Dear St Matthias and friends,

This Sunday marks Harvest Thanksgiving, a time when we gather in the autumn light of October to celebrate the amazing bounty of creation all around us. It will be also the first time the church has been open for morning worship since we closed for the pandemic. There is much to celebrate in our individual and collective lives, there have been weddings, birthdays and anniversaries, new homes and new grandchildren and we know also that we are not home yet. Even as some will gather tomorrow, we will be holding close those who cannot yet and our prayers will be for unity of love and Spirit even in our distance. Yet our gratitude does not just reside in our everyday circumstances but in the wonder of the God who has gifted us with this one challenging and precious life. This weekend may we raise our hearts in thanksgiving to the God who walks with us, reminding us that we are never alone.

A blessed Thanksgiving to each of you!

- The Reverend Meagan Crosby-Shearer

A Thanksgiving Prayer
O God, we thank you for this earth, our home;
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendour of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thornbush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
By Walter Rauschenbusch, 19th-20th century theologian
* Photo from the St. Matthias garden

We are back! Just in time for Harvest Thanksgiving!

We are excited to announce that in addition to our Zoom services, every other week we will be back in-person for worship. Click for more information and to see our protocol video. 

This coming Tuesday at 7 pm, the Wardens of St Matthias will hold an open meeting for our congregation to discuss the proposals that have been offered to the congregation for their prayerful consideration.  This will happen both by Zoom and simultaneously in-person (socially-distanced) at the church.

Sunday's at 10 am, We host a gathering on alternating Sundays on Zoom and at the church to share the Sunday readings and discuss how they may be speaking into our lives today. The Zoom worship will be a simple service of the Word with readings, open discussion and prayers. Our in-person services will have Communion and a sermon. Please email wardens@stmatthiasvictoria.ca to receive the Zoom meeting login or to sign up to be a reader. 

Click to find the schedule of in-person and Zoom services as well as the readings

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.

Start your day with prayer Weekday Mornings: 7:45-8:15 am 

In-person at the church Tues & Thurs

On Zoom Mon, Weds & Fri

Compline

All are welcomed to soak in the ancient mysteries of prayer at a late-evening chanted candle-lit compline with traditional settings adapted from the Book of Common Prayer.

This happens the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month at 9pm

* please be aware that we use candles and incense at these gatherings and Covid-distancing protocols and limitatiations on congregational singing will be in effect.