Greetings friends and family of St. Giles,

This weekend is the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost.  This Sunday marks the transition into ‘Ordinary Time’ in the Presbyterian Church in Canada.  It is a time of growth as disciples embrace new learnings from the Word and focus on the mission of God in the world.

The scriptures for the service on June 7th point us to God’s call on our lives using the examples of unlikely people in scripture.  Abram – a childless man of 75 – was called out of his home country to follow God to new land.  His decision to follow in faith would bless the whole world.  The Apostle Matthew was called to follow Jesus from his seat in the tax booth.  And the whole world benefited from him following in faith when he shared the story of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew.

Selim Sfeir, the Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus, writes that “we call ourselves disciples of the 21st century, and so we are.  We go through moments of doubt, like the disciples went through doubts – in the presence of Jesus.  But Jesus is not going to dwell on the doubts of some of his disciples; if he has gathered them together, it is for a much more important task.”

What is the task of which this Cyprean Archbishop speaks?  How does it relate to your specific calling in the Kingdom of God and your work in the church?  You will have doubts.  And we encourage you to discuss them with elders, Rev. Chandra, and each other.  But please balance these struggles in discernement with a focus on who you are as a disciple, and what you are asked to do by God as a faithful follower.  You are a beloved child of God called to share the gospel message of Christ in the world.

Rev. Terry Fach, our General Presbyter at the Presbytery of Calgary-Macleod, will be preaching this weekend as we prepare for our next steps in the amalgamation process with Knox.  He will also encourage focus on next steps in your personal walk with Christ.  And Esther Woelfle, our former choir director, will lead the choir in hymns of praise to God.  

May your worship this week be filled with faith as you continue to glorify God through trust in God’s promises.

Blessings,

Chandra

“Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God was able to do what he had promised”  

– Romans 4:20

Greetings friends and family of St. Giles!  
This weekend we celebrate Trinity Sunday.  An excerpt from the Companion to the Book of Common Worship (Geneva Press, 2003, 149-150) about this weekend reads as follows:”Unlike other festivals in the church’s liturgical calendar, Trinity Sunday centers on a doctrine of the church, rather than an event. It celebrates the unfathomable mystery of God’s being as Holy Trinity. It is a day of adoration and praise of the one, eternal, incomprehensible God.  Trinity Sunday, in a sense, synthesizes all we have celebrated over the past months which have centered on God’s mighty acts:  Christmas-Epiphany celebrating God’s taking flesh and dwelling among us in Jesus Christ; Easter celebrating Christ’s death and resurrection for us; Pentecost celebrating God the Holy Spirit becoming our Sanctifier, Guide, and Teacher. It is, therefore, a fitting transition to that part of the year when Sunday by Sunday the work of God among us is unfolded in a more general way.”

As we enter into Trinity Sunday marking the beginning of the general season of teaching, we remember the majesty of God, the beauty of creation, and our role in the Kingdom of God.  We celebrate being the people of God through music and mission, fellowship and ministry, prayer and study.  And as mentioned in Psalm 8, we embrace the blessing and responsibility of caring for God’s people and God’s creation.  It is a perfect time to remember the mission of St. Giles:

To nurture a vibrant Christian life;

To seek to grow in our relationship with God;

To care for the community;

To dare to follow Christ into the world

Below please find the bulletin for this week’s service, including all of the various activities in which to participate as God’s people at St. Giles.  Please join us on Sunday at 10 am to worship God, embracing the mystery of the Trinity and our true identity as God’s people.  And may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:13).

Blessings,

Rev. Chandra Mannix

Good afternoon!

The church is alive this week with activity at the Labyrinth Cafe, the choirs, the children’s group (Nature Play), the Vine Church, and reorganizing cupboards and closets and shelves!  Our new sign for the week is up, and flowers are bursting forth on the southeast corner.  Our neighbours have been sharing our parking lot and many people have been walking the Labyrinth.  

The busyness of spring brings the joys of time together for freshening and planning, for events and time together… and for intentionality in our Christian journey.  Taking time to discern where God is calling each of us personally, as well as communally, can happen in conversations over tea and buscuits, or on walks, or in quiet prayer moments with God.  

Ask God where you are called to serve and support.  Ask your brothers and sisters in the faith their thoughts about your gifts.  We are all needed for the community to be whole… you are an integral part of the plan for unity!

This week in worship at St. Giles, I will be preaching on Ezekial 34 and what it means to participate in community in ways that are pleasing to God.  We will welcome Knox Presbyterian for our now-regular 2nd Sunday joint worship.  And we will hopefully all stay to listen to Liam speak about refugee ministry at St. Giles, followed by a picnic in the backyard with The Vine Church (our newest covenant partner at St. Giles)!

The bulletin for the service – with the announcements for the week – is attached.  Please consider downloading and printing the bulletin if there appears to be formatting issues on screen.

I look forward to being with you all on Sunday, and I pray that your studies, ministries, fellowship, and quiet worship moments this last week has fed your souls and the souls of others around you.  Thank you for all you each do to let your lives reflect Christ, our resurrected Lord.

Blessings,

Rev. Chandra Mannix

“The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.” 

– John 14:21