All Saints Anglican Cathedral Edmonton

We had the great privilege of having Bishop Mark MacDonald with us

for a celebration of the Feast of Pentecost. We celebrated the birthday of

the church and took the opportunity to reintroduce a children's focus at our

11Am service. We now continue that wonderful church season called Ordinary

Time (well it is also known as Sundays after Pentecost or Sundays after

Trinity, or Whitsuntide depending on the lectionary) but Ordinary Time is my

favourite way to describe the Sundays that will fall from now until All

Saints' Day and culminate in the Feast of the Reign of Christ. Our readings

move us from the major events of Christ's life - his birth, passion and

resurrection into hearing about his day to day teaching and calls us to

consider the new life lived out in us through the power of the Spirit.

We are called upon to live out the general and everyday work of the

church - to make disciples and proclaim the gospel. It sounds so familiar a

task but it is the most extraordinary thing we are called to do. It demands

our best efforts and is a daily ministry.

We are all aware of the deliberations coming up at our General Synod

in Winnipeg this month, of great debates and a primatial election. We are

also aware that whatever happens, on the 26th June when we get up in the

morning the mission of the church will be the same. It is a strangely

comforting thought.

Here at All Saints we are seeing glimpses of our future in Christ as

new ministry initiatives are planned for the Fall and we even dream of some

Summer activities such as a Vacation Bible School - wouldn't that be

something.

We are looking at new and exciting ways of being involved with our

local community, of strengthening our relationship with outreach initiatives

such as E4C and ICPM. Over the summer we will be welcoming a number of

children into the family of Christ through the sacrament of Baptism and a

mother and baby will be Baptised together in July. There are signs of growth

all around us.

May you enjoy the summer months of relaxed evenings and perhaps time

away from work. If you are planning on heading to the cabin or to go camping

for weekends you might like to take in a midweek Eucharist. Perhaps our

families might light to introduce the home prayers on page 687 of the BAS at

the cabin or on vacation. I invite you to consider taking on a Bible reading

project over the coming months. Perhaps you would like to pick up a brochure

for reading the Book of Psalms over the summer. The brochure in the narthex

plans a reading schedule for you. I know that I enjoy the psalms in the

summer for their many references to the glory of God's creation - try

reading them outside in the garden, on a balcony or in a park.

I pray the next couple of months will bring you refreshment and

renewal. In Christ,

Jane+