HARVEST THANKSGIVING
October 13, 2024
THE FATHER IS MY HOPE; THE SON IS MY REFUGE;
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS MY PROTECTION.
ALL HOLY TRINITY, GLORY TO THEE!
LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.
GETTING READY FOR SUNDAY: PREVIEW OF THE READINGS
The human person/soul has been created by God as a unity of body and spirit. Materialism, a philosophy which acknowledges the reality of our physical needs in the form of food, clothing, shelter, etc., and denies the spiritual dimension of our lives, and spiritualism, a philosophy which accepts spiritual reality, but denies the body as the bearer of the Spirit, are both destructive to thus unity. There is a physical labour and food which we need, as well as spiritual labour and food which we need. The lessons for this Harvest Thanksgiving service highlight for us that Christ, who is the Incarnate ( enfleshed) Word of God, as the source of life for both the body and the spirit, bestowing us with meaningful, purposeful, satisfying existence in this life , and in the world to come, life everlasting.
THE LESSON : Isaiah 55:1-12
“Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in fatness.
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call nations that you know not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it. “For you shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
THE GOSPEL : John 6:27-35
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
PARISH LIFE NOTES
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED to join the after Sunday Service Coffee Team on one fixed Sunday each month. Duties include: 10:00 a.m. covering of prearranged tables with cloths, making beverages and arranging goodies after service serving beverages and greeting social hour participants, clean up. Please sign the sheet at the beverage counter in the main hall and be prepared for good fellowship and fun.
Thank-you,
Eileen – Coffee Team Coordinator
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
DEDICATION FESTIVAL
On December 14, 1913 the very first service of worship at St. Mary’s took place in small a-frame building on what was to become the corner of 15th ave and Montague St. (pictured above) Join us on Sunday, October 27, as celebrate the 111th anniversary of the dedication of St. Mary’s , our Communion with Christ and those who have gone before us in this place, and give thanks to God for His faithfulness in the past, and look to the future with hope. The service of Holy Communion will be followed by a roast beef lunch (carved by the Churchwardens) and salad, provided by the congregation, to be followed by a presentation by the Rector and Wardens on “St. Mary’s Past Present and Future.” Stewardship packages for 2025 will be distributed at this time.
WORSHIP THIS WEEK
Morning Prayer: Tuesday to Friday at 8.30 a.m.
Evening Prayer: Wednesday at 5.30 p.m.
Holy Communion: Wednesday at 9.30 a.m.