The best portion of a good man's life - his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. ~William Wordsworth Yesterday I received the sad news of the sudden death of a colleague – the Rev’d Stephen Demitroff. Stephen died suddenly and without warning. His wife Ruth and his family remain in the prayers of... Continue Reading →
Church at Christmastime
Church at Christmastime is really a great gift. It is a gift to many. This year at St. Mark’s is no exception to that. Christmastime church is a gift to the people who prepare for worship, including the preacher. That preparation included a Parish Secretary who prepared many different versions of church bulletins for many... Continue Reading →
BREAKING NEWS – NO SERMON!
A song will outlive all sermons in the memory. ~Henry Giles Have you ever dreamed of coming to St. Mark’s by-the-Lake for church and enjoying a liturgy without having to listen to the rector go off at the gums with what he most certainly believes is wisdom? Ever sit at home and ask, “Will there... Continue Reading →
God’s Promise Lives – at Lads
On Monday evening I was blessed to be present at St. Alban’s in Malden for a service of de-consecration. A beautiful little sanctuary in the midst of Essex County, this church building is no longer able to be maintained and keep going by the Christians who remain there. It was a touching liturgy that marked... Continue Reading →
Waiting – Brescia Bold Style
To wait open-endedly is an enormously radical attitude toward life. So is to trust that something will happen to us that is far beyond our imaginings. So, too, is giving up control over our future and letting God define our life, trusting that God moulds us according to God's love and not according to our... Continue Reading →
Kettles and Immaculate Conceptions
“Christmas is forever, not for just one day, for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf. The good you do for others is good you do yourself...” ~Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas. One of the great things about this... Continue Reading →
Happy Feast of Sinterklass
Today we mark the Feast of St. Nicholas. This prayer from the 2 Heart Network to Sinterklass, is a reminder of where our traditions come from and call us to be attentive to God and God's will as we ready ourselves for Christmas. St. Nicholas, patron of children, may this candy cane, shaped like your... Continue Reading →
A Remarkable Woman – a Great Witness
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” - Gandhi I just saw a wonderful example of these words as they can be lived out. I saw them in the life of a tremendous woman. Being in London for a day where we have NTV News (Newfoundland Television), I had... Continue Reading →
DON’T LET OLD SCRATCH GET THE BEST OF YOU
"Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy preparations for the celebration of Christ’s birth in ancient Bethlehem, Christ is reborn in the Bethlehems of our homes and daily lives. Take time, slow down, be still, be awake to the Divine Mystery that looks so common and so ordinary... Continue Reading →