On March 17 we honour Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who brought Christianity to the northern tribes of that country in the early fifth century.

A native of Cornwall or Devon, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates who sold him into slavery in their homeland. Six years later he fled his Irish masters, returned to Britain, and was eventually ordained to the priesthood.

On Sunday, March 12, members of the Parish of Holy Cross explored the Spirituality of Birdwatching with the Rev. Jessica Schaap.

During the morning of Wednesday, March 15 two visiting members of the Melanesian Brotherhood, an Anglican religious community of men in simple vows based primarily in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea visited the Synod offices of the Diocese of New Westminster. Father Richard and Brother Nelson were in the middle of a 10 day visit. The principal purpose of their visit, to attend and participate in the liturgies for the late, the Reverend John Blyth, Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday, March 15. 

The purpose of these gatherings on March 28 and 29 is to give Synod delegates an opportunity to preview important matters that will be discussed in detail at Synod 2023. However, all are welcome to attend these online sessions. 

These gatherings will be led by Bishop John Stephens and Vicki Potter, ODNW

Zoom registration link

Please find here a downloadable PDF of a document with details about the gatherings.

Please find here a downloadable PDF of the Task Force Report of Homelessness and Housing Affordability.

On Sunday, March 12, Lent III, Bishop John Stephens visited his parish of St. Mary the Virgin, Sapperton for the second time in his episcopacy.

Vicar, the Reverend Arvin Amayag and the parish pulled out all the stops to welcome the bishop who preached and presided at the liturgy accompanied by postulant for ordination, Kevin de la Mare. Kevin filled the role of liturgical assistant.

On the first weekend of March, 2023, 75 people from different denominations gathered at the Parish of St. Dunstan for the Awaken Love weekend conference.

With speakers from the United Church, the Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, and other non-denominational churches, it was truly an ecumenical experience for many. 

In January 2023, the Yale clericus (ordained leaders with appointments in the parishes of the Yale deanery) met for their monthly meeting. Many thanks to the Reverend Lorie Martin, now Priest-in-Charge of St. Thomas, Chilliwack for sending photos in to diocesan communications. 

The Ecumenical/Multi-Faith Unit Group and the Bishop of New Westminster have coordinated a letter of greeting to local Muslim communities at the start of their holy month of Ramadan. This year Ramadan begins on March 23.

You can learn about Ramadan here and why it is an important day in the faith tradition of our Muslim neighbours. 

Please click here to access a poster to display on your parish bulletin boards

The delivery truck has arrived, and the driver is opening the back to reveal a day’s worth of grocery store supplies. It’s still dark out, and snowing, and I know that the other two members of my team - young men born and raised in Morocco and Suriname respectively - really don’t like this North Sea weather. There’s a brief silence between us and then, pulling on my gloves, I volunteer to be the outside guy, pushing the heavy carts off the truck lift gate, onto the street and then into the store’s small loading bay.

ISP Summer School 2023 will be taking place both online and in person this year (for most classes) from July 10-21. They are still waiting on a few course descriptions but if you want to get a peek at what will be offered for summer 2023 please visit the following link for course info and/or to register.

Register before by May 15 to take advantage of the Early Bird discount (certificate/ConEd and Audit registrations only).

 Most people are quick to agree that "trials make the person".

I have had more than enough trials, to know God is with me.

IMAGE
Beth's late parents - Petar and Maria (Imexosem Tleqtameth)

During a recent meeting of the Peace Arch Deanery clericus, the Venerable Luisito Engnan, Archdeacon of Fraser and Vicar of St. Michael, Surrey and Christ the Redeemer, Cloverdale told the Regional Dean, the Reverend Stephen Rowe that he had been invited to the Consecration of his brother, the Very Reverend Gerry Fernandez Engnan as Bishop of the Diocese of Western, USA, Western Canada and Pacific Islands in the Iglesia Filipina Independiente. The Iglesia Filipina Independiente is in full communion with the world wide Anglican Church including the Episcopal Church in the Philippines.

2pm, April 30 in Manila is 10pm, April 29 PDT.

Established through the generosity of the Diocese of Toronto, scholarships up to $5500 are available to clergy, senior laity and Religious across the Canadian Church for enrollment in a 10 day program. The scholarships are intended to cover most if not all of the travel, tuition, room and board costs.  

Here is the link

Organist & Music Director 3/4 time - St. Mary's Kerrisdale

Youth Ministry Leader, flexible part time contract position - St. Alban the Martyr, Burnaby

Parish Administrator part time/15 hours per week - St. Helen, Surrey

Children's Ministry Worker, part time/5 hours per week - St. Clement, Lynn Valley

Four Choir Section Leads (SATB) - St. Clement, Lynn Valley

Here is the link to the St. Paul's website

Here is the link to the St. Paul's YouTube channel

Download the PDF poster for full details.

Registration Fee $10

Registration by email required. Follow the link.

Labyrinths are an ancient prayer tool, used by many as a way to release the mind from the myriad of thoughts, and enter into a time of walking in silence and contemplation.

The Reverend Fr. Joe Dirbas and the clergy and lay of the Church of Holy Trinity, White Rock invite all to this Solemn Mass

An Invitation to take a Lenten Journey on Christ Church Cathedral’s Labyrinth

“Walking the labyrinth is a spiritual discipline that invites us to trust the path to surrender 

to the many turns our lives take, and to walk through the confusion, the fear, the anger, the grief, 

that we cannot avoid experiencing as we live our earthly lives.”    

~ Lauren Artress, founder of Veriditas

Admission by Donation

 2023 training dates are open for registration. These will be in-person training on the last Saturdays in February, March and April. Click on the date to register.

•             March 25 – St George, Fort Langley

•             April 29 – St Hilda, Sechelt 

The daily prayer practice of the Iona Community in Scotland, comes from an inspired and beautiful liturgy that you will sure to find familiar and fresh.  A gorgeous way to the end the day and a perfect reset for the week ahead.

St. Mary's Kerrisdale

We will start with a welcome and Ice Breaker games. Drinks will be available too as you come in. We will then learn a little bit about Holy Week and Easter. We are then planning to get creative and make some Holy anointing oil together which will include infusing local herbs, branches and flowers in oil.  

REGISTER

This concert is free and open to all, and registration is requested. This concert will also be available for online participation, please select the online participant option when registering to receive a concert link.

Holy Week is more than a series of events surrounding the final days of Jesus’s earthy life that we are to commemorate. We can enter this sacred week from the inside as a way of mutual accompaniment in which we are concurrently embodying the postures of Jesus and Mary Magdalene through this timeless passage through death.

Retreat Leader: Heather Ruce

Click here to access detailed program and registration information

Facilitated by Heather Ruce

In collaboration with The Contemplative Society (Cynthia Bourgeault)

Holy Saturday marks Jesus’ journeys into the heart of the earth in which he not only encounters the most constricted, cut off and hurt states of human consciousness in the collective false self but allows love to reach them and weave them into the whole.

Lunch and refreshments are included.$0 - $100 Pay from the heart so all may come and expenses are covered. Thank you! Contact person: lorie@loriemartin.com

All are welcome to attend a night of entertainment as the White Rock parish welcomes Elvis Tribute Artist Ben Klein to the Church of the Holy Trinity.

​Ben will perform two sets of Elvis favorites including Gospel tunes and old hits.

​Concessions and refreshments will be available in our parish hall at Intermission

​Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in the office and by e-Transfer. Email office@holytrinity.ca or call (604)-531-0884

Bishop John Stephens and the Mission and Ministry staff of the Diocese of New Westminster invite all those being confirmed, reaffirmed or received into the Anglican Church this year to join us for a day of learning, conversation and worship.  

Register here 
Deadline to Register: April 19, 2023. If you need childcare, deadline is: April 14, 2023
Date of Event: April 22, 2023
Location: Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver, BC
Cost: $15

Note: this is an optional day and not a pre-requisite for confirmation

Here is a link to Registration and Information.

Featured Speakers

Christina Puchalski MD
Professor of Medicine and Director
George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health

Evan Adams MD
Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Public Health
Indigenous Services Canada

This the first of two Ground Work terms in 2023 will be facilitated by the Reverends Tellison Glover, Marnie Peterson and Andrew Halladay.

Purpose

Using organizational development tools and spiritual reflective practice, Good Ground for Spiritual Seekers will explore your parish's culture and identity. Your team will use this awareness to shift your parish's attention toward building more meaningful relationships with seekers and newcomers. Come expecting to develop a strategy for implementing new habits that form a more welcoming, engaging, and generous community.