Welcome to St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish Blog for

Sunday, 5 June 2016

 

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WORSHIP NEXT WEEK

Sunday, 5 June 2016

The Third Sunday after Pentecost

          8:00 am       St. Stephen’s, Chester          Holy Communion

       9:15 am       St. George’s, East River        Holy Eucharist

     11:00 am       St. Stephen’s, Chester          Holy Eucharist

           

Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24); Psalm 146; Galatians 1:11-24;

Luke 7:11-17

 

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT:  the Spiritual Development Committee will meet with Fr.Ian Wissler

on Tues, 7 June at 7:00 pm in the Tyler Grant Room.  We are looking for an interested person

to join this ministry.  Please call Mary Hilchie at 902-275-3958 for more information.

CHESTER MUNICIPAL RELAY FOR LIFE: will take place on Friday, 17 June from 7:00 pm to 1:00 am

at Chester Area Middle School.  Register now to put in a team, be a volunteer,

or buy a luminary ($5) to honour the memory of a loved one.

All cancer survivors who would like to attend should also register.

All proceeds go to the Canadian Cancer Society. 

Contact Sheila Hirtle 902-275-5720 to register or for more information.

STARFISH REFUGEE PROJECT: - Our family has arrived!  There are a few ‘Welcome’ signs and

general info sheets at the back of the church if anyone would like to take some for use at home.

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THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

BIBLE TALK -  on Wed, 8 June, from 10:30 - 12:00 pm in the Tyler Grant Room. 

All Welcome!

CHOIR PRACTICE –  will resume on Thursday, 8 September.

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WORSHIP NEXT WEEK

Sunday, 12 June 2016

The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

          8:00 am       St. Stephen’s, Chester                   Holy Communion

       9:15 am       St. George’s, East River                Holy Eucharist

     11:00 am       St. Stephen’s, Chester                   Holy Eucharist

           

Readings: 1 Kings 21:1-10. 15-21a; Psalm 5:1-8; Galatians 2:15-21;

Luke 7:36 -8:3

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INTRODUCING

FATHER IAN WISSLER

WELCOME to Father Ian Wissler who begins his ministry with us today.  The following is a brief biography of our new Rector.

Father Ian Wissler, the son of a priest, was born into the Rectory in Blandford, N.S. in 1971. He lived there with his parents, and then younger sibling, until approximately 1975 when the family moved to   Shelburne, NS.  Then, at almost 10 years of age, Fr. Ian returned to his parents' country of the United States, when his father began his graduate studies in the Los Angeles area.  In 1984, they moved to his parents' home in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.

After receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in 1985, he attended boarding school in Chester County, PA, from which he received his diploma in 1990.

Longing to return to Nova Scotia since leaving as a child, he fulfilled that wish by attending the University of King's College in Halifax in the autumn of 1990. There he studied English, but became involved in the St. Andrew's Missionary Society, the King's Theatrical Society, and their literary club - The Haliburton Society. After a brief hiatus from worship in his first year at college, he returned to regular participation in worship at the King's College Chapel, and also began attending St. George's "Round" Church in Halifax's North End. As a lay person there, he helped on occasion with their soup kitchen, as well as teaching religious education at the neighbouring elementary school, and assisting with other youth ministry.

Toward the end of his university career, Fr. Ian began to seriously consider the possibility that he had a calling to ordained ministry. Starting in 1995 he began studying for his Master of Divinity degree at Trinity College, Toronto, as a Postulant for the Diocese of Nova Scotia.

Among his experiences at Trinity, he served as Divinity Sacristan, and received college prizes for preaching, systematic theology, and liturgics. In October 1998, he was ordained as a Deacon by The Most Rev. Arthur Peters, and assigned to St. Paul's, Charlottetown, as Curate, under their Rector, The Rev. Ted Morgan.

He was ordained as a Priest in June of 1999, and, in December 1999, was appointed as Rector of the Parish of All Saints, Canso where he served until July 2003. 

Fr. Ian then served as Rector of St. James, Mahone Bay from July of 2003 through May of 2016.

Father Ian and his wife, Christina, have been married since 2004. They have a 9 year old son named Jonah. While they have enjoyed immensely the life they have built together in Mahone Bay, Fr. Ian, Christina and Jonah are indeed looking forward to a new chapter as they prepare to make Chester their home.

Parishioners wishing to speak to Fr. Ian are invited to call him on his cell phone (902.275.8627) to ensure direct contact and a timely response.

Please take the time to meet and chat with the family.