HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE

Our pilgrims to the Holy Land have safely returned with testimonies and stories worth hearing.  Thank you for your prayers, no one was sick nor suffered a mishap.  God was indeed good.  There will be more information about their trip in the near future.

SCHOOL OF LIFE AND MINISTRY (SOLAM)

The first classes begin on Sunday, May 12 and are open to the community in addition to Saint Matthew’s.

Registration forms are on the Welcome Table in the Foyer or can be made online:  www.smlm.ca.  Courses this term are:

Sundays (beginning May 12) – 10:45 11:45 am

• Jesus in the Marketplace (presented by Andrea Soberg)
• Catechism III Christian Love: Prepared for Good Works – the Commandments (presented by Rev. Mike Stewart)

Mondays (beginning May 13) 7 – 8 pm

Unveiling the Book of Revelation:  A Reader’s Guide to the Last Book (Presented by Dr. Ken Deeks)

INFORMATION MEETING

 Sunday, May 19^th in the gym at 10:15 (immediately after the service )

 SHROUD OF TURIN

Saturday, May 25 from 10 am to noon

Dr. Phillip Wiebe will be giving a lecture on the Shroud of Turin: Authenticity and Significance for Theology.   All are welcome.  If you plan on attending, please sign up on the sheet on the Welcome Table or contact the office.

The Shroud of Turin is a linen cloth that has always been surrounded by religious myth and speculation.  This lecture will offer an extended argument for the claim that the image on the Shroud of Turin depicts Jesus of Nazareth.

 SAINT MATTHEW’S YOUTH SLEEPOVER

        Friday, May 31 to Saturday, June 1.  Lots of exciting events are planned.  For more information call the church office or contact Jeff

CONFIRMATION

        Sunday, June 2^nd at 8:45 am.  Bishop Trevor will be presiding at our first confirmation service in this location.  Come out to support our candidates.

BISHOP CHARLIE MASTERS

        Sunday, June 9^th at 8:45 am.  Our new Moderator of the Anglican Network in Canada will be joining us in worship as preacher and celebrant

TECHNOLOGY & SOCIAL NETWORKING SEMINAR

Saturday, June 15 from 9:30 am to noon in the Fellowship Hall.

Please bring your laptop computers, iPads, or iPhones as she will be offering guided help.  Make sure that they are CHARGED, as outlets are limited.  Come with questions and $5 for the seminar.  Please sign up on the Easel posted by the Welcome Table in the Foyer if you plan to attend or call the church office.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

‘And He who is seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new”. (Revelation 21. 5).

In this great season of resurrection joy we give thanks and praise to our Risen LORD for His glorious resurrection from the dead and for the new life that He died to bring us. There are signs of new life all around us! The trees are blossoming, the birds are singing and flowers are beginning to bloom. Christ is Risen and all the earth’s at play. We give thanks too for the new life that He is giving us here at Saint Matthew’s. We have been blessed with such good attendance at our Lenten, Holy Week and Easter events and by those who continue to visit us week by week. The signs of new life and growth continue to burst forth at Saint Matthew’s. We have turned a large corner of transition and change and now we are looking ahead with confidence and joy to all that God has in store for us.

The are some exciting things coming up that I would like to draw your attention to:

**On Sunday April 7th. after our Morning Service there will be a special information meeting over coffee as we launch our Easter-tide term for the Saint Matthew’s School of Life and Ministry (SOLAM). Registrations for these classes will officially open on Sunday and you can register online at; www.smlm.ca or via the registration forms that will be distributed at Sunday’s meeting. The three classes being offered are; ‘Jesus in the marketplace’.  Presented by Andrea Soberg on Sundays at 10.45am, beginning May 2th. ’Catechism 3′. Presented by Rev. Don Gardner, Linda Seale and Martin Francis. Meeting on Sundays at 10.45am, beginning May 12th.  ’Unveiling the book of Revelation: A readers guide to the last book’.  Presented by Rev. Ken Deeks. Meeting on Mondays at 7pm, beginning May 13th.

**Parish Council is continuing to work with Joan Deeks on the Strategic Ministry Planning process that will set the course for our Parish over the next few years. Following their Retreat, Council have provisionally approved our Parish Values Statement (these are what shapes our lives together), and is currently working on a provisional Mission Statement. A special Information meeting will be held on Pentecost Sunday. May 19th. after our morning service when these statements will be presented to the whole Parish. Opportunity will be given for table   discussions around the Values and Mission Statements.

**Our Diocesan Western Region Assembly is being held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Vancouver from April 18th-20th. Details of the Assembly along with the timetable of events can be found on the Diocesan Website; www.anglicannetwork.ca.   Our elected Synod Delegates will be in attendance and any one from our Parish is invited to attend all or some of the events as an observer.

**On Sunday June 2nd our 8.45am Service will be a special Confirmation Service conducted by +Trevor. I anticipate between 8-12 candidates from Saint Matthew’s to be presented for Confirmation.

**On Sunday June 9th our 8.45am Service will be conducted by our Diocesan Coadjutor Bishop +Charlie Masters, who will also be preaching at that service.

**Please keep in your prayers the 46 people who will be travelling to Israel on April 21st, the majority of which are from Saint Matthew’s.  Joy will be continuing to serve as ‘Administrator’ and the Rev. David Pillegi, Rector of Christ Church. Jerusalem will be our ‘Tour  Guide’. A special evening will be held for the whole Parish on our return from Israel as we share our experiences together with the whole  congregation.

The LORD is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

Thank you my dear Brothers and Sisters for your continuing life and ministry among us. We are truly blessed to be part of God’s Church here at Saint Matthew’s!

LORD of all life and power,
Who through the mighty resurrection of your Son
Overcame the old order of sin and death
To make all things new in Him:
Grant that we, being dead to sin,
And alive to you in Jesus Christ,
May reign with Him in glory;
To whom with you and the Holy Spirit
Be praise and honour, glory and might,
Now and in all eternity. Amen.

With my ongoing affection and prayers.

Rev. Mike Stewart.
Rector.

PALM SUNDAY (March 24) marks the end of the season of Lent and the start of Holy Week.  Draw closer to Jesus by attending these special services:

PALM SUNDAY at 8 pm 

        Service of Reconciliation

HOLY WEEK –  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (March 25, 26, 27) – Holy Communion at 7 pm

MAUNDY THURSDAY (March 28) at 7:00 pm – This is a special service that commemorates Christ’s last supper with foot washing , Holy Communion and a meaningful stripping of the Altar, then departing in silence.  The symbolism is powerful and evocative.

Prayer Vigil – 9:00 pm Maundy Thursday to 9:00 pm Good Friday

Procession of the Cross – 10:00 am – Processing and taking turns to carry the Cross from Community Services Parking lot to Saint Matthew (approx. 2 hrs), stopping along the way for prayers and readings.  Followed by fellowship in the gym.

Meditations on Christ’s last words from the Cross – 12 noon – 3 pm

HOLY SATURDAY (March 30) –   Service of Holy Baptism at 7 pm

EASTER SUNDAY

        Son Rise Service at 6 am and Breakfast

The service begins in the parking lot and moves to the Sanctuary to celebrate first light.  The service is followed by a breakfast in the gym.  Please sign up on the sheet on the easel in the Foyer if you plan to stay for breakfast.  (Cost is by donation)

Special Easter Family Holy Eucharist at 8:45 am.  Christ is risen indeed!  Hallelujah!!  Celebrate the risen Christ.

The cross is the defining symbol of our Christian faith.  What is the relevance of the Cross in today’s society and what difference can the cross make for us today?

The story of the cross is your story… whether you know it or not.

We invite you to join us this Lenten and Easter season as we journey together to the cross to explore it’s meaning for our lives, our community, and for our world.

Feb. 27 ~ The Cross: The “Once and for All” Sacrifice

March 6 ~ The Cross: The Victory of the Son of God

March 13 ~ The Cross: The Payment for our Sins

March 20 ~ The Cross: God’s Transforming Love

My Dear Brothers and Sisters of Saint Matthew’s

‘The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you will not despise’   (Psalm 51. 17).

It seems hard to believe that we will soon be entering the great season of Lent in preparation for Holy Week and Easter. Plans for our journey together with Jesus through this holy season are coming together and I wanted to highlight a few things for your interest and information.

• Our pancake supper is on Shrove Tuesday (February 12th). This is traditionally a day of feasting before the season of fasting begins. Food will be served from 5.30pm – 7pm. After we have eaten together we will be led in some music and singing as we continue to enjoy fellowship together and generally have a good time. If you intend to be at the supper or are able to help in any way, please sign the list in the Narthex area.
• Ash Wednesday is on February 13th and here our Lenten journey begins. We will be having two services for Ash Wednesday at 10am and 7pm. Both services will be from the Book of Common Prayer and will include the Imposition of Ashes. During these services Rev. David will be giving the homily as he introduces our lent course for this year on the Atonement.
• Beginning on Wednesday February 27th at 7pm and for four consecutive weeks we will be meeting in the Sanctuary for our Lent course entitled, ‘Journey to the Cross’. Each evening we will be using a special liturgy for evening prayer in Lent taken from Common Worship (U.K) and David will be speaking on various aspects of the cross and what our LORD has achieved for us, for our community and for the world, through His suffering, death and resurrection. Light refreshments will also be available. The titles for each evening are as follows;
  • February 27^th       – ‘The Cross: The “Once and for All” sacrifice’.
  • March 6^th                – ‘The Cross: The Victory of the Son of God’.
  • March 13^th             – ‘The Cross: The Payment for our Sins’.
  • March 20^th             – ‘The Cross: God’s Transforming Love’.

We will be inviting Churches in our community to join us as we journey to the cross together. T.S. Elliot once said that the cross is ‘the still point in a turning world’. It is my prayer that as we at Saint Matthew’s are led to the foot of the cross this year, we may all be renewed in our faith and love for Jesus and receive fresh power, zeal and vision to serve Him in the years ahead.

Our Lent, Holy Week and Easter brochures giving details of all our services and events are currently at the printers and will soon be available.

• Sunday February 24th is our special Vestry Sunday. Our Vestry meeting will be held immediately after our morning service and will include lunch. The purpose of our Vestry meeting is to elect our new Parish Council, to receive the financial statements and to approve the budget as well as hear various ministry reports and developments in the life of our Parish. During our meeting Joan Deeks and I will be introducing the programme for ‘Strategic Planning’ that we will be undertaking as a Church as we prayerfully and intentionally plan for the next five years.

In response to observations made to me, I feel that I should make a brief comment about the Church that we have left behind. We laid a solid foundation over many years of parish ministry and Anglican witness and give thanks for all that God did and is continuing to do through us.  It has also been noted and appears that a number of events, services and activities being advertised are clearly done to compete with us, and the struggle to be seen as the authentic Anglican Church in our community is obvious. We are to take the high road here Brothers and Sisters and to give thanks for all that God did through our ministry there over many years. We know our history and we know the stand that we were called to make and the sacrifice that came with it. What we are called to do now is to focus on what God is doing among us and what He is saying to us and to work together to become the Church that He has called us to be, as we keep our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. The only safe way to drive a car is to glance back in the rear view mirror only occasionally and to keep focused on the road ahead. The rear view mirror is very small compared to the size of the windshield!

John Stott once said, ‘The Christian community is a community of the cross, for it has been brought into being by the cross, and the focus of its worship is the lamb once slain, now glorified’. As a community of God’s people at Saint Matthew’s we will be gathering at the foot of the cross to behold Him who was pierced for us and to hear His voice together. He is our focus:

‘Thy grief and bitter passion,
were all for sinners’ gain;
mine, mine was the transgression,
but Thine the cruel pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Saviour,
turn not from me Thy face;
but look on me with favour,
vouchsafe to me Thy grace’
(Paul Gerhardt. ‘O Sacred Head’).

Dear friends, I invite you in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy word.

Almighty and everlasting God
You hate nothing that you have made
And forgive the sins of all those who are penitent.
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts,
That, lamenting our sins
And acknowledging our wretchedness,
We may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
Perfect forgiveness and peace;
Through Jesus Christ our LORD,
Who is alive and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit,
One God, now and forever. Amen.

With my ongoing affection and prayers,

Mike Stewart.
Rector.

THE RIGHT REVEREND DONALD F. HARVEY

BISHOP AND MODERATOR

2013

My dear Friends in Christ:

I am writing this in Toronto after spending a glorious weekend “celebrating” with our Celebration Church in Barrie as they move into their third year of celebrating their call from Christ to come out and witness to the Faith that is so sustaining to them.  Earlier in the week we had a very wonderful couple of days of renewal and refreshment with our clergy in the Toronto area, and on Saturday a very spirit-filled morning as some 73 men from the area gathered together for a Prayer Breakfast.  On Sunday evening, many of us were able to congregate at Christ the King in downtown Toronto for the ordination of two young deacons who became Priests in Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

These activities of coming together do much to restore and boost our spiritual batteries both as individuals and within our church families as well.  We are reminded that while we bear one another’s burdens, we also have the opportunity to share our mutual joys.  Such events long will be remembered and we are so grateful that there are some areas where our geographic locations permit such times of refreshment.

When I unpacked my luggage last night I discovered that in my haste to get from one engagement to another, I had carelessly left the package containing all of my medications back at the Rector’s home in Barrie.  It was only when I no longer had them, that I fully realized just how much I was depending on some of these pills for my continued good health.

Like many, if not most of you, my medicine needs consist of a number of things which, though probably desirable,  are non essential to my immediate well being.  If I still want them, I can get them over the counter of almost any pharmacy.  However, there are others that have been prescribed by a doctor and must be taken at regular times and with proper dosages or illness is likely to occur.  Many of you know just how important it is to take blood pressure medications, for example, on a consistently regular basis or we may find ourselves not feeling well and probably in store for big trouble.

But is it not the same for our spiritual lives?  We all have our own “prescriptions” in order to advance and come closer to Our Lord on a daily basis.  Some of our aids are like the supplements we take, not essential yet very helpful.  Others, though, are critical, and without them our times at prayer and meditation can become dry, listless, and even depressing.

Just as few of us have exactly the same medical needs, so each of our spiritual journeys is distinctive and hand-tailored to suit where we are in our relationship to Christ and to one another.  As they say, one size rarely fits all.

Yet we all need the “basics”, found in prayer, sacraments, and spiritual exercises.  Many of you have Spiritual Directors, prayer groups or clusters of people who share your desires and needs and with whom you feel as one when you pray.  Above all, we are called upon to “bear one another’s burdens” as we constantly intercede for one another.

Lent certainly is a time for us to re-examine our spiritual medications and see what they are doing for us.  Do some of our aids need to be increased or do some of them now need to be replaced with something completely different to meet our present situation?  In other words, we need time for self examination – from which can come further action.  Jesus took such time for prayer and reflection when he went into the wilderness at the beginning of His ministry; and as we commemorate that period of time we call Lent, we strive to build up the spiritual stamina for the next challenge or temptation that comes our way.

This Lent, I call upon you to do two things.

As individuals, allow a deliberate time each day for silence.  It is not an easy request in our talkative society, but it is only through this gift that can hear that “still, small voice” that the world, the flesh and the devil is so anxious to drown out. Surely, it is as important to listen to Him as it is to speak to Him.

As parishes, I am calling on every congregation in our Diocese, to take on some special activity or study, or prayer time, during the Lenten period. It may be something new, or simply intensifying something you already are doing.

And, since this will be my last Lenten Pastoral to you, I would be touched if someone from each congregation dropped me an email, telling me what you attempted and what was accomplished.

May this be a Blessed Season for us all as day by day we move towards the Joy of Easter.

+Donald

Your Bishop and Moderator

‘You crown the year with your goodness, and richness overflows wherever you are’ (Psalm 65. 11).
As this year draws to a close and we welcome in the New Year let us be mindful of God’s goodness that crowns the years. Our times and seasons are in His hands.

It has been another full and rich year in our life together at Saint Matthew’s. There has been much to do and God has continued His work among us. We have been settling in to life in our new surroundings and continuing to grow together as one family.

• This year we have seen the development of our ‘Saint Matthew’s School of Life and Ministry’ (SOLAM) with classes being advertised and run throughout the year and onto June 2013. Please don’t forget to register for our Epiphany classes beginning on January 13th 2013. You can register online at www.smlm.ca.
• Our ‘Connections’ ministry which was launched earlier this year provides a gentle structure of loving, pastoral oversight for every member of our Parish and helps ensure that people are cared for and not overlooked. This also provides an excellent way for newcomers to be welcomed into the family of Saint Matthew’s. Our numbers are beginning to grow again on Sunday mornings and we look to be ending the fiscal year with a small surplus.
• Our newly launched Building Fund continues to grow bit by bit.
•  Our Sunday morning brunches continue to provide an excellent opportunity for friendships to develop and grow.
•  Groups, ministries and services have continued to meet and help make Saint Matthew’s the lively Parish that it is.

Thank you for your faithfulness and commitment to God’s great work in our Parish and for your life and ministry among us. We have much to be thankful for!

Next year looks to be an exciting one with many opportunities for us all. Our newly elected Parish Council at our Vestry meeting on February 24^th, 2013 will be spending a lot of time together in strategic planning as we look to laying out a ‘M.A.P’, a ‘Mission Action Plan’ for the next 5 years. While there has been much to do in helping get our own house in order since our move to Grace Church, we are now set to look forward and outward to all that God calls us to and to reach out to our community with the eternal message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are called to be a light on a hill. This coming year will be the time to fully re-engage with our mission as a Church. Through consultation with the whole Parish, priorities and goals will be laid out in line with our sense of vision that will help set the course for our life and witness for the next few years. We are aware of all that we have been called to leave behind and now I believe we are being called to embrace the future that God has for us and we can be both prayerful and intentional about it.

On a personal note I would like to thank you for your prayers and ongoing love and support throughout the year. It continues to be a great honour to serve as your Rector. As was announced recently I will be travelling to England for 2 weeks in January and will be taking some Sabbatical time after Easter for spiritual renewal. It is such a blessing to be a part of such a loving Church family. Thank you for all that we have shared together over the past year and for all that is to come.

I wish you all God’s richest blessings for the New Year and look forward to all that He will do among us, which is usually far more than we could ask or think. (Ephesians 3. 20).

God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, whose years never fail, and whose mercies are new each returning day: Let the radiance of your Spirit renew our lives, warming our hearts and giving light to our minds; that we may pass the coming year in joyful obedience and firm faith; through Him who is the beginning and the end, your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

With my ongoing affection and prayers

Revd. Mike Stewart.
Rector.

It is my joy and honour to write a Christmas Greeting on behalf of Bishops Don and Trudy Harvey, Stephen and Nona Leung and Trevor and Dede Walters, Ron and Jan Ferris and Malcolm and Mary Lou Harding and myself and my wife, Judy. It is our prayer for you all, your families and  the congregations you represent that you may experience a very wonderful Christmas celebration and a happy entry into what promises to be a very exciting, 2013!

As long as I can remember, I have always loved the Gospel of Luke. Even when I was very sporadic at Bible reading, as a child growing up, if I did read the Bible, I usually started with the Gospel of Luke.

Now many years later, I still love Luke. One of the reasons is because of the first two chapters which give such wonderful information about the birth of Jesus.

The message of the angels to this rag-tag band of shepherds in the hills by Bethlehem is one of my favourite parts. First of all, it is personally so important (“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11) But more than that, their message also gives a mandate for gospel proclamation to every person around the world. (“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10)

Dear friend, Jesus was born in Bethlehem for you. And later he died on a cross and rose again for you. He ascended to heaven and one day will surely return for you. This is not being self-indulgent. It is not being self-centred.  Such a viewpoint is exactly what the angels heralded that glorious night.

But he came not just for you. He came for everyone, everywhere. Jesus came to this world with every person in mind and he is needed by every person whether they know it or not.

This is good news for the world- good news of great joy which shall be for all people.

It is also a huge call to those who have already been found by this same Jesus to make him known as generously and as broadly as we possibly can. Surely this is why in our mission statement as ANiC states that we are seeking to “build Biblically-faithful gospel-sharing Anglican churches.”

No surprise that the shepherds having encountered the baby Jesus exactly as the angels had told them, it says: “and when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.” (Luke 2:17.18)

If Christmas rightly is a time for sharing, and it is, then sharing the message of Jesus with people is the most meaningful and most important gift you could ever share.  You can’t share what you don’t have, so make sure you yourself have received him. But then please make provision this Christmas time and throughout 2013 for extravagant sharing of him who was born for everybody.

Go ahead please make your Christmas a time for sharing Jesus with the people around you. The world will be better for it.

Christmas love and greetings to you and all you love!

+Charlie

December 16
7 pm -  Candlelight Celebration of Nine Lessons & Carols (the service is followed by fellowship & refreshments)

Christmas Eve
10 pm – Christmas Eve Mass

Christmas Day
10 am – special Christmas Day family service

January 6
7 pm – Epiphany Service