Author: The Rector

Posted on

Easter 4, 2021 – Sermon

(Modified 2021-04-25: Added recorded audio.)

St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, April 25, 2021 , Third Sunday after Easter 

Revd.Canon Claude Schroeder

Recorded audio – Sermon

So today is the Third Sunday after Easter, and we are at the half way point in the season of Easter. Aside from Trinity season, the 50 days of Easter comprise the longest season on our calendar, and with good reason, given the centrality of the Resurrection for our faith. As St. Paul wrote, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Cor. 15.19) But if Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, that changes everything, and there is more going in the world and in our lives than meets the eye.

I was standing in the chancel on Tuesday after Morning Prayer this week, beholding the sunlight shining through and illuminating the Resurrection window here at St. Mary’s, which is tucked off in the corner to the right of the altar.  Facing the Resurrection window on the opposite side tucked in the corner to the left of the altar is the Annunciation window. It made me wonder, “What were they thinking?” Here we have the two central mysteries of our faith, the Incarnation and Resurrection of the Son of God represented in places where nobody hardly gets to seem them, unless you steal a glance when you come up for communion. How strange!  But then it hit me. This is exactly right, because both the Annunciation and the Resurrection were events that took place in secret, hidden from public view. Nobody saw what happened, and yet there were witnesses, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Apostles, who testified to these mighty acts of God.

Continue reading “Easter 4, 2021 – Sermon”
Posted on

Easter 3, 2021 – Bulletin

THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER

APRIL 18, 2021

ALLELUIA. CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED. ALLEUIA!

TODAY AT ST. MARY’S

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

GODLY PLAY for children 3-6 years via zoom at 1:30 pm. Today’s story is ‘Easter – The Appearance at the Sea of Galilee’ John 21:1-15.

FAITHQUEST (for children 7-13 via zoom) THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON rotation with Let there be Art (making temples) Leader: Clara. Memory Verse: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” Ps. 95:6, 7

PARISH LIFE NOTES

 “IN PERSON” SUNDAY WORSHIP continues today with a maximum attendance of 30. If you desire to attend the Sunday service at St. Mary’s, please observe public health protocols. There is no need to register in advance.

LIVE AUDIO STREAM of today’s service  will be available on the service post page during the service. Service audio and sermon recording will be posted following worship.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION DURING CORONA-VIRUS. The term ‘Spiritual Communion’ has been used historically to describe the means of grace by which a person, prevented for some serious reason from sharing in a celebration of the Eucharist, nonetheless shares in the communion of Jesus Christ. The Book of Common Prayer instructs us that if we offer ourselves in penitence and faith, giving thanks for the redemption won by Christ crucified, we may truly ‘eat and drink the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ’, although we cannot receive the sacrament physically in ourselves.  (BCP p. 584) Making a Spiritual Communion is particularly fitting for those who cannot receive the sacrament at the great feasts of the Church, and it fulfils the duty of  every conformed person to receiving Holy Communion ‘regularly, and especially at the festivals of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.’ (BCP p. 66)

The Church of which we are members is not defined by the walls of a building but by the Body of Christ of which we are members. In making our communion spiritually, we are joining with Christians everywhere to be nourished by the one who tells us, ‘I am the Bread of Life’. (Adapted from the Church of England document, Guidance on Spiritual Communion and Coronavirus.)

Special prayers for the making of spiritual communion have been included in today’s  order of service for those who are worshipping with us either at St. Mary’s or at home.

QU’APPELLE HOUSE CRAFT SALE. Qu’Appelle House Auxiliary and staff are putting on a craft sale for the residents and we are looking for donations. Please contact Judy, Brenda, or Lynda for more information and to have your items picked up. (We are trying to arrange a single drop-off at Qu’Appelle House to minimize contact.) Deadline is April 28.  Thank you in advance. All proceeds go to Qu’Appelle House Auxiliary to help fund special events for residents, like birthday parties, a picnic, Christmas stockings, etc.

All crafts welcome, but if you’re stumped, things that go over really well are jewelry (best seller), walker bags, any sort of decor for the residents rooms, notepads, cards, bookmarks, artwork, summer hats, etc.. If anyone isn’t particularly crafty but wants to purchase word find books, they go over really well too. We aren’t accepting homemade food right now due to the covid 19 pandemic.

MEND WITH CARE. Any clothing in need of repair? We are a small group of menders offering to do some basic or creative mending for all your worn wear! All proceeds will go directly to the Refugee Fund. We welcome ripped seams, unraveled knitwear, holes to patch, wool to darn, loose or missing buttons. Please contact Clara at mendwithcare@gmail.com

HAND-DIPPED BEESWAX CANDLES from St. Mary’s may be purchased for $5.00 a pair by contacting Yvonne in the parish office. Phone: 306 522-6052, email: stmarysanglican@sasktel.net Parishioners can pick up their candles from the newly installed mailbox at the Montague St. entrance, and leave a cheque in the proper amount. Proceeds to Refugee Fund. 

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

8.30 A.M. MORNING PRAYER
5.30 P.M. EVENING PRAYER

Posted on

Easter 3, 2021 – Sermon

(Modified 2021-04-18: Added audio recording.)

St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Second Sunday after Easter, April 18, 2021 Canon Claude Schroeder

Lectionary: Acts 3. 12-19, 1 John 3. 1-7, Luke 24. 36-48

Audio recording of sermon.

Today we are continuing our celebration of Easter, which is a 50-day celebration, leading up to the Feast of Pentecost and the celebration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.

It’s clear from the Gospels that when Jesus appears to the apostles to manifest His resurrection, the initial reaction in each case was not one of faith, but rather of fear, of doubt, and un-belief. There is something comforting in this, because ever since the apostles went to bear witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a common and predictable response has been fear, doubt, and unbelief!

 “You don’t expect me to believe that, do you?”

Continue reading “Easter 3, 2021 – Sermon”
Posted on

Easter 2, 2021 – Bulletin

THE OCTAVE DAY OF EASTER
APRIL 11, 2021

ALLELUIA. CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED. ALLEUIA!

TODAY AT ST. MARY’S

10.30 A.M. HOLY COMMUNION. Henry preaching. 

Godly Play  for children 3-6 years via zoom at 1:30 pm. Today’s story is ‘Jesus is Risen: The Road to Emmaus’ Luke 24:28-35.

FAITHQUEST (for children 7-13 via zoom). Start the THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON rotation with Pray Per View (movie and discussion) Leader: Len.  Memory Verse: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” Ps. 95:6, 7

PARISH LIFE NOTES

 “IN PERSON” SUNDAY WORSHIP. Please register below ahead of time if you desire to attend the Sunday service at St. Mary’s, and observe public health protocols. Today’s service and sermon will be live-streamed (audio) during the service. Recorded audio will be posted to the same page on the parish website following worship today.

MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN from Archbishop Linda Nicholls may be read here:  https://www.anglican.ca/news/a-message-of-condolence-to-queen-elizabeth-ii-on-the-death-of-hrh-the-prince-philip-duke-of-edinburgh/30033501/

LET US WELCOME THE NEWLY BAPTIZED! In a service of Holy Baptism and Laying on of Hands with Prayer on Holy Saturday we celebrated the Baptism of Derek, where he was born a-new by water and the Spirit, made a child of God by adoption, a member of Christ’s Church, and an heir of His everlasting  kingdom.We give glory and thanks to God for this His gracious work in our midst! 

QU’APPELLE HOUSE CRAFT SALE. Qu’Appelle House Auxiliary and staff are collecting items for a craft sale for the residents and we are looking for donations. Please contact Judy, Brenda or Lynda for more information and to have your items picked up. (We will arrange a single drop-off at Qu’Appelle House to minimize contact.) Deadline is April 28.  Thank you in advance. All proceeds go to Qu’Appelle House Auxiliary to help fund special events for residents, like bi monthly birthday parties, a summer picnic, a tart tea, a strawberry social, Christmas stockings, etc.

All crafts welcome, but if you’re stumped, things that go over really well are jewelry (best seller), walker bags, any sort of decor for the residents’ rooms, notepads, cards, bookmarks, artwork, summer hats, etc. If anyone isn’t particularly crafty but wants to purchase word find books, they go over really well too. We aren’t accepting homemade food right now due to the covid 19 pandemic.

MEND WITH CARE. Any clothing in need of repair? We are a small group of menders offering to do some basic or creative mending for all your worn wear! All proceeds will go directly to the Refugee Fund. We welcome ripped seams, unraveled knitwear, holes to patch, wool to darn, loose or missing buttons. Please contact Clara at mendwithcare@gmail.com

HAND-DIPPED BEESWAX CANDLES from St. Mary’s may be purchased for $5.00 a pair by contacting Yvonne in the parish office. Phone: 306 522-6052, email: stmarysanglican@sasktel.net Parishioners can pick up their candles from the newly installed mailbox at the Montague St. entrance, and leave a cheque in the proper amount. Proceeds to Refugee Fund. 

THIS BLESSED EASTERTIDE! The season of Easter which began last Sunday continues for 50 days until the Feast of Pentecost. Join us week days at 8.30 a.m. for Morning Prayer and 5.30 p.m. for  Evening Prayer.

Registration for for in-person worship

Posted on

Easter 2021 – Bulletin

THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD: EASTER SUNDAY

Crosses Planted in St. Mary’s Garden on Good Friday
Photo: Gene Packwood

“Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,
Wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain.
Love lives again, that with the dead has been
Love is come again like wheat arising green.”

TODAY AT ST. MARY’S

10.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION with Hymns and Sermon.  Claude Schroeder preaching.

PARISH LIFE NOTES

WELCOMING OF THE NEWLY BAPTIZED. Today we welcome into  the fellowship and Communion of Christ’s Holy Catholic Church, Derek, who was baptized last night and received the laying on of hands with prayer from Bishop Rob.

LIVE AUDIO BROADCAST of today’s service is available on the service page.

TODAY’S ORDER OF SERVICE AND SERMON LINKS:

Posted on

Easter 2021 – Sermon

(Modified 2021-04-04: Added audio recording of sermon.)

St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Easter Sunday, April4, 2021
Revd. Canon Claude Schroeder

Sermon audio

It was 8.30 in the morning on April 16, 1927 that a police officer and his wife welcomed their third and youngest child, a boy, into the world in their home at 11 Schulstasse, in the tiny village of Marktl-an -Inn, in Bavaria, Germany. The police officer’s name was Joseph and his wife’s name was Maria, or Mary, and they named their son, Joseph Aloisius.

April 16, 1927 was a Saturday morning, but not just any Saturday. It was Holy Saturday, the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the day after the Son of God was tortured and executed on a Cross, when His Body lay buried in the tomb.

That same day, Joseph and Maria brought their son to the church to be baptized at the Easter Vigil ceremonies, a providential connection in that as he was born at 8.30 in the morning, and at that time the anticipated liturgy was also celebrated in the morning. Having emerged from the womb of his mother, to be born in the flesh, he would emerge almost immediately from the womb of the Church to be born anew by ‘water and the spirit’, through the waters of baptism. As a result, the first full day of Joseph’s life, both on earth and in the Church…was Easter. 

Small wonder that Joseph Aloisius would one day become Pope Benedict XVI.

Continue reading “Easter 2021 – Sermon”
Posted on

HOLY WEDNESDAY, 2021

(Modified 2021-04-02: Added recordings of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday service.)

“Spy Wednesday” is one of the traditional titles given to this day at the centre of Holy Week. This was the day Judas met with members of the Sanhedrin in order to betray Jesus to them in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. As the Gospel tells us, “From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.” (Matthew 24.16)

For a second year in a row, circumstances have conspired to prevent and constrict us from gathering together as a parish family to celebrate the mystery of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday are properly understood as one church service that stretches over three days, and stands at the heart of our Christian faith and life as a parish community. In an effort to connect us, we will be broadcasting live audio of the upcoming services from St. Mary’s:

Maundy Thursday 5.30 p.m.
Holy Communion with Hymns and Sermon
(Sorry the live stream didn’t work, but here’s the recording, and the text of Beth’s sermon.)

Maundy Thursday service (audio)

Good Friday 12.00 p.m.
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion  with Hymns and Sermon

Good Friday service (audio)

Easter Sunday 10.30 a.m.
Holy Communion with Hymns and Sermon

For those staying at home, please tune in live at these times to join us in prayer and worship, using this player during each of these services:

Those who desiring and able to attend  “in-person” please  register at this link:

With every prayer and blessing,

Claude +