I discovered early in life that my family had traditions that were not common to our neighbours. One such tradition was “going to church” on Ash Wednesday and again on Good Friday. Of course our neighbours always went to church on Saturdays, but not necessarily on these two special days. As a result, both of these celebrations of worship played an important role in my life. In one of our Ash Wednesday celebrations we hear these words: Dear friends in Christ, every year at the time of the Christian Passover we celebrate our redemption through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lent is a time to prepare for this celebration and to renew our life in the paschal mystery. We begin this holy season by remembering our need for repentance, and for the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We begin our journey to Easter with the sign of ashes, an ancient sign, speaking of the frailty and uncertainty of human life, and marking the penitence of the community as a whole. I invite you therefore, in the name of the Lord, to observe a holy Lent by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and by reading and meditating on the word of God.
So, please allow me to invite you to join with me in living out “a holy Lent”.
Services for Lent and Holy Week look like this at The Parish of St Mark:
- Tuesday March 5, 2019 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner beginning at 5 pm
- An evening service (anticipating) Ash Wednesday at 7pm – recognizing that there may be some folk who do not wish to “come out” for an evening service two nights in a row.
- Wednesday, March 6, 2019 A Service of Ash Wednesday with the Imposition of Ashes and Eucharist, beginning at 11:30 am.
This service will be followed by a simple lunch served in the hall. All are welcome.
A second Service of Ash Wednesday with the Imposition of Ashes and Eucharist beginning at
7 pm. This service will also have choral singing. - March 13, 20, 27, 2019 A Continuation of “Anglican 101” – led by The Rev. Elizabeth Northcott. On each of these Wednesday’s we’ll celebrate Eucharist at 11:30 followed by a simple soup lunch in the parish hall – and then we will begin a teaching from 12:30 and ending at 1:30 ish. All are welcome to come and explore some Anglican ways.
- March 17th, 2019 Our regular Taize service beginning at 5 pm
- Sunday April 7, 2019 We have invited a special guest from Precious Jewels, Joke, who will speak of this ministry at the 10 am service and how we continue to assist through our Outreach contributions.
- Sunday April 7, 2019 Evensong Tea beginning at 3 pm followed by Evensong Service at 4 pm
- Saturday April 13, 2019 It’s time to make Palms for our Palm Sunday Service. Come and join in the fun and help us make palm crosses We’ll gather at 10 am and have some tea and scones after we finish making 2000 crosses (just kidding about the 2000!)
- Sunday April 14th Palm Sunday services
- Monday April 15th We are delighted to have the Most Rev Douglas Hambidge as our guest teacher for this Holy Week. We will gather in the hall for a simple soup, followed by Evensong and Teaching by Archbishop Douglas Hambidge.
- Continuing on Tuesday and Wednesday (April 16 and 17) – Archbishop Douglas Hambidge will continue an evening teaching following a simple soup meal held in the Parish Hall. All Are welcome – please come and bring a friend, for Archbishop Douglas is a gifted teacher and will certainly leave you with something to think about and touch your heart. The theme for the Archbishop’s talks is, “God’s People on the Move; Crossing the Rubicon.”
- Each evening, Monday Tuesday and Wednesday, (April 15,16, and 17) we’ll begin at 6 pm and then move to the church for 7 pm Worship and Teaching. Please take this Holy Week time as a sacred space of learning and worship for yourself and a friend.
- Thursday April 18, 2019 Our simple meal will begin an hour earlier at 5 pm and the Maundy Thursday Service will begin at 7 pm in the church. This service reminds us of the “new commandment” to love one another. The service includes “foot washing” and the “stripping of the altar”. It is a very powerful and moving celebration, please join us.
- Good Friday April 19, 2019 There will be a service at 10 am – A Celebration of the Lord’s Passion – with reserved sacrament for those who wish to receive.
- Easter Vigil April 20, 2019 This is the service when we “light the new fire” and the Paschal Candle leads us through the darkness to hear the story of God’s grace throughout time – leading to the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection.
- Easter Sunday April 21 Let us rejoice!!