What a month this has been!

The fall season with the changing colours and temperatures has brought with it change on all fronts. 

We have felt the continuing effects of COVID-19, have faced the effects of the wildfires in this season of creation and have celebrated with joy the ordination of Matt Humphrey. Now we move quickly toward the election of a new Bishop and turn with hope to the future God is planting in our midst.  

With all of this can come anxiety and uncertainty and so my prayer is that you may be surrounded and held in peace and that you may see and touch and know the God of peace in every single one of your interactions this coming month. May you be deeply nourished by the grace and love that surrounds you at this time! My prayers remain with you and please do contact me if you would like a socially distanced time of conversation or prayer.

In Christ,

Meagan+ 

Prayer in a time of transition 

Lord, help me now to unclutter my life, to organize myself in the direction of simplicity.
Lord, teach me to listen to my heart; teach me to welcome change, instead of fearing it.
Lord, I give you the stirrings inside me. I give you my discontent. I give you my restlessness. I give you
my doubt. I give you my despair. I give you all the longings I hold inside.
Help me to listen to these signs of change, of growth; help me to listen seriously and follow where
they lead through the breathtaking empty space of an open door. Amen

-prayer for ordinary radicals

Join us - Wednesday, September 23, 2020, for a lively zoom presentation and discussion of Creation, Empire and Paul with authors and farmers Sylvia Keesmaat and Brian Walsh, co-authors of the recent book Romans Disarmed and the earlier book Colossians Remixed.    All are welcomed to this conversation, which follows up our Summer book group of Romans Disarmed.

Email admin@emmauscommunity.ca for the link!

In preparation for the Episcopal election on September 26th 2020, we encourage you to enter into a day of prayer and fasting for our diocese and for those who have offered their service on behalf of Christ's body, the church. 

Schedule for the 25th

Morning Prayer: 9 am (either at home or in-person)

Candidate videos: 10-11 am at home or streaming from the church building (Review the written information again if you prefer)

https://bc.anglican.ca/episcopal-transition/candidate-information

Watch each video (perhaps in a different order if this is your second time through). Take a few minutes between each video to pray and note where you feel resonance or dissonance, do you sense the Holy Spirit’s encouragement and prompting? Based on your understanding of the deep needs and vision of the church here in this place, how do you see this call to serve the body of Christ in all its diversity embodied in the candidate's presentation? What other questions, reflections come up as you watch/read?

Pray for each candidate, their family and church community and for this Diocese and all of the delegates, staff and people throughout these islands and inlets.

Holy Eucharist (spoken) 12pm

Zoom check-in/debrief: 1:30pm

(email: admin@emmauscommunity.ca or incumbent@stmatthiasvictoria.ca for the link)

Closing prayer: 2 pm (either at home or in-person)

On September 26, 2020, representatives from across the diocese will come together (electronically) to elect our 14th diocesan bishop. You are invited to join us via Livestream on this website, on our Facebook page or YouTube channel. The day begins with the opening Eucharist at 9 am. The electoral synod will begin at 11 am. We are looking forward to seeing everyone Saturday. Please pray for the candidates and the other synod delegates in the coming days as they prepare for this important day. 

https://bc.anglican.ca/episcopal-transition/synod-event

Orange Shirt Day Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake in the spring of 2013.  It grew out of Phyllis’s account of losing her shiny new orange shirt on her first day of school at the Mission, and it has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually.  The date was chosen because children are back in school and teachers have time to plan, and because it is an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies for the year.  Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and community agencies to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.

Before COVID came upon us in March 2020, we had planned a large retirement celebration for Bishop Logan for the end of April, but we unfortunately had to cancel the event. As we begin to ease into the fact that this pandemic-life is around to stay for a while, we’re applying some creativity to how we celebrate and say thank you to Bishop Logan for his ministry and years of service to the diocese.

Parish Council "is both a process and a structure to enable parishioners to accept and to share more fully the task of continuing the church’s work in the parish and neighbourhood. Its work should call forth and affirm the many gifts and competencies needed to meet the pastoral needs of God’s people and make manifest the presence of Christ in the communities it serves." 

Our Parish Council usually meets every two months to make the policy decisions needed to move the parish forward in the time between our annual vestry meetings. 

Minutes of the meetings as well as supporting documents and proposals are found at

https://www.stmatthiasvictoria.ca/pages/parish-resources--57

If you would like the password to access these resources, drop a line to the Admin, Incumbent or Wardens. 

The Diocesan Post is now online.

Check out the latest article by Rob Crosby-Shearer!

https://bc.anglican.ca/blog/the-burning-hearts-housing-cooperative