or immediately after the service on this date only please.
Diocesan Synod will take place from Friday, May 26th - Saturday, May 27th. Please remember our delgates in your prayers. Rev. Stephen Laskey, Anura Thilakeratne, Mareen Mathew, and Eileen Mathew
Refugee Status – We are sorry to say that the application for Maung, Thay Kyat Paw, who we have referred to as Esther and who we have been waiting to bring to Canada has had to be withdrawn. Maung’s husband, and father of the two children, was not registered as a refugee from Burma. The refugee camp where they are living is in Thailand and the Thai government is no longer registering people as refugees. It is not likely he would ever be able to obtain refugee status. We have been working very hard on this especially in the last 6 months but there are no other avenues to explore. Both the UN and Canadian Immigration are very reluctant to ever break up a family even if the circumstances they are living in are very poor. For those of us who have been working on this for the last few years, it is very sad news. Our Rector, Father Steve is a member of our Diocesan Refugee Unit which was renewed last September and has been in contact with Esther through the Lah family and with government agencies through the refugee unit. We have taken this as far as we can at the moment.
Messy Church – The next messy church gathering will take place on Saturday, June 3rd from 3:30-5:30. Our focus will be on the celebration of Pentecost. This is for families and children. The parents and caregivers participate in all the fun with the children. We will learn about Pentecost, do crafts, sing songs, enjoy our fellowship with one another and have a meal at the end. Everyone is welcome and the young people are encouraged to invite and bring their friends along with them. Parents are invited to do the same.
Flowers on the Altar Just about every Sunday throughout the year there is the opportunity to make a gift to supply the flowers on the altar. Flowers symbolize new life and the colourfulness of life for us all. Most often flowers are given in memory of someone who has died. But flowers may also be given as a thanksgiving for an anniversary, a milestone birthday, celebrating the birth of a child, graduation. The reasons are limitless really. If you would like to make this offering, please speak with Heather Herd. Heather is the keeper of the weekly log. The reason for the gift of flowers each week is noted in the prayers and in the service sheet.
Grooming the church grounds – Over the course of the spring, summer and early autumn there is always work to be done on the windstorms etc. We have beautiful grounds and buildings and it is important that we keep these looking well. We need people who are willing to give an hour or so here and there to work as a part of a team of people who have undertaken to keep the grounds looking pristine. We are asking people to consider offering some of their time either on a regular basis or once in a while. If you think you can participate in this, please speak with Roy Francis or Anil Richards.
Rides to Church – At this time there are a number of people who receive rides and give rides to our parishioners to church on Sunday mornings. The parish council discussed that it would be good to be able to coordinate this more so that everyone who needs a ride to church is able to get that ride. We hope there may be a few people out there who might be able to give a ride as well. There is a sign-up sheet at our coffee and fellowship hour for people to sign up to get a ride and give a ride. If you would receive a ride or give a ride, please do put your name down. Even if you are doing this already please still add your name to the list. It would be helpful to know who needs rides and who can give rides.
Disabled Parking Spots – For some time we have only had one parking spot assigned for disabled use. The parish council has decided to increase this number to 4. There will be 2 additional spaces allocated alongside the current space and 1 allocated on the angled parking space as one enters the parking lot proper. The signage will be up in the next week or so. Please take note you may need to use another spot to park your car. As a courtesy, if you are able bodied, use parking spaces further away from the church so that those who are less able have less distance to walk.
Personal Belongings Left in Cars – Please do not leave anything in sight in your car. Thieves do operate in this area and it has been known for thieves to walk through our parking lot and break a car window or two for something they see left in a car. Bags, boxes, and other items should be placed in the trunk of your car or brought into the buildings with you. Especially do not leave purses, mobile phones and the like out for anyone to see.
Fun House Child Care If you have been wondering, the child care renting the lower hall has closed due to some internal complications but it is expected that another child care will open in the lower hall some time in the next month.
Days of Prayer – The Archbishop of Canterbury has invited the whole Anglican Communion to participate in 10 days of prayer from Ascension Day to the Day of Pentecost. St. Helen’s is going to join others in the Anglican Communion by participating in this time of prayer beginning with 2 services on Ascension Day, Thursday, May 25 at 11am and 7pm. There will be other times of prayer offered over the days but please do remember to pray for our Diocesan Synod which meets on Friday and Saturday, May 26-27. The other opportunities of prayer will be worked out this week and noted in the bulletin next Sunday and posted on our website.
Dates for Your Calendar
May 25 (Thursday)– Ascension Day services at 11am and 7pm
June 3 (Sat) – 3:30 – 5:30pm -Messy Church celebrating Pentecost
June 4 – (Sun) Celebrating Pentecost
June 10 (Sat) – 8:30am Tri-Parish Men’s Breakfast at Denny’s on 120 St.
June 18 (Sun) – Tri-Parish Picnic Service at Bear Creek Park with Bishop Melissa. This is followed by
a ‘Bring and Share’ meal. St. Helen’s is taking on the children’s activities during the
service this year
June 24 (Sat)– Strawberry Tea. More info to come later
June 25 (Sun) – Closing of Sunday School for the summer
Readings for Sunday, May 21st Easter 6
Acts 17:22-31,
Psalm 66:7-18,
1 Peter 3:13-22,
John 14:15-21
Special Days and Events this Week: For All the Saints
May 14 – St. Matthias – Apostle (replacing Judas Iscariot)
May 19 – St. Dunstan – Archbishop of Canterbury 988 AD
For more info on these or any other saint, go to the Anglican Church of Canada website and search ‘For All the Saints’ in the resources section