Sunday, April 26, 2020

3rd Sunday of Easter 2020: Worshipping "In Place"




We're on
 the Road to Emmaus...
Won't you come along?





Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter

The Book of Acts 2: 42 - 47
Psalm 116
1 Peter 1: 17-23
Luke 24: 13-35

Thanks to Rev. Robert Sears
and 
parishioners from
The Anglican Parish of St. Cyprian's, Lacombe

May your day be blessed.

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Remembering Nova Scotia




Rev. Robert and his son rang the bells at St. Cyprian's on Friday, 
to remember and honour all who were killed in Nova Scotia last week...
Let's continue to hold them and their families in our hearts and prayers. 
(Note: three of those killed had family in Red Deer.)





Thursday, April 23, 2020

Music for a Pandemic...



Written and performed over a decade ago...

Apt for these times... 





For the full lyrics to this song, click HERE.
May your day be blessed. 

Monday, April 20, 2020

Just a Reminder...

We're over four weeks into 'sheltering in place'.   
At this time may we remember these words from the late A.W. Tozer:



And in case you missed it -- or just need a lift -- some worship in song from our friend, 
Canadian singer-song-writer, Steve Bell...



In addition, of course...I nearly neglected to provide you with the Announcements for this past Sunday...courtesy of the Diocese of Calgary...





Sunday, April 19, 2020

Second Sunday of Easter...




St. Peter's parish on Elbow Drive S.W., Calgary 
will celebrate Holy Eucharist (BAS)
online
this morning -- 10:00 a.m.

For more information and the link to the service,



OR



An online Morning Prayer Service (BAS)
is being offered at the Anglican Parish of St. Barnabas
N.W. Calgary

For a link to the Parish's YouTube Channel and this service,



READINGS for this Sunday:

The Book of Acts 2: 14a, 22 - 32
Psalm 16
1 Peter 1: 3 - 9
The Gospel of John 20: 19-31


May your Sunday be blessed.


Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Easter 2020: Worshipping "In Place"




To view and celebrate the Easter Service with folks from St. Cyprian's Parish, Lacombe, Alberta...




Alleluia, Christ is Risen!  The Lord is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

May your day be blessed.


Thanks to Rev. Robert Sears,
several parishioners from St. Cyprian's, Lacombe
and
musicians from St. John's, Olds, Alberta

Friday, April 10, 2020

A Concert for Holy Week: Steve Bell



A selection of music for Holy Week and...near the end...one especially for Good Friday.  Thanks be to God.




Were you there when they crucified my LORD?

Good Friday



A Prayer for Good Friday...in Such a Time as This

O Lord, I ask for faith enough to accept the love
which has been revealed to me in him.
Keep me from twitching and wriggling away
from the Cross of Jesus.
Keep me from banking it with flowers
and hiding it behind fine words.
For if it is to mean antything real,
it must stand in the deep places of my heart.
It must become a vantage point from which to interpret life.
It must mean that I too will enter into the pain of life
and bear some measure of participation
in the agony of being.
It must mean I cannot hold aloof
from a world of suffering and hatred and division.
I must mean that I shall be willing to enter into life
with all of its sorrow and joy.
Help me to find its exact meaning for myself --
at home,
in the community,
in personal relations of all kinds.
Help me, for the meaing of the Cross is not easy to find.
Somehow I know it is a spirit of life and a way of being
that only comes as I keep as close as possible to you.

I know that our world is desperately in need
of new ways of understanding,
We human beings still follow
the ancient paths of war and slaughter,
of greed and destruction.
Help us to seek new ways -- 
ways of cooperation and mutual respect,
ways of human dignity and responsible relationships.
Help us in our national and international life.
Help us in the church and in our communities.

I confess that I am hard to help
for I get my back up when things go differently
from the way in which I think they should go.
But I am grateful that you do not quit.
I am grateful for your amazing patience
and for that flint-hard love that never gives in.
I am grateful.
Let me be grateful enough to respond with some small measure 
of the same kind of love in my relationships.
Give me more of your spirit.
AMEN.

-- "For Passion Sunday"
from
  A Book of Uncommon Prayer
Kenneth G. Phifer
The Upper Room, 1981

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Maundy Thursday



This is the day
that Christ the Lamb of God
gave himself into the hands of those who would slay him.

This is the day
that Christ gathered with his disciples in the upper room.

This is the day
that Christ took a towel
and washed the disciples' feet,
giving us an example that we should do to others
as he has done to us.

This is the day
that Christ our God gave us this holy feast,
that we who eat this bread
and drink this cup
may here proclaim his Holy Sacrifice
and be partakers of his resurrection,
and at the last day may reign with him in heaven.

-- Introduction to the Maundy Thursday Liturgy,
from the Book of Alternative Services



"When You Woke that Thursday Morning"
-- Hymn #445 
from the Lutheran Service Book, LCMS
Lyrics:  Jaroslav Vajda

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Holy Week Services -- Online

From the Diocese of Calgary:



Holy Week Online Services

Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson will be offering these services from his home by video feed:  
Maundy Thursday,  9 April at 7:00 pm
Good Friday, 10 April at 9:30 am
Easter Vigil on Saturday, 11 April at 8:30 pm
Easter Sunday service, 12 April at 9:00 am (with participation from Clergy)  
These services will be available on the front page of the Diocese website and Facebook page.   
PS: People can get a reminder of the Maundy Thursday service on Facebook through: https://www.facebook.com/calgary.anglican/posts/3502669276470050

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Comfortable Words

Those of us who grew up with the Book of Common Prayer as the text for Sunday worship may remember the "comfy words" that were included in the Communion Service:

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ
saith unto all that truly turn to him.

Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will refresh you.

God so loved the world, that he gave his
only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe
in him should not perish,
but have eternal life.

Hear also what Saint Paul saith.

This is a true saying, and worthy of all to be received,
that Christ Jesus came into the world 
to save sinners.

Hear also what Saint John saith.

If anyone sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous;
and he is the propitiation for our sins.


Below, for your consideration and reflection, are two sources that I hope will also bring you comfort and encouragement.  The first is a series of Lenten reflections and suggested practices created by the Brothers of the Society of St. John the Evangelistan Episcopalian order of monks.  Entitled Signs of Life, there are five short video reflections, each followed by suggestions for practice.

Although ideally these would be taken over each week in Lent, I stumbled on them (via the Calgary Diocese website) rather late for that.  As a result, I tried them on instead as a "praying the hours" practice over a single day: morning (Matins), mid-morning, noon, mid-afternoon and late afternoon/early evening (Vespers).  Perhaps that would work for you, too. 















and






Next, a link to the latest short concert from Steve Bell from his studio in Winnipeg:




" Comfort ye, comfore ye my people", says your God. 
-- Isaiah 40: 1


May the rest of your weekend be blessed.