Hello everyone!
Coming soon…The Lay Reader/Lay Leader Conference in Thunder Bay at the end of September! If you haven’t registered, please do that soon. Also, pop off an email to me too if you’re interested in having me arrange group transportation (susan.montague2@gmail.com).
Coming even sooner…The Coffee Break fundraiser for the Alzheimer Society of Sault Ste Marie and District!! I think this is a great opportunity to work together as a deanery for a good cause and get some publicity to boot. Any or all Sundays in September could see a special jar put out during the post-worship fellowship with a cheque for the amount collected then sent to Din, our deanery treasurer.
Monday, August 27th is the commemoration of Monnica, Mother of Augustine of Hippo. Monnica was born to Christian parents in North Africa and became increasingly devout as she aged. She was thrilled when Augustine converted to Christianity and was baptized in 387 at the age of 32. It was on her way home from this joyous occasion that Monnica fell ill and died. For more information: http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/153.html
Tuesday, August 28th is the memorial of Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Teacher of the Faith. Augustine was born in 354 in North Africa. He took a very round about way to Christianity but was extremely influential once he got there. Many of his writngs and sermons have survived and offer up his sometimes controversial theological perspectives. He was the Bishop of Hippo from 396 until his death in 430. If you’d like to read more, check this out: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Augustine
Wednesday, August 29th is the Holy Day of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. If you’d like to refresh your memory on the details of this event and learn some interesting, non-scriptural legends, check out the website that follows. For example, after Herod had ordered John’s beheading, the prophet even in death was unrelenting in voicing his condemnation of Herod’s wrong-doing. Far from being whimsical or superstitious, these legends offer commentary on the vital roles of the people in this Gospel story. https://oca.org/saints/lives/2007/08/29/102419-the-beheading-of-the-holy-glorious-prophet-forerunner-and-baptis
Thursday, August 30th is the commemoration of Robert McDonald, Priest in the Western Arctic. Robert was born in 1829, the second of 10 children, in a place which later became known as Winnepeg. For over 40 years, he worked as a missionary among the Gwich’in people in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Alaska – baptizing, establishing schools, and translating the Bible, Book of Common Prayer and many hymns using the alphabet he had created for the Gwich’in language. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McDonald_(missionary)
Friday, August 31st is the commemoration of Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne who died in 651. Aidan was born in Ireland but was a monk on the Island of Iona when he was chosen to become a bishop and evangelize northern England. His career was relatively brief but his legacy has been long-lasting. He founded churches and monasteries and trained other ministers to follow in his footsteps. For more information: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Aidan
Have a wonderful, blessed week!
Deanery of Algoma 