Parish News
August 16, 2020
“I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father
I have made known to you.”
St. John 15: 15b
Dear Friends,
For a change, let’s not begin by talking about the pandemic. Instead, I want to mention several events coming this fall…
Confirmation Classes
As many of you know, a service of Confirmation has two parts to it: First, we publicly affirm that we follow Jesus Christ – this is taking on our baptismal promises for ourselves, if we were baptized as babies or young children; second; we are prayed for by the bishop. Confirmation services are also a customary time for people to affirm officially their connection with St. Brice’s (which is a parish of the Anglican Church of Canada). There will not be a Confirmation service until likely early 2021.
Nonetheless, there are typically classes or gatherings – one for youth; one for adults – leading up to services of Confirmation. It is a chance to learn or to review the basics of what it is to follow Jesus Christ. I find these classes to be a great deal of fun. If you are interested, or would like to know more, please contact the parish office.
On-line Alpha Course
The Alpha Course is a light-hearted introduction, or review, of the Christian faith. It’s not limited to Anglicans, and skeptics are welcome too! This past spring was the first time we offered an on-line Alpha Course, and the organizers were pleased with how it went. We anticipate offering one again, during the week of September 21. Please consider participating if you have not attended an Alpha Course recently, and please prayerfully consider a friend to invite, who might enjoy it too. Further details will come in future newsletters.
Bike for Bibles
Some of us are familiar with “Bike for Bibles” – a fund-raiser for the Canadian Bible Society. Layreader Bill Burton will be participating later this month. If you’d like more information, please visit bike4bibles.ca. To sponsor Bill or others, please go to this link: https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?SID=12694004&LangPref=en-CA&EID=309043 , or contact the parish office.
Spiritual Direction
Parishioner Pat Carriere has finished her course in Spiritual Direction, which is a significant accomplishment. Pat asked that this message be included to you:
To my Church Family
I have finished the 2 year certification program from the Haden Institute on Spiritual Direction this past July. This could not have been accomplished on my own. So, thank you to all for your prayers, financial support and encouragement.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Blessings
Patricia Carriere
Outdoor Worship
We will be offering Services of the Word outdoors at St. Brice’s this month, in the back garden. The intention is of course to worship, but we also want to work out any “bugs” in the flow of worship, before we go indoors. The services are as follows:
August 16, 11am: Advisory Board Members and their immediate families who are available and want to join us.
If your last name begins with the letters A through L…
August 23, 9am (traditional service)
August 23, 11am (contemporary service)
If your last name begins with the letters M through Z…
August 30, 9am (traditional service)
August 30, 11am (contemporary service)
The regular protocols which we have been practicing in our community apply: Please wear a face mask or shield, maintain physical distances of 2M (6 feet) except for members of your household, and do not linger for a long time after the services (to allow cleaning to take place). Greeters and I will provide further directions before and during the worship services themselves.
We are invited, but not required, to bring our own comfortable chairs.
If it is pouring rain, the services on August 23 and 30 will be cancelled. If it is threatening rain and you’re unsure, please go to the parish Facebook page, or call the parish office (705-474-4005) and listen to the message.
September Services
Sundays 9am Traditional Service
Sundays 11am Contemporary Service
Sundays 4pm Evening Prayer Service
Wednesdays 10am Holy Communion Service
Wednesdays 4:30pm Evening Prayer Service
All these services will be held inside the building. All morning services will be services of the Holy Eucharist, although we will only be administering the host (not the common cup) during communion.
We have an absolute limit of 46 people inside the Church building. We anticipate that we will not reach our maximum limit for most services, but – depending on how many people attend – we might reach this limit on the Sunday morning services at 11am. (If this happens, then we will need to move to pre-registration for services, and we will provide more information in a future newsletter.)
There will be some changes in how we gather. As for the outdoor services, please wear a mask or shield, maintain 2M (6 feet) from people who are not members of your household, and do not linger for a long time after the services, to allow cleaning to take place. Please observe the directions of the sidespeople, and only sit where the pews and chairs are marked. We will be sitting in a diamond pattern in the pews – that is, 1 or 2 people sitting on the outside of one pew, then 1 or 2 people sitting in the middle of the next pew, and so on.
Other details will be provided before and during the worship services.
Masks Decorating Competition
Some of us are creative and craft-y. We are planning a mask-decorating competition in two categories – one prize for decorated homemade cloth masks, and one prize for decorated N95 or surgical masks. (Obviously, please don’t do anything which would make your mask less effective.)
During the first weeks of September, we’d like to take a picture of you and your mask. On September 20, there will voting (coins dropped in a glass – one glass for each picture). The proceeds (the value of all the coins) will be given to the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund.
I look forward to seeing you very much.
God bless, Peter Armstrong