Parish News April 4th
Dear St. Stephen’s church family,
Blessings on this beautiful day! Some news:
1. Nutana Ecumenical Service
Wednesdays during Lent 8:15 am
Thank you to all who helped serve a wonderful breakfast and/or participated in the service at the Nutana Ecumenical Service at St. Philip’s yesterday morning. It is good when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity! -Psalm 133:1 It is also good when they eat quiche and fruit salad together!
2. Friday, April 5th
the Living Room, Confirmation class
The Living Room is a program for parents–meet at the Broadway Roastery on 8th at 1:30 pm. Make room for God, others and yourself. Confirmation Class for all confirmands 6:30-8 pm. Bring your books!
3. Lenten Lunch in support of Camp Okema
After church Sunday
This Sunday is the 5th Sunday in Lent, and that means it’s our 5th Lenten Lunch! This week’s lunch will be provided by friends of Okema Camp. They’re serving Shepherd’s pie, salad and dessert with a gluten free option. Thank you to everybody for attending these lunches and for generously supporting the various causes. Plan to stay on Sunday, enjoy good company and give generously.
4. the Blessing of Oils at Queen’s House
monday, April 8th at 3 pm
A service for the renewal of ordination and baptismal vows and to bless the various oils used in sacramental ministry. All invited. Bishop Chris Harper presiding.
5. Palm/Passion Sunday-Guest speaker Dr. Stephen Foster
sunday, April 14th
Palm Sunday procession of palms. We’ll go outside, weather permitting, and wave our palms as we sing Hosanna! We will also hear a dramatized reading of the gospel. Guest speaker, Dr. Stephen Foster, son and grandson to pioneer missionaries to Africa. He has spent most of his life working in the developing world, bringing the message of Jesus’ self offering love through his work and witness. Among other things, he is a recipient of the Humanitarian award from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ottawa. We are blessed to have Stephen and his wife with us for this holy day. Plan to attend and invite a friend!
Parish Cycle of Prayer
Throughout this month, let’s keep our confirmands and their families in our prayers. We pray for Nathan, Quinlyn, Garen, Kaiden, Henry, Rachel and Josh.
We also pray for Joel and family and for Ray and Bronwen and family.
Here’s a short reflection, reminding us of Christ’s love for all people, beginning with the poor and lowly. May we, like Mary, be humble enough to hear his call.
The risen Jesus had appeared, not to rulers and kings, nor even first of all to his male disciples, but to a woman whose love had held her at the cross and led her to the grave. Mary Magdalene, a person who had been afflicted by demons, whose testimony would not have held up in court because she was a woman, was the first witness of the resurrection. Once again, God had revealed himself to the lowly, and it would only be the humble whose hearing was sharp enough to perceive the message of his love. Ann Spangler