Readings for Sunday 18th July, Pentecost 8 First reading : 2 Samuel 7.1-14a. Psalm 89 Second reading : Ephesians 2.11-22 Gospel : Mark 6.30-34, 53-56
This Sunday, 18th July, an in-person service will be at the church at 9:30 am, with limited numbers and pre-registration required. https://youtu.be/SXbvlKgpmIw
Sunday School stuff!
Calling all kids to join us this summer as we Track Down the One True God! We will have treasure maps to follow, stories and clues to help us, and maybe even a treasure at the end of the summer! Hope to see you all as we begin our Mystery Island Summer Adventure! From Cindy Warner
Social
Men of St. Jude. A Coffee Hour is planned for Tuesday July 20th at 10.00 am in the parking lot. Bring your own chair, coffee and goodies! There’s a Tim’s and Starbucks across Fanshawe if you need a source. Derek will be contacting the men for whom he has emails, but if you don’t hear, you could send an email to the church ( [email protected] ) and it will be forwarded to him. (If raining, bring a brolly)
Outreach
Ministry of the Month for July and August Our focus is the Environment. For several years we have supported an Interfaith Tree Planting event in the Fall, but at this point in time we have no information on a 2021 event. However, Reforest London has already been advertising some spring 2021 events, so hopefully we will get more news later in the summer about this Fall event. In the meantime, don’t forget the slogan, “reduce, reuse and recycle” as we work on reducing our dependence on plastic containers and look forward to using blue boxes at church, as well as at home. Please keep the environment in your prayers.
New Summer Foodbox Program St. Jude’s is partnering with the social service agency LUSO to provide fresh food and dairy boxes through the summer to some local families and individuals. LUSO provides the food from government funds and St. Jude’s provides a pick up depot on Wednesdays. We have a few families unable to come to pick up the food, and are in need of some volunteer drivers who would pick up the box between 1 and 2 pm on Wednesday and deliver it to their homes. The box weighs between 10 and 15 pounds. If you are able to help us out with this ministry, please contact Glenda at 519-951-8154 or [email protected] . Thank you.
St. John the Evangelist Community Dinner We are looking for a few volunteers to help with the St. John’s community dinner on Saturday August 14th . It will be a take away summer supper in a bag. Volunteers can contact Glenda @ 519-951-8154 or [email protected] Thanks.
Community Breakfast Program Thank you to all who support the program in so many ways – financially, baking, clothing, shopping, making and donating masks, toiletries, and serving at the breakfast. These are contributions very difficult to measure but the program could not succeed without them. To date this year, we have served breakfast to 842 guests – 37 more than the 805 we served in all of 2020. The cost of the program in 2020 was $5,314, and we have spent $5,324 so far in 2021. Your generous financial support is critical if we are to continue to offer this help to our community in the months ahead. In addition to the financial requests, this month our guests are in need of: Scent-free or mild soap, Body wash, Shaving gel, Razors for men and women, Shampoo, Conditioner, Deodorant for men and women, Tooth paste, Tooth brushes, Moisturizer (mild or scent free), Lip balm, Clothing for a 12 year old girl (tall and slim) and a 6 year old boy. The next take out breakfast is this Saturday, 17th July.
Prayer and Pastoral Care
Please pray this week for the following people and those they love and trust: Joyce; Pat; Anne; Jan and Bob; Phyllis; Dave and Marylynn; Victoria; Karen; Margaret and Anita; Nelson; Ray; Darlene and Jane; Ruth; Nancy June, Stephanie and Ron, Scott and Logan, Beth, Izzy; Jen; Alison, Jamie and Cathie; Fred and Marlene; Davina and Sangeeta, Brian, Sandra; Mary; Liz and Charlotte, Clarion and Brenda and Lester; Meredith; Precious; Betty; Laura; Vanessa; Viora; Dianne and Ann; Bob; Maiyada; Fayez; Susan, John and Barb, Margaret, Bruce; Paulette; Doug; Jack, Julie, Janie, Cody, Ruth and John. AND for those who are in need of prayer but have no one today to remember them by name; and those known to each of you alone.
Pray for: Those involved in the upcoming Ontario Lay Readers retreat, the organizers and planners, the speakers and presenters, all who offer various worship services, and for those attending using the Zoom format instead of truly gathering. May all find rest and renewal, reconnect with old friends, and learn from one another while offering and refining their skills to further their individual ministries.
Pray for: All those impacted by the collapse of the condo in Surfside and the crane in BC. May the souls of those who perished find peace eternal and rise in glory; and strength for families as they wait for news of loved ones; for those displaced and traumatized may they find healing; and for search, rescuer and recovery teams to have hope and resilience.
Pray for: The many people, animals, and habitats impacted by forest fires and inclement and adverse weather conditions; may they find support and the strength to battle these tragedies and build new lives from the devastation. May the world wake up and accept that we humans are negatively impacting Gods good creation and expediting global climate change; help us to make climate Justice a reality and a priority.
Pray for: Bishop Todd and our priest Bill as they lead the people of God through the next stages of the Covid pandemic. Give them strength and wisdom to make appropriate and much needed decisions for the spiritual health of themselves and their parishioners as circumstances remain in an evolving state of flux.
Pray for: For all impacted by the tragedy of unmarked graves at residential schools. May they find support, strength and in time peace with their grief, and all whose history has been revealed seek truth and reconciliation.
Pray for: That all impacted by racism, prejudice, sexism, or hate of “the other” will come to see that all humans are created in the image of God, and all are members of one human race with various gifts. May all come to see diversity as a treasure, a gift to be celebrated and not a way of separation and fear.
Pray for: A new normal, as we see a lowering of local Covid numbers, but we ask that we remain vigilant as this unpredictable virus can mutate and change if we let our guard down. We must encourage and support fair distribution of vaccines around the globe for the world is so interconnected and what impacts one area impacts another. We also pray for the millions of people whose lives have been forever altered by this pandemic, those who have died, those that mourn, the first responders and front line workers, the isolated and the every day heroes who have followed the constantly changing public health gain order to love and serve neighbours as self.
Cycle of Prayer for July and August Living the Marks of Mission WHEN YOU listen with all your heart, honour your elders, encourage young people to be active in church often and loudly, choose good over evil , welcome the stranger, write to the government about the issues that matter, invite a co-worker to church, help your dad do housework, get messy with school kids, say “Thank the Lord” and mean it, tweet your blessings one by one, introduce your grandkids to nature, read and share God’s word, Pray … THEN YOU ARE LIVING THE MARKS OF MISSION.
Let’s Celebrate
Happy birthday this week to Thampi Varkey (17th July). Hope you have a happy day, and are staying safe!!
Today’s image is to recognize – The Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC) marked the close of the Say Yes! to Kids campaign on July 8, with a Celebration of Giving via ZOOM to announce the final fundraising total of more than $110,000. “This campaign set a stretch goal for AFC, and no one really knew what to expect,” said Archbishop Linda Nicholls, Primate and Chair of AFC, “In the end, hundreds of donors from coast to coast to coast gave generously to Say Yes! to Kids.” Archbishop Nicholls thanked dioceses, ACWs, parishes, corporate sponsors, and other groups from across the church for their generosity. “To those who chose to support Say Yes! to Kids when local youth efforts you would have normally supported were suspended due to COVID-19, you helped this campaign to be successful, and the church will be stronger for it.”
We’re all tired of this lockdown, but be patient and hang in, things are getting easier, but this is no time to let your guard down! Keep wearing that darn mask, and hand sanitizing, even if you have had your second shot. If you haven’t, it’s much easier now, so go get it!