SERMON –For St. Mary’s Anglican, July 3,2022 TEXTS: II Kings 5:1-15a, Psalm 30, Galatians 6: 7-16 & Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Opening prayer: Let the words of my mouth…
Intro: At a time when the news headlines tells us about the horrors of the war in Ukraine, the death of a group of 50 or so Mexican people trying to enter the USA in a large truck, the terror of mass shootings, the suffering of those caught in the internal conflict in Sudan and other parts of Africa and the difficulties faced by families in Canada who are struggling with inflationary prices or with family who have overdosed on opiods – at such a time as this, you might ask yourself as I have “where is God?” “Is there a God in this world who still heals the broken hearted, rescues the desperate, brings forth justice or executes righteous?”
LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.
PARISH LIFE NOTES
The Bell of St. Mary’s. Our thanks to Mike (and his truck) who on Thursday helped deliver the church bell, formerly of St. Phillip’s, Regina and St. George’s, Pilot Butte, now entrusted to St. Mary’s! Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel. ( Isaiah 12.6).
Gospel in the Garden for children begins to today during the 10.30 service. Our theme is “The Seven Days of Creation” and will include Scripture, Reflection, Song, Prayer, Watering and Weeding the Garden, and Side-Walk Chalk Mural designed by St. Mary’s Junior “Artist-in-Residence” Lucy.
Summer Offerings. During the summer holidays when many Parishioners are away and out of town, our weekly collections often decrease by a considerable amount, but the costs of running our parish stays the same. Before you go away on holidays this summer, please consider signing up for electronic giving. Electronic giving provides a convenient option for you and supports consistent giving to the parish for all the work it does. If you are already an electronic giver, we thank you. If not, we graciously ask that you consider this option. Forms are available at the back of the church by the collection plate. Forms can also be requested by emailing stmarysanglican@sasktel.net.
Congratulations and Blessings to Myka on the occasion of her graduation this year and receipt of her High School Diploma!
Congratulations and Blessings to ST. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox Church on the occasion of the celebration of their Patronal Festival at St. Mary’s last Saturday.
St. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox Church Patronage Festival
Lessons from the Egyptian Desert – Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Sabbatical Presentation from Revd. Canon Claude Schroeder
5.30 p.m. Evening Prayer
6.00 p.m. Egyptian Meal
6.30 p.m. Illustrated Presentation
Please R.S.V.P. to stmarysanglican@sasktel.net
PWRDF Hunger Crisis Matching Funds appeal. Until July 17, the Canadian government is matching donations made to this PWRDF appeal.
(Modified 2022-06-19: Added audio recording of sermon)
“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39).
Audio recording of this sermon
In Christ Jesus, we have a lot to be thankful. One of the precious gifts from Triune God is freedom. What is freedom in God? Freedom from what? Freedom to do what? How does freedom feel?
The picture that Apostle Paul and Evangelist Luke have painted for us this First Sunday after Trinity is that of a jail, including the handcuffs, chains and chackles, and the image of the possibility of being locked in the most feared maximum-security cell without the possibility of a parole.