Author: The Rector

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Trinity 6, 2021 – Bulletin

THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
JULY 11, 2021

TODAY AT ST. MARY’S

10.30 A.M. HOLY COMMUNION. Claude Schroeder preaching.

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

GOSPEL IN THE GARDEN. Children will be invited to gather at St. Mary’s Garden to care, tend, and delight in that which has been planted in the soil of St. Mary’s raised beds, and then will care for, tend, and delight in that which has been planted the soil of their hearts: the seed that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

PARISH LIFE NOTES

PROTOCOLS FOR WORSHIP. Today marks the beginning of the lifting of public health orders of the Provincial Government. With the blessing of Bishop Rob, today ‘social distancing’ and the ‘wearing of masks’ will no longer be required at worship, and food and beverages are allowed to be served. The Holy Communion, however, will continued to be shared in ‘one kind’ only. As we “feed on Him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving,”  ( BCP p. 84) we receive the fullness of the blessing of Christ’s self-sacrifice for us on the Cross.  In this time of transition, parishioners are encouraged to act in accordance with their conscience, wearing masks as desired, and participating in worship as they are able.

GUEST MUSICIAN. We rejoice and give thanks to Jeremy who is our guest musician at the piano today.

VESTRY MEETING will take place this Tuesday at St. Mary’s at 7:00 p.m. 

ST. MARY’S OUTDOOR YARD SALE will take place on July 24th. We will start accepting items starting July 18th from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.   Household items, clothing, treasures, jewelry, toys, tools, books (no Encyclopedias or Reader’s Digest). Volunteers of all ages welcome! Please call Clara.

SPIRITUAL NOTES

Let your door stand open to receive Christ, unlock your soul to him, offer him a welcome in your mind, and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasurers of peace, and the joy of grace. Throw wide the gate of your heart, stand before the sun of the everlasting light that shines on every one. This true light shines on all, but if any close their windows they will deprive themselves of eternal light. If you shut the door of your mind, you shut out Christ. Though he can enter, he does not want to force his way in rudely, or compel us to admit him against our will.

Born of a virgin, he came forth from the womb as the light of the whole world in order to shine on all. His light is received by those who long for the splendor of perpetual light that night can never destroy. The sun of our daily experience is succeeded by the darkness of night, but the son of holiness never sets, because wisdom cannot give place to evil.

Blessed then is the person at whose door Christ stands and knocks. Our door is faith; if it is strong enough, the whole house is safe. This is the door by which Christ enters. So the Church says in the Song of Songs: “The voice of my brother is at the door.” Hear his knock, listen to him asking to enter, “Open to me, my sister, my betrothed, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is covered with dew, and my hair with the moisture of the night.”

When does God the Word most often knock at your door? When his “head is covered with the dew of night.” He visits in love those in trouble and temptation, to save them from being overwhelmed by their trials. His head is covered with dew or moisture when those who are his body are in distress. That is the time when you must keep watch so that when the bridegroom comes he may not find himself shut out, and make his departure. If you were to go to sleep, if your heart were not wide awake, he would not knock and go away; but if your heart is watchful, he knocks and asks you to open the door to him.

Our soul has a door; it has gates. “Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory will enter.” If you open the gates of your faith, the King of glory will enter your house in the triumphal procession in honor of his passion. Holiness, too, has its gates. We read in Scripture what the Lord Jesus said through his prophet: “Open me the gates of holiness.”

It is the soul that has its door, its gates. Christ comes to this door and knocks; he knocks at the gates. Open to him; he wants to enter, to find his bride waiting and watching.

From Commentary on Psalm 118, 12-14  by St.Ambrose (ca. 334-397)  Archbishop of Milan.

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Trinity 6, 2021 – Sermon

(Modified 2021-07-11: Added audio recording)

St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Trinity 6, July 11, 2021, Canon Claude Schroeder 

Audio recording of this sermon

“Speak the Truth to Power.”

It 1942, the African American Civil Rights Activist, Bayard Rustin, wrote in a letter that “the primary social function of a religious society is to ‘speak the truth to power’.”

So it was in 1955 that the Quakers, a pacifist religious society, published a pamphlet entitled, Speak Truth to Power: A Quaker Search for an Alternative to Violence.

This really marked the beginning of the wide-spread adoption and co-option of the phrase ”speak truth to power” in North America, not only by various religious societies, but by journalists, social activists, educators, and all manner of whistle-blowers.

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Trinity 5, 2021 – Bulletin

THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

JULY 4, 2021

TODAY AT ST. MARY’S

10.30 A.M. HOLY COMMUNION. Beth preaching.

PARISH LIFE NOTES

ROGATION PROCESSION. Following the closing hymn, there will be a procession to St. Mary’s Garden, where we will offer prayers and ask God’s blessing on the land, the birds and animals, and the life of our parish.

EMERGENCY FINANCIAL APPEAL. Please see the attached letter from The Diocese of the People in British Columbia in regard to an emergency appeal for funds in the wake of the recent wildfire that swept through the village of Lytton.

ST. MARY’S OUTDOOR YARD SALE will take place on July 24th. We will start accepting items starting July 18th.  Household items, clothing, treasures, jewelry, toys, tools, books (no Encyclopedias or Reader’s Digest).  More information to come.  Volunteers of all ages welcome! Please call Clara with questions.  

WEEK DAY SERVICES. 8.30 A.M. Morning Prayer.  5.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME! (Matthew 19.14) See photos below from the service of Holy Baptism which St. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox Church which worships at St. Mary’s on Saturday mornings celebrated last Saturday!

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Trinity 4, 2021 – Bulletin

THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
JUNE 27, 2021

TODAY AT ST. MARY’S

10.30 A.M. HOLY COMMUNION. Claude Schroeder preaching.

LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.

GODLY PLAY for children 3-6 years via zoom at 1:30 pm. Today’s story is  ‘Jairus’ Daughter’ Matthew 9:18-26.

PARISH LIFE NOTES

PASTORAL MINISTRY OF ANOINTING WITH OIL AND LAYING ON OF HANDS WITH PRAYER FOR HEALING follows the celebration of the Holy Communion today.

GOSPEL IN THE GARDEN UPDATE. Thank you to all who donated plants, seeds, and bulbs for our Gospel in the Garden in the project. Soil will be delivered to the raised beds on Tuesday morning , to be followed by a planting bee. Please contact Yvonne if you can help and have plants to donate.

ST. MARY’S OUTDOOR YARD SALE will take place on July 24th. We will start accepting items starting July 18th.  Household items, clothing, treasures, jewelry, toys, tools, books (no Encyclopedias or Reader’s Digest).  More information to come.  Volunteers of all ages welcome! Please call Clara with questions.  

ST. MARY’S ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH which worships at St. Mary’s on Saturday mornings celebrated Holy Baptism on Saturday.

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Trinity 4, 2021 – Sermon

(Modified 2021-06-27: Added audio recording of sermon.)

St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Trinity 4, June 27.2021 Revd. Canon Claude Schroeder

Sermon on Mark 5. 21-43

Audio recording of sermon

“The moment is coming when, having done the ‘right’ thing all along, your round peg will not fit in the hole that’s next presented to you. The time is coming when you will be on the outside: a divorce, a bankruptcy, a felony, a betrayal, a cancer, an addiction, a death. Well, yes, death.” (Timothy Kimbrough)

I don’t think there is a person here doesn’t know what it’s like to find yourself on the outside, when the round peg that is your life doesn’t go into the square hole that is presented to you. Divorce, bankruptcy, crime, betrayal, cancer, and death, well yes death, sooner or later come calling.  

The sooner one realizes this, the better. “It is good”, writes the author of the Book of Lamentations,” for one to bear the yoke in youth, to sit alone in silence when the Lord has imposed it, to put one’s mouth to the dust (there may yet be hope), to give one’s cheek to the smiter, and be filled with insults.” (Lamentations 3. 27-30). It’s why if at all possible, you should try have your nervous breakdown early in life, in your youth, and learn what it means to place your hope in God. It will hold you in good stead for when things really get difficult later in life.

Our Gospel lesson for today from St. Mark tells the story of three people, whose round peg did not fit the square hole that had been presented to them. 

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Trinity 3, 2021 – Bulletin

THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
JUNE 20, 2021

TODAY AT ST. MARY’S

10.30 A.M. HOLY COMMUNION. Nathaniel preaching.

GODLY PLAY for children 3-6 years via zoom at 1:30 pm. Today’s story is  ‘Jairus’ Daughter’ Matthew 9:18-26.

PARISH LIFE NOTES

WEDDING BELLS. Congratulations and blessings to St. Mary’s parishioners Derek and Li who were united as husband and wife in a service of Holy Matrimony yesterday at St. Mary’s! See sermon attached.

GOSPEL IN THE GARDEN. This week raised beds for St. Mary’s Gospel in the Garden Project were put together. Many thanks to Terry for all his work. Top soil will be delivered this week. We will now be in need of vegetable seedlings, and flowers to fill the earth! Please contact Yvonne in the office if you can contribute!

ST. MARY’S OUTDOOR YARD SALE will take place on July 24th. We will start accepting items starting July 18th.  Household items, clothing, treasures, jewelry, toys, tools, books (no encyclopedias or Reader’s Digest).  More information to come.  Volunteers of all ages welcome! Please call Clara for questions.  

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Derek and Li Wedding Sermon

St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Wedding of Derek and Li, June 19, 2021

Sermon John 2. 1-11. The Revd. Canon Claude Schroeder

“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory; and his disciples believed in Him.” (John 2.11)

I guess that first thing that strikes us about our Gospel lesson today where at the wedding at Cana in Galilee, Jesus miraculously transformed something of the order of 180 gallons of water into wine, is that there was obviously no public health order in place forbidding the serving of beverages at religious ceremonies!

 “Wine”, according to the Scriptures, “makes glad the heart of man.” (Psalm 104.15). How natural that the wedding guests at Cana in Galilee were found to be drinking wine. Would you raise your glasses for a toast to the bride! Would you raise your glasses for a toast to the groom!

But then, as we heard, they ran out of wine. We all know what that means. When the wine runs out, the party is over, and it’s time to go home.

This for us is the real point of identification with our story today. These last 15 months of COVID the wine had been running out all over the place.  It’s been running out on our jobs, it’s been running out of on our friendships, it’s been running out on our marriages and families. When the wine runs out, the party is over, and it’s time to go home. And then, what? As many have been doing under COVID, we go and buy a puppy dog.

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