Good day, 

Emmaus is having a wing night fundraiser at Ice Breakers Sports Bar & Grill on September 13. Please see the poster for more information. 

Mark Your Calendars: I’ll be leading a Prayer Workshop on Saturday, September 7, at the Trinity Centre, 9am – noon. We will learn about and experience several different types of prayers. Everyone interested is welcome to come…be informed…be spiritually nourished…be inspired…

The Bread of Life Challenge is coming to a close. Next Sunday, August 25 is the final Sunday. We’ll be collecting canned meats. The generous response has been amazing so far!

A Heads Up: The Guild of St. Joseph will be having their next breakfast on Saturday, September 14, at the Trinity Centre, at 8:30am. See you there…

A Liturgical Note For You – Let’s Begin Learning About Why the Holy Eucharist is Vital to Us As Christians:

All of our Christian liturgies hold for us, and form in us, theology and spirituality. The worship service of The Holy Eucharist does even more for us. The Holy Eucharist is covenant renewal, transformation in Christ, and affirmation of our identity as the body of Christ together. 

I believe these words from author Gabe Huck underscore what this weekly email has shared recently about Sunday as the “Eighth Day” – the beginning of the new creation, the new age of God’s Kingdom – and the centrality of the Lord’s Supper for the Lord’s Day:

“The first day of the week, Sunday, and the gathering for the breaking of the bread belong together. Each and enhances the other.  The day, kept, some in way as a sign of the new creation and of the freedom from death and sin, calls for eucharist. Eucharist, as a proclamation of the death and resurrection of the Lord until he comes, needs a Sunday, the day of the Lord kept holy by the people. That means something more than trying to work [Eucharist] into a busy schedule. It means that Sunday makes way: it sets us free…to listen to the scriptures, free to remember and celebrate what may get lost in the week.” 

(Liturgy with Style and Grace, pp 72-73)

We’ll learn more at another time.

For Your Devotions:

Tuesday, August 20th is the memorial of Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux who died in 1153. Bernard is very well known for his mystical writings on the love of God but also was a strong supporter of the Crusades. This support is not looked upon favourably now but it is easy to judge in hindsight. He founded the Cistercian abbey at Clairvaux and then 70 more during his lifetime.  He was austere to the extreme, causing himself health issues with his excessive fasting and sleep deprivation but he was arguably the most influential Christian of his era. Here is one of his most famous quotes…”You wish me to tell you why and how God should be loved. My answer is that God himself is the reason he is to be loved”…  and here is where you can find more information on this colourful monk:  https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/moversandshakers/bernard-of-clairvaux.html

Saturday, August 24th is the Holy Day of St. Bartholomew the Apostle. Bartholomew is listed as one of the 12 apostles but, other than that, we don’t hear about him. Since Bartholomew is actually a surname (son of Tolmai), the theory out there is that this apostle is Nathaniel – the one called with Philip – of whom Jesus says, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (See John 1:43-50). Legend says that Bartholomew was flayed and beheaded on the order of an Armenian king named Astyages. For more info:  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Bartholomew

In the joy of Christ,

Susan