‘Shared Ministry’ of our Parishes’

This process has been going along very well.  All comments are favourable and we are enjoying the fellowship, the sense of community, and the coming together of our two Parishes.  We have disbanded our Steering Committee in 2011 as we feel we are well on our way, and have given the job to the Parish Wardens – Musquodoboit – Henry Bowers and Darryl Faulkner and Ship Harbour – Christine Mitchell and Ivan Newcombe of handling any concerns that may arise.

Our Spiritual Development Committee continues to meet to schedule and plan services, our Treasurers meet occasionally to discuss financial planning.  We are continuing to share at 60/40 split (Musq/Ship Harbour) of the costs of our rector, the parish phone, and the costs of our two Non-Stipendiary Clergy – travel and workshops.  As one person said, we certainly have gotten a good deal here!  We are proud to report that both Parishes are now able to meet all their financial obligations to the Diocese.

We hope that you will continue to support each other’s fund raising events, and that you will take the opportunity to worship in all six of our beautiful Eastern Shore churches.

Our next ‘Shared Ministry’ Joint Service will be on Sunday, June 24, 10:00 am at Webber’s Campground, Upper Lakeville.  Come enjoy our outdoor service and have fun at the picnic.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake & Sausage Supper

Feb. 21, 4:00 pm, Oyster Pond Fire Hall

Sponsored by the Anglican Parish of Ship Harbour

Five Special Sundays in Lent –

God made a covenant with Noah that promising that the earth and all its creatures would never be destroyed again.  Genesis 9:9-13  As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark.  I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.  …I set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

He sealed that promise with the sending of a sign – a rainbow.  The rainbow reminds us that we are part of that earth, sharing its fate with all living creatures.  Maybe you remember Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection” song – it reminds us of our connection to God.  Rainbows are now known to be full circles, as seen by astronauts from outer space.  God’s rainbow, a complete circle is an everlasting ring of colour, unbroken as God’s promise to us.

Prayer: O God, we still live in a broken world desperate for the grace of new beginnings.  Help us to trust the rainbow sign, and to share the covenant of caring with all creation, in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Following our special theme THE RAINBOW PROMISE we will be exploring some of the following topics:

GREEN –        Sustainability – care for each, for people, enough for all;

RED –              Discernment – listening and reflection;

YELLOW –    Hospitality – being open to and serving others;

WHITE           –          Connectivity – maintaining our connections to self, God and others;

BLUE –          Spaciousness – making space for people to be themselves

PURPLE –      Journey – moving through life intentionally and reflectively

ORANGE –    Our community shared values

DEDICATIONS OF BULLETINS/NEWSLETTERS

To dedicate a bulletin in honour or in memory of a family member, please let Eileen or Rev. Tricia know the name and date of the dedication.  We request a donation of $25.00 to the Parish Treasurer for the dedication which can be placed in the offering plate in a specially marked envelope.  Thank you.

NEW SERVERS!!! We are pleased to announce that Musquodoboit now has 4 new servers to assist at Sunday services – Bradley Kent, Clarice Bowser, Zachary Smith and Ethan Smith.  We welcome you!

Wednesday Night Ecumenical Lenten Services

Theme:   The Last Three Days of Jesus

All are welcome, 7:00 pm

Ash Wednesday          Feb. 22            St. Thomas, Musquodoboit Harbour

St. Matthews, Owls Head

Lent 1                          Feb.29             St. John’s, Monument Loop, Oyster Pond

Preacher:  First United Church

Lent 11                        Mar. 7              Jeddore Baptist Church, West Jeddore Rd.

Preacher:         Rev. Tricia Ingram

Lent III                       Mar. 14            St. Philip Neri, Musquodoboit Harbour

Preacher:         Pastor Aubrey Deslatte

Lent IV                       Mar. 21            First United, Musquodoboit Harbour

Preacher:         Pastor Scott Anderson

Lent V                         Mar. 28            Marine Drive Pentecostal, Head Jeddore

Preacher:         Father Toochukwu Okafor

ST. THOMAS NEWS

NEW DOORS FOR ST. THOMAS-

It has been a really cold winter so far and those who have been attending St. Thomas can tell you how slow the Church has been to heat up.  The beautiful oak doors given in memory of the late Mae Dauphinee by her family have slowly deteriorated and have ceased to be tight enough to keep out the drafts.  New steel doors have been ordered as approved at the Annual Church meeting in January 2012 and will be installed as soon as weather permits.  As with any major expense we are asking our parishioners to donate towards the cost of this project.  We were approved to borrow up to $3000.00.  Please specify how you wish your donation to be recorded; e.g. in memory of a person or persons or from individuals.

ST. THOMAS ACW 2011

The ACW of St. Thomas Church during the year 2011 continued to support the Church by encouraging hospitality and fellowship.  We hosted various luncheons and suppers, a Spring Tea and Sale, a Christmas Tea and Sale and we held a “Fun” Fashion Show featuring clothes from the Thrift Shop, which continued to provide a service to the surrounding communities during the months of May to October.  Our ACW also catered to many receptions during the past year.  We remain a very active and dedicated group of women supporting the life of St. Thomas Church.  Thank you to all our helpers.

We are looking for new members and meet the second Monday of each month.  January to April we meet at 1:30 p.m., other months at 7:30 p.m.

	Lenten Bible Study – Wednesday mornings, 9:15 at St. James Hall, Dolby Hill Come and join us for this special Lenten Bible Study  – And It Was Good! Topics covered will be:  The Hope of Something New, Our Place in the Created Order, Jesus in the Centre and Heart of all Creation, Creation Blesses the Lord and Creation Groans in Painful Hope.  All are welcome.  To register contact Rev. Tricia 889-3098
Holy Week & Easter Services: April 1 – 8 Palm Sunday:      10:30 am                St. Matthews, Owls Head 8:30 & 10:00 am    St Thomas, Musquodoboit Harbour Maundy Thursday   7:00 pm           St. James, Upper Lakeville St. Thomas, Musquodoboit Harbour Good Friday            1:00 pm           St. Matthews, Owls Head St. Thomas, Musquodoboit Harbour Holy Saturday         5:30 pm           Pot Luck at St. James Hall, Dolby Hill – all are welcome! 7:00 pm        Service of Light, St. James, Dolby Hill 7:00 pm    Service of Light St. Johns, Oyster Pond Easter Sunday       10:30 am       St. Stephens, Ship Harbour 8:30 & 10:00  St. James, Dolby Hill

EVENTS WHICH HAVE TAKEN  PLACE:

No one can say it has been quiet in our Parishes over the past few months.

On September 27 we welcomed Bishop Sue to the Eastern Shore Region. It was good to have her amongst us.  Bishop Sue met with members of Regional Council and parishioners from churches along the Shore on September 28 in the Parish of Tangier. Her message that morning was on the Rule of Life.

Every Christian man or woman should from time to time frame for him/herself

A Rule of Life in accordance with the precepts of the Gospel and the faith and

Order of the Church, wherein they may consider the following: The regularity of

Attendance at public worship and especially at the Holy Communion.  The practice of private prayer, Bible-reading, and self-discipline.  Bringing the teaching and example of Christ into everyday life.  The boldness of spoken witness to faith in Christ into everyday life. The boldness of spoken witness to faith in Christ. His/Her personal service to the Church and the community.

The offering of money according to his/her means for the support of the Church at home and overseas.

That evening we celebrated at St. James, Dolby Hill with a Service of Regional Confirmation. Our confirmation candidates were: Joshua Stevens, Parish of Ship Harbour, Melissa Nieforth, Amy Nieforth, Colton Romo, Cheryl MacLeod, Parish of Seaforth and Mary Conrod, Vicki Crowell Leslie, Pat Lapointe, Sheila Watkins, Parish of Musquodoboit.  At this service, presentation of Diocesan Medals were presented to Eleanor Keeping and Eileen Humphrey.

On October 30, the Parishes of Musquodoboit and Ship Harbour met for their second Joint Service at St. Stephen’s in Ship Harbour.  The weather, which did not co-operate (heavy rain) did not spoil any of the warmth and fellowship as our congregations came together.  Our Theme was: We are the Church. Our Sunday School and Youth group came dressed as Biblical characters, our task was to recognize whom they represented.  Under the guidance of Rev. Tricia the service was very beautiful.  We welcomed Archdeacon Debra Burleson.  Rev. Marilyn Murphy, as Deacon saw that all arrangements relating to the vessels for Holy Communion were taken care of, these vessels came from all six churches in our Parishes.  Rev. Dr. Michael Foley was the Homilist, and who could not be moved by his reflection on the Readings and the account he gave on the life and death of Oscar Romera.  Following the service, we met together for a meal, and fellowship at Ship Harbour Community Hall. The loose offering for this service will be divided between the PWRDF and the Grandmothers for African Grandmothers formed under the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

For those who were unable to attend, a prayer written by Oscar Romera follows:

Prayer by Oscar Romera It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted,  knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.

Shore Grandmothers for African Grandmothers:

Following is an extract summarizing a very successful Dare to Dine Dinner on October 29, 2011.

We raised $1070 with approximately 54, including us and our speakers, attending. As Marilyn Coolen and Dominica  Gardner speakers for the Stephen Lewis Foundation on Advocacy , emphasised…a few dollars given makes a great impact in Africa. They gave a thoughtful and insightful presentation about their experiences in Africa. Thanks should also be extended to our younger workers Gillian, Kristen and Elspeth. Delicious punch, Gillian! We are also very thankful that St James Hall was given to us free of charge. We are very lucky to have such a supportive community.

Update on PWRDF

On  September 18 a 6.9 magnitude earthquake rocked the Sikkim and West Bengal region in India.  10,000 people lost their homes and livelihoods in the quake.  PWRDF has provided $20,000 to the Churches Auxiliary for Social Action – a PWRDF partner in the region, who have been responding to the situation.

Thousands of people fleeing Somalia for desperately overcrowded refugee camps in Dadaab, Kenya.  Livestock dead.  No water, the soil turned to dust.  10.7 million people affected.  The numbers are staggering, and the images are horrifying.  This is the reality for so many people living in the Horn of Africa as the drought in the region continues, and the UN declares a famine in Somalia.

PWRDF is responding to this emergency through the ACT Alliance and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.  An initial $75,000 has been sent from PWRDF

The Canadian government has created the East Africa Drought Relief Fund to match donations made by Canadians to eligible charities retroactively from July 6 to September 16, 2011. They are matching all donations for the Horn of Africa drought dollar for dollar.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN OUR PARISHES WHO SUPPORTED THE HORN OF AFRICA DROUGHT AND FOR RESPONDING IN TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT MATCHING OFFER.

Remembrance Day Sunday Services

At St. James, Dolby Hill we were pleased to invite the First Responders of our local area.  Invitations went out to the RCMP, fire stations, Ground Search and Rescue, the Coast Guard, paramedics and Twin Oaks Hospital. Representatives from most of these groups attended.  Rev. Mike Foley led an inspiration service where our First Responders were recognized and honoured, Dave Ingram spoke on the war in Korea 1950-51 and the Parish People led with hymns and music of that era.  A delicious luncheon followed the service.

Four Harbours Legion members attended a service of remembrance at St. Stephens in Ship Harbour.  Rev. Tricia Ingram celebrated, and the Steeple Chasers provided inspirational musical leadership.  A time of refreshment and fellowship followed the service.

Rev. Marilyn Murphy led two services of remembrance in the Parish of Port Dufferin.

Christmas Ecumenical Musical Gathering, Sunday, Nov. 27, 7:00 pm at Marine Drive Pentecostal Church.  Come and enjoy the music and the fellowship. Saturday, December 3 6:30 pm Memory Tree Service at St. Stephens, Ship Harbour Sunday December 11 6:30 pm Memory Tree Service & Sunday School Christmas Pageant at St.            John’s, Oyster Pond Saturday, December 24 –          4:00 pm Children’s Christmas Service with Holy Communion at St. James, Dolby Hill –          6:00 pm Christmas Eve Service with Holy Communion at St. Johns, Oyster Pond –          7:00 pm Traditional Christmas Eve Service of Holy Communion at St. Thomas, Musquodoboit Harbour –          8:00 pm Christmas Eve Service of Holy Communion at St. Stephens, Ship Harbour Christmas Day Service, December 25, 11:00 am St. James, Musquodoboit Harbour

FOOD BANK – Thank you to all those who have been supporting our local food bank.

December –     canned fruit, canned vegetables

January –         cereal

February –       peanut free school snacks

Musquodoboit – first Sunday of each month

Ship Harbour Dec. 11- St. Johns, Jan. 15- St. Stephens, Feb. 26- St. James

PRAYER LIST One of the vital ministries of our church is the prayer list and its upkeep.  From time to time the comment is made, why a certain name is still on the list, they recovered weeks ago.  We are asking therefore, that you help us in ensuring that our prayer list is as up to date as it can be.  To do this, we need to maintain good communication with you.  If you would like someone to receive prayers, please call or e-mail the church office with your prayer request 889-3098 – e-mail: ingrams@eastlink.ca. We ask that you specify the name of the person, your name as the contact and your phone number so we can follow up on progress. All information given is treated in a confidential manner.  We will keep the name on the list for three weeks at which time it will be deleted unless we hear from you.  We believe strongly in the power of prayer and know that many people have been blessed by the Lord’s healing grace.  Thank you for your co-operation as we attempt to maintain a healthy prayer list.

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