The First week in Lent

Dear St. Stephen’s church family,

Last night our youth group and faithful leaders held a fun evening of Crokinole, conversation and chopping veggies in preparation for tomorrow’s Lenten lunch. (We postponed our tenting sleepover). We talked about Lent and the virtue of humility, taught by Saint Benedict.

We decided that donations for tomorrow’s lunch will go to PWRDF’s fund to support victims of the earthquake in Turkey on February 6th. PWRDF is the Anglican Church’s humanitarian arm, allocating resources and education around the world. All are encouraged and welcome to stay for lunch tomorrow–tacos!
From the PWRDF website:

 

Please note there will be no Tuesday Chat Cafe in February. Our Shrove Tuesday Pancake supper took the place of Tuesday Chat. Our next Tuesday Chat will be in March.

Following our Lenten lunch tomorrow we will hold our first of four Catechism studies. Consider staying after lunch and joining theology student (and soon to be deacon!) Perry Siddons as he leads us through this first session. All are welcome! The study will be around 45 minutes. It will be repeated on Thursday, March 5th from 7-8. See the poster above for details. All are welcome to attend Perry’s ordination at St. Alban’s Cathedral in Prince Albert, on Saturday, March 4th at 1 pm.

Parish Cycle of Prayer: 
Monday: for our Annual General Meeting, on March 12th, that it may be a time of encouragement and renewed vision for our parish
Tuesday: for all who continue to suffer in Turkey and Syria as a result of the earthquake earlier this month. For the people who are working to alleviate suffering and for those who are grieving.
Wednesday: for Lorna and Donald
Thursday: for Mair
Friday:  for Kingsley and Faith with Sophie

“Everything Saint Benedict has to say flies in the face of contemporary pop culture. He is not focused on self love, self-praise, self-aggrandizement, or self-promotion–not focused on self at all, but on how to relate to one another and to God in light of our strengths and weaknesses…According to Saint Benedict, ‘the body and soul are like two sides of a ladder into which God has built various steps. The ladder becomes your life, and as your heart is humbled, so the Lord will lift you up to Heaven (Rule, chap 7).’… To discover God’s power in our lives, we need to climb the ladder of humility…” (from Humility Rules, by J Augustine Wetta, OSB

Sent with joy and hope in Christ,

The Rev. Amy