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Welcome to St. Catherine's!The end of my third week at St. Catherine’s finds me deep into planning for Holy Week & Easter, as well as a mini-retreat this weekend as the new parish council convenes for the first time since the annual vestry meeting. Holy Week begins next Sunday, April 13th, Palm Sunday, when we remember, and to some extent reenact, Jesus’s “triumphal” entry into Jerusalem humbly riding on an ass. Then it is traditional to hear on Palm Sunday the story of the passion as told by Matthew, Mark, or Luke. This year, it is Luke’s turn. Looking For Readers… To that end, I am looking to see if there are members of the congregation who might like to work with me on this as a dramatic reading for Palm Sunday. Obviously, we would need time to work on it, so you would need to be able to meet with me and other readers at the church the day before, Saturday, April 12th (time to be decided by mutual agreement). If you are interested, please email me at stcat.interim@shaw.ca Holy Week continues on Maundy Thursday, April 17th at 6pm, when we remember and celebrate (and, again, to some extent reenact) the first Last Supper. Jesus with his disciples, giving them and us, bread and wine to remember his presence with us in his body and blood. Giving the disciples also (and us) a “new” commandment (hence “maundy”) to love one another as he loved them, and demonstrated this in his washing of their feet. Because of logistical challenges (for me!), we will not be serving a soup supper this year. On Good Friday, April 18th at 12noon, there will a simple service of meditation on the cross – “Hope in Troubled Times.” It is traditional on Good Friday for Christians in some way to connect with the cross of Jesus. A focal point this year will be photograph taken of the “Cross of Nails” in Coventry Cathedral in England. A symbol of hope in troubled times from the time when Coventry was mercilessly bombed in WWII, and the cathedral was virtually destroyed. I see we also have our very own cross of nails up behind the altar! No doubt we’ll be making use of this also. At 5pm on Saturday, April 18th we gather around the firepit for the traditional Easter Vigil, kindling the fire of resurrection, the fire of new life, as well as enjoying some not so traditional smores! Then it’s Easter! But before all that we have the fifth Sunday in Lent this Sunday, April 6th. In our readings this week, as we continue our journey through the wilderness of Lent, I’m picking up a theme of living in the present as a place of tension between past and future. In Isaiah 43:16-21, the Israelites in exile in Babylon are told not to remember the former things, for God is about to do a new thing. The same tension is found even more so in Psalm 126 where the future is spoken of in the past tense, and the people in exile are told that those who have sowed in tears with reap with songs of joy; those who go out weeping return with joy. A sense of longing. St. Paul in the letter to the Philippians (3:4b-14), also reflects on his own past, his own spiritual journey, and sees it all as so much “rubbish,” compared to the heavenly call to which he is pressing on – not that he has reached it, he says; he lives in the tension of the present moment between the past and the future. Our Gospel reading for the fifth Sunday of Lent (John 12:1-8) finds us at supper with Jesus and his friends, the sisters Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus whom Jesus recently raised from the dead. Mary in an extravagant demonstration of love and gratitude, anoints Jesus with very costly perfume; but Judas chides her for the extravagance rather than sell the perfume and give the money to the poor. But Jesus counters with, “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” You always have the poor with you. Really? And I’m thinking, Why? And I’m asking myself what it means for me to being living in the tension between what has been and what has yet to be, and what this makes of me in the present moment. Once again, I look forward to seeing everyone who can join us on Sunday (in-person or via livestream) as we explore these themes together. Blessings+ to you for the ending of the week that was! Angus
_______ This Sunday April 6th, 2025 Here is the link to the downloadable bulletin: Presider and Preacher: Rev. Angus Stuart
To access the livestream, click on the button below.
Previous livestreamed services and sermon notes can be found on the website here. Image: Lauren Wright Pittman, 2018, Vanderbilt
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Lenten Study 2025All are invited to participate in a LENTEN STUDY following the Church Service on 4 Sundays: March 16 – April 6 (Come to one, any or all the sessions please register) Bring your own bagged lunch. Please register at scadmin@shaw.ca by March 14, 2025 The Study will focus on The Revelation to John 1 - 2 Session 1 Introduction - Ephesus - abandonment of Love – Session 2 Smyrna – to not fear suffering & Pergamum – issue with some teachings Session 3 Thyatira – They tolerate Jezebel and her teachings & Sardis – Awake from your spiritual sleep – Session 4 Philadelphia – They have kept God’s word even though they have little power and have shown patient endurance & Laodicea – You are neither hot or cold “Behold I stand at the door and knock”
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Lent 2025SUNDAYS: April 6th: Lent 5 traditional service + Lent Study April 13: Palm Sunday – Holy WEEK begins |
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Easter Flowers - ReminderIf you want to make a financial contribution towards Easter Flowers for Easter Sunday, please let Bonnie Grundy know or the office. If you wish to donate in memory of someone please let Bonnie or the office know asap. The deadline for rememberances is Tuesday April 15. |
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Property Development Committee UpdateMarch has seen major changes in our Parish and many activities with parishioners. Several members of our Committee have been away for several weeks. There have been changes in the Parish, with Rev. Sharon now acting as a part-time resource for the Seize the Day Campaign and the PDC, and we have welcomed Rev. Angus Stewart as our Interim Priest in Charge. In late February, the Diocese approved St. Catherine’s request to increase our bridge loan line of credit financing by another $300,000, to now total up to $600,000 (the sum approved at Vestry in February 2024). This is to finance ongoing project costs until the surplus land is sold. On March 11, PDC met with representatives from the planning department of the District of North Vancouver and gave them a tour of the church. A number of issues were discussed, including the heritage assessment of our buildings and pending updates to the DNV’s Official Community Plan before year-end. More meetings will ensue while we work toward obtaining the official response to our preliminary planning application. March seemed to be a month of waiting on various issues that have yet to be resolved with the District. Billy Garton and Heather Luccock met with two representatives from the preschool to review our interim transition use and future building plans. We looked at the plans for the preschool area and sought their input to address any concerns. The meeting went well. Construction cost estimates from two possible companies are being considered and will be followed through once everyone returns from their travels. Paul Reynolds, Director of Projects, Affine Climate Solutions, will prepare a matrix for comparison. We expect to appear before the District’s Heritage Advisory Committee at their April 23rd meeting to discuss our plans for dismantling the gymnasium wing. Much work is being done to prepare for this presentation as it will be a significant step towards obtaining the District’s formal response to our plan. |
