Good afternoon St. Giles and Knox communities,

Knox Presbyterian will be joining the worship service at St. Giles Presbyterian beginning July 5.  Welcome friends, family, members and adherents of Knox!  We are truly looking forward to getting to know you and walking together as one family in Christ!

We would like to remind people that there are a number of ministries, events, activities and learning unfolding over the summer.  All people are welcome to join the following:

     1)  Bible Study Wednesdays at 10:15am in the Park Room at St. Giles – no signup required

     2)  Summer Book Study Tuesdays, July 7 to August 25, at both 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm, to discuss Herbert O’Driscoll’s “God With Us: Companionship of Jesus in the Challenges of Life.“Books are available from the office for a $30 donation.  Sign up appreciated.

     3)  Stampede Breakfast – Sunday July 5 after the morning worship service – come join!

     4)  Weekly Sunday Lunch – preparations are being made for this ministry.  Please reach out if you are willing to volunteer to help with clean-up and table take down.  The Vine Church will provide setup and food.

     5)  Vacation Bible School – there is a July VBS at St. Giles with the Vine church, and an August VBS at Westminster.  Please reach out to the office for more details.

     6)  Committee members needed – all committees at St. Giles (Finance, Pastoral Care, Music, Policy and Planning, Digitaland Technical, Relational Living (Mission), and Facilities/Maintenance) are in need of more hands.  Please consider joining and contact either the minister, the committee convener, or the office if you would like to participate.

     7)  There are two weddings this summer that all members are invited to attend (July 17 & July 18).  Contact the office for times and details.

     8)  The St. Giles Orchestra is offering a brass quintet concert on July 25.  Please contact the office to reserve your ticket.

     9)  There is a classical concert of child prodigies offered by Kathy Corvino on July 31.  This is a free recital/concert.  Please contact the office for more details if you are interested.

     10)  WORSHIP – services begin at 10 am and are followed by a 30-60 minute time of fellowship after the service with food and drinks.  

There are many ways we can begin our time together as one, new church.  Please discern how God is calling you to participate as we get to know each other this summer!

Blessings,

Chandra

Good afternoon friends and family of St.Giles,  

‘The verb καταλλάσσω in Koine Greek (biblical Greek) denotes bringing estranged parties into harmony.’  Strong’s Concordance goes on to say that ‘in scripture, it’s principal focus is the restoration of sinners to God through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, with a secondary application to human relationships.’  καταλλάσσω means ‘reconciliation’.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 in the New English Translation reads:

     “And all these things are from God who    

      reconciled us to himself through Christ, 

      and who has given us the ministry of 

      reconciliation.   In other words, in 

      Christ God was reconciling the world to 

      himself, not counting people’s 

      trespasses against them, and he has 

      given us the message of reconciliation.”

As the people of God called to proclaim truth and reconciliation, we are sometimes challenged by what this means in relationship with the people around us.  Especially during Indigenous History Month.  Especially on June 21.  

It is vital, as God’s people, that we remember the terms ‘truth and reconciliation’ came to us first through scripture.  And the initiative of reconciliation is entirely God’s: ‘All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ.” (2 Cor 5:18).  And as this message of reconciliation has been passed to us to transmit, we are faced with a choice – share the message of Christ and participate in the ministry of reconciliation, or don’t.  So what will you do with your freedom to pursue reconciliation with others, reflecting divine grace in practical relationships?

This Sunday, we will read Psalm 69 together, and reflect on reconciliation, lament, love, and the inseparability of gospel content and gospel living.  And we are blessed to be able to celebrate the 100th birthday of Chris Browne after the service.  More announcements are in the bulletin, including the upcoming book study, the worship with Knox Presbyterian, and Vacation Bible School (see attached).  

May this weekend be one of peace – the blessing from God as a result of being reconciled to God.  May there be harmony between you and all you meet.  

A’hoy!

Rev. Chandra Mannix

Greetings friends and family of St. Giles,

The week leading into the 3rd Sunday of Pentecost has been a busy one in the Presbyterian Church in Canada!

This week, the General Assembly (the highest decision-making body of The Presbyterian Church in Canada), was attended by ministers and elders commissioned by presbyteries to represent the entire church. The Assembly votes on matters of theology and polity that affect the whole denomination.  This year, I was blessed to attend as a commissioner and participate in this court on behalf of the Presbytery of Calgary-Macleod.  Also in attendance from our Presbytery was Mary Lil Rosza de Coquet, Rev. Laurie McKay, Cathy Gale, Darrell Risk, Rev. Christian Persaud, Cindy Stephenson, Rev. Bartholomew Alexander, and Shirley Walker.  Please visit the national website to learn more.

https://presbyterian.ca/gao/ga2026

Also hard at work this week were the active elders on session and Presbytery representatives assigned to support St. Giles and Knox as they continued to prepare a draft amalgamation plan for the congregations.  Updates will be provided on the plan and process at the service this week by Elder Sandra Cameron Evans and Elder Moira Brownlee.  The amalgamation plan will be completed over the summer months and presented to Presbytery for consideration in September.  

Beginning July 5, Knox and St. Giles will proceed to weekly worship together on an ongoing basis.  A new committee, is in the process of being formed to guide weekly worship.  Please pray and ask God if you are called to participate on the new committee.  Please speak with your elder, myself, Rev. Terry Fach (General Presbyter), or Rev. Chris Joiner (Interim Moderator, Knox) to learn more, provide  feedback, or make suggestions for worship or the amalgamation plan.  

Our service this week, as you will see from the bulletin attached, will focus on Christ’s teaching that we pray to the Lord for more workers in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 9:35-38).  And we will also be honoured by the privilege of participating in a baptism for Weston Dansereau.  By the waters of baptism and the power of the Holy Spirit, God claims us and calls each person by name.  God unites us to Christ in his death and resurrection and grafts us into the body of Christ as members of the church.  And as disciples we are commissioned to make more disciples and to participate in the work of the Kingdom.

As you prepare for worship this weekend, please take time to reflect on the ways you have been gifted and commissioned to serve our Saviour.  Pray about the work you see around you that needs to be done in Christ’s name.  And know that you are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live in newness of life as people of the Word through your own baptism.  “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

So go in faith into whatever the weekend ahead may hold, sure that Christ walks with you.  And may your prayers and actions continue to align with God’s will for your life and God’s church.

Blessings,

Chandra