Hello my Friends
Let me begin with a prayer offered by poet John Johansen-Berg:
We light this candle for peace, Lord. May its light scatter the darkness; may its flame be a symbol of hope; may its burning be a sign of faith joining with many other lights for peace.
We light this candle for peace. May our lives be an expression of peacemaking; may we seek to be lights in a dark world, pointing to you, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and following you in the way of peace. Let the candle burn, as a sign for peace, offered to you.
Words fail to express our shock and horror at the events of war, unfolding in the world. Last weekend we offered our prayers in the form of "sunflowers" and as we take them home from the church to hang in our windows this week, may our prayers for peace begin within our hearts and radiate outwards to include all God's people around the world.
"What can we do?" is the cry of many in these troubling times, and I wish I had an answer that would cause the fighting to stop and the world to come to a place of true peace. But that's a journey that we must share together. I would love to hear if you would be willing to meet with others who have a passion for "fund raising", but please know that everyone is welcome to contribute to PWRDF. This Anglican ministry has a special link to donate to the Ukraine - that will be financially matched by the federal government.
On another note, our Bishop Anna has issued a CoVid update for parishes in the Diocese, basically stating that we will "stay the path" until April 8th, when the next update will be issued. At this point, we are asking people to continue to:
- "sanitize" your hands when entering the church
- wear your masks while in the service
- maintain a "respectful distance" with others
- Communion continues as "bread only"
Please stay tuned for further updates. Until then, happy St Patrick's Day and may God continue to bless you richly.
Peace, Elizabeth