Our annual planting of flowers in the cemetery, a very important cemetery care project, was a great success! Thank you to the volunteer planters, the lunch chef and our dedicated grounds staff for all the prep work and continuous care.
There are some extra flowers which will be for sale this week, impatience, petunias and aggeratum; these are located at the monument on the west side of the church. The price per pack is $3.50.
We seek to heal and renew the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people because inequality and injustice cannot be of God.
Suicide rates among Indigenous youth between 15 and 24 years are five to six times higher than the national average. For Inuit youth in particular, it’s 11 times higher. Suicide accounts for 25% of all deaths among Indigenous youth.
When confronted with such despair, it’s easy to feel hopeless and helpless. Becoming aware of the legacy of colonization is not easy. We may feel ashamed of the inequality that divides Indigenous peoples of Canada—First Nations, Inuit and Métis—from other Canadians. We are challenged to recognize how governments and corporations have failed to honour the rights to the land and selfdetermination of Canada’s first inhabitants.
Yet these realities don’t have the last word. Together, whether Indigenous or newcomers, we seek to heal and renew the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people because we know that what causes harm, inequality and injustice cannot be of God. Together, we find signs of hope and we dare to dream the promise of right relationship.
In November 2010, the Government of Canada’s endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples represented a step towards right relation with Indigenous peoples in Canada. KAIROS and our member churches had long called for Canada’s endorsement of this important global human rights standard.
On June 20 KAIROS member churches, communities and Indigenous partners will join in a Day of Solidarity, urging Canada to take concrete steps, in collaboration with Indigenous peoples, to implement the UN Declaration. We will bring banners to Ottawa calling for the human rights of Indigenous peoples to be respected. This is followed by National Aboriginal Day on June 21, which offers many opportunities to celebrate the contributions of Indigenous peoples to the history and present of our country. We ask you support these events with your presence and your prayers. Hold in prayer our common hopes for a just future, together in this beautiful land. And bring those prayers to action in your faith community and home.
One: God of all people, Great Spirit, Holy One
All: Listen to our prayer.
One: Give your blessing this day to the First Peoples of this land.
All: Guide the elders and give them strength;
One: Comfort and renew men and women in times of sorrow and despair,
All: Give grace and pride to children as the daughters and sons of your creation.
One: Hear our prayer as we gather today to commit to right relations.
All: Give us a sense of justice, an awareness of new beginnings, that wrongs may be redressed, rights respected and a new covenant forged.
One: May those who have used this land with little thought or regard learn to love and respect this gracious heritage;
All: May those who find your presence in the land be free to model its grateful use to all.
One: In common life and common dignity…
All: May all people receive from you a new humanity. Amen.
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives is a faithful movement for human rights and ecological justice, uniting the local and the global.Our founding members are: The Anglican Church of Canada, the Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the United Church of Canada, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Canadian Religious Conference, the Mennonite Central Committee of Canada, and the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF).
More information: www.kairoscanada.org.
As the mother church within the Diocese of Rupert’s Land, St. John’s Cathedral is an inclusive parish, whose Primary Ministries are:
God is actively at work right now.
Join Him.
Sharing in God’s mission first recognizes that God is already at work in the community, the diocese and the world, and so – by virtue of our baptism – we are invited to discover where God is at work and join God in this work.
As members of St. John’s, let us pray to this end.
Through our baptism, we have passed from darkness to light. We have received the Light of Christ. It is time to let our light shine.
With the upcoming service of Holy Baptism on The Day of Pentecost, this June 12, 2011, it is important to remind ourselves what Baptism means and to reflect on our baptismal covenant. If you would like to read the service of Holy Baptism, see the The Book of Alternative Services, starting at page 145. If you are thinking about being baptized, please contact us.
Christians are not just baptized individuals;
they are a new humanity.
Baptism is the sign of new life in Christ. Baptism unites Christ with his people. That union is both individual and corporate. Christians are, it is true, baptized one by one, but to be a Christian is to be part of a new creation which rises from the dark waters of Christ’s death into the dawn of his risen life. Christians are not just baptized individuals; they are a new humanity.
The scriptures of the New Testament and the liturgy of the Church unfold the meaning of baptism in various images (often based on Old Testament water symbols) which express the mystery of salvation.
Baptism is participation in Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6.3–5; Colossians 2.12); a washing away of sin (1 Corinthians 6.11); a new birth (John 3.5); an enlightenment by Christ (Ephesians 5.14); a reclothing in Christ (Galatians 3.27); a renewal by the Spirit (Titus 3.5); the experience of salvation from the flood (1 Peter 3.20–21); an exodus from bondage (1 Corinthians 10.1–2) and a liberation into a new humanity in which barriers of division, whether of sex or race or social status, are transcended (Galatians 3.27–28; 1 Corinthians 12.13). The images are many but the reality is one.
All Christians are called to ministry and the baptismal covenant describes in detail the obligations of this call:
All Christians are called to ministry
How does this ministry begin?
It starts with us saying, “I will, with God’s help.”
How does this ministry begin? It starts with us saying, “I will, with God’s help.” We are not alone. Through our Baptism we are united with Christ and His people. His power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. 1
Through our baptism, we have passed from darkness to light. We have received the Light of Christ. It is time to let our light shine.
Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Tens of thousands of refugees have fled southward and are seeking shelter and assistance.
Bishop Don has received word from Bishop Abraham Nhial of the Diocese of Aweil that Abyei, the disputed border region between the North and the South has been invaded and occupied by the (Northern) Sudanese Armed forces. This is a direct violation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, and has been condemned by the United Nations and by the Government of Canada. Tens of thousands of Southern Sudanese refugees have fled southward and are seeking shelter and assistance. Abyei is part of the Diocese of Aweil and is currently overwhelmed by this large-scale humanitarian crisis.
In his communiqué, Bishop Nhial states: “I want you all to share this situation with as many people as you can for prayers and financial support; we need to help the displaced people. Please take time to read the written report below from Diocesan Secretary, the Rev. Stephen Mou. Please continue praying for us in this difficult time in our life.”
we need to help the displaced people
Rev. Stephen M. Mou
Secretary of the Diocese of Aweil
Aweil Downtown, Southern Sudan
Sudanese forces attacking Abyei claimed the possession of Abyei town on Saturday at round 8pm. The whole town was completely set on fire, and according to Rev. Nathaniel Maral Mayom, the current senior priest of the Episcopal Church in Sudan in Abyei. Approximately 20,000 people fled Abyei to many different bushes and others ran towards South Sudan towns of Warrap State.
Large numbers have arrived in Agok town in Twic area, and more others ran to small towns in Twic County in Warrap State. The majority of displaced persons are still in the bush, including two priests of Episcopal Church of the Sudan, Rev. Santino Akec and Rev. John Manayang. They are still not identified where they ran to. Rev. Santino Jok arrived in Agok last night and reported that he was forced to ran to a place called Rum-Ajang-Deng but he hasn’t heard or knows where Rev. Akec and Rev. Manyang have fled.
All the civilians are now on streets and in bushes with no food, no shelter, no water and no medical assistance.
The situation on the ground is worse, said Rev. Maral. All the civilians are now down on streets and in bushes, no food, no shelters, no water and no medical assistance. The situation was intensified last night by heavy rain fall in Agok area. Displaced people and children are seriously affected under trees in Agok.
Agok ECS School has accommodated 2,800 displaced people despite the fact that Agok School has very limited space to accommodate such huge number of people; there no options but such deteriorating conditions forces us to accept them in. The majority are still under the trees with children, sick people and elderly people. Aweil Diocese is left with no choices but raise the voice of voiceless for relief assistance.
Aweil Diocese is calling for urgent support for the civilians who are now lying on the ground without medical attention, shelters, food and water. People with communicable diseases are forced to sleep together with healthy people and this could spread the effect of disease all displaced people if no urgent humanitarian relief intervention reach them before the end of this week.
More Information is Available on:
The Helping Hands for Southern Sudan Winnipeg Blog
The Diocese’s Facebook page has been updated to inform our community about the Abyei situation.
In this church building we are surrounded by banners. Some “banners” are made of fabric, some are not. There are flags, stained glass, mosaics, pulpit hangings, altar hangings; Cathedral, Diocese and Baptism hangings.
It is suggested we have a banner to celebrate Sunday School, perhaps hanging from high between the nave and narthex and would appear at those times during the year when we celebrate our Sunday School.
If this idea is of interest to you we would appreciate your help, along with our Sunday School, in its design.
Our annual planting of flowers in the cemetery, one of our very important fund raising projects, is being re-scheduled for Thursday, June 9th. Please mark your calendars!
A sign up sheet is available on the table at the back of the church.
Our annual planting of flowers in the cemetery, one of our very important fund raising projects, is scheduled for Thursday, June 2. Please mark your calendars!
A sign up sheet is available on the table at the back of the church.
This past week, Canadians celebrated National Volunteer Week. We would like to take a moment to thank all the volunteers that make the work of our church possible. Thank you.
Interested in volunteering at St. Johns?
Take a look at some ways you can get involved in ministry.
Served alongside the cake to honour the work of our volunteers, was Barb Swanson’s delicious Carrot, Zucchini, Pineapple Muffins. Barb graciously donates her time and baking to the Coffee Time Ministry at our church. After the 10:30 morning service on Sunday, people are invited to meet at the back of the cathedral for coffee, tea, juice and baking provided by volunteers, like Barb. As we sit and enjoy these tasty treats, we get an opportunity to meet new people and visit with old friends. This fellowship is truly the gift given by the volunteers of St. John’s Coffee Time Ministry. Our volunteers are truly something special!
the gift given by the volunteers of St. John’s Coffee Time Ministry is an opportunity to meet new people and visit with old friends
If you would like to treat yourself to something special, why not whip up a batch of Barb’s muffins? These muffins have a great list of ingredients including zucchini, carrot, pineapple, coconut and raisins. I love them so much, I had to ask Barb for her recipe, and she was nice enough to share. Thanks, Barb.
For the recipe, continue reading.
Thank you to everyone who donated items and money for the Thelma Wynne Project. We have forwarded all your contributions to St. Matthew’s – 2 sweaters with hoods, 5 one piece vests, 4 t-shirts, 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of socks, 16 sleepers, 4 blankets, and $20.00. Your faithful support of this project is appreciated.
St. John's Anglican Cathedral 