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Friday, 13 June 2008 |
St. George’s Anglican Church
51 Church Street, Moncton, N.B. E1C 4Z3
Phone 855-5209 Fax 388-4866
Email
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The Reverend Chris VanBuskirk 389-3516
Trinity 4 June 15, 2006
8:00 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST
Introit Psalm 27:1-7 p. 360
Collect for Purity: p. 67
Collect for the Day p. 223
Collect for Canada Day p. 278
Epistle p. 223
Gradual Psalm: 9:9-12 p. 339
Gospel p. 224
9:15 A.M. MORNING PRAYER
First Lesson: 1 Kings 12:1-20 (Pew Bible page 317)
Psalm 18 part 1
Second Lesson: Acts 17:16-end (Pew Bible page 137)
10:00 A.M. HOLY EUCHARIST & BAPTISM
Introit Psalm (sung)
Hymn: 385 (Austria – 280)
Collect for Purity: p. 67
Collect & Epistle p. 223
Gradual Psalm: 9:9-12 p. 339
Gospel p. 224
The Homily
Hymn before Baptism: 713 (Jesus Loves Me)
The Administration of Holy Baptism p. 523
Offertory Hymn: 779 (What a Friend)
Dedication of Altar cloths and hangings
The Intercession p. 75
Confession, Absolution p. 77
Thanksgiving p. 78
Consecration p. 82
Hymns during Communion: 232 (St. Agnes)
493 (St. Botulph)
58 (Rockingham)
Lord’s Prayer p. 85
Gloria p. 86
Recessional Hymn: 600 (Terra Beata)
Join us at St. Martin’s in the Woods, Shediac Cape for Parish Pot Luck Picnic.
5:00 P.M. EVENING PRAYER & HOLY BAPTISM
First Lesson: 2 Kings 22 (Pew Bible page 355)
Psalms 18 part 2
Second Lesson: John 14:15-end (Pew Bible page 109)
Layreaders
8:00 A.M. – Ted Bartlett 9:15A.M – Shirley Kelly
10:00 A.M. –
The Sanctuary Candle burns this week to
the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of
Elwyn & Roberta Wilson
Anne, Bill & Nancy Farris
“Let us remember before God the faithful departed.”
Don Lindhorst Evelyn Pepler Frank Hamilton
Emma Law Al Gay
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. Note: No Evening Prayer on Friday. In addition:
Monday Spencer Home Eucharist 10: 00 AM
Tuesday Bible Study at the Rectory 10:00 A.M.
Wednesday Camden Terrace Eucharist 10:00 A.M.
Thursday Holy Eucharist 10:00 A.M.
Banns - I publish the banns of Marriage between Lisa Palmer and Joel Gagnon of Moncton. If any of you know cause or just impediment, why these persons should not be joined together in Holy Matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is the third time of asking.
Community Dinner – Our next community dinners are Sunday, July 13th, August 10 and September 14th. If you are able to peel vegetables on Saturday at 9 AM, Serve on Sunday at 2:30 PM or help with clean up beginning at 3:30 please call the Church Office.
The St. Michael’s Conference (for youth aged 13-19 years) has been scheduled to be held once again at Camp Wildwood in McKee’s Mills. The week has changed slightly to August 18 (5 PM) until August 23 (10 AM). This is an excellent time for having FUN, making FRIENDS, and strengthening your FAITH. You can visit the St. Michael’s Conference on line http://myweb.dal.ca/sesteven/smyc/smyc/ or speak to the Rector or Mr. Norman Dupuis for more information.
60th Anniversary – The 60th anniversary of the consecration of our church building is fast approaching in October, as is the 160th anniversary of the first Anglican Service in Moncton. (June 18, 1848) To this end, a Parish Anniversary Committee is being assembled – and we need volunteers, please, to assist with the planning and preparations. The first meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 2nd at 1:30 pm at the Rectory (56 Williams Street). If you would like to help but cannot attend this meeting, please advise Debbie Ritchie at the Church office 855-5209. Thank you!
Many hands make light work!
Your prayers are requested for Spencer Bell and Amelia Boomer, their parents and godparents, as these children receive God’s regenerating grace and a new life in Holy Baptism. In Baptism we are made the child of God, a member of Christ, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven. Alleluia!
The parish website is up and running! We are grateful to our webmaster for fixing the problem – thank you! You may visit us online at www.stgeorgesmoncton.com.
Today marks the last day of our regular Sunday School classes. Many, many thanks to our teachers Angelique, Stephanie, Susan, Sharri, Laurie and Carolyn for their dedication to this important ministry. Plans are underway for “Summer Sunday School.” If you would be willing to assist with this, please contact the Rector.
A note of gratitude is also extended to our Nursery volunteers Susan, Heather, Angie. We would like to continue with this vital ministry through the summer months as well. If you would be willing to help, please contact the Rector.
The small but mighty Music Club (a program sponsored by St. George’s Willing Workers with Edith Cavell School will present a couple of selections (instrumental and choral) during the administration of the Holy Communion at 10 A.M this morning. Angela Phi and Norman Dupuis from our parish have met with the children for the past 14 Wednesdays after school, instructing them in music theory, choral singing and the Christian Faith. An added bonus for the girls came two months ago when they were invited to begin flute lessons as part of the program. These will continue through the summer on a weekly basis at St. George’s. We are very grateful for the generous support of the St. George’s Willing Workers and for the encouragement of Mrs. Louise Fyffe (the school’s music teacher) and the principal and staff at Edith Cavell School. Praise God from Whom all blessing flow!
A Vacation Bible School has been scheduled at St. Andrew’s Church, Sunny Brae (105 Elmwood Drive) from Monday July 14- Friday, July 18, 9 AM- 12 Noon. This free program is designed for children 5-12 years old. For more information, or to register your child, please leave a message for the co-ordinator, Debbie Chapman at 856-7057.
‘Wok with Faith’, a program for Middle and High School aged girls is scheduled to meet again on Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m. for some cooking and discussion. Girls, your friends are welcome too! Please
call the Church office (855-5209) and let us know if you are coming. Thank you.
Summer office hours will be in effect from now until September 8:30-12:30 Monday to Friday.
Please remember the leaders and children of First St. George’s Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in your prayers this morning as they return from their weekend at Camp Whisong near Elgin. We hope that all is well with them. An ‘end-of-year’ barbecue for these groups is scheduled for this Wednesday evening at St. George’s. Many, many thanks to the leaders for their faithfulness!
This past Tuesday, the eve of St. Barnabas Day, marked the 153rd anniversary of the arrival of our diocese’s first Bishop, John Medley, to Fredericton. The following recollection was written by the Bishop’s biographer, W.Q. Ketchum: “The steamboat wharf was crowded by a large number of church men in joyous expectation. The Governor, Sir William Colebrooke, was the first to greet the Bishop as he landed from the steamer. He was accompanied by his chaplain; 5 of his children, with their governess, and servants. “I take the opportunity,” the Bishop writes to the S.P.G., “to inform you of my arrival here, and it will gratify you to learn, as it has been for me to witness, the cordial manner in which I have been met by the members of the Church, and also by others estranged from her communion.. On St. Barnabas’ Day I took possession of the Cathedral Church, and my patent was read by my chaplain. After I had preached I assisted at the holy communion. There was one hundred and fifty communicants.”
Many thanks to all who have helped to organize our Parish Picnic. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. May our fellowship this afternoon be filled with the peace, joy and charity of Christ.
As part of our offering this morning, a set of “Ox blood’ Altar Cloths with the Pulpit and Lectern hangings, will be dedicated to God’s glory and set aside for sacred use in this Church. These are given in loving memory of Terrence Underhill, a faithful member of St. George’s for many years, by his wife Lydia and daughter Catherine.
Ox blood is tradionally the clolour used during Passiontide (the last two weeks of Lent including Holy Week) when the Church remembers the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ. This deep red is also appropriate for use in commemorating the lives of Christian martyrs, like St. Peter and St. Paul (Sunday, June 29), who followed in the steps of Christ.
Having entered himself with great faith into our Lord’s sufferings, during a long struggle with cancer, these ox blood hangings are a very fitting gift in Terry’s memory. And, being a devoted father, it is especially fine that this dedication be made today.
Thank you Lydia and Catherine for this wonderful gift. May it long be used to point us to the Precious Blood of Jesus.
“Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…but with the Precious Blood of Christ.”
(1 St. Peter 1:18-19)
Last Sunday at 10 A.M. Meghan Peacock spoke to us about her recent trip with the Wycliffe Bible Translators to Bangladesh. Today she will share some of her presentation with the Sunday School. Please keep the Church in Bangladesh in your prayers, especially Pastor James and the children at the school supported by the Church he serves; and the Christian Discipleship Centre and its founding missionary Biswanath Chowdhuri and his wife, Vijaya.
God willing, the Rector and his family will be on vacation for the next two Sundays. Archdeacon Stockall will celebrate the Holy Eucharist next Sunday at 8 A.M. and 10 A.M.; on June 29th Father Rufus Onyewuchi will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 8 A.M. and Morning Prayer will be conducted at 10 A.M. by our layreaders. Thanks to our layreaders, the Sunday Services of Morning Prayer (9:15 A.M.) and Evening Prayer (5:00 P.M.) will be held as usual.
Financial Results January 1 to May 31, 2008
2008 2007
Income
Envelope Offerings 67,659. 61,853.
Special Offering & Plate 9,212. 8,842.
Interest Memorial Funds 6,927. 6,226.
Endowments 9,583. 9,583.
Total Income 93,381. 86,504.
Expenses
Parish 73, 994 71,108.
Diocesan Assesments 15, 520 15,520.
Total Expenses 89,514 86,628.
Net Income (Loss) 3,867. (124.)
The Vestry at their meeting on June 10th asked that we publish the financial results for the first five months of 2008 in the Church bulletin today.
We are grateful to the congregation for their response resulting in a 9% increase in envelope and special offerings over last year. However we are heading into the summer months when attendance and offerings usually decline. Some members of the Parish have found it convenient to sign up for a regular contribution through their bank and if they are unable to come to Church their financial support is received through the marvels of an electronic process. Please be faithful in your offerings.
We are also pleased that expenses have been kept to a minimum. However we were advised last week after an inspection that the insurance coverage on our buildings and equipment is low and should be increased. This has resulted in an increased premium of $1,276. for the balance of 2008, a cost we didn’t budget for.
With the Rector’s kind permission we have reprinted his Rector’s Corner which appeared in the February 17th bulletin this year and is very well written and presents the challenge facing us this year.
The Parish Budget
At the Parish Annual Meeting on February 11, 2008 a deficit budget of $18,356.00 was presented and approved. This is the first time in living memory that St. George’s has proceeded with a deficit budget. And, this situation is even more disturbing given the fact that $23,000.00 of interest money has been included with the Parish’s projected income.
"But I thought St. George's had lots of money!" people will say. On the one hand, this is true: St. George's does have a good number of investments. However, these were not given to finance the daily operations of the parish. In fact, it was never the Vestry's intention to use the interest from these investments for regular expenditures. Nevertheless, that is our situation for 2008.
In light of this, some might say that it is a sin to hoard money. "If we need it, let's spend it." However, I am not sure that it is that easy. For example, once we begin to use the principal (the amount of money actually given to the Church and invested), it will not take long for it to disappear. This year's projected deficit of $18,000, if repeated every year for ten years, would see us use $180,000 or one-third of our current total investments.
But what if the Lord, when He returns, asks us why we have kept all this money in the bank instead of using it for mission work? Well, may it please our Blessed Lord that we have kept this money in order to use its interest for the maintenance of the Church building; and, that we attempted to maintain the Church building not out of pride, but so that it might be used for Divine worship and to further the Gospel's mission in our neighborhood.
Is there anything that can be done about this projected deficit? Absolutely, and it is a very simple thing. If 100 people at St. George's were able to increase their weekly offering by $4.00, our annual income would be increased by $19,200. Now, understandably, not everyone can do this; and yet, there are some who can do that much and more. The rule of thumb set out by St. Paul for the early Church was that people give "in liberality and with zeal" (Romans 12.8), and "cheerfully" (2 Corinthians 9.7). The Rule of Life in the Prayer Book emphasizes this by instructing us to offer money "according to our means". In other words, those who have a lot should give generously, and those who have a little, should give what they can. On the one hand this projected deficit is a great challenge; on the other hand, it is an opportunity for sacrifice. May the Lord assist us in seeing something good in this situation; and may we seek His Grace to fulfill the demands of Love.
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Saint George's Anglican Church
