Dear Friends, 

Holy Week is just around the corner.  This has been the longest and strangest Lent I can remember.  I can’t imagine going through this time without my faith. Without knowing, that everything is held in love, and everything needs our love, and never once have we been left alone. 

Jim and I are pretty much back to “normal,” if you can say that! Our appreciation for life has been enhanced because of the experience.  I think we will all be changed by this extraordinary time, and hopefully in a positive way!  I know that when I saw and heard the bell of St. Mary’s ringing on Wednesday at noon in support of our courageous and hardworking front line workers, I choked up. How special it will be when we are gathered in the church and hear that bell ringing from just metres away! 

As my health and energy improve, I am beginning to feel the spark of creativity return. And I will be in touch with ideas of how we might celebrate Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday as a parish.

I invite those who are on the team for Prayers of the People to consider getting active again and preparing prayers for upcoming Sundays. Please speak to KAT in the office to sign up. Thank you!  

I also invite all of you to consider writing a message to your fellow parishioners. I will include a few with each Update. 

I continue to pray every day at 10am with all of you who continue this practice as well. You’ll notice I’ve changed the prayer a tiny bit. The piece at the end has never sat right with me, so I’m starting to pray this adapted version. I invite your feedback and any other prayers you find particularly helpful at this time. 

God of the present moment,
God who in Jesus still the storm
and soothes the frantic heart; 
bring hope and courage to us
as we wait in uncertainty.
Bring hope that You will make us the equal
of whatever lies ahead.
Bring us courage to endure what cannot be avoided,
for Your will is health and wholeness;
Your love is never changing;
and in that lies our future.  

Anne Bailey has offered to walk your dog(s) if you need them walked.  Her dogs are very tired of the one-way conversations she's starting to have with them! Call the office for her phone number. Thanks Anne! 

I’m trying to reach out to parishioners by email and phone but I want to change that.  The parish list is simply too big for me to cover at a few calls a day. SO……if you would like to chat with me on the phone, please let me know.  Leave a message on my confidential line; I can access messages from home. And I will get back to you as soon as possible. 

The Bishop has created a short Palm Sunday message. You will find it on the Home page of this website, along with a link to Sunday and weekday services being offered through Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria. My sermon will be up on the website by Sunday as well.

Dear friends, we are apart physically, but not as church. As church, we are one in the Body of Christ.  Rest into that knowledge, reach out to others in the parish, and to your neighbours.  We can walk towards Easter with confidence, knowing new life will come from these days. 

In faith,
Selinde

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