The Eve of Pentecost

Dear St. Stephen’s church family,

Greetings in Christ. 

Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are exceedingly glorious: you are clothed with majesty and honour. You deck yourself with light as it were with a garment, and spread out the heavens as a curtain. -Psalm 104:1-2


The Pasque flower, blooming at the end of the Paschal season. Photo by Laurel Smith. 

The day has finally arrived! It is Pentecost tomorrow–please wear red! (or orange or yellow). You are invited to take off your shoes for our worship service at 5 pm (NO 10:30 service). Please wear a name tag. You are invited to bring a potluck dish to share. If you do go to a different church in the morning, please take a photo and send to me. Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

Thank you to all who delivered the gift baskets this week–Don and Donna, Susan and Phyllis. Here are a few photos from the Wednesday delivery. Tigist came to pick up 12 baskets for women of refugee families. 

. 

Evening Prayer continues on Tuesday evenings at 7 pm. All are welcome.

Please consider contributing $10 as a gift for the Rev. Perry’s ordination. We will collect the money and give to him on Sunday, June 2nd.

Books are in for our Thursday book study. They are $21 each, payable to St. Stephen’s. Our first book study gathering will be on Thursday, June 6th, at 1:30.

It has been a loooong time since we have held a newcomers or get to know you parish event. If you are new, or newish to St. Stephen’s or even if you would just like to come and get to know others in the church community, you are welcome to attend one of the 3 following “Won’t you be my Neighbour” events–Monday, June 3rd at 7 pm, Saturday, June 6th at 2 pm or Tuesday, June 18th at 7 pm. (See poster below). Please RSVP with the date you are able to make it.

Church School and Vacation Bible School ministry opportunities–We are looking for more volunteers for our annual Vacation Bible School, planned for July 22-26th. In order to make it work, we need people who are available to spend time as “shepherds” and lead the children from the various stations throughout the mornings and to help out in other ways. Please see the poster in the Prest Hall. We are also looking for people who are open to spending the morning with young children on Sundays during the 10:30 am service. 

Hometown Nazareth - Holy Land Adventure VBS 2024 - Vacation Bible School | Group

The Prairie Centre for Ecumenism is holding a Vacation Bible School on August 6-9, all day. They are hoping for volunteers also! And children are welcome to attend. Please see link: https://pcecumenism.ca/we-need-you-ecumenical-vbs/

If we are unable to hold VBS at St. Stephen’s, perhaps you may be able to volunteer there instead? Please speak with Cathryn for more information about PCE’s VBS! 

As you may know, our brother in Christ and parish member Friday Mbuekor died on Saturday, entering into the peace and joy of our Saviour. Friday had just celebrated his 68th birthday. Please hold Grace and the whole family in prayer as they grieve. When Grace and Friday arrived in Canada from Nigeria, over 25 years ago, they started attending St. Stephen’s where they were loved and embraced as they began a new life here. Friday was a prayerful man, he loved to sing, he was an offering counter and shared in the life and ministry of St. Stephen’s in many ways over the years. A service of remembrance and thanksgiving will take place at a later date. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. Enter into the joy of the Lord, Friday!

We can’t undervalue the importance of the visible church–the Holy Spirit made the disciples visible on Pentecost! Of course, each congregation has its problems, such as the church of Rome and of Jerusalem. The New Testament never presents the Church apart from these problems. No lack of beauty, wrinkles and spots in this congregation may lead us astray. This is an article of faith. Take good note, that a parson who does not believe that this congregation of his is a congregation of Christ, including those men and women, old wives and children, does not believe at all in the existence of the Church. -Karl Barth 

Acts of Hope: Pentecost: images from India

Sent with joy and hope in Christ,

The Rev. Amy