Notices for the Week of May 21st - 27th
Notices for the Week: May 21st - 27th
Thursday
Ascension Day services at 11am and 7pm
Friday & Saturday
Diocesan Synod takes place in Vancouver
Diocesan Synod will take place from Friday, May 26th - Saturday, May 27th. Please remember our delegates in your prayers. Rev. Stephen Laskey, Anura Thilakeratne, Mareen & Eileen Mathew.
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.
Lunch Bunch The next gathering and the last of the season is on Tuesday, June 6th. It will be Chinese food for the occasion. If you are planning to attend, please give your name to Joan Hnedish or Pat Nociar along with $10.00 per person please.
Bottle Drive Sunday, is next 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.
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Maung, Thay Kyat Paw, who we have referred to as Esther and who we have been waiting to bring to Canada has had to be withdrawn.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.
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.
Day 1 Ascension Day-2services, Thursday, May 25 at 11am & 7pm.
Day 2 & 3 - Please do remember to pray for our Diocesan Synod which meets on Friday and Saturday, May 26-27. You are invited to pray morning prayer and/or evening prayer at home.
Day 4 (Sunday, May 28) Ascension Sunday / Easter 7 - 10am Eucharist as our faith community gathers for its regular Sunday Service with Fellowship and Refreshments follow.
Day 5 (Monday, May 29th) 7pm - A Service of Evensong will take place in the church
Day 6 (Tuesday, May 30th) 7pm A Service of Compline will take place in the church
Day 7 (Wednesday, May 31st) 11am The Holy Eucharist will be celebrated
Day 8 (Thursday, June 1st) 11am A Service of Morning Prayer
Day 9 (Friday, June 2nd) The time of prayer is still in development
Day 10 (Saturday, June 3rd ) 3:30-5:30pm Messy Church for Young People and families
A New Day - Pentecost Celebration - Sunday June 4th 10am We gather to celebrate the Holy Eucharist as we welcome the Holy Spirit to Inspire us to build God's Kingdom
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 6th - Lunch Bunch end of season meeting.
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 28th - Easter 7
Acts 1:6-14,
Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36;
1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11,
John 17:1-11
PWRDF South Sudan Appeal The Primate's World Relief and development fund has announced its financial support of $50,000 to go to the aid of those suffering because of the drought in South Sudan and Kenya. In the months to come, PWRDF will continue to monitor the needs of the people of South Sudan and Kenya as they struggle to survive. We will stay attuned to where the needs are highest and, with our partners on the ground, respond to the best of our abilities. PWRDF is accepting donations for South Sudan and Kenya and will continue to update Anglicans across Canada on the tragedy of this situation, as well as our response and impact. We thank you for your prayers and support. You may donate to this East Africa Emergency Fund of PWRDF by phoning 1-866-924-9192 during regular business hours (Eastern Time). You can also donate online. Just go to the website: www.canadahelps.org and on the homepage type in primate's world relief and development fund. Click search and follow the prompts to make your donation.
Notes from Music Restructuring Workshop - May 18 Thirteen members (including 3 young people) of the parish gathered on Thursday evening to be a part of an hour long workshop to think about and talk about what we hope to see in a new Musician to help lead our music at St. Helen's. The rector had invited the Rev. Andrew Halladay, vicar of St. Augustine's, Marpole, and the Rev. David Taylor, rector of St. Dunstan's, Aldergrove to take us through the process of how we might define worship through to what we hope and dream for in a new person in the role. Both Andrew and David as well as being priests in the diocese are well respected musicians and have led music workshops in other parishes and worship itself at the Sorrento Centre. Those gathered were asked a number of questions to talk amongst themselves and then feed their thoughts back to Andrew and David who wrote down what was said on newsprint. What follows below is the information gathered, in point form, from the gathering. The members of the music restructuring committee are Fil Sotana, Cathy Anderson, Kristi Hendricks, Ian Mulcaster and the rector. If you would like to share your thoughts about this or anything about the music at St. Helen's, please have a word with any member of the committee.
What is Worship?
-Praising God;
-Drawing Close to God;
-Reaffirming;
-Honouring God;
-Believing;
-Personal and Corporate;
-Fulfilling;
-Joyful;
-Intimate;
-Centering;
-Uplifting
How Does Music Help Us Gather?
-Quiets you down;
-Can draw people in;
-People come to participate;
-A Corporate Call;
-Harmony that leads to connection of everyone
How Does Music Help Us Be Transformed?
-Makes you cry;
-Uplifts;
-Changes emotions;
-transforms perception;
-brings you closer to God;
-sharing your gifts;
-refreshes and cleanses;
-inspiring
How Does Music Help Send Us Out?
-Educates you
-Sharing the message
-Comforts
-Strengthens
-Conversation starter
-Joy and Happiness
-Motivation
What is a Worship Leader? (in general, not just musician)
-Needs professional skills
-Encourages people to express faith
-Facilitates and adapts to appropriate changes in mood of worship
-Creates a safe space
-A priest as well as all of us (priesthood of all believers)
-Focussed on God and Worship
-Brings everyone together in worship
-Identify Talents and weaknesses and engages everyone
-Opens up possibilities and challenges
-Knows when to perform and when to step back
Dreams for St. Helen's Next Music Director
-Cultivate a love and desire for worship
-More kids songs
-Versatile (would like to be awed by musical skills)
-Range of Tempos
-Range of Styles
-Patience and Perseverance
-Loves the Congregation
-Hold to the ideals of the church (St. Helen's)
-Grow the music programme
-Long term
-Grow Confidence
-Teacher/Coach
-Emotional Intelligence
Special Days and Celebrations this Week
Bede 25 May Priest, Monk of Jarrow, Historian and Educator, 735 Commemoration
Bede was an Anglo-Saxon monk who lived in Northumbria and died in the year 735. He is chiefly remembered as the author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People a wonderful account of the Church in England from the arrival of the Roman mission through to his own day. When he was seven years old Bede entered the Northumbrian monastery of Wearmouth as his parents free-will offering to the Church; he was later transferred to the new monastery at Jarrow. He became a deacon when he was nineteen and a priest twenty-one years later. These two events were the high points of his life. For the rest, as he said of himself at the age of fiftynine: I have spent all my life in this monastery [of Jarrow], applying myself entirely to the study of the Scriptures; and amid the observance of the discipline of the Rule and the daily task of singing the Divine Office in the church, it has been my delight to learn or to teach or to write. This quiet, happy monk became ill shortly after Easter in the year 735. Though in considerable physical pain, he kept his mind clear; and as he contemplated going to be with the Lord, his spirit became cheerful. He died on the eve of Ascension Day, May twenty-fifth, as he gently sang these words to himself: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be ....
Augustine - 26 May First Archbishop of Canterbury, 605 Memorial Today we remember Augustine, the first archbishop of Canterbury. He enters history in the year 596, when he was deputy-abbot of a monastery in the city of Rome. He would have been quite happy to remain in that position, but Pope Gregory the Great chose him to lead a mission to the Anglo-Saxons of England. Augustine was to convert them to Christianity and to organize an English Church. With a company of thirty or forty monks, Augustine landed on the coast of Kent in the spring of 597. The local king had married a Christian wife from France, and she convinced him to let the missionaries enter Canterbury and occupy a small, dilapidated church, abandoned by British Christians when they fled from the invading Anglo-Saxons. The pagan king also permitted the Roman missionaries to preach the gospel without hindrance. Augustine was a reluctant missionary. Instead of actively proclaiming the gospel, he and his companions tried to become a normal part of the landscape, performing the liturgy and making processions much as if they were still in Rome. Those Anglo-Saxons who wished to join them were welcome, but the monks did not go looking for converts. This strategy worked within four years the king of Kent and his chief retainers accepted baptism. Augustine was made an archbishop by the Pope and by the time he died, on May twenty-sixth in the year 605, the foundations of the English church were truly laid.