We begin with a prayer (written by Herb O’Driscoll) for the election of a new diocesan bishop–

Lord Jesus,

May your Wisdom be our wisdom;

Your Vision our vision;

Your Will our will:

That we may seek, find, and call one who will

Shepherd your people,

Nurture reconciliation,

Love your creation,

And speak Hope to the Church and the World

In Your Name.

Amen.

Greetings and God’s blessings be with you, this day.  

In less than one month’s time, our diocesan Synod delegates will elect our next diocesan bishop.   For the candidates, there has been much discernment of God’s call to permit their names to stand for the position of bishop in God’s church.   Being a bishop in the church means being a servant to all God’s people.   The diocesan bishop is shepherd of the flock of our diocesan churches and pastor to all active and retired clergy residing and working within the Diocese of Islands and Inlets.

Some may ask why I use the term ‘Diocese of Islands and Inlets” instead of ‘Diocese of British Columbia.’  Back in the 1850’s, when Bishop Hills was sent out from Britain to establish an Anglican diocese on the west coast of North America above the 42nd parallel,  the Diocese of British Columbia encompassed much of present day British Columbia, plus some of the north-western States and part of what is now the North-West Territories.  Thus, the name ‘Diocese of British Columbia’ fit.   Today, the Province of BC is divided into several Anglican dioceses, each with their own name.  Today, calling our diocese the Diocese of British Columbia does not accurately describe our largely island-based diocese.

During the past year, the Diocese has received provincial approval of a new name for the diocese.  We may now be known as the Diocese of Islands and Inlets or the Diocese of British Columbia.  Both are acceptable descriptors of our diocesan home.

On September 26th, through the medium of electronic or telephonic means, every parish within our diocese will, through their diocesan synod representatives and active clergy, elect a new bishop, God willing.

Please pray for the candidates, synod delegates and clergy who will take part in the election of our next bishop.

Paul+

Dear Friends,

I hope you are all keeping well. Kindly please be advised that I will be on holidays the week of August 31st and returning September 8th after the Labour Day weekend.

For pastoral emergencies, please call Rev. Paul at 778-350-5721 or email him at pschumacher@bc.anglican.ca

For any other urgent inquiries that cannot wait until my return, please contact our wardens:

Elizabeth Bennett at 250-642-0185

Joan Hoffman at 250-474-5446

A few additional notes...

There will no outgoing newsletter the week I am away.

Joan will be in the office on Tuesday to receive offerings.

May you all keep safe and well. Blessings to you.

Caroline DeCiantis

Parish Administrator

BOOK CLUB

Our monthly Book Club resumes again this fall! We will continue to meet on the first Thursday of the month. Our next meeting is Thursday, September 3rd, at 10:30 am in the Main Hall.

Please bring a book you would like to share and chat about.

WHAT-SEW-EVER

We are meeting again in the Main Hall beginning Tuesday, September 1st at 10 am.

PARISH COUNCIL

Council will meet Thursday, September 10th at 7 pm in the Main Church.

COVID PROTOCOL REMINDERS:

We are prohibited from using the kitchen and sharing food/beverages. 

Please sign your name in the log book upon enterring the building.

Everyone is required to maintain 2 meters distance apart. Please wear a mask if necessary.

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Many parishioners have requested that we share in our newsletter the upcoming readings for the following week. This allows them time to prayerfully reflect on their messages prior to the service.

Our readings for Sunday, September 6th (Pentecost 14), are as follows...

Exodus 12:1-14

Psalm 149

Romans 13:8-14 

Matthew 18:15-20

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.

We are pleased to announce that, God willing, Bishop Logan McMenamie will take a brief respite from retirement to ordain the Rev. Matthew Humphrey and the Rev. Gail Rodger to the sacred order of priest. While the ceremony will take place at Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, this email is sadly not an invitation to attend in-person. The ordinations will be a small, socially-distanced celebration involving just those essential to the service and a very few invited guests. However, the service will be live-streamed and we hope that you will set aside this time to watch the ordinations and pray with the ordinands. A link to the livestream will be provided prior to the service, and it will possible to revisit the service later in the day.   We hope you will book the date and time in your calendars.

Christians around the world are invited to give particular attention to praying and caring for God’s creation as part of the global Season of Creation, observed from September 1 to October 4 every year. In our diocese, the diocesan Vision Implementation Teams for Engaging God's World and Worship Resources are encouraging parishes and individuals, during these 34 days, to reflect on creation as part of our ongoing season of discipleship, asking ourselves, how does our call to discipleship inform our relationship to the land, earth and sky of God's good creation? And then to take action in some way both personally and corporately.

Join us for virtual coffee time, Sunday mornings at 10 am.

Grab your cup and sit in front of your computer and follow the directions below.

See you then!

----------------------------------------------

August 30, 2020 10:00 AM Vancouver

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81271301300?pwd=YzJSUlVIU3YxVDBrejI5dHo0R203UT09

Meeting ID: 812 7130 1300

Passcode: 4743031

Dial by your location  +1 778 907 2071 Canada

Join us for weekly Zoom morning prayer and bible study on Wednesdays at 10 am.

Links for you to access the meeting will be sent the Tuesdays prior.

Sunday virtual worship services will continue to be provided, even when services resume in the building.

Every Sunday you will receive in your inbox a reminder with the link that takes you to the site. Not only is the current Sunday worship service available on our webpage, but also an archive of services from the past several weeks. You can catch up at anytime that is convenient for you!

Thank you for your ongoing financial contributions to the life and work of the church. Your support is truly appreciated.

The parish office continues to remain open on Tuesdays between 10 am and noon. If you use envelopes, feel free to drop by with your offering during this time.