Reopening our Churches

In Person Services

In person services resumed at Epiphany following the guidelines laid down by  Bishop Todd.

There will be two services each Sunday

9:15 am

11:00 am

Seating is limited so please contact Adam to confirm a place.

mailto: Adam   

phone – 1 519 615-2210

 

                Bishop Todd

Dear friends,

We have made some changes to our diocesan COVID-19 protocols, at least one of which many of us have been waiting for with some longing.  Reopening our Churches, the Next Step can be found at the link below.  The changes come into effect on Sunday, November 14, 2021.  Some of the the changes include:

1. Singing is permitted in worship services while masked and physically distanced.  Choirs may rehearse while masked and physically distanced.  Services and choir rehearsals are to be no longer than 45 minutes.

2. Brief fellowship times of 20 minutes or less are permitted following worship services.  Food and beverages are not permitted.  It is preferable if this can be held in a location other than the sanctuary.

3. The Provincial Government’s vaccine mandate applies to all activities held in a church building with the exception of worship, food sustainability ministries, and 12-step groups.  Renters are required to ensure that they follow the government’s directions regarding their members and activities.

4. As the weather cools down, it is important to remember that HVAC systems can efficiently spread COVID-19 aerosols.  If your church is heated by forced air, please turn the furnace fans off approximately 15 minutes before the beginning of worship. Fans (ceiling and other) should not be used.  In all buildings, please keep some windows open at least partially as this greatly improves ventilation and reduces the risk of the virus being spread.

5. The same lectern and/or microphone may be used for more than one reader or speaker if all readers/speakers are wearing masks. COVID-19 is spread primarily by aerosols and small aerosolized particles can hang in the air for a period of time, therefore, masks must be worn for the protection of all readers and speakers.  If a lectern or microphone is only used by one person during a service and it is more than 12 feet (4m) from any other person, masks may be removed at the lectern. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions with regard to these protocols.

blessings, 
Tanya+
The Venerable Tanya Phibbs
Archdeacon of Huron

 
Yours in Christ,
+Todd
The Right Reverend Todd Townshend
Bishop of Huron

Reopening our Churches

 

 

 

Our Prayers go out to our Muslim Brothers and Sisters

 

 

The Church of the Epiphany the Little Church that Cares has lowered the flag in our Cenotaph in honour of our Muslim brothers and sisters who were so senselessly attacked recently in our great city.

Our Prayers go out for you

 

 

Our prayers

Our prayers are for the young and the innocent.

Our prayers are for the souls leaving us too soon

                                                way to early.

Our prayers are for the lonely

                                    for the souls left behind.

Our prayers are for the grief, for the tears

                                    for the sadness.

Our prayers are for time

                                    time to heal

                                    time to love

                                    time to remember all that is good.

Our prayers are for you

                                    for the laughter

                                    for the happiness

                                    for the joy yet to come.

Our prayers are for you.

 

Epiphany Service For October 31, 2021

 

Image: Crown Fountain by Jaume Plesna in Millennium Park Chicago 

 

The flowers in the church are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Cliff , given by Heather, Gord, Amanda and Ashley.

**Cenotaph Service.  November 11 at 10:30 a.m.  Outside.  

*Stamps for Christmas Cards Program.  Give your cards and money to Barb.  Forms will be available.  The church gets all the money.  Your letters will be promptly mailed.  Thank you to all involved!!

*Meat and Veg Pies. Sat. Nov. 27. 

*The Manor Park Christmas Post.  Sunday Dec. 12.  3:00 till 4:00 p.m.  featuring Katy Clark, Paul Grambo, Kydra Ryan, Stephen Holowitz and Adam Corrigan Holowitz.  An hour of music , poetry, Stories, comedy for the holiday season.  Tickets 25$  Proceeds to the work of the church.  Seating capacity currently 35. Judy and Bob Tickets.  

*Sandra is selling mint smoothies though.  $2.50

*November 7.  All Saints Day.  Who are you thinking of this year?  Barb will compose our list of names.  Bring a note?

*Calendars are $10 each. There are 4 themes … Best Friends (Dogs), Cats and Kittens, Streams and Lakes, Majestic Sunsets. To order, sign the list at back of church or call 226 – 378 – 1250 or write to judyandbob@rogers.com.

*Bible Study Monday’s 10 a.m.  In the Hall.

*FUNDrive  collection day now moved to November 17.  We are collecting items we normally would have collected for our Spring/Fall yard sale for delivery to Value Village. Value Village will pay us 15 cents a pound for” wearables” (clothing, purses, belts, backpacks, shoes, etc) in green garbage bags and 10 cents a pound for “housewares” in boxes.   (Housewares are things home-related, but NOT furniture).   Thanks Jan for leading in this! Ron (519 472 9142)  Truck? Vehicles?

*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson, Brian Garrett

*Food Cupboard.     Butch. 519-615-9106 Thank you everyone! 

*The Church Website http://www.thechurchofepiphany.com/

*Please Like Our PAGE on Facebook.

*If you wish, our regular weekly donations or special donations may be sent to our Envelope Secretary:

 

Barb Smallman

4860 Whiteoak Road

London, Ontario

N6E 3Y8

 

519-680-0649

 

*Thank you Ron for posting our service on our website, Adam for recording our service To Anusha for the music.  Also Stephen.  Thank you Dan D. for arranging for the flower dedications.  Thank you to you for being part of our church and for all you do everywhere.

 

Bible Readings for October 31, 2021

• Ruth 1:1-18 and Psalm 146  

• Deuteronomy 6:1-9 and Psalm 119:1-8  

• Hebrews 9:11-14  

• Mark 12:28-34

Bible Readings for All Saints Day November 01, 2021

• Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9 or Isaiah 25:6-9 and Psalm 24  

• Revelation 21:1-6a   

• John 11:32-44

 

Audio for October 31 Service

 

 

Opening:

 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,

be with you all.

 

And we respond with: And with thy spirit.

 

WE pray:

Source of all being, beginning and end,

we praise you for those who have served you faithfully.

For the sake of Jesus Christ,

replenish our hope in your eternal kingdom,

that we may have life in all its fullness,

unfettered by the fear of death. Amen.

 

Scripture
The Sermon on the Mount

5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

 

The Beatitudes

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

 

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

 

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

 

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

 

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

 

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

 

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.

 

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

Sermon

A few years ago a group of folks visited war-torn Nicaragua. 

While there, a young man was killed by the Contras. 

 

On the next Sunday a memorial service was held. 

 

During the Communion service there was a pause. 

The congregation was silent. 

 

Then someone called out a the  young man’s name.

 

In one voice everyone responded, 

“Presente!”

 

Another name was called out.

 Once again the response was, 

“Presente!”

 

During the service at least twenty names were called out 

each time the same response: 

“Presente!”

 

The visitors

 did not understand what was happening

 

Then they realized that all the names 

were those of persons who had died. 

 

“Presente” is used by school children 

to answer roll call. 

 

At the Lord’s table the word “presente” 

means “in our midst” 

or “present with us.”

 

 Shouting “Presente!” 

in this worship service

 was a way of proclaiming 

the reality of the communion of saints.

 

 Although those persons named 

had all died, 

their presence and influence was still felt.

====

Today we celebrate All Saints Sunday.

 

We remember

and give thanks 

for those persons 

who have influenced our lives, 

whose presence is still felt in our lives 

Even though now they rest from their labours….

 ==

From the beatitudes

We learn about saints,

Who are not perfect…

But…

 

SAINTS ARE PERSONS, FIRST OF ALL, 

WHO LIVE THEIR LIVES TRUSTING NOTHING 

OTHER THAN GOD.

 

“Jesus is praising the virtues of faith in God. 

 

God is our ultimate source of security. 

 

We think if we have enough money, 

enough land,

enough possessions, 

we will be in control of our lives. 

We will be protected. 

We will have security. 

 

We fool ourselves…

 

There are times

 when only faith in God will pull us through.

 

A young pastor tells about the most devastating event of his life ” 

the death of his mother. 

 

His mother was a beautiful person, 

this pastor writes, 

because of her deep faith in God 

and her commitment to her family.

 

 She never complained about her life

 being cut short at the age of forty-nine. 

 

Throughout her illness,

 his mother would say,

 “I thank God for my family and my life.” 

Even though she was passing.

his mother radiated the joy 

that comes from placing her total trust in God.

 

 Each morning her husband would say to her, 

“This is the day which the Lord has made!” 

And courageously, 

she would respond, 

“Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” 

 

That is saint-like faith ”

 living life trusting

 nothing other than God.

 

SAINTS ARE ALSO PERSONS WHO SUBMIT THEIR WILL 

TO THE WILL OF GOD.

 

“Blessed are the meek,” said Jesus, 

“for they will inherit the earth.”

 

 In the original Greek “meek” meant literally the “tamed” 

or the “broken” 

(as a horse is green broke). 

 

a “meek” or “gentled” horse 

trusts their person.

 

So for us,

meekness is a matter of submission to God’s will. 

 

We can rest assured that God will take care of us.

 

William Hinson recalls the time 

When the family got a  tiny  puppy. 

 

When they got home Dr. Hinson decided 

 to build a dog house

 for the new puppy to live in. 

 

But as it turned out,

 In fact the house was too large for the small dog.

 

The size of the dog house scared the little puppy.

 

No matter what they did

 the little dog would not go near the dog house. 

They would put his food in there, 

the dog would go hungry;

 

 they would put water in there, 

the dog would not drink.

 

 “In exasperation,” Dr. Hinson admits, 

“I would shove him in and hold my hands over the door; 

but the minute I would move, 

he would run out, 

all frightened.”

 

 Nothing worked. 

 

The little dog would not go into his dog house

 no matter what they did to entice him.

 

In disgust, Dr. Hinson 

sat down in the den 

while his daughter, Cathy,

 stood in the family room crying over her dad’s impatience.

 

Crying overthe refusal of her puppy to cooperate. 

 

After a while, 

Cathy got down on her hands and knees 

and crawled into the dog house herself. 

 

When she crawled into it 

something wonderful happened. 

 

That little puppy trotted right in beside her

stretched out on the dog house floor. 

 

Before too long the dog was taking a nap. 

 

All the fear was taken out of the darkness,

 because the one whom he loved 

one whom he trusted 

had preceded him into that dark and frightening place.

 It no longer caused him fear. 

 

There’s a lesson here for us. 

We can trust God knowing that God loves us. 

Wherever He leads us, He will be with us. 

We don’t have to enter dark dog houses alone. 

Saints trust in God and God alone.

 Saints submit their will to God’s will.

 

FINALLY, SAINTS ARE PEOPLE WHO, 

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, 

STAND FIRM IN FAITH.

 

 Jesus knew that living the kind of life 

that he outlined would be difficult. 

In his final beatitude Jesus tried

 to warn the disciples the loving life

 is sometimes very challenging,

yet important.

 

Faithfulness to God’s loving ways

Is so important.

=

 

All through the ages 

there have been saints who 

have suffered because of their loving caring ways. 

 

They did not waver in the face of adversity. 

 

Such persons are examples for us. 

=

 

When Margaret Helminski was seven, 

she received a gift from her grandmother.

 

 It was a tiny cross on a wisp of gold chain

 so fine, its weight was barely perceptible.

 

 “Never forget what this cross means,”

 her grandmother said as she fastened it 

carefully around Margaret’s neck.

 

Over the years, Margaret says, 

that cross became a part of her. 

 

She could look at herself in the mirror 

and not even see it.

 

As a graduate psychology student,

 she took a job tutoring at a school for children

working on behavior problems. 

 

On her first day there, 

the head counselor said that three of the children

 had asked her to go with them to lunch.

 

She swallowed hard. 

She desperately needed this job 

so she fought back the fear.

 

She walked with her charges to the dining hall.

 

They got their food.

Then they made their way to a table.

The children took their seats. 

 

Margaret picked up her fork 

was about to take the first bite

 when she noticed that all three children

 were looking at her.

 

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

 

“Aren’t you going to ask a blessing?” asked eight-year-old Peter.

 

“I didn’t think I was supposed to,” she responded. 

“This is a public school”

 

“Yes,” said David, his blue eyes brimming, “but you wear a cross.”

 

Her grandmother’s words surged to the surface of her memory.

 “Never forget what this cross means,” her grandmother said.

 

The children needed her to be a saint,

To be faithful to God.

Someone the light shines through.

—

We have  known a few saints in my time, haven’t we? 

Some of them are now with God. 

Saints are not perfect people, 

but they are faithful. 

 

They blessed our life. 

 

On this All Saints Day 

We say one thing in their behalf. 

“Presente!”

Hymn  For All the Saints 

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,

who thee by faith before the world confessed,

thy name, O Jesus, be forever bless’d.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Thou wast their rock, their refuge, and their might,

thou, Christ, the hope that put their fears to flight;

’mid gloom and doubt, their true and shining light.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Oh, bless’d communion, fellowship divine!

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine,

yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.

Alleluia, alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west.

Soon, soon to faithful servants cometh rest.

Sweet is the calm of paradise the bless’d.

Alleluia, alleluia!

But lo! There breaks a yet more glorious day;

the saints triumphant rise in bright array,

as God to glory calls them all away.

Alleluia, alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,

through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

*all praising Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Alleluia, alleluia!

 Let us take a few moments to call 

to mind those saints we think of this day.

 

Presente.

+++

Our Creed: All together.

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,

and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified

under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father.

With the Father and the Son

he is worshipped and glorified.

He has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic

and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism

for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen

 

Prayers:

All blessing, honor, and glory,

all wisdom, praise, and thanks be yours,

O God of our salvation!

We pray in communion with all the saints on earth and heaven,

with the martyrs and the faithful in all ages,

and in the name of the Lamb who was slain,

who alone is worthy of worship.

 

Prayers  Donna Mc (Ron and Jan); Debbie H (Lorenz)Karen T.;Bill, Sheila, Jessica, Sonya, Jamie (Peter); Grace L.; Hope (Marilyn B.) ;   Bob R.; Zac; Peter T.;  Mark Mc; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane); Velma H.; Zaden; Kendra; (Gloria); Shirley P.; Helen, Debrah G.,and Regina G (Pat M.);  Linda; Dean; Allan; Aunt Frankie; (Brian G.); Brian; Marcel D.; Tara; Jeff B.; Nicole; Shelley (Sandra); Connie C.;  Jim P. Jack B.; Jack and Julie.  Jim M; Mary B.;  Keanna,  Ella D.; Evelyn Mc; Marion R.; (Church)  Jade (Carol R.); Dori;  Belinda,;  Kim; Edie K., Ross B., Francis & Bill W.; Jeff G. (Dori & Jack); Michelle P.;(Jim P.)  Pat P; Grant K; Kathy W. (Jack & Julie); Valerie (Carol F.); Pat and Tony  (Marilyn B.); Melanie; Marlene H. Pam B. (Barb & George);  
Lynda D. (Mary Beth & Paul); Jean (Bruce J.); Brian (Jeanne); Jacquie and Cam D.; Diana, Ian, Edna, Mat-thew & Annika;   David & Lyla ;   Janice L & Darrin R;  Roland & Pansy V;  Clark & Helene (Suzie D)

 

Bless us with your healing presence;

make us hungry for justice;

strengthen our faith;

and increase our love for others,

especially those we find it most difficult to love. Amen

 

As our Savior taught us, let us pray,

 

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done;

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

 

 

 

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us,

can do infinitely more

than we can ask or imagine.

Glory to God from generation to generation,

in the Church and in Christ Jesus,

for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Blessing from the Book of Common Prayer:

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

 

Our Parting Blessing Song:

May God’s blessing surround you each day

As you trust Him and walk in His way

May His presence within guard and keep you from sin,

Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.

Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.