THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER
May 11 , 2025
ALLELUIA. CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED.ALLELUIA!
LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.
GETTING READY FOR SUNDAY: PREVIEW OF THE READINGS.
The Gospel readings for these last three Sundays of Easter season all come from the 16th Chapter of John’s Gospel, the co-called Farewell Discourse, where Jesus is preparing His disciples for death on the Cross, and the anguish to come. But this anguish and sadness will be transformed into joy. This is the promise and the joy faith in Christ’s resurrection. It sees beyond circumstances, and what is natural and inevitable. In place of resignation (“ it is what it is”), there is joy, and the hope and love that brings new things to birth. In our Epistle lesson, St. Peter describes the moral and spiritual transformation Resurrection works in the lives of those who believe. They abstain from the “passions of the flesh” ( ie. gluttony, lust, avarice, anger, dejection, listlessness, pride etc.) and use their freedom to serve the common good.
THE LESSON : 1 Peter 2:11-17
Beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your soul. Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
THE GOSPEL: John 16:16-24
‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.’ Then some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What does he mean by saying to us, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”; and “Because I am going to the Father”?’ They said, ‘What does he mean by this “a little while”? We do not know what he is talking about.’ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, ‘Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”? Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
PARISH LIFE NOTES
CONDOLENCES to our Churchwarden, Mike, on the occasion of the passing of his mother, Erika, and to our Sexton, Terry, on the occasion of the passing of his mother, Dorothy. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
VESTRY UPDATE from the meeting on Wednesday, May 7th.
1. Bishop Helen attended the meeting and made a presentation on the appointment of Revd. Nathaniel as Diocesan Missioner to the South Sudanese Community, and presented her request that St. Mary’s serve as the sponsoring parish, with the Rector and Vestry of St. Mary’s taking on the oversight of the mission. Motion to approve the Bishop’s request was accepted.
2. Vestry is looking for coordinator and volunteers for both the Roto-tilling Outreach at the Community Gardens as well as Saskatoon Berry Festival. If at the present time a coordinator for the roto-tilling cannot be found, decision was made to postpone this outreach until next year.
3. Motion to build small tower to house the church bell was approved at a cost of $2,400.00 to be taken from Capital Trust Fund. Construction to begin at the beginning of June.
4. A document on The Mission, Vision, and Values of the Diocese for 2025 was received and distributed. Vestry members will review and bring questions to the next meeting to be forwarded to leadership of the Diocese.
5. The Easter offering from St. Mary’s which was dedicated towards the Bishop Nathaniel Garang Training Centre in South Sudan came to a total of $1288.00.
6. Financial Summary as of March 31:
Total Income : $48,678.98.
Total Expenditures: $48, 857.69
SYNOD HOSPITALITY. Please consider offering your time to help with set up, take down and kitchen duties during Synod, May 22-24, 2025. Click on the link below to browse the opportunities and sign up to help out: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D4CA4AF2EA02-diocesan#/
ST. MARY’S at THE CATHEDRAL VILLAGE ARTS FESTIVAL. (MAY 19-24)
Tuesday, May 20 at 7:00 p.m.: Art is….for the healing of the soul.
Join Regina Christian artist Andrew Gall for an evening of piano and song to lift and cleanse the spirit.
Wednesday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m: Art is…a window into heaven.
Have you ever wondered what heaven is/will be like? Join St. Mary’s parish priest, Revd. Claude Schroeder for a contemplative tour of the church’s beautiful stained glass windows, as he unveils heavenly realties hidden in plain sight.
Thursday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. Art is…a dialogue.
From the dawn of history, to the present day attentive, sensitive souls have carried out a dialogue with God through art. Join Saskatchewan artist Russell Mang as he shares his experience of this dialogue, and how in painting landscapes he has found a vocabulary to articulate his inner life.
Saturday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m. Family Barn Dance.
Old Tyme Music Society will lead us through an evening of traditional dance and two-step prairie music followed by mid-night lunch and stage show by Northern Lights Blue Grass
WORSHIP THIS WEEK
Morning Prayer: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 8.30 a.m.
Evening Prayer: Wednesday at 5.30 p.m.
N.B. There will be no mid-week Communion Service on Wednesday.