The Church of the Epiphany
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Epiphany Service For January 23, 2022
Image: Snow at Argenteuil by Claude Monet
The flowers in the Sanctuary today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of a dear mother Marion and father Jack Plumridge given with love by the children and grandchildren.
*March 12. St. Pat’s party. All restrictions lift March 14. Stay tuned. Save the dates in this area.
*We are taking a cautionary break from in person worship. Until February 6 unless we are surprised by good news! A service is available on our website weekly. Feel free to call, email or text me anytime.
**Meat Pies. $4.00 See Barb. Lots left in our freezer. Yum!
*Twoonies for Turkeys Thank you. Thank you to the folks at St. James for your generous gift of “Twoonies for Turkeys” . Also, thank you to everyone who supports our food cupboard with food donations and donations for food cards throughout the year. Thanks to you we never have had to turn away anyone throughout this entire pandemic.
*Food Cupboard. If you wish to donate to the food cupboard & to the church, please write a separate cheque or use cash = different accounts. Thank you everyone! Butch. 519-615-9106
*Mint smoothies Sandra $2.50
*Bible Study on hold until February. Rev. Peter.
*Vestry Feb. 6
*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson.
*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 Thank you to you for being part of our church and for all you do everywhere. 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.
Bible readings for Jan 16
Audio for January 23 Service
Prelude: Joy Shall Be Yours in the Morning performed by Adam Corrigan Holowitz and Stephen Holowitz
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:
Perfect Light of revelation,
as you shone in the life of Jesus,
whose epiphany we celebrate,
so shine in us and through us,
that we may become beacons of truth and compassion,
enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy. Amen.
Reading Luke 4:14-21
4:14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.
4:15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
4:16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
4:17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,
4:19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
4:20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
4:21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Sermon
Luke 4:14-21
It’s tough to preach your first sermon at a new church.
Most pastors experience at least a few jitters as they head to a new church to preach.
It’s nerve-wracking.
So we can appreciate a story Pastor John Jewell.
It was his first time preaching as a pastor at Good Hope Church.
A supervisor gave Jewell directions to the church
sent him off with the words, “They’ll be expecting you.”
That made Pastor Jewell feel good.
He hoped it meant the congregation was ready to welcome him.
But when Pastor Jewell got to the church, no one welcomed him.
No one even seemed to notice he had arrived.
A few minutes before the service began,
Pastor Jewell tapped the shoulder of the man in front of him and introduced himself:
“Hi. My name is John Jewell and I am preaching this morning.”
The man responded, “Nice to meet you, John, but I am the pastor here and I believe I am preaching!”
Talk about an unwelcome surprise!
But the pastor cleared up the confusion quickly when he explained that there was another church with the same name just a few miles down the road.
Pastor Jewell sped to the other Good Hope Church as fast as he could, but he arrived to see the congregation walking out the doors.
They had grown tired of waiting for the visiting preacher who showed up late.
===
This morning it was Jesus’ turn to preach.
The passage Jesus read was a prophecy from the prophet Isaiah, who had lived about 700 years earlier.
But instead of interpreting this passage for his listeners in the synagogue, Jesus simply ended his reading of the scripture with these words: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
We can almost be certain that nobody was expecting that!
Because Jesus, a local boy, a carpenter from a family of modest means, had just announced that he was the Messiah sent from God.
How’s that for something to talk about over Sabbath lunch?!
==
The nation of Israel had waited around 1,000 years for God to send His Messiah, His Anointed One.
They didn’t expect that one of their own would claim that title for himself.
So what was Jesus talking about?
==
But If he was the long-promised Messiah, the hope of the nation, then what was God revealing about His nature and His plan for the world?
The first thing we learn is that Christ came to bring good news to the poor.
That’s a vital truth to understand about the Messiah.
Because it tells us so much about God’s heart, about God’s character.
The poor are the people who need God daily, so they are closest to God.
Like us in a crisis, then we find ourselves aware of God helping us, walking with us.
It is no accident that Jesus spent his adult life without a home of his own, without any possessions beyond what he could carry as he traveled from town to town sharing the message of the love of God with everyone he met.
It seems Jesus was dependent on others sharing what they had..
So Jesus understands us ….
==
God cares about the poor.
They may be overlooked, left out in our world.
But in God’s kingdom, the poor are precious and held close to God’s heart.
Because they were most receptive to Jesus message of caring for others.
We know that, those who have little know to care for others around them.
Those who have little are the first to share…
Jesus is at home with those who as the Lord’s prayer says “live to receive daily bread”
not bread for the future,
but bread for this day.
=
Like a story:
Jim Wallis is the founder of the Sojourners community and the magazine of the same name.
The Sojourners community advocates for peace and social justice based on the teachings of Jesus.
Their ministries focus on meeting the needs of the poor.
When Wallis was in seminary, he and some classmates were deeply impressed by all the verses in the Bible emphasizing God’s concern for the poor.
So they took a Bible and they cut out every verse that related to love for the poor.
As author Richard Stearns wrote about their project,
“They wanted to see what a compassionless Bible looked like.
By the time they finished, not much was left.
When you read the words of Jesus, God’s compassion leaps off the page.
And so, Jesus’ first publicly-recorded sermon we read today began with the words:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”
The second thing we learn is that God’s love covers everyone who is hurting . . . of every station in life.
Jesus’ next words in this passage are,
“He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Jesus meant these words literally.
In his life on this earth,
he set people free,
he heals them, he stands up for those who were oppressed.
He welcomed and looked out for the forgotten.
He was a voice for the voiceless.
Jesus never wavered in his mission to bring hope, healing and freedom to those who were most in need.
Like us, we too are to stand up for those who need protection.
For those who need justice, fairness….
Also no matter how good our life looks on the outside, many of us suffer from a poverty of spirit.
Many of us are imprisoned by shame, anger, envy, fear, guilt and sorrow.
No amount of money or friends or accomplishments can fill that sense of emptiness .
Poverty can be a condition not of the body but of the soul.
Jesus is there for you then too.
==
This passage shows us we have a God who loves us
who cares about our challenges, our heartbreaks, our suffering.
Jesus has experienced it all.
===
The deepest question of the human heart is, “Is there a God?”
And the question after that is, “If so, what is God like?”
In Jesus’ first publicly-recorded sermon, he answers both these questions.
God is right here with you.
God cares about those who are hurting and in need.
Hymn: Good Christians All Rejoice
Good Christians, all rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now give heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today,
ox and ass before him bow,
and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today;
Christ is born today.
Good Christians, all rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now you hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this.
He has opened heaven’s door,
and we are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this;
Christ was born for this.
Good Christians, all rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now you need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save,
calls you one and calls you all
to gain the everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save;
Christ was born to save.
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:
Sisters and brothers,
let us lift our hearts in faith
to the one who hears all prayers
and holds close all those in need.
Prayers: Merico (Darlene);Gillian (Pam);Baby Lexi (Jeanette); Marilyn B.; Connie C.; Jim P. Jack B.; Jack and Julie. Mary B.; Keanna, Ella D.; Evelyn Mc; Marion R.; (Church) Linda; Dean; Allan; Aunt Frankie; (Brian G.); Donna (Jan and Ken); Debbie H (Lorenz); Alexandra; Donna Mc (Ron and Jan); Val ; Karen T.;Bill, Sheila, Jessica, Sonya, Jamie (Peter); Bob R.; Zac; Peter T.; Mark Mc; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane); Brian; Marcel D.; Tara; Jeff B.; Nicole; Shelley (Sandra); 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); 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)
Holy God, you gather the whole universe
into your radiant presence
and continually reveal your Son as our Savior.
Bring healing to all wounds,
make whole all that is broken,
speak truth to all illusion,
and shed light in every darkness,
that all creation will see your glory and know your Christ. 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.
Epiphany Service For January 16, 2022
The flowers in the church today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of our daughter and sister Lisa Aldington, given by Bob, Linda and Christine Aldington.
The flowers in the church today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of a dear husband Roland Rees given by his wife Gail Rees and family.
*March 12. St. Pat’s party.
*We are taking a cautionary break from in person worship. Until February 6 unless we are surprised by good news! A service is available on our website weekly. Feel free to call, email or text me anytime.
**Meat Pies. $4.00 See Barb. Lots left in our freezer. Yum!
*Twoonies for Turkeys Thank you. Thank you to the folks at St. James for your generous gift of “Twoonies for Turkeys” . Also, thank you to everyone who supports our food cupboard with food donations and donations for food cards throughout the year. Thanks to you we never have had to turn away anyone throughout this entire pandemic.
*Food Cupboard. If you wish to donate to the food cupboard & to the church, please write a separate cheque or use cash = different accounts. Thank you everyone! Butch. 519-615-9106
*Mint smoothies Sandra $2.50
*Bible Study on hold until February. Rev. Peter.
*Vestry Feb. 6
*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson.
*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 Thank you to you for being part of our church and for all you do everywhere. 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.
Bible readings for Jan 16
Audio for Jan 16 Service
Prelude: Heard from Heaven Today performed by Adam Corrgian Holowitz and Stephen Holowitz
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:
Perfect Light of revelation,
as you shone in the life of Jesus,
whose epiphany we celebrate,
so shine in us and through us,
that we may become beacons of truth and compassion,
enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy. Amen.
Reading John 2:1-11
2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2:2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
2:3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
2:4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”
2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
2:6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
2:7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
2:8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it.
2:9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom
2:10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
2:11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Sermon
John 2:1-11
If you were to make a list of jobs
that require the ability to think
on your feet and handle extreme levels of stress,
which jobs would make your list?
Fighter pilots, police officers, perhaps?
What about wedding planners?
Wedding planners juggle hundreds of tiny details while also managing the emotions of the wedding party.
When issues arise at the last minute,
the wedding planner has to do whatever it takes
to redeem the situation.
For example,
A wedding planner named discovered at the last minute
that the church had scheduled a funeral
at the same time as the wedding.
She needed to keep the wedding guests
out of the church for about an hour.
Fortunately,
she spotted an ice cream truck down the block.
She convinced the owner
to park the truck at the church.
Then to serve ice cream
to the waiting guests.
Everyone assumed this was part of the wedding entertainment.
The guests had a great time,
and no one guessed that they were being distracted
from a scheduling mistake.
Our Scripture this morning
is about a wedding planner faced with a crisis.
Jesus and his disciples and his mother
are attending a wedding in Cana.
In that culture,
wedding parties lasted for days.
At some point during the festivities,
the hosting family ran out of wine.
Jesus lived in a culture that valued hospitality and community.
No more wine meant no more wedding celebration,
which would be humiliating for the bride and groom’s families.
Jesus’ mother,
Mary, must have heard whispers
about the lack of wine,
so she took the problem to Jesus.
“They have no more wine,” she said.
Jesus answered,
“Woman, why do you involve me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servants,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
This passage is a great example of mom-power.
Mothers have that unique power
to talk their kids into doing their bidding.
Mary didn’t ask Jesus directly to do anything.
She didn’t demand.
She just presented the problem to him in such a way
that he couldn’t say, “No.”
That’s mom-power.
====
Note this: Jesus has the power to do miracles, Mary knew this.
But notice this also,
if you read through the Bible,
God often asks ordinary people to assist in His work.
God partners with us to do miracles.
And so Jesus asks the servants
to fill the ceremonial water jars
used for washing
to the very brim.
The servants must have thought they were wasting their time,
Filling those huge water jugs.
Carrying water from the well to the jug.
How often do we wonder if we are doing anything
Serving God…working in the church?
==
Once the huge stone jars are full
Jesus says,
“Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
So those servants showed some tremendous trust
when they obeyed Jesus.
They took the host a dipper full of wine.
Imagine the master of the banquet’s surprise
when he tasted the wine the servants brought him!
He didn’t even know Jesus had performed a miracle.
He called the bridegroom aside and said,
“Everyone brings out the choice wine first
then the cheaper wine after the guests
have had too much to drink;
but you have saved the best till now.”
Now:
It’s easy to look at Jesus’ first miracle
then think it’s just an impressive party trick.
But the last line of our Bible passage reads,
“What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee
was the first of the signs through which
he revealed his glory;
and his disciples believed in him.”
What?
This miracle revealed his glory
This miracle caused his disciples to believe in him?
thats an important miracle.
The first thing this story tells us about God is that in Jesus,
God is doing a new thing..
God expects people to help God do what is needed,
Like the servants hauling all that water.
===
Speaking of challenges,
the COVID-19 pandemic presented all of us with some challenges
that we would just as soon forget.
A husband-and-wife team who rose to the occasion
-they found a better way.
When they got bored staring at the same scene outside their window,
this couple created a website called WindowSwap.
WindowSwap allowed users to upload photos or video
of the view outside their window.
Then, when they got bored with the view from their home,
they could click through photos or video of other people’s views
from around the world.
What a creative way of serving with God,
Keeping spirits up,
Making lemonaide out of lemons…
God needs our best help…
like the servants and the water…
===
The second thing we learn from this miracle
Of the wine at the wedding is that
God’s generosity flows from His love for us.
God’s abundant love
frees us to live generously.
Here’s another area where God calls us
into partnership with Him.
We receive God’s blessings
so that we can be a blessing to others.
Like:
Dale Schroeder was a carpenter from Iowa
who became a blessing to others.
He worked at the same company for 67 years.
Dale was known for being hard-working and frugal.
After Dale Schroeder’s death in 2005,
It was revealed that that Schroeder had saved up
nearly $3 million in his lifetime,
he had left all his money
to pay for kids to go to college.
In all, Dale Schroeder’s fortune sent 33 kids to college.
None of those kids could have afforded a college education
on their own.
But today,
they are doctors, lawyers, therapists and teachers.
Dale Schroeder had just one condition for accepting the money.
“All I ask is that you pay it forward,” reports Nielsen.
“You can’t pay it back, because Dale is gone,
but you can remember him,
Moreover, you can belike him.”
That’s what we do when we give generously
to the needs of others:
we pay it forward.
WE emulate our Lord,
Who is so generous.
==
This miracle of the wine is showing God’s Grace.
Grace is a difficult concept.
But really it is that God’s grace is about
unconditional love—
the wedding folks receive unconditional un earned love….
You see, Jesus’ first miracle and his last meal
have something in common.
Just before Jesus was arrested and crucified,
he had a final meal with his disciples.
After the meal, he picked up some leftover bread,
gave thanks to God and broke it.
He gave it to his disciples and said,
“This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
Then he picked up the cup of wine and said,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which is poured out for you.”
Just like the miracle at the wedding,
That cup, communion,
Feeds us sustains us,
Is food for the journey of life…
Beyond expectations.
=
Jesus’ first miracle wasn’t for show.
Its about love for us…
Its about us needing to help God serve the world…
Hymn: Gather us In
Here in this place new light is streaming
Now is the darkness vanished away
See in this space our fears and our dreamings
Brought here to you in the light of this day
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken
Gather us in, the blind and the lame
Call to us now and we shall awaken
We shall arise at the sound of our name
We are the young, our lives are a mystery
We are the old who yearn for your face
We have been sung throughout all of history
Called to be light to the whole human race
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty
Gather us in, the proud and the strong
Give us a heart so meek and so lowly
Give us the courage to enter the song
Here we will take the wine and the water
Here we will take the bread of new birth
Here you shall call your sons and your daughters
Call us anew to be salt for the earth
Give us to drink the wine of compassion
Give us to eat the bread that is you
Nourish us well and teach us to fashion
Lives that are holy and hearts that are true
Not in the dark of buildings confining
Not in some heaven light years away
But here in this place the new light is shining
Now is the kingdom, now is the day
Gather us in and hold us forever
Gather us in and make us your own
Gather us in, all peoples together
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones
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:
Sisters and brothers,
let us lift our hearts in faith
to the one who hears all prayers
and holds close all those in need.
Prayers: Merico (Darlene);Gillian (Pam);Baby Lexi (Jeanette); Marilyn B.; Connie C.; Jim P. Jack B.; Jack and Julie. Mary B.; Keanna, Ella D.; Evelyn Mc; Marion R.; (Church) Linda; Dean; Allan; Aunt Frankie; (Brian G.); Donna (Jan and Ken); Debbie H (Lorenz); Alexandra; Donna Mc (Ron and Jan); Val ; Karen T. ;Bill, Sheila, Jessica, Sonya, Jamie (Peter); Bob R.; Zac; Peter T.; Mark Mc; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane); Brian; Marcel D.; Tara; Jeff B.; Nicole; Shelley (Sandra); 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); 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)
Holy God, you gather the whole universe
into your radiant presence
and continually reveal your Son as our Savior.
Bring healing to all wounds,
make whole all that is broken,
speak truth to all illusion,
and shed light in every darkness,
that all creation will see your glory and know your Christ. 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.
Cancellation
It is with a sad heart that I must tell you, that the wardens and I have decided it is best to cancel in person worship for January. Err on the side of caution. I hope this is a good decision. So we will be back February 6 which is our vestry meeting? There will be no in person January board meeting either.
Here is hoping that this is the end of the pandemic, and church life will return to normal soon. How we will appreciate the simple things like working together, worshiping together. Remember, that our weekly services will be posted to our website Saturday evenings.
Take Care
and keep safe
Rev. Teresa, and the Wardens
Shine a Blue Light – In honour of Alexandra Stemp
Shine a Blue Light
It’s not what you want to think about
this time of year
It’s not what you want to think about
ever
but here it is, an exquisite young life
cut short
by unimaginable tragedy
This beautiful young girl,
lost
the result of a terrible accident.
What could be better for a young girl
than a Girl Guide Brownie meeting
with friends, teachers, leaders?
Who could have known a safe
supervised walk home would result
in such tragedy?
Light up a blue candle.
Shine a blue spotlight on your porch.
Tie a blue ribbon on your lamp post.
Say a prayer for little Alexandra;
and another for her family;
and another for the emergency crews
that attended and gave such loving care
to little Alexandra.
And, find it in your heart
to say another for the driver of the car
that ended a bright young life
in such a tragic way.
FUNDrive at Epiphany
You know, one of the best things of being a part of Epiphany is all the fun we have. Even when we’re working we have fun. Wednesday November 17, our assigned delivery date finally arrived, the culmination of a year’s collection of Garage Sale items. As you know Epiphany usually has a couple of Garage sales each year. The Covid pandemic put an end to that. One of our members saw an ad from Value Village called FUNDrive. When she checked into it she discovered that we could save then deliver our usual Garage Sale items to VV and get paid for it. What a great idea!!!. So we started collecting, and collecting, and collecting. The Hall basement filled up and still items were arriving. The Church basement filled up and still more items. Then, just as it seemed Epiphany’s walls were going to burst we got together, safely masked and loaded 2 large UHaul trucks and took everything to Value Village on Wellington Road South. The accumulated bagged and boxed items (clothing, footwear, linens, pots and pans and other small household items – you know, everything but the kitchen sink) weighed in at over 5000 pounds. A big thank you to everyone who contributed. It was a lot of work, but as you can see in the pictures, many hands make work light – and fun. I heard many laughs, giggles and happy noises as we worked delivering these things to VV (Another huge thank you to our volunteer loaders – way to go Epiphanites!!!) By the way, did I tell you, Value Village paid us for these things. A win win as I see it.
Reopening our Churches
In Person Services
In person services have been put on hold for the month of January. We are planning to reopen for services on February 06. For the latest pleas read the letter from Arch Deacon Tanya Phibbs below.
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:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
Green Gators Remember
Several years ago after our annual Service of Remembrance we noticed children’s artwork attached to the fence around the cenotaph courtyard. After a little sleuthing we discovered that the Western Daycare “Orange Owls” had visited and left a Remembrance Day inspired piece of art. We contacted Western Day Care and found that one of the teachers, Julia had been bringing her class over each Remembrance Day. We got in touch with Julia and from that day the Orange Owls, and this year, the Green Gators have been sharing Remembrance Day with us.
Unfortunately, during the last two Remembrance Days the children have not been able to walk over to the cenotaph,
so we have been visiting them at the school instead.
NESBITT, Valerie Jean Lenore
NESBITT, Valerie Jean Lenore
Val passed over into paradise on Sunday October 24, 2021 surrounded by her family at University Hospital, at the age of 65.
She is survived by her (Bubby) Alyssa, and daughter-in-law Cadet. Her partner of 35 years, Brian. Her incredible granddaughter, Kennedy. Her mother, Carole, brothers and sisters, Cheryl, Kimmerly, Christina and Kelly. Val will be loved and missed by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She would say her greatest accomplishment was the arrival of her daughter at 38 years old! And anyone who knew her knew of her love of Phil Collins!
Val was predeceased by her father; Albert, and 3 of her siblings; Phillip, Theresa and Allister. A private service will be held at Needham Funeral Home on Friday, October 29, 2021. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Valerie’s name to the Canadian Lung Association.
Fred Holowitz
Mr. Fred Holowitz passed away on Tuesday, September 21, 2021.
Born in Fort William, ON on February 27, 1925 he was a lifelong resident, attending local schools. He served in the Canadian Navy during WWII as a sailor on the HMCS St. Catherines and was a long time employee of the intercity location of Sears, retiring in 1982.
Predeceased by his wife Esther Holowitz (Silvestri), father and mother Stephen and Ahafia Holowaty, sister and brother-in-law Mary and Dan Mozel (Fort William), brother Joseph Holowitz (Fort William) and nephew-in-law Bill Makiw (Thunder Bay).
He is survived by his son Stephen (Teresa), London ON, daughter Cathy (Doug), Thornbury ON, grandchildren Adam (London ON), Elena (New Westminster BC) and niece Jean Makiw.
Special thanks to Thunder Bay cousins Joanne Walters and Robert Sylvester.
A member of St. Agnes RC Church, the Royal Canadian Legion (Slovak Branch), the Knights of Columbus, and longtime member of the Fort William Country Club and Go-Slow Curling at Fort William Curling Club and the Men’s Bowling League at the Galaxy and Big M Bowl.
A private graveside service will be held at a later date at St. Patrick’s Cemetery.
If friends desire, donations in memoriam, may be made to Parkinson’s Foundation of Canada.
The family would like to thank the staff of Birch Wing – Hogarth Riverview Manor for their compassionate and thoughtful care of Fred, particularly since the passing of Esther last December. The kindness and support of this wonderful team of caregivers will always be remembered by the immediate family.
Condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com
Mildred A McColl
Mildred McColl (nee Bell)
Peacefully at Parkwood Institute on Monday, August 23, 2021, Mildred A. McColl in her 97th year. Beloved wife to the late Donald K. McColl (2008). Loving mother of Janet Stewart (Ron), Wendy MacSween (Rod) of Kincardine, and Donna McColl. Dear Grandma of Sara and Cait Stewart, Suzanne Hallay (Peter) and Scott MacSween (Carmen), and special “Gram” to Lindsay Hall (Nathan). Loving Great Grandma to Mason, Max, Ivy, Carter and Bazil. Cremation has taken place. Guests will be received for visitation at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 1997 Dundas Street East, London on Monday, August 30 from 7:00-9:00 pm. Following physical distance restrictions, 40 people are allowed for visiting at any given time. We apologize in advance for any delays in entering the funeral home based on the numbers attending. A private Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. Please contact the family, if you wish to attend. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Thames Valley Education Foundation or to the Church of the Epiphany.
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