[In today’s letter – parish profile –prayerful response to  London terror attack –Quiet day – Stewards needed for Holy Week –Kairos sponsored supper – Cathedral events – Acts 2: 42 – Oasis concert – Question re owner of envelopes #100]

Dear Friend of the Cathedral

The Parish Search Committee is pleased to announce that the Parish Profile has been completed and is now available here on the Cathedral’s website.

Ads are being placed in a variety of websites, newsletters, and other media, both in Canada and abroad. Parishioners and friends of the Cathedral are encouraged to share the profile broadly, either through the attached poster, or the Cathedral’s Facebook page, or even just by sharing the above link.

Expressions of interest are invited before May 1st, and final applications by May 15th. Your continued prayers are a vital contribution to this effort.

According to the bishop, the advertisement has been shared over 2,000 times on Facebook and is spreading through the North American Deans network.

We were shocked to hear about the terror attack carried out yesterday in London by Khalid Masood, a man born in Kent, who was known to police for a number of serious and violent offences, but not suspected of terrorist activities. Our prayers are with the people in London and the citizens of several countries who were killed or injured. With this in mind, this week’s spiritual practice is to spend your own moment in prayer … you can attend a service near you, light a candle, pause to connect with God exactly where you are. As Esther de Waal writes, “It is so easy and attractive to read about prayer & to talk about prayer. But unless we go to prayer there is no prayer.”

This Saturday a group of parishioners and friends will gather in Fulford Hall between 9:30 am and 4 pm, for a quiet day of reflection and prayer led by 3 members of our clergy team. It will be balm for the spirit and rest for the body as we detach ourselves from our busy lives. Please let Vivian know if you plan on coming, but have not yet signed up. She will be shopping for food tomorrow.  

Holy Week will soon be upon us with its daily opportunities for worship. Bob King writes “”During Holy Week, there are extra services every day, from the calm and contemplative Compline on Monday evening to the exciting Great Vigil of Easter on Saturday. Stewards are needed for each of these services – the sign-up list will be at the back of the church or at coffee in the Baptistry on Sunday mornings and in the Sacristy at other times. Even if you have never before been a Steward, please try to put your name down for at least one of these services. It is a simple but rewarding job, and a very important way to welcome people to our services.”

On Tuesday evening at 6 pm in the Undercroft, Christ Church Cathedral is serving as host to a KAIROS-sponsored supper and meeting. It is seen as an educational and friendly encounter consolidating relations with Philippine partners and the communities they represent.  The delegation will be spending much of its time here advocating for changes in mining practices used by Canadian companies.  Jan says she has some volunteers offering fruit and cookies, cheese and crackers, a cous cous salad, fish and rice and adds that it would be lovely if we could have offers of more salads or side dishes. If you are planning on coming to the event please do RSVP as we have no idea of how many people to anticipate.

Still on the theme of sharing food and receiving spiritual nourishment:

1. The end of the month lunch on Sunday will be sponsored by SelwynHouse School. A few volunteers from the congregation will be needed.

2. LGBTQ+ Pot-luck @ Jean-Jacques Goulet on at 5pm Sunday. RSVP. Questions? See Jean-Jacques.

3. The Cathedral Reading Group will meet at 7 pm to discuss Little Bee by Chris Cleave. If you like reading and talking about books, (while you drink coffee and munch on cookies) please join us. Speak to Helen for more details about this Sunday’s meeting place. If you have one of the Westmount Library’s books please be sure to return it on Sunday.

4. Hungry Minds: Bible study and supper for students and young adults
   Wednesdays at 6pm. in the Undercroft

5. Lunch ‘n Chat potluck lunch noon till 1.45 pm Tuesday April 4: the March event was cancelled due to the weather, so Janet is hoping for spring-like weather this time. All welcome.

6. Pain, partage et prière : The French sharing and bible study group will meet on April 9 at 2:00 p.m. in the Hollis Lounge.

When pondering upon the fact that almost everything we do at the cathedral is accompanied by food and drink, I remembered this verse from Acts about the early disciples and was struck by how aptly it describes our community:

Acts 2:42 – And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

No food, just music, at the Oasis concert, Saturday at 4:30 De Bach à Messiaen: with Sara Rezki, piano. A mystic exploration of the different styles in music through the periods.  For details about this and upcoming concerts visit  http://www.oasismusicale.ca/ On second thoughts – the concert hosts sell coffee and chocolate bars, so, yes, there will be food.

Finally

AN IMPORTANT QUERY from the bookkeeper and treasurer. They are looking for the name and contact information of the person who has weekly donation envelopes #100.  The box was given out and donations made, but no one wrote down who has the box.

Ann Elbourne