Hello…It’s a rainy Monday where I am but, I actually don’t mind these days (when I’m inside). It feels cosy. Anyway…

Happening in the deanery and beyond:

Barbecue for The Very Rev. Dr. Jay Koyle: 4pm on Sunday, May 12 at St. James’ in Goulais River (Anglican Church Road). There will be hamburgers, hotdogs, salads, and a cake. See you there…

Since we’re on the subject of The Very Rev. Dr. Jay Koyle, his installation as Dean of the diocese and Celebration of New Ministry will be on Thursday, June 13th, at the cathedral, at 7pm.  

And, since we’re on the subject of new ministry, my Celebration of New Ministry will be 7pm, Tuesday, May 14 at Holy Trinity, Sault Ste Marie, followed by fellowship. 

And, since we’re on the subject of fellowship, the next breakfast, hosted by the Guild of St. Joseph will be Saturday, May 11th, 8:30am at the Trinity Centre (across the parking lot from Holy Trinity on Northern Ave., SSM)

Okay, I’m done with the “on the subject of” stuff. 

Also of note is the fact that we are in Social Justice Week. There is an online panel discussion re: homelessness that I’m sure you won’t want to miss – this Thursday, May 2, 7-9pm. It is on Zoom and requires pre-registering so that you’ll get a link to join. You can email socialjusticealgoma@yahoo.com in order to register. 

A really super important tidbit about “atonement”: I shared this in church yesterday. Atonement is actually our only English theological word. It was created in the early 1500’s by William Tyndale when he was writing an English translation of the bible. He based it on a word used in earlier writings – John Wycliffe used the similar but obsolete word of “at onement“.  Atonement comes from the Middle English word, “attone” or “attoon” and it means exactly what it says when you break it into syllables: at – one – ment. It means to be at one, unified, whole. Atonement refers to the reconciliation with God that Jesus accomplished for us through his death and resurrection. The reason we pronounce it with a long “o” sound (as in “go”) is because that is how the word “one” used to be pronounced (like the word “own”).  

Of particular note is that the idea of atonement we hold now – that atonement means appeasing an angry God, was absolutely NOT a part of the original meaning of the word. It is extremely unfortunate – and highly detrimental to our image of God – that we allowed that meaning to take over.  It’s time to recover – and spread – the original meaning, a meaning that conveys the loving, forgiving God we worship.  

For Your Devotions:

Monday, April 29th is the memorial of Catherine of Siena, Reformer and Spiritual Teacher, died 1380. So, I realize it was a different world back then but, still, I find this totally astounding…Catherine was the 25th child born to her mother and her mother was just 40 years old at the time. Her mother would have, basically, spent her entire adult life being pregnant. Catherine was a twin, actually, but the other baby did not survive. From a young age, Catherine had religious visions and “entered” a Dominican monastery at 16  (She was a tertiary which means she took vows but stayed at home).  She secluded herself for the first three years and saw only her confessor. News of her visions spread and people began traveling to her for advice. She never learned to write but dictated her well-known Dialogues and many letters. Her death, at age 33, came as a result of a fast she held in reaction to the schism that arose when two “popes” both claimed the title. She was going to fast until the church became unified again. For more:  https://www.thoughtco.com/catherine-of-siena-3529726

Tuesday, April 30th is the commemoration of Marie de l’Incarnation, Educator and Spiritual Teacher, died 1672.  After just two years of marriage, Marie’s husband died leaving her with their 6 month old son. She had mystical visions which called her to withdraw from the world. She put off joining a cloister until her son was 13. She decided her vocation was in the new world and travelled to Canada with two other Ursaline sisters to establish a school. They were, apparently, the first female missionaries in Canada. The rest of her life was dedicated to teaching young French and Indigenous girls and to writing theological and spiritual treatises. For more information:  https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/marie-de-lincarnation

Wednesday, May 1st is the Holy Day of St. Philip and St. James, Apostles. We don’t know much about either of these two men but we know that Philip answered Jesus’ call and then brought his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus as well. Of James, son of Alphaeus, we know that he witnessed the crucifixion at the foot of the cross. We do know that both men were dedicated to their Lord, Jesus Christ. To read more see p.158 of For All the Saints:  http://c2892002f453b41e8581-48246336d122ce2b0bccb7a98e224e96.r74.cf2.rackcdn.com/ForAlltheSaints.pdf

Thursday, May 2nd is the memorial of Athansius, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher of the Faith, died 373.  Athanasius is known as the “Father of Orthodoxy” as well as “Pillar of the Church”. He fought vigorously against the heresy known as Arianism (not believing that Jesus was fully divine as well as being fully human) and his was a strong voice at the Council of Nicea (which, of course, sounds familiar because that is where the affirmation of our faith known as the Nicene Creed was first formulated.) There is a legend that the debate at the council got so heated that St. Nicholas slapped Arius. For more info (about Athanasius,not about the brawl):  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Athanasius

In the joy of the risen Christ,

Susan