Thursday, 27 August 2015

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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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