Happy 6th Monday in Easter! Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Tonight (Monday, May 26) at 5:30pm at Emmaus, there is a potluck “meet & greet” for Bishop Michael Oulton and his wife. Please come join us for good food and fun.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 27) 7pm at the cathedral is the ACW opening worship service of Holy Eucharist with the confirmation of Rachel Cartmill. Fellowship afterward. Hope to see you there…

Thursday, May 29, 7pm at the cathedral: Ascension Day Choral Evensong. 

Thursday, June 5, 4-5pm at the Trinity Centre: Prayer Study – beginning to explore contemplative prayer.

Friday, June 6, 6:30-8pm at the Trinity Centre: Line Dancing “Fun”Raiser!! Just $5 for a whole lot of fun.

A Liturgical Note for You:

Ascension of the Lord: This Thursday, May 29, is one of the seven Principal Feasts of the Anglican Church (Easter, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Epiphany, All Saints, and Christmas are the other six). Christmas seems to be the only general exception to the fact that most Anglicans (and most Christians, actually) don’t go to church on a day other than Sunday for a feast day.  Ascension Day – although hugely important – is, sadly, no longer widely observed.  The Anglican Church has not given the “okay” for this feast day to be transferred to the following Sunday as it has with All Saints’ Day. The provision with All Saints’ Day is that it may be transferred in order to be observed “in addition to its observance on the fixed date” (BAS, 15). Well, how many of us have had All Saints’ Day services available to us on the actual day of All Saints’ (other than when it fell on the Sunday)?  If these days of observance for our lives as followers of Christ are so important, why is it that we are, generally, so reluctant to make the effort to get together as the Church – the Body of Christ – in order to observe these feast days when they are not on Sunday? (So, I’m very glad that the cathedral is having an Evensong for Ascension this year. I hope lots of people will make it out).

Christ’s ascension into heaven signals a new relationship between Jesus and God – Jesus took his place as ruler of all things at the right hand of God – and between us and God since, with Jesus’ physical departure, the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to us enabling us to actually participate in the divine life as members of Christ’s body.  The wonderfulness of this continues to fill my heart to bursting with gratitude for God’s abundant love.  To read more about this pivotal day: Ascension | Description, Significance, Feast, & Art | Britannica

Here is a video of N.T Wright explaining the Ascension:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwWVcQtmQ_E

For Your Devotions:

Monday, May 26 is the memorial of Augustine of Canterbury, 1st Archbishop of Canterbury, died 604. Augustine is thought to have been born in Rome. He was the prior of the Benedictine monastery in that city until 596 when Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine with 40 monks into the mostly pagan land of England. This was a very dangerous situation and Augustine turned back. Bolstered by Gregory’s letters of support, Augustine landed in England in the spring of 597 – his presence and work established Canterbury as the point of union for the eventual world-wide Anglican Communion and he is now known as the Apostle to England. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Augustine-of-Canterbury

Tuesday, May 27th is the commemoration of John Charles Roper, Archbishop of Ottawa, died 1940. The Archbishop was not only a great scholar but was also able to put his ideas into action. He was highly influential in the Anglican Church during the Prayer Book reform of 1918, the depression of the 1930’s, and at the Lausanne Conference on Faith and Order in 1927 (which was a step towards the foundation of the World Council of Churches). He was deeply devoted to prayer and provided an amazing example as he readily shared his spiritual gifts. For more info…  https://friardavidop.blogspot.com/2010/05/john-charles-roper.html

Friday, May 30th is the commemoration of Roberta Elizabeth Tilton, the founder of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Canadian Church. Roberta Elizabeth was born into a world where women did not have the right to vote and, in fact, were not legally considered persons. They were not even allowed to have a bank account.  I am thankful for women like her!  She was a champion not only for women but also worked endlessly against all ills in society…  https://www.acwcanada.com/our-history.html

Saturday, May 31st is the Holy Day of The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. This is the moment when, even before his birth, John the Baptist witnesses to Jesus Christ. This story is only found in the Gospel of Luke and Luke uses it to bring together the old and new…the covenant made by God with Abraham and Moses is about to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This is what John the Baptist will be born to proclaim. See p.180 for more…  http://c2892002f453b41e8581-48246336d122ce2b0bccb7a98e224e96.r74.cf2.rackcdn.com/ForAlltheSaints.pdf

In the joy of Christ,

Susan