Good day,

This Saturday, Sept.7!! Please join me at the Trinity Centre (parking in the tenant lot off Northern Ave) for a prayer workshop, 9am – noon. We’ll be learning about prayer in general, specific forms of prayer, and we’ll be engaging in some prayer together. The coffee will be on and I plan to bring homemade bread and muffins. See you there. 

A Liturgical Note For You:

Well, it’s a holiday so I’m going to take it easy on myself by simply providing you with a Labour Day prayer (two prayers, actually: 

Almighty God, you have so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and, as we seek a proper return for our own labour, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of other workers, and arouse our concern for those who want to work but are unable; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  OR…

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ dignified our labour by sharing our toil. Be with your people where they work; make those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land responsive to your purpose; and to all of us, give pride in what we do and a just return for our labour. Keep us mindful that our common good depends on each other’s toil; and in our rest grant that we may so use our leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Your Devotions:

Monday, September 2nd is the memorial of the Martyrs of New Guinea, 1942. Anglican missionaries reached New Guinea in 1891. In 1898 the Anglican Diocese of Papua New Guinea was established and remained a missionary diocese of the Church of England in Australia until 1977, when an autonomous Anglican province, the Church of the Province of Papua New Guinea, was established.  During World War II Christian missionaries and the natives of New Guinea suffered greatly from the Japanese invaders. On this day we remember the eight missionaries and two lay persons who, despite knowing the risk, stayed to continue their mission work and ended up losing their lives.  If you’d like more detail, check this out:  http://anglicanhistory.org/aus/png/rowland_faithful1964.html

Tuesday, September 3rd is the memorial of Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, who died in 604. Gregory was born into a wealthy, noble family and by the age of 30 held a top administrative position in Rome. He gave it all up to become a monk when his father died. Gregory tried to refuse the position of pope but, when he was elected anyway, he accepted and the rest is history as the saying goes. Gregory did some great things for the church. To find out more, check this out:   https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/rulers/gregory-great.html

Wednesday, September 4th is the commemoration of the first recorded Anglican Eucharist in Canada, 1578. This Eucharist was celebrated on board the ship of the third Frobisher expedition to the Canadian Arctic. For more details about this and a couple of other landmark occasions, you can go here: https://www.anglican.ca/ask/faq/first-eucharist-canada/

In the joy of Christ,

Susan