To know Jesus Christ, and, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to make Him known
We are delighted to introduce you to our new Bishop-Elect. ?The Venerable Anne Germond has been the rector of the Church of the Ascension in Sudbury, the Arch-Deacon of the Deanery of Sudbury-Manitoulin and most recently appointed Chancellor of Thorneloe University. ...continue reading "The Venerable Anne Germond – Our New Bishop-Elect"
Being an Easter Church - means worshiping together
?It ain?t those parts of the Bible that I can?t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand? ? Mark Twain
We can sympathize a little with Mark Twain in his view of the Bible. There are parts that seem pretty hard to figure out ? and others that are all too clear! ...continue reading "Being an Easter Church – means worshiping"
Tuesday April 5, 2016
We say that we come to church on Sundays. We say we are The Church, not the building. Sometimes we talk about The Church (the body of Christ - all of the people world-wide who love and serve God in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit). Sometimes, when we talk about ?church?, we mean our own congregation here, ...continue reading "Breakfast on the Beach with Jesus"
Walter Brueggemann (has) suggested that the primary challenge facing the Christian Church in North America in the 21st century is that for most of our people, God is no longer a primary actor in the story of their lives. Don?t get me (or Walter!) wrong: it?s not that our people don?t believe in God, it?s just that apart from church they don?t think about God all that much.
Ouch!
What does it mean to be the Church - the Body of Christ - in North Bay, in 2016, from Monday to Saturday? ?Is it enough to be a friendly place where all who enter can feel at home? ?Is it enough to be a place where we worship in familiar surroundings with beautiful liturgy and proclaim the Creeds that have summarized our faith for thousands of years? ?All of this is important and precious to us, and it should be! ?All of this is a welcome part of our lives as the Body of Christ gathered on Greenwood Avenue. ?But is there more? ?Over the next few weeks we will explore this question.
What questions do you have about what it means to really be the part of this local congregation - and to be part of the Church Universal - God's people of every race, nation and language ? Share your questions here or email a note to Rev. Marie so we can explore this together (revmarie1952@icloud.com). ?Or drop into the Thursday "Coffee and Conversation" time at 10:30 where we will be discussing this in a free and open conversation over the next weeks.
The promise? ?There IS more, and it is wonderful!
LIFTING UP OUR HEARTS ?TUESDAY
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Rev. Marie?s thoughts are at the end
OPENING PRAYER
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, your unworthy servants give you humble thanks ...continue reading "LIFTING UP OUR HEARTS – WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY"
GRATITUDE IN ACTION -FRIDAY
OPENING PRAYER
Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all you have done for us. We thank you for the splendour of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love. We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, ...continue reading "GRATITUDE IN ACTION"
GRATITUDE IN ACTION ? THURSDAY
Grace in the Dark Times
Rev. Marie?s thoughts are at the end:
OPENING?PRAYER?
Heavenly Father, in the busyness of my day, I sometimes forget to stop and thank You for all that is good in my life. My blessings are many and my heart is filled with gratefulness and gratitude for the gift of living, for the ability to love and be loved, for the opportunity to see the everyday wonders of creation, for a mind that thinks and a body that feels. I thank you, too, for those things in my life that are less than I would hope them to be ...continue reading "GRATITUDE IN ACTION – THURSDAY"
OPENING
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing ...continue reading "GRATITUDE IN ACTION – WEDNESDAY"
GRATITUDE IN ACTION - TUESDAY
Rev. Marie?s thoughts are at the end:
OPENING PRAYER
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving kindness to us and all who you have made. We bless you for your creation, preservation, and the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, ...continue reading "GRATITUDE IN ACTION – TUESDAY"
GRATITUDE IN ACTION -MONDAY
Rev Marie?s comments are at the end
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OPENING
Psalm 136 (1-9)
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.
O give thanks to the God of gods,?for His steadfast love endures forever. ...continue reading "GRATITUDE IN ACTION – MONDAY"