Newsletter June 19, 2025

Strawberry Tea & Craft Fair Update

Saturday, June 21st from 10 am to 3 pm

Thanks to everyone who has signed up to do baking, to help with preparations on Friday evening and to volunteer at the Tea this Saturday, June 21. If you are interested in helping and haven’t yet signed up, please contact Mary Wills at maryewills@outlook.com, who will be happy to assign a task for you. Bakers, please bring your items if at all possible on Friday evening, from 6 pm to 8 pm. If Friday doesn’t work for you, please bring them by 9 am on Saturday.

This annual event has been happening at Church of the Advent for about 40 years (except for a 2 year break during the pandemic). We take care to set the tables with beautiful, vintage tablecloths and china cups and saucers and serve you with freshly prepared strawberry shortcake ($10/person). We also have 14 local crafters with a wide variety of items for your shopping pleasure, as well as our popular bake sale. Invite your friends and family to enjoy this special occasion and help support our church community.

Pride Sunday Service

Sunday June 29th at 10 AM

Join us at the Church of the Advent for a joyful Pride celebration of all of us, God's family, in our wonderful diversity of identity, love, orientation, and gender.

Come as you are, knowing that your authentic self is beloved, and celebrate that belovedness with a diverse and affirming family of faith. You are wonderful, just as you are.

Eucharist Service - Sunday 29 June, 10 AM, Church of the Advent

Come and join us - we dress casual! Join us for a fun picnic on the church lawns afterwards!

Victoria Pride Parade

July 6

Church of the Advent will be marching in the Pride Parade in downtown Victoria on Sunday July 6th together with Gordon United Church, as the West Shore Affirming Churches. We will be carrying our beautiful new banner!

You are encouraged to join us - whether it be for only part of the march or the entire length! The Parade begins at about 11 AM, and lasts about an hour and a half. It's our way of letting people know that there IS loving, caring, affirming Christian community on the West Shore.

Please let Sr Ingrid know if you would like to participate - we would like to start planning as soon as possible.

Note: There will be a church service at 8.30 and10 AM as usual, with supply clergy.

Parish Camp

Rondalyn Resort, Ladysmith - July 11-18 (or part thereof)

You are warmly invited to join us for our fun parish campout, which takes place at Rondalyn Resort in Ladysmith, from July 11-18. Many come only for the day or the weekend, but some of us stay for longer. We especially encourage you to join us on Saturday for the potluck dinner, and/or Sunday morning at 11 AM for the Eucharist service, celebrated by Rev. Larry Scyner.

There is a great pool which is $5 for daytime visitors.

To find out more about Rondalyn, click here

Never been on parish campout before? Join us! It's a great way for parishioners of all ages to learn to get to know each other.

Intersections Course

September and October Tuesday nights @ 7 PM

The Diocese has a superb course on our history in BC, looking at the way that we have interacted across cultures and race, beginning with the very first colonists.

Sr. Ingrid has completed the course, and found it interesting, challenging and immensely rewarding. Often, we prefer not to engage with uncomfortable subjects, but there is a lot to be learned about ourselves and the unspoken background of the society in which we live. To introduce you to what is possible with this course, please watch this brief video with Bishop Anna.

This seven-week online series brings people together in intentional conversations to:

encounter our collective past
locate ourselves as participants in the ongoing story of this place
explore how to respond faithfully to the truths we find together

...so we can participate with God in restoring creation and affirming the dignity of all people.

A team of trained moderators will offer will offer each of the seven sessions which are based on the information covered in the CRBC project, using video, song, prayer, self-refection exercises, readings and group discussions.

The Church of the Advent will be engaging in this course during September and October, on Tuesday nights at 7 PM (skipping the third Tuesday of each month).

Thursday Evening Bible Study

Online every Thursday evening from 6 - 7 pm.

All are welcome to join us on Thursdays for our relaxed, lively and interesting Zoom online Bible Study, to discuss the readings for the upcoming Sunday. The readings are posted in this newsletter.

No experience or prior knowledge is needed.

Time: 6 PM - 7 PM.

Zoom Link:

https://bc-anglican-ca.zoom.us/j/88378461340?pwd=cU9wSUNEZG02M3h3bGVrUmpyMjRNZz09

Meeting ID: 883 7846 1340
Passcode: 4743031

Lisa Brodersen will be leading Bible Study in Sr. Ingrid's absence next Thursday, 19th June, as Sr Ingrid will be away at her annual Franciscan Chapter.

Readings for this Sunday's Service

Readings for this Sunday's services:

1 Kings 19:1-15a

Psalms 42 & 43

Galatians 3:23-29

Luke 8:26-39

Read Sunday's readings online:
1. Go to https://lectionary.anglican.ca/
2. Select next Sunday's date in the space at the bottom.
3. Click "Link to full text for this day".

From the Parish Library

THIS WEEK’S TOP SHELF

In honour of Saturday’s National Indigenous Day of Prayer, the Top Shelf this week features books by and about Indigenous people. Two of these books are from Bishop Logan’s gift and have not previously been on display.

Kent Nerburn, ed. Wisdom of the Native Americans.

Comments on the difference between Indigenous and settlers’ ways by prominent Indigenous leaders of the nineteenth century. A useful introduction to original Indigenous culture and beliefs.

Shelagh Rogers et al. Reconciliation & the Way Forward: Collected Essays & Personal Reflections.
Ideas about how to make progress with reconciliation.

First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament.
A recent English edition of the New Testament in a North American Indigenous cultural context, which provides a spellbinding new perspective on well-known texts.

Richard Wagamese. One Drum: Stories and Ceremonies for a Planet.
An exploration of the concepts of humility, courage, and respect through story and reflection, accompanied by simple rites to align us with the energy and unity of Creation.

Richard Wagamese. Medicine Walk: A Novel.
A novel, rated 4.3 on Goodreads, and set in BC, about the backcountry walk and developing relationship of a 16-year-old Indigenous boy and his dying father.

On the top of the small table in the narthex are some of the library’s Indigenous storybooks for children:

By Teoni Spathelfer: Little Wolf, White Raven, and Abalone Woman.
By Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd: Cloudwalker, Orca Chief, and Peace Dancer.

To borrow any book, please fill out a green loan slip from the small bookcase in the narthex, and put it in the pink box labelled “Library.” If you have a book due for return, please fill out a yellow return slip, and leave your book beside or under the box. Thank you.

Faith Tides: June 2025

Faith Tides is the online, faith-based publication of the Anglican Diocese of Islands and Inlets (BC). Through news stories, reflections and feature articles Faith Tides aims to showcase the work God is doing through our churches. It is a space where people of faith and doubt can walk alongside one another, share their stories and grow together.

Read the June 2025 issue