Hello,
Coming Up:
Friday, January 23, 6pm Movie Night at Holy Trinity, SSM: We’ll be watching The Shack. Of course we’ll have snacks too. 🙂 Just $5…See you there!
Saturday, January 24 at Emmaus, SSM: Painting with Amy Williams; $50 per person, limited spaces; 1pm-4pm. Please call Deborah to reserve your spot: 705-256-9760
Next $5 Monthly Meal: Friday, Feb.6, 5:30pm at the Trinity Centre, SSM. Menu: spaghetti/meat sauce, vegetable, garlic bread, strawberry puree and vanilla ice cream. Please order in advance: 705-254-1692 or susan.montague2@gmail.com. Please also say whether it’s “eat in” or “take out”. Thanks.
Team Canada Curling Watch Party! Saturday, Feb.14 at 2pm in the Trinity Centre, SSM; snacks and beverages provided.
A Liturgical Note For You:
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity traditionally begins on January 18 (the Confession of Peter) and goes until 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.
A Note on When it Begins This Year: Maybe you’ve noticed on your Anglican Church calendar or in your Canadian Church Desk Diary that the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is listed as beginning on the 18th and ended on the 25th BUT these days are not the Holy Days of St. Peter and St. Paul. These Holy Days are transferred from the Sunday since, although they are important, they are not more important than our weekly feast celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Confession of Peter is on the 19th and the Conversion of Paul is on the 26th this year. I, personally, would have also moved the start and finish dates of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year as well since the point is to start and finish on those Holy Days. You can certainly acknowledge this week of prayer (and even Peter and Paul) in your Sunday intercessions but we would absolutely not use the propers for those Holy Days in our Sunday worship. The propers used would be for the 2nd and 3rd Sundays after the Epiphany.
What are “Propers” anyway? Propers refers to the readings and prayers assigned for each particular Sunday and other feast days. Together, all of these propers are called “the Proper of the Church Year” (see BAS p.262ff). The word comes from the Latin word “proprium” which means a property or attribute. It was originally used to describe the attributes of living creatures and plants but, since the Church is a living entity (the Body of Christ), I suppose it’s entirely appropriate for us to have propers assigned to us as well. 
For Your Devotions:
Monday, January 19th is the Holy Day of The Confession of St. Peter the Apostle (transferred from Sunday). 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
Wednesday, 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
Thursday, January 22nd is the commemoration of Vincent, Deacon of Saragossa, who was also martyred in 304. (304 was a bad year for Christians!) Vincent is the first known Spanish martyr. He was brought to trial, along with his bishop Valerius, and spoke for both of them (apparently Valerius had a speech impediment). Vincent’s confident and fearless manner so angered the governor that, although Valerius was simply banished, Vincent was cruelly tortured to death. When Vincent at last succumbed to the tortures, his body was thrown out for the vultures and, legend says, was defended by a raven. To read more: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15434b.htm
Saturday, January 24th is the commemoration of Francis de Sales, the Bishop of Geneva who died in 1622. Francis had a passion for God and a desire to be ordained that he kept secret from his disapproving family. (Dad wanted his boy to be a lawyer and politician). The story goes that, one day while riding his horse, Francis fell off three times. No, he wasn’t a poor rider. Francis believed God was speaking to him – each time he fell from his horse, his sword and scabbard came to rest in the shape of a Christian cross. Francis gained the courage to defy his father’s wishes and became a priest. For more about his devotional classic Introduction to a Devout Life and other accomplishments, check this out: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Francis-of-Sales
In Christ,
Susan
Deanery of Algoma 