Hello and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Here is a Thanksgiving Day prayer for you: God of heaven and earth, we sing of your bounty and your goodness in the abundant harvest, in the changing seasons, and in the wonder of nature. With generous hearts, may we share what we have received with those who have little, so that none may hunger or thirst and all may know your wide justice; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mark Your Calendars:

Tuesday, November 1st, 7pm online service (Zoom) for All Saints’ Day. 

Wednesday, November 2nd, 7pm at Holy Trinity, Jocelyn Township – a service for All Souls’ Day.  

For those of you who assist with advance liturgical planning…Please note, that any Sunday service marking All Saints’ Day is, as very clearly stated in the BAS, meant to be in addition to the observance on the actual day. If you are also celebrating All Saints’ Day on a Sunday, it is to be the Sunday following November 1.  

Also, for you liturgical planners, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are two extremely different days of observance. Please do not combine them or confuse them in any way.  I’ll explain all of this in more detail when it is closer to the days.  

For Your Devotions

Monday, October 10th is the commemoration of Paulinus, First Bishop of York, Missionary, died 644.  In 601, Paulinus – a Roman monk – was sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the inhabitants to Christianity. He was made a bishop and set off for Northumbria. The life of an Archbishop in England was a lot different back then – Paulinus did convert the king of Northumbria (Edwin) and many others but then fled to Kent when Edwin was murdered by Anglo-Saxon kings bent on destroying the newly founded church. Never a dull moment…For more information check out p.300 here: http://c2892002f453b41e8581-48246336d122ce2b0bccb7a98e224e96.r74.cf2.rackcdn.com/ForAlltheSaints.pdf 

Thursday, October 13th is the commemoration of Edward the Confessor, King of England, who died in 1066. Edward was king from 1042 until his death. His reign was peaceful and prosperous – which is saying a lot for that time in history! Edward spent a lot of time in church, confessing his sins, which is why he earned the name of Confessor. For more information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/edward_confessor.shtml.  For an interesting legend about Edward meeting St. John the Evangelist, check this out: http://www.mercedesrochelle.com/wordpress/?p=383

Saturday, October 15th is the commemoration of Teresa of Avila, a Spiritual Teacher and Reformer who died in 1582. At the tender age of seven, Teresa convinced her brother to join her in martyrdom but their uncle got wind of the idea and caught up to them as they were headed into the nearby city to ask the Moors to decapitate them!  Teresa spent a few years in a Carmelite Convent in 1535 but it wasn’t until 1555, when she experienced a spiritual awakening, that she realized she was called to reform this order which had become quite lax. She founded convents which strictly adhered to the vow of poverty and which were 100% dependent on public donations despite the fact that she faced a lot of hostility because of this. Teresa worked tirelessly for reform regardless of this backlash and her own frail health. By the way, she is also the patron saint of headache sufferers. Hmmm. To read more:  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Teresa-of-Avila

Giving thanks for you and all that we have been given,

Susan