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Sunday After The Ascension May 24, 2009
8:00 A.M. - HOLY EUCHARIST p. 67
Introit Psalm: 27:1-12 p. 360
Collect for Purity p. 67
Collect & Epistle p. 203
Gradual Psalm: 47:5-10
Gospel p. 203
9:15 A.M. – MORNING PRAYER
First Lesson: Isaiah 65:17-end (Pew Bible page 695)
Psalms 20, 21
Second Lesson: Luke 24:36-end (Pew Bible page +0)
10:00 A.M. - HOLY EUCHARIST
Introit Psalm: (sung)
Hymn: 174 (Ascension)
Collect for Purity p. 67
Collect & Epistle p. 203
Gradual Psalm: 47:5-10
Gospel p.203
The Nicene Creed p.71
Hymn: Ascension Hymn from “Hymns for Public Worship in the Diocese of Fredericton” 1870
O SAVIOUR, Who for man hast trod
The winepress of the wrath of God,
Ascend and claim again on high
Thy glory left for us to die.
A radiant cloud is now Thy seat,
And earth lies stretch'd beneath Thy feet;
Ten thousand thousands round Thee sing,
And share the triumph of their King.
O Christ, our Lord, of Thy dear care,
Thy lowly members heavenward bear;
Be ours with Thee to suffer pain,
With Thee for evermore to reign.
All praise from every heart and tongue
To Thee, ascended Lord, be sung;
All praise to God the Father be,
And Holy Ghost, eternally.
The Homily
Offertory Hymn: 590 (St. Fulbert)
The Intercession: p. 75
Confession, Absolution p. 77
Thanksgiving, Consecration: p. 78
Hymns during Communion: 219 (Bread of Heaven)
235 (St. Osmund)
Lord’s Prayer
The Exhortation p.90
Recessional Hymn: 354 (Coronation)
Please join us for lunch in the hall!
5:00 P.M. EVENING PRAYER
First Lesson: Jeremiah 31:1-13 (Pew Bible page 733)
Psalms 98, 99
Second Lesson: Ephesians 5 :1-14 (Pew Bible page 194)
The Sanctuary Candle burns this week to the Glory of God
and in Loving Memory of Richard Miller and Harold E. Carson.
“Let us remember before God the faithful departed.”
John Ryan Richard Evans Irene Nickerson
As we look toward the end of the school year, please call Debbie at the Church Office with the names of graduates from St. George’s. God willing, we will recognize them and pray for them on the Second Sunday After Trinity, June 21st at 10 A.M.
Our Parish Picnic and Pot-Luck at St. Martin’s in the Woods, Shediac Cape has been scheduled to follow the 10 A.M. Eucharist on June 21st. Please mark this date on your calendar.
A Prevention and Response Involving Sexual Misconduct Workshop is being held at St. John the Baptist Church, Riverview on Saturday, 30 May 2009. Online application for registration and further information is available from links on the PRISM web page. The registration application deadline to assure workshop materials and lunch is available is Wednesday, 27 May 2009. This workshop is important and mandatory training for all in positions of leadership in the Diocese.
This Week in the Parish
The Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer will be prayed in the Chapel at 8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Monday – Friday, respectively. In addition:
Tuesday 10:00 AM Bible Study at the Rectory
2:45 PM Music Club at Edith Cavell School
6:30 P.M. Sunday School Teachers meeting at the Rectory
7:00 PM Scouts
Wednesday 10:00 AM Spencer Home Eucharist
6:30 PM Cubs
7:00 PM Anglican Easter Series Part 5
Share the Good News – St Andrew’s, Sunnybrae
Thursday 10 AM Holy Eucharist
6:30 PM Beavers
7:30 P.M. Reading Group
The Rector’s Corner
On Thursday past, the Church marked the fortieth day after Easter. Its proper name is Ascension Day or Holy Thursday. We speak about the Ascension of the Lord Jesus every time we say the Creed: “…the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, And ascended into heaven.”
But what does it mean to our lives that Jesus went up to Heaven? Everything – His Ascension means everything. For instance, consider this: if Jesus had not ascended, the closest we would come to Him would be as a member of the crowd in stadium-like gathering. We could watch Him on the news, or read about Him in the paper, but that’s all.
Instead of that impersonal kind of relationship, our Lord ascended into Heaven and sent to us the Hoy Spirit.
“ I tell you the truth,” He told His disciples, “it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” (St. John 16:7)
“I will send Him unto you.” And so He has: the Holy Spirit – the third Person of the Blessed Trinity – has come to you. The Almighty God has come mysteriously and invisibly to the Church; and, through the means appointed by Him for the Church’s ministry (i.e. His Word and Sacraments), the unction of the Holy Spirit is given.
The word “unction” means “anointing”; it conveys the image of a salve being applied to a wound. The unction of the Holy Spirit – the soothing and refreshing balm of His Presence – is applied mystically to our souls as we open our hearts to God’s Word; as we come to be washed in the water of Holy Baptism; as we approach the Lord’s Table with repentance and faith; as we lay sick in bed and receive the holy oil on our foreheads in the sign of the Cross. At these Divinely appointed times in the Church, the Holy Spirit comes to strengthen us; and yet He is always active in the world, inspiring and prompting and pointing people to the Lord of Heaven and earth, our only Saviour.
Today is an “in-between” Sunday. On the one hand, we celebrate Jesus’ glorious Ascension; on the other hand, we look forward to next Sunday and the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit was sent upon the Church. Whichever way you consider it, His departure from this world was for our benefit, and by His Ascension everything has been changed for us. Alleluia!
PARISH FINANCIAL UPDATE
This time of year, after Easter, the Vestry usually reports on the financial well being of the Parish. You will recall at the annual meeting of our parish in February of this year that the Vestry proposed a budget that was adopted for the 2009 year.
This budget reported an anticipated deficit of $ 24,446. and it was based on the same offerings that were received in 2008. You might wonder if we considered ourselves to be a government, boldly planning for a deficit. This however was not true and we could have disguised this deficit by increasing the weekly and special offerings to then present a balanced financial plan. But to do that would be to take our members for granted and we preferred instead to tell you that we are heading for a deficit.
In 2008 the Parish was faced with a deficit of $ 18,356 and we asked for increased support from our church family. You responded in two ways. Weekly and special offerings were increased by $ 13,112 which more than offset the lower Endowment interest of $ 6,086. At the same time some members chose to make donations to directly support church outreach in our parish, primarily community dinners and social assistance in the amount of $ 9,743. All of the aforementioned reduced the budgeted deficit to $ 1,587. This was much appreciated and acknowledged at the annual meeting.
Budgeted expenses for 2009 were increased by $ 6,663. The significant increases were $ 2,100 for insurance (the cost this year is $ 9,500), salaries by $ 2,100 ( a 2% increase) and $ 1,500 for church maintenance, heat and light. Budgeted expenses are closely monitored and kept in check.
A big factor in our deficits the last two years was the decline in income from our Endowment funds. The payout was reduced last year from 6.5 % to 4.5% ( being the bonus interest of 2.0% not awarded and not known until late in the year) and this year the overall rate went down to 4%,now a full 2.5% decrease. The dollar amount of reduction in anticipated income this year compared to the budgeted amount in 2008 is $ 10,700. This situation is all too common everywhere today and most people are affected in some way or other by the current economic decline.
Realizing this fact and the pressure on family budgets we find it difficult to ask you to do more. We could have taken the
position of not telling you about our finances, prayerfully hoping that it would get better. However that would be to ignore our responsibility as your vestry, and we decided that you should be advised.
We therefore ask that you give consideration to our request and to do as you are able and that is all we can expect. We will periodically keep you informed of our progress.
Choir School: God, willing, our diocesan choir school is set to take place from July 5-12 th in Rothesay. Application forms can be down-loaded from the website: www.choirschoolsite.com They must be sent by regular mail, and a $25.00 late fee will be charged to applications received after May 29 th. This year, our parish has a limited amount of bursary funding. Youth or adults seeking assistance are encouraged to speak to the Rector as soon as possible. Also, donations towards our sponsorship funds would be greatly appreciated – please mark the amount on your Sunday envelope for ‘Choir School.’ Thank you.
The St. Michael’s Youth Conference for youth ages 13-19 years has been scheduled for August 24-29 at Camp Wildwood in McKee’s Mills. Stay tuned for more details.
There shall be a most wonderful Yard Sale happening at St Andrew's Church Sunny Brae on Saturday, May 30 from 8:30-Noon. It will feature books, puzzles, plants, hidden treasures, and a phenomenal BBQ.
The Laying on of Hands and the Anointing with oil will take place in the Chapel next Sunday, May 31st after the 10 A.M. Service.
Please pray for our Diocesan Synod to be held in Saint John from June 4th to 6th.
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Saint George's Anglican Church
