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Lent 2, 2023 – Bulletin

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

March 5, 2023

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY FOREVER!

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

PREVIEW OF SUNDAY’S READINGS

THE LESSON: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

IN our Epistle lesson St. Paul holds out a vision for Lent as a time for spiritual growth, and holiness and wholeness of life. Here St. Paul lifts up chastity as the virtue opposed to sexual lust and immorality. But chastity, properly understood, is the virtue opposed to sloth or laziness wherein we experience the brokenness of our vision of life and a scattering and breakdown of our spiritual energies (of which lust is a prime example)and which we seek to recover through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  

Finally, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from unchastity;  that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like heathen who do not know God; that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we solemnly forewarned you. For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 15:21-28

In this Gospel lesson we encounter a woman who shows us what it means to preserve in faith and prayer in Lent and in so doing attain victory over the demonic powers that oppress us.  

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ 24 He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ 26 He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ 27 She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ 28 Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

PRAYER PILGRIMMAGE WITH JESUS group meets after church today.

REFUGEE COMMITTEE meets after church today.

PARISH LIFE NOTES

CUTHBERT: A MYSTICAL SHORT FILM FOR NOW.

Join us this Wednesday after evening prayer to watch and reflect on a short film by Oliver Murray, a recent convert to Christianity, on St. Cuthbert, the celebrated  7th century monk, hermit and wonderworker in the Kingdom of Northumbria, The film not only lifts up St. Cuthbert as an example of someone who “fought and conquered  in the fight:” against the world, the flesh, and the devil, but offers us a fresh  and compelling vision of the Christian faith which is able to confront the secular materialism of our age.    

LENTEN LECTIONARY STUDIES with Men’s Group on Wednesday at 9.30 a.m. and Women’s Group Thursday at 10.00 a.m.

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Morning Prayer

  • Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
  • Wednesday at 9.00 a.m.

Evening Prayer 

  • Wednesday at 5:30 pm. followed by a light supper & discussion in the Upper Hall. 

Lenten Study groups

  • Men’s Group – Wednesdays at 9.30 following Morning Prayer (fasting breakfast included!)
  • Women’s Group – Thursdays at 10.00 a.m.
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Lent 1, 2023 – Bulletin

First Sunday in Lent

February 26, 2023

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY FOREVER!

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

PREVIEW OF SUNDAY’S READINGS.

THE LESSON: 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

The Epistle lesson offers us a fulsome description of just how painful and difficult the Christian life can be, and how we are to deal with them: by commending ourselves to God in the midst of our difficulties, which is as it turns out, is the entry point for the saving grace of God.

Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At the acceptable time I have listened to you and helped you on the day of salvation.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;  in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 4:1-11

In the season of Lent we find ourselves on a spiritual journey with Jesus to Jerusalem, which is a journey towards the perfection of the love of God for us, and our love for God and one another. Our Gospel lesson today alerts us to the dangers we face in the form of demonic temptation, the illusion that we can use the Divine Spirit for worldly ends ( “turn these stones into bread”), that we can subject God to our whims and idle curiosities ( “throw yourself down, for he will command his angels concerning you), and that we can be as absolute as God ( “possess all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour”). Jesus Christ has overcome all, and is therefore uniquely qualified to save us.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’ Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you”,  and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’ Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’ Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

GUEST PREACHER TODAY is our Lenten Missioner, Revd. Dell Bornowsky, who concludes  his series of addresses on The Temptation and Triumph of Jesus Christ.

CARD OF THANKS . Dear Friends at St. Mary’s,  Many thanks for your donation and support. God bless you! The mild weather has me thinking about gardening but the return of cold reminds me spring is still far away!  Be sure of our prayer for you and all your interims. May the Lord & His Mother protect you, guide you & flood your hearts with their tender compassionate love. With gratitude, Christine, for all at Marian Centre & all we serve.

ANNUAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS. Last Sunday 42 parishioners enjoyed a finger food lunch and attended our annual meeting. The budget for 2023 stands at $179,053 with a projected deficit of $8,670. The Churchwardens for the coming year are Dave and Andrew. Vestry members for the coming year are: Alanna, Nathaniel, Derek, John, and Katherine. The meeting included presentations by Mr. Girma Sahlu from the St. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Rector on a Post-Covid Renewal and Rebuilding Plan for St. Mary’s. 

PRAYER PILGRIMMAGE WITH JESUS. There will be a meeting today following the service in the lounge for all parishioners wanting to participate in this year’s Lenten “Prayer Pilgrimage with Jesus” where we will learn about and practice the Prayer of the Heart. (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.)  

LENTEN LECTIONARY STUDIES begin this week with Men’s Group on Wednesday at 9.30 a.m. and Women’s Group Thursday at 10.00 a.m.

WEDNESDAY EVENING PRAYER AND SUPPER   will include a presentation by the Rector of the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian.

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages. Amen.

BLESSED IS THE MAN.  Last Sunday the FaithQuest children completed their study of Psalm 1 and  the production of a banner which will be presented in church on Sunday. 

FAITHQUEST ROOM CLEAN UP. A big thank you to Andrew, Kate, Lyndon, Katherine, Adam, Sharon, and Terrance, who spent Saturday morning cleaning up and sorting through the FaithQuest Art room in preparation for the wall repairs which will begin this week.

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Morning Prayer

  • Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
  • Wednesday at 9.00 a.m.

Evening Prayer 

  • Wednesday at 5:30 pm. followed by a light supper & discussion in the Upper Hall. 

Lenten Study groups

  • Men’s Group – Wednesdays at 9.30 following Morning Prayer (fasting breakfast included!)
  • Women’s Group – Thursdays at 10.00 a.m.
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Sexagesima 2023 – Bulletin

Sexagesima Sunday
February 12, 2023

GLORY BE TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY FOREVER!

Preview of Sunday’s Readings

Epistle: 2 Corinthians 11.19-31

In this passage St. Paul’s speaks about the perils that impede and distract us from our goal in Lent of following Jesus into newness of life: there are outward circumstances,  legitimate cares and duties, and our own inner weaknesses. In a counterintuitive way, St. Paul would have us embrace these trials and infirmities as the very stuff of glory.

 For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! 20 For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!But whatever any one dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brethren; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. 

Gospel: Luke 8. 4- 15.

In The Parable of the Sower Jesus sets the spiritual agenda for us in Lent: to make good the soil of our souls by cultivating the word of God within us, with understanding and devotion, and not just superficially, and to practice or faith with steadfastness purpose and patience. 

4 When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5 ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. 7 Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8 Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’9 Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets[b] of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak[c] in parables, so that “looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.”11 ‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. 14 As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

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

Parish Life Notes

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the whole congregation will be held on Sunday, February 19th following the morning service. The purpose of the meeting is to:

  1. Receive and review financial statements and ministry reports for 2022. 
  2. Receive the budget and elect parish officers for 2023.
  3. To reflect on our congregational life and to discuss and discern some proposals for the rebuilding and renewal of our mission and ministry.  

Baptized members of the congregation who regularly attend services and are over the age of 18 are encouraged to attend and vote at the meeting. 

Annual reports and financial statements are still being assembled, and will be emailed out this week.

FINGER FOOD LUNCH. Please bring finger food to share for the Annual Meeting next Sunday.

ASH WEDNESDAY PENITENTIAL SERVICE WITH IMPOSITION OF ASHES AND HOLY COMMUNION for the beginning of Lent will take place on Wednesday, February 22 at 5.30 p.m. 

LENTEN MISSION AT ST. MARY’S:  THE TEMPTATION AND TRIUMPH OF JESUS CHRIST. 

Following His baptism by St. John in the River Jordan, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.( Matthew 4.1-11) Join us for a series of special services and addresses by our guest missioner, the Revd. Dell Bornowski, as he leads us in an exploration of the temptations of Christ and the victory that He won, and the relevance of this for us today.

Mission Schedule:

Friday, February 24, 7:00 PM “Man does not live by bread alone”
Saturday, February 25, 7:00 PM. “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”
Sunday, February 26, 10:30 AM.“You shall worship the Lord your God.”

NOON DAY PRAYERS FOR MISSION. Starting this Wednesday, Feb. 8, and the following two Wednesdays there will be 20 minutes of prayer in preparation for our Lenten mission starting at 12 noon.  Please join us at St. Mary’s or at home and at work. Suggested outline for these prayers may be found on pp. 16 and 17 of The Book of Common Prayer. 

TAX RECEIPTS FOR 2022. Our envelope secretary – Blair – is working on them so keep an eye out for them in the mail. If you would like an email version of the receipt, please let Blair know. Thank you.

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Morning Prayer

  • Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 am
  • Wednesday at 9.00 a.m.

Noon Day Prayers for Mission.

  • Wednesday at 12:00 p.m.

Evening Prayer 

  • Wednesday at 5:30 pm. followed by potluck supper in the Upper Hall.