Prayer and compassion – Socks –The power of the community at prayer – Pray for Bertrand Olivier –Resignation of our Primate Fred – Construction on St Catherine – Various ministries of prayer – Annual Report time – Future events – Notice re Parking Passes
Dear Friend of the Cathedral
What should be the hallmarks of a worshipping community? Perhaps compassion and prayer are part of the answer.
This month you can show your compassion towards the homeless and needy people who join us for lunch on the last Sunday of the month by donating one or more pairs of new, warm (mostly men’s) socks to be given to our lunch guests on Sunday, January 28. The Social Service Society hopes to collect 200 pairs. Marjorie Sharp and Adrian King-Edwards are organizing the sock drive. Please bring your socks to the Cathedral this weekend!
The power of a community at prayer was brought home to me last week in an email from a parishioner whose wife had been on our weekly prayer list. Over a year ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer but is now in full remission. He writes:
“I used to wonder what purpose the “For Continuing Support” list [in the Sunday bulletin] served. Wasn’t it rather long and a tad impersonal? Did the congregation really pray for everyone on the list? And if they did pray, was it for individuals or for a group of people in need? I used to wonder … but I wonder no more. Every Sunday, seeing/hearing A’s name made me feel there were even more people in her corner, more people wishing her well, more people pouring their prayers over her.”
I think perhaps many of us have had a similar experience of feeling comforted and uplifted by the prayers of the community for ourselves or a loved one. As a refresher or an introduction to go deeper, this week’s spiritual practice, “Stoking Your Fire,” revisits a short “how-to” on personal intercessory prayer by the well-known teacher Anthony de Mello—and also links to the full rota for our Daily Office prayers this week.
Your prayers are needed for Bertrand, our new Dean, as he uproots himself from London and starts on a new adventure in Montreal. Those of us who have made a similar journey know how much encouragement comes from the prayerful support of friends.
The Anglican Church of Canada is also asking for our prayers for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as our Primate, Fred Hiltz, prepares for his retirement in 2019. You can read his letter here.
Prayers for patience will be very much needed in the coming months as construction begins both on our spire and on St Catherine Street. Montreal has posted a useful map and promises updates about the details of the planned construction – and destruction here (in English and in French). Local businesses could certainly do with our prayers, as could all the people involved in our Cathedral repairs and renovations. As Corporation members can attest, both the construction work and the funding are complex. So please pray!
The ministry of prayer at the Cathedral is an important one. Please consider whether God is directing you towards being a leader, perhaps of the Prayers of the People on Sunday, or perhaps of the weekday morning and evening services.
Our Annual reports reveal many kinds of ministries at the Cathedral. The deadline for handing in reports is Friday, January 26. The complete report will be presented at the Annual General Vestry Meeting in February (date TBA). The nominating committee is busy preparing nominations for various groups. Please pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Above all, let us pray to our compassionate God for members of our community who are sad, sick or troubled.
Events for your calendar
- L’Oasis Musicale concert. January 13th, Alla Zingarese presents Mozart: Piano Quartet no.2 in E-flat major, and Brahms: Piano Quartet no.1 in G minor, op.25 www.oasismusicale.ca
- Sunday, January 14, Amnesty letter writing after the 10 am Eucharist; write letters or sign postcards to speak out against injustice.
- Tuesday, January 16, Cathedral Forum.
- Sunday, January 21, Pain, partage et prière, Le groupe de prière, étude biblique et rencontre se réunira le 21 janvier à 14h00 au salon Hollis.
- Sunday, January 21, La Cathédrale, le soir at 6 pm, a Bilingual Communion service with contemporary praise music.
- Sunday, January 28 at 7 pm the Cathedral Reading Group meets to discuss Coventry by Helen Humphreys. Ann has a few free copies from Westmount Library to lend to interested people
Important Notice from the Cathedral Administrator and the vergers:
It is time to renew forecourt parking passes for 2018. The cost is $130. Please note there are restrictions during the week due to construction, and however tempting it might be to go shopping, you may only use your passes when on Cathedral business. Please speak to the vergers.
Ann Elbourne
To receive this Newsletter earlier by email, and with it, additions like the Forum agenda, financial updates, minutes and reports, posters, photos, etc., simply send your coordinates to the Cathedral office… the failsafe method is to email both Newsletter author and parish volunteer Ann Elbourne cath_communication@bellnet.ca and Parish Administrator Elizabeth Shama cathoff@bellnet.ca.