Welcome to St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish blog for Sunday, 30
August, 2015.
Goodbye is a corruption of the phrase ‘God Be With You’ - we
will think of that as we say ’goodbye’ to Reverend Gordon and Donna this coming
weekend. We are happy for them and sad for us but we know we will get together
to have some fun and celebrate with them soon. We hope all our parishioners
will be able to join us for a special farewell service this weekend.
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WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY
30 August, 2015
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
(Reverend Gordon’s last services before
retiring)
8:00 a.m. St. Stephen’s, Chester - Holy
Communion
9:00 a.m. St. George’s, East River - Holy
Eucharist
11:00 a.m. St. Stephen’s, Chester - Holy
Eucharist
Readings: Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Ps
45:1-2, 7-10; James 1:17-27;
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
RETIREMENT PARTY- The parish will bid a fond
farewell to Reverend Gordon and Donna on 31 August. A celebration of their time
with the parish will take place in September (date to be announced once they
have settled into their new home and recovered from the move). We wish them a
long, happy retirement and all the best for this exciting new phase of their
lives. They will be sorely missed.
PARISH COUNCIL - Please note that Parish
Council will not meet again until September. Meetings will take place on the
third Monday of each month. The meeting in September will be held in East
River.
SCANS FALL COURSES - An information and
registration session will take place on Thursday, 10 Sept at 4:00p.m. in Tuck
Hall. The two courses being offered for the Fall session in Chester are
Economists Debate Capitalism Through History (Daphna Levit - 7 weeks) and
Development of the Atlantic Provinces (Alan Wilson - 10 weeks). Membership is
$135 plus HST ($155.25) per year which entitles you to attend any number of
courses in any SCANS Chapter, subject to class size, at no additional cost,
during the Winter, Spring and Fall terms. More information can be found on the
internet at www.theSCANS.ca
LIGHTHOUSE FOOD BANK - Please know that every
donation is very gratefully received.
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THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
BIBLE TALK - Wed, 2 Sept, 10:30 am, in Tyler
Grant Room
RETIREMENT - Reverend Gordon and Donna will
be retiring from the parish on 31 August, 2015.
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WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY
6 September, 2015
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
8:00 a.m. St. Stephen’s, Chester - Holy
Communion
11:00 a.m. St. Stephen’s, Chester - Parish Family
Worship
Readings: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23;
Psalm 125,
James 2:1-10 (11-13), 14-17; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15,
24-37
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STEWARDSHIP THOUGHTS
Quoting the prophet Isaiah, Jesus reminds them that: ‘this
people honours me with their lips, but their heart stays away from me.’ It kind
of frightens me that he might be able to say the same about me! (Michael
Pollesel)
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PARISH TRANSITION PRAYER
O Faithful God, as your people, we cherish our
memories and our history as a sacred gift. We ask you to guide us in our time of
transition. Bless and direct the parochial committee as it carries out the work
of finding a new rector, that through your Holy Spirit they may make wise
decisions on behalf of the parish. Lead all parishioners in Your wisdom, that we
might be receptive to change and growth. Give us Your grace to redirect our
hearts that we may be willing to offer ourselves in joyful service. Do not allow
fear, ignorance or pride to limit the work of your Spirit, nor allow tradition
to prevent the creativity within us from bearing fruit. Open our hearts to the
call of the Gospel. Give us courage and renewed hope, that we may meet the
challenge of being the church of our time. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
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