We though it wise to postpone our event until next week. We have more snow coming this afternoon and the church still isn’t even plowed out. All the goodies got frozen on Sunday so we will be good to go. So now we have a bit more time to invite a few people.
Seniors Tea Feb 21st at 2:00pm A pharmacist will give a short talk and be available to answer your questions.
Presented by St. Jame the Less Renforth Seniors and Go Ahead Seniors. Part of the Fundy Wellness Network.
Eric
Today at 7:00-9:00pm at the Quplex is a Health, Wellness Expo that is aimed at the 50+ Crowd. I have been part of the organizing committee and am an exhibitor as well. Join us for this free and informative event.
Fudge, Gregory J. F.- It is with broken hearts and profound sadness, the family of Gregory James Frederick Fudge, of Quispamsis, announce his passing on Saturday, December 31, 2016 at the Saint John Regional Hospital.
Born in Saint John, on January 19, 1994, he was a son of Jim and Lisa (Mullett) Fudge. Greg was a graduate of KVHS and the Electrical Program at NBCC, he was employed at Shopper’s Drug Mart at the age of 15 before starting his career at FCC as an Electrician. He enjoyed fishing, golfing, hunting, country concerts, his Toyota truck, plaid flannels, and loved the ladies. Greg enjoyed every social gathering and was the life of the party, but most of all being with his family and friends. Greg (our gentle giant) touched so many lives, and it is an understatement to say how greatly he will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Besides his parents, Greg is survived by his brothers, Nick and Sam, both of Quispamsis, grandfather Frederick “Pinky” Mullett (Sue), aunts and uncles; Steven Mullett, Angela Gordon (Todd), Derek Mullett (Carrie), Wayne Fudge (Tammy), Betty Fudge, Doris Fudge, Lois Martin (Derek), Susan Floyd (Eddie), Hazel McKinnon (Frank), Mary Sherwood (Wayne), Art Beyea (Terry), Holly and Peter Jones, great grandmother Shirley Mullett, his dog Sophie, and cat Sassy, as well as several great aunts, great uncles, cousins and close friends.
Greg was predeceased by his grandmother, Jill Mullett and paternal grandparents, Loy and Frank Beyea.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Kennebecasis Community Funeral Home, 152 Pettingill Road, Quispamsis (849-2119). Visiting will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 at St. James the Less Church Anglican Church, 1760 Rothesay Road, Rothesay. Funeral Service will be held at St. James the Less Anglican Church on Thursday, January 5, 2017,at 11AM. Remembrances may be made at Canadian Breast Cancer, New Brunswick Heart and Stroke Foundation, the SPCA, or to St. James the Less Church Anglican Church, would be appreciated. Online condolences may be made at www.kennebecasisfh.com
With the power out and slush and freezing rain, only 3 people showed up for the early service. Happy New Year. Just in case you weren’t planning to come either due to it being New Years Day or on account of the weather here is an exercise that you might find enjoyable and honouring to the Lord.
Many have seen 2016 as a year of Great Loss and uncertainty. It is easy to say good Riddence to the year that was. There were however many unsung things that happened in 2016 that we should give thanks for. Here below is a list of 99 of them. At the end of the list is an instruction for prayer.
Happy new year and Give thanks to the Lord.
Some of the biggest conservation successes in generation
1. British Columbia protected 85% of one of the world’s largest temperate rainforests, home to the wonderfully named ‘Spirit Bear.’ Reuters
2. In February, Peru and Bolivia signed a $500 million deal to preserve Lake Titicaca. HNGN
3. In March, the US government abandoned its plan for oil and gas drilling in Atlantic waters, reversing its decision from a year ago. Guardian
4. After nearly 13 years of difficult negotiations, Malaysia established a 1 million hectare marine park that pioneers a mixed-use approach to marine conservation. Guardian
5. In 2016, more than 20 countries pledged more than $5.3 billion for ocean conservation and created 40 new marine sanctuaries covering an area of 3.4 million square km. Reuters
6. That included a new record holder for the world’s biggest marine reserve, off the coast of Antarctica. National Geographic
7. New research showed that acid pollution in the atmosphere is now almost back to the level that it was before it started with industrialisation in the 1930s. Science Bulletin
8. In 2012, the US and Mexico embarked on an unprecedented binational project to revive the Colorado River. By 2016, the results had astonished everyone. Audubon
9. In November, the Obama administration followed up its March announcements by banning offshore exploration and drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic until 2022. Politico
Huge strides forward for global health
10. The World Health Organisation released a report showing that, since the year 2000, global malaria deaths have declined by 60%. WHO
11. In 2016, some of the world’s biggest diseases, like colon cancer, dementia, and heart disease, started declining in wealthy countries. New York Times
12. A new study from the world’s leading health journal reported that the number of women dying from pregnancy and childbirth has almost halved since 1990. Guardian
13. Fresh evidence showed that public smoking bans have improved health in 21 nations. Wiley Blackwell
14. Uruguay won a major case against Philip Morris in a World Bank ruling, setting a precedent for other small countries that want to deter tobacco use. CS Monitor
15. Malawi achieved a 67% reduction in the number of children acquiring HIV, the biggest success story across all sub-Saharan nations. Since 2006, they’ve saved 260,000 lives. Al Jazeera
16. Child mortality rates came down by 12% in Russia. Article
17. Life expectancy in Africa has increased by 9.4 years since 2000, thanks to improvements in child survival, progress in malaria control, and expanded access to ARVs. Quartz
18. Mobile phones made significant inroads in the fight against rabies, a disease that kills more people annually than all terrorists combined. Ars Technica
19. Thailand became the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. World Health Organisation
20. Harvard scientists created a new platform for antibiotic discovery that may help solve the crisis of antibiotic resistance. GEN
21. Liberia was officially cleared of Ebola, meaning there are now no known cases of the deadly tropical virus left in West Africa. Vanguard
22. The WHO announced that measles have been eradicated in all of the Americas, from Canada to Chile. It’s the first time the disease has been eliminated from an entire world region. NBC
23. The proportion of older US adults with dementia, including Alzheimer’s, declined from 11.6% in 2000 to 8.8% in 2012, a decrease of about a million people. Scientific American
24. The number of cigarette smokers in the US has dropped by 8.6 million since 2005. That fall will be accelerated by a tobacco tax just passed in California. NPR
Political and economic progress in many parts of the world
25. In 2016, for the first time ever, the amount of money it would take to end poverty dropped below the amount of money spent on foreign aid. Vox
26. World hunger reached its lowest point in 25 years. New York Times
27. In February, Ontario announced a $100 million initiative to curb violence against indigenous women. The Star
28. Myanmar swore in its first elected civilian leader in more than 50 years. BBC
29. Black incarceration rates fell in the United States. Not fast enough, but certainly something worth celebrating. Washington Post
30. In 1990, more than 60% of people in East Asia lived in extreme poverty. As of 2016, that proportion has dropped to 3.5%. Vox
31. Homelessness in the United States declined by 35% since 2007, and Los Angeles committed to $1.2 billion to help get more people off the street. CS Monitor
32. Taiwan is on the verge of becoming the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. New York Times
33. The Gambia and Tanzania banned child marriage, following sustained lobbying by civil society groups. Independent
34. In June, after years of wrangling, the drive to end female genital mutilation in Africa made a major breakthrough, when the Pan African Parliament endorsed a continent-wide ban. The Wire
35. Germany took on rape culture, introducing a law to broaden the definition of sex crimes by zoning in on the issue of consent. Catalogue
36. Two weeks before Brexit, the African Union announced a new single African passport that permits holders to enter any of the 54 AU member states without a visa. Washington Post
37. The United States now feeds healthy lunches to more than 30 million children, is about to ban trans fats, and has enacted one of the biggest overhauls of nutrition labels in decades. Vox
38. Italy became the last large Western country to recognise same-sex unions in 2016, following a long-running battle by campaigners. Independent
39. Denmark became the first country to no longer define being transgender as a mental illness, and Canada announced a ban on transgender discrimination. Telegraph.
40. 2016 marked the 24th year in a row that teenage pregnancy rates declined in the United Kingdom and the United States.
41. In December, the Gambia became the latest African country to show that voting does count, and dictators do fall. Daily Maverick
We finally started responding seriously to the climate change emergency
42. The Paris Agreement became the fastest (and largest) United Nations treaty to go from agreement to international law in modern history. CBS
43. Global carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels did not grow at all in 2016. It’s the third year in a row emissions have flatlined. Scientific American
44. Thanks to rapid technological innovation and political support from around the world, renewables now account for more installed capacity than any other form of electricity in the world, including coal. Gizmodo
45. The Chinese government placed a ban on new coal mines, created new rules for grid access, and doubled its renewables targets for 2020. WRI
46. India announced it won’t need any new coal plants for the next three years because it’s flush with generation capacity. Times of India
47. In April, the UK’s Chatham House released a report saying “Big Oil is screwed.” Chatham House
48. In the same month, 25% of European countries announced that they had quit coal. EcoWatch
49. The BRICS New Development Bank approved $1 billion in renewables investments in China, Brazil, South Africa, and India. RT
50. In 2016 Costa Rica ran solely on renewable energy for over 100 days. Now it’s aiming for an entire year with no fossil fuels. The Independent
51. In July, the US, Mexico, and Canada committed to getting 50% of their electricity from renewables by 2025. Their leaders also nailed the awkward handshake thing. Time
52. A new report showed that China reached peak coal in 2014, a landmark moment in the fight against climate change that was reported by every media outlet on the planet. Right? Guardian
53. China installed 20GW of solar in the first half of 2016, three times as much as during the same period a year ago. Reuters
54. In October, the International Energy Agency reported that half a million solar panels were installed each day around the world in 2015. It also drastically increased its five year growth forecast for renewables. IEA
55. In the same month, 197 countries agreed to drastically reduce their use of HFCs, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation agreed to measures to combat the impact of flying on greenhouse gas emissions. Scientific American
56. The world’s biggest offshore wind farm received the go ahead for its second phase. Guardian
57. Mexico announced $6 billion in renewables investments, Argentina$2.7 billion, Scotland connected underwater turbines to its grid for the first time, and solar energy generated more power than coal in the United Kingdom. Independent UK
58. In November, India unveiled the world’s largest solar-xpower plant, and revealed that it is now on track to be the world’s third biggest solar market in 2017. Al Jazeera
59. And in the same month, the United Kingdom agreed to phase out coal by 2025, France said it would get there by 2023, and Germany promised to reduce emissions by 95% by 2050. Guardian
The world got less violent
60. Following the end of conflict in Colombia in 2016, all of the war in the world is now limited to an arc that contains less than a sixth of the world’s population. Associated Press
61. ISIS quietly started preparing its followers for the eventual collapse of the caliphate it proclaimed with great fanfare two years ago. New Yorker
62. In April, a new report revealed that for the first time ever, the death penalty has become illegal in more than half of the world’s countries. Article
63. Juarez, in Mexico, used to be the world’s most dangerous city. In 2016, crime came down and residents started losing their fear. National Geographic
64. Crime rates in Holland plummeted, with total recorded crime shrinking by 25% in the last eight years. One third of the country’s prison cells are now empty. Dutch News
65. Three years ago Honduras was the most dangerous place on earth. Since then community crime programs have achieved a remarkable reduction in violence. New York Times
66. Hellholes? Not according to US mayors, who in 2016 celebrated years of positive gains in US cities. Politico
Signs of hope for a life-sustaining economy
67. Good science and simple economics have started a reversal in overfishing in the United States. New York Times
68. Norway became the first country in the world to commit to zero deforestation. The Independent
69. In June, a new survey showed that the ozone hole has shrunk by more than 3.9 million square kilometres since 2006. Scientists now think it will now be fully healed by 2050. Sydney Morning Herald
70. In July, more than 800,000 volunteers in India planted 50 million trees in one day. The country is planning on reforesting 12% of its land. National Geographic
71. Later that month, Israel revealed that it now makes 55% of its freshwater. That means that one of the driest countries on Earth now has more water than it needs. Ensia
72. McDonalds announced it would be removing corn syrup from its hamburger buns and removed antibiotics from its chicken months ahead of schedule. CNBC
73. By August, every major grocery and fast-food chain in the US had pledged to use only cage-free eggs by 2025. Washington Post
74. The average number of large oil spills around the world has been drastically reduced, from an average of 24.5 per year in the 1970s to just 1.8 a year in 2015. ITOPF
75. The citizens of Mumbai conducted the largest beach clean-up in human history, removing more than 4,000 tonnes of rubbish. Washington Post
76. Plastic bag use plummeted in England thanks to the introduction of a 5p charge in 2015. BBC
77. The Italian government overwhelmingly backed a new set of laws aimed at cutting down the vast amounts of food wasted in the country each year. Independent
78. In December, four of the world’s biggest cities, Paris, Madrid, Athens, and Mexico City, agreed to ban diesel cars from their centers. Guardian
Endangered animals got a some well-deserved breaks
79. At this year’s CITES conference, 183 countries agreed to the strongest protections ever for endangered animals, with big wins for parrots, rhinos, porpoises, rays, and elephants. Washington Post
80. In February, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the global manatee population is no longer endangered. Scientific American
81. Wild wolves started coming back to Europe, and for the first time since the American Revolution, wild salmon began spawning in the Connecticut River. Al Jazeera
82. In March, Yellowstone’s grizzly bears passed a major milestone, completing one of the greatest wildlife comeback stories in history. National Geographic
83. Fifty years ago, the Columbian white-tailed deer population was 450 animals. This year, the US Fish and Wildlife Service took it off the endangered list. CS Monitor
84. Green sea turtles in Florida and Mexico were taken off the endangered list. Huffington Post
85. Sea World agreed to stop breeding captive killer whales. NPR
86. Humpback whales were removed from the endangered species list, having fully recovered in the last 46 years. Science Mag
87. The US finalized new regulations to shut down commercial elephant ivory trade within its borders and stop wildlife crime overseas. WWF
88. Mongolia created one of the world’s largest protected areas for snow leopards. Snow Leopard Trust
89. In September, giant pandas became the latest species to be taken off the endangered list. Guardian
90. And in 2016, for the first time, we heard that the number of tigers in the wild rose for the first time in 100 years. National Geographic
The world got more generous
91. At the beginning of the year, we heard that global spending on aid and development increased by 7%, and spending on refugees has doubled. OECD
92. In April, Pony Ma Huateng, the chief executive of the Chinese internet giant Tencent, donated $2 billion to charity. South China Morning Post
93. 2015 was America’s most generous year ever, with charitable donations from individuals, estates, foundations, and corporations reaching record highs. 2016 is on track to be even bigger. Associated Press
94. In 2016, charitable giving in China rose to $15 billion, a 10 fold increase from just a decade ago Bloomberg
95. Online crowdfunding raised almost $1 million for the kids of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile to go to college.
96. Warren Buffett gave $2.9 billion to charity, again. And his son, a farmer and environmentalist, quietly continued to spend his billion dollar inheritance on sustainable agriculture and hunger eradication. The Atlantic
97. The Gates Foundation announced another $5 billion in charity for Africa. They also tweeted this video about progress on malaria.
98. Germany took in an additional 300,000 refugees in 2016, despite growing concerns about integration and a backlash from populists. Guardian
99. In Canada, hockey moms, poker buddies, and neighbors took in Syrian refugees, one family at a time. New York Times
Write a prayer based on one of the good news stories that you have selected.
Include the following.
Thanksgiving for what was achieved
Any connection with the commandments of God
Any connection with the promises of God.
A prayer for going further.
Select someone from the group to come forward and read (Pray the prayer) and then place it on the Lord’s Table
Christmas Eve 6:00 pm
Christmas Day 9:30 am
After a life well lived Alberta “Jane” Henderson, age 90, of Darlings Island, NB, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Sunday, December 11, 2016 at the her residence on Darlings Island. Born in Saint John, NB, on April 18, 1926, she was the wife of the late Barney Henderson and a daughter of the late Wellington and Mary (Norris) Herrington.
Jane was born in 1926 on Adelaide Street in Saint John and started her education at Lorne School on Newman St. When her father was about to retire, the family moved to Quispamsis where she attended Rothesay Consolidated School, graduating in 1943. She then went on to Saint John Vocational School, graduating in 1944 with a diploma in Grade 12 Commercial and Secretarial Studies which included typing, shorthand, bookkeeping and law. In those days you graduated in grade 11 and grade 12 was considered first year of university.
Her first employment was with the Bank of Montreal, Main Branch, on King St. in Saint John. She continued there until she married her husband, Barney, in 1946 and moved to Darlings Island. Jane rejoined the workforce in 1966 and worked for the Government of New Brunswick in various Departments: Child and Family Welfare, Dept. of Transportation and retired from the Dept. of the Environment 1989.
While living in Quispamsis she attended St. Augustine’s Anglican Church where she taught Sunday School and was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary. After marriage she attended Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Hammond River where she again taught Sunday School, belonged to the Anglican Church Women’s group where she was Treasurer for a number of years. She was a vestry member and at one time a Warden at the church. She also assisted with the Alter Guild. While a member at Holy Trinity she helped to support five girls from Uganda who attended the Bishop McAllister College in Bushenyi. She also helped the women at the St. Andrews United Kirk in Hammond River when they made soup for Romero House.
She and Barney led a 4H group in Nauwigewauk and they would join with the Sussex group for trips and trained the young people in leading cattle for exhibition. They attended cattle shows at Sussex, Saint John and Fredericton. Jane said she went through a gallon of Javex when Barney and the kids were showing cattle as they wore white pants and t-shirts.
Jane was always interested in the Baden-Powell groups and was honored to be introduced to Lady Baden-Powell when she visited Saint John. She helped organize Girl Guides in Nauwigewauk and was the first Captain of the group. She also served as secretary of the Boy Scouts Group Committee for parents. She stayed involved with the Baden Powel groups for a number of years.
She and Barney, along with neighbours participated in a bridge club which lasted a few years. They were also founding members of the Nauwigewauk Community Club and for a number of years either of them held an office in the community club. On the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary they were made honourary members of the club. Jane was also part of the group that formed the Nauwigewauk Darlings Seniors Club, where at one time or another she had held every office. She was honoured on her 90th birthday along with her special friend Isabel Wannamaker who shared the same birthday. They called themselves the Bobsy Twins. To mark this occasion, they both were presented certificates from Provincial and Federal Governments. Jane laughed and said they received certificates from everyone but the Queen!
She loved quilting and quilted at the church, the community club and at home. She enjoyed cooking for the family, especially birthdays and Christmas. For a number of years, family and neighbours came to the family home on Christmas night where they enjoyed music, carol singing and the amazing midnight lunch Jane provided. She enjoyed travel and visited various parts of Canada and the United States. One of her favourite trips was a Caribbean cruise she took with some family members. She loved to go shopping and would drive friends to nearby cities to shop. She and her friends went to yard sales on Saturdays.
Jane would drive her children to sports and church. She was like the mother hen wanting to know where the kids were and who they with. The kids would have overnight visitors from school and often talked all night long and were pretty drowsy getting off to school the next morning. While the kids were still in school, Jane attended the home and school in Hampton visiting teachers in the classrooms.
The children were their parents pride and joy and Jane would say, “They are not perfect, but they’re all pretty good”. Her grandchildren were a joy from babies to adulthood. Trying to keep up with their modern ways and ideas, made her realize how old she was getting. She loved to visit them in their homes, especially when they had purchased new items. As she aged, her children saw that she was well looked after and kept in close contact. She enjoyed a long and happy life to the end.
Jane is survived by her sons David Henderson (Susan), John Henderson (Nancy) and Keith Henderson; her daughters Peggy Hanratty (Pat), Patti Turner (Van-Allen) and Pam Beyea (Dell Watson); grandchildren: Susan (Turner) Wolf, Simon Henderson, Olivia Burnett (Jonathan), Jesse Beyea (Jenny Glew), Jake Beyea (Beki Gamblin), Tom Hanratty, Nell Henderson and Byron Henderson; and great-grandson’s Jonah and Jack Burnett. Jane is also survived by Lynn Browne whom she loved like her own daughter; and Dell’s children Chris Watson (Robyn), Alex (Sophia Noel) and Brittannie (Scott Murphy). She was predeceased by her by son-in-law Grant Beyea; brother Norris and his wife Kaye; sister Margaret Hawkins and her husband Jim; brother-in-law Earle Henderson and his wife Alice; sister-in-law Carolyn Henderson and nephews Norman Hawkins and Norrie Hill.
She is resting at Reid’s Funeral Home (506-832-5541), 1063 Main Street, Hampton, NB, with visitation on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 at 11:00 AM from Holy Trinity Church, Hammond River, followed by interment at the Holy Trinity Cemetery, Hammond River.
Donations in memory of Jane may be made to the Bishop McAllister College (through St. Augustine’s Church). Personal condolences to the family and donations may be made through ReidsFH.com
St James the Less Church in the Parish of Renforth
November 6, 2016 Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Collect Eternal God, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning, grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
FIRST READING: Job 19:23-27a
23I wish that my words could be written down 24or chiseled into rock. 25I know that my Savior lives,
and at the end he will stand on this earth. 26My flesh may be destroyed, yet from this body I will see God.
27Yes, I will see him for myself, and I long for that moment.
PSALMODY: Psalm 17:1-9 (Said Responsively)
1I am innocent, LORD!
Won’t you listen as I pray and beg for help?
I am honest! Please hear my prayer.
2Only you can say that I am innocent,
because only your eyes can see the truth.
3You know my heart,
and even during the night you have tested me
and found me innocent.
I have made up my mind never to tell a lie.
4I don’t do like others.
I obey your teachings and am not cruel.
5I have followed you, without ever stumbling.
6I pray to you, God, because you will help me.
Listen and answer my prayer!
7Show your wonderful love.
Your mighty arm protects those who run to you
for safety from their enemies.
8Protect me as you would your very own eyes;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
9Don’t let my brutal enemies
attack from all sides and kill me.
God of truth and justice, watch over your people in adversity, that we may know the wonders of your love and see the glory of your presence; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
SECOND READING: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
When our Lord Jesus returns, we will be gathered up to meet him. So I ask you, my friends, 2not to be easily upset or disturbed by people who claim that the Lord has already come. They may say that they heard this directly from the Holy Spirit, or from someone else, or even that they read it in one of our letters. 3But don’t be fooled! People will rebel against God. Then before the Lord returns, the wicked one who is doomed to be destroyed will appear. 4He will brag and oppose everything that is holy or sacred. He will even sit in God’s temple and claim to be God. 5Don’t you remember that I told you this while I was still with you? 6You already know what is holding this wicked one back until it is time for him to come. 7His mysterious power is already at work, but someone is holding him back. And the wicked one won’t appear until that someone is out of the way. 8Then he will appear, but the Lord Jesus will kill him simply by breathing on him. He will be completely destroyed by the LORD’S glorious return.
9When the wicked one appears, Satan will pretend to work all kinds of miracles, wonders, and signs. 10Lost people will be fooled by his evil deeds. They could be saved, but they will refuse to love the truth and accept it. 11So God will make sure that they are fooled into believing a lie. 12All of them will be punished, because they would rather do evil than believe the truth.
13My friends, the Lord loves you, and it is only natural for us to thank God for you. God chose you to be the first ones to be saved. His Spirit made you holy, and you put your faith in the truth. 14God used our preaching as his way of inviting you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15My friends, that’s why you must remain faithful and follow closely what we taught you in person and by our letters.
16God our Father loves us. He is kind and has given us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope. We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father 17will encourage you and help you always to do and say the right thing.
GOSPEL: Luke 20:27-38
27The Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. So some of them came to Jesus 28and said: Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother. 29There were once seven brothers. The first one married, but died without having any children. 30The second one married his brother’s widow, and he also died without having any children. 31The same thing happened to the third one. Finally, all seven brothers married that woman and died without having any children. 32At last the woman died. 33When God raises people from death, whose wife will this woman be? All seven brothers had married her.
34Jesus answered: The people in this world get married. 35But in the future world no one who is worthy to rise from death will either marry 36or die. They will be like the angels and will be God’s children, because they have been raised to life. 37In the story about the burning bush, Moses clearly shows that people will live again. He said, “The Lord is the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 38So the Lord isn’t the God of the dead, but of the living. This means that everyone is alive as far as God is concerned.
Sentence: Jesus Christ is the first born of the dead; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen see Revelation 1:5-6
Notices.
Donations for seafarers Christmas packages are now being requested. There is a list in the Narthex. Please sign up and let us know now what you would like to contribute. We will be purchasing what ever else is needed the week of December 4th – 10th Sunday after church on the 11th will be the packing day.
On Thursday Dec 8 St James the less church welcomes seniors in the area to:
an Advent Afternoon Tea. 2:00-4:00 Please talk with Sue, Sharon or Ada if you would like to help plan and run this event.
Goals:
Fellowship
Exchange of ideas and resources for personal needs.
A cup of tea and light snacks
Some entertainment
Some inspirational thoughts
We are looking for a volunteer to take the Remembrance Day Wreath to the Cenotaph service on the 11th. Please indicate to Eric if you are able to do that in remembrance of the members of this Parish lost in war.
There were three sets of readings that we could have used for today. This is the one I have selected.
St James the Less Church in the Parish of Renforth
Reformation Sunday / Day
October 30 / 31, 2016
FIRST READING: Jeremiah 31:31-34
31The LORD said:
The time will surely come when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and Judah. 32It will be different from the agreement I made with their ancestors when I led them out of Egypt. Although I was their God, they broke that agreement.
33Here is the new agreement that I, the LORD, will make with the people of Israel:
“I will write my laws on their hearts and minds.
I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34″No longer will they have to teach one another to obey me. I, the LORD, promise that all of them will obey me, ordinary people and rulers alike. I will forgive their sins and forget the evil things they have done.”
PSALMODY: Psalm 46
1God is our mighty fortress,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2And so, we won’t be afraid!
Let the earth tremble
and the mountains tumble into the deepest sea.
3Let the ocean roar and foam,
and its raging waves shake the mountains.
4A river and its streams bring joy to the city,
which is the sacred home of God Most High.
5God is in that city, and it won’t be shaken.
He will help it at dawn.
6Nations rage! Kingdoms fall!
But at the voice of God the earth itself melts.
7The LORD All-Powerful is with us.
The God of Jacob is our fortress.
8Come! See the fearsome things
the LORD has done on earth.
9God brings wars to an end all over the world.
He breaks the arrows, shatters the spears,
and burns the shields.
10Our God says, “Calm down, and learn that I am God!
All nations on earth will honor me.”
11The LORD All-Powerful is with us.
The God of Jacob is our fortress.
SECOND READING: Romans 3:19-28
19We know that everything in the Law was written for those who are under its power. The Law says these things to stop anyone from making excuses and to let God show that the whole world is guilty. 20God doesn’t accept people simply because they obey the Law. No, indeed! All the Law does is to point out our sin.
21Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn’t by obeying the Law of Moses. 22God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. 23All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. 24But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. 25-26God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life’s blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus.
27What is left for us to brag about? Not a thing! Is it because we obeyed some law? No! It is because of faith. 28We see that people are acceptable to God because they have faith, and not because they obey the Law.
GOSPEL: John 8:31-36
31Jesus told the people who had faith in him, “If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. 32You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33They answered, “We are Abraham’s children! We have never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say we will be set free?”
34Jesus replied:
I tell you for certain that anyone who sins is a slave of sin! 35And slaves don’t stay in the family forever, though the Son will always remain in the family. 36If the Son gives you freedom, you are free!
Sentence: God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and he has entrusted us with the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19
Today at the Rectory: Pizza! We will be eating together and then doing a “Taster” of one of the “First Spiritual exercise” This is easy and an enjoyable experience! Then we will be taking some time in Spiritual conversation about what God is calling us to in our ministry together.
This Thursday Evening: Live well to the Finish! An expert panel on living life to the fullest right to the very end while navigating the mysteries and obstacles of aging and the healthcare systems. 7:00 This is for you and your friends. It is a ministry of this Church. Please come out and support it and help lead it. It would be great if we had some refreshments organized for this.
Alpha has begun at the Rectory; If you know someone who would like to explore the faith it is not too late to join us.
Many thanks go out to Anne Ross and Kent and Bonnie Jones for taking the time and sharing their gifts of creativity with us in doing some seasonal decorating. Thanksgiving weekend often marks the change in season as we go from summer into a canvas of beautiful pastel colours that prepare us for the winter. Our minds are full of the memories of summer and special times with family and friends through our vacation time. School has begun and the preparation for winter is well underway. Lawnmowers are being put away and Snowblowers are being dragged out to be in position near the driveway. Flower beds are being put in condition for the winter, boats are out of the water and winterized. Tools are being shifted around in the garden shed. What do you do to get ready for the winter?
This is a great time to reflect on all that God has provided in the season of growing and recreation and for how he is preparing us for the long winter. Take a moment to utter a prayer. Maybe it is just in silence by yourself. Maybe it is around a family table. But do it. Give thanks for the provision. Give thanks for Family and Friends. Give thanks for our freedom to worship. Give thanks for our Nation. Give thanks for all our hard won freedoms and liberties.
If there are not special envelopes available for your special Thanksgiving offering (due to the book store being closed this week) please simply mark the outside of your regular envelope with the portion of your total offering that is over and above your regular giving as “Thanksgiving”
Eric
Rector of Renforth