Good day,

Coming Up:

This Friday, January 20th is the roast beef dinner at Christ Church. $25 per reservation/ticket.  If you’re interested, please contact Bonnie Lyons: lyons.bonnie@gmail.com or 705-779-2858.

Next Wednesday, January 25 is the Robbie Burns Supper at St. George’s in Echo Bay. Live piper, non-disgusting haggis, other great food, door prizes…Just $20 per person. You can contact me for tickets at susan.montague2@gmail.com. 

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins on Wednesday, January 18 (the Confession of Peter) and goes until next Wednesday, January 25 (the Conversion of Paul). Why have the week of prayer for Christian unity run from Peter’s Holy Day to Paul’s Holy Day? Perhaps it is because these two apostles are associated with welcoming the gentiles into the Christian faith. Both realized that, although different, other people were embraced by God and invited into God’s kingdom. God’s purpose is that all creation will be reconciled to God and to each other. Although we always strive with God toward the fulfillment of this purpose, we spend a week each year particularly focused on this to draw attention and to renew the vigour of our striving.  Jesus prays, in the Gospel According to John, that we may be one as he and the Father are one. Let us pray the same. 

For Your Devotions:

Tuesday, January 17th is the memorial of Antony, Abbot in Egypt, who died in 356.  Antony chose to give away all of his money, property, and possessions and live the life of a hermit in the Egyptian desert. News of such a devout Christian spread and people began to travel to see him to get his spiritual guidance. Why travel? Why not stay with such a great Christian? Many decided to stay and Antony became the “Abbot” of a group of men dedicated to poverty and hard work. They supported themselves with their labour and raised money for the sole purpose of giving it to those in need. If you’d like to know more…  http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/77.html  

Wednesday, January 18th is the Holy Day of The Confession of St. Peter the Apostle.  Though Peter is portrayed in the Gospels as being oftentimes rash and hasty as well as a little “slow on the uptake,” Peter was recognized by the early church as the leader of the apostles and his love for Jesus clearly runs deep. At the Britannica website it says, “It was Peter who possessed remarkable insight and displayed his depth of faith in the confession of Christ as the Son of God (Matthew 16:15–18; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20), and it was Peter who rebuked, and in turn was rebuked by, Jesus when the Master prophesied that he would suffer and die (Mark 8:32, 33).” To read more: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Peter-the-Apostle  

Saturday, January 21st is the commemoration of Agnes, Martyr at Rome who died about 304. The details of Agnes’ death are not concretely known but we do know that she died a virgin at the tender age of 12 or 13 for publicly proclaiming her Christian faith during a time of persecution of Christians. There are many legends that have sprung up surrounding her death – her would-be rapists were struck blind; the wood meant to burn her alive refused to burn and so she was beheaded, etc. Agnes is the Patron Saint of young maidens and thus there is the belief that young girls who go to sleep without supper on the eve of St. Agnes’ Day will dream of their future husband that night. To read more:  https://www.thoughtco.com/saint-agnes-of-rome-542518

In the joy of Christ,

Susan