Parish News

Dear Friends,

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.” (Galatians 6: 18)

We have not produced a newsletter since the resumption of regular Sunday morning services at St. Brice’s. However, there are several points I want to share with you. I know there are some people who understandably are cautious about gathering together. I want to be sure that no one is left out, and everyone is aware of what’s happening at St. Brice’s – so I decided to produce another newsletter.

Encouragement

Last January 1, who would have expected 2020 to have turned out as it has? And we’re only three-quarters of the way through! Naturally, many of us are concerned about a “second wave” of the pandemic, and about the current climate in politics, the economy, the environment and so on. I’m not minimizing any of these concerns, but I do want to remind all parishioners that God is still on the throne, and taking a long-term view, all will be well! In response, we’re called to live humbly and joyfully for him. When I feel daunted by obstacles, I sometimes turn to Psalm 61; if you are anxious, you might choose to read this short psalm. Notice the anxieties the psalmist has, but also the steadfastness of the Lord which leads to praise.

What if restrictions change?

A number of people have asked me, What will St. Brice’s do if the restrictions change again, and we can’t meet together in person? Well, first of all, a wise man said to me recently that it’s better to live in the “what is,” rather than to spend too much time in the “what might be” in the future. However, if changes need to be made for our collective health and well-being, we will make them. God doesn’t change. My commitment to serve you, and to encourage robust disciples doesn’t change. How we do things in the future will likely change somehow – but that’s all right. We will go through this together!

On-line resources

For those who have access to a computer and the internet, I want to remind people of the resources on the St. Brice’s parish website, including posted recordings of the 11am service. (We aren’t recording the 9am services at this time, although I’m open to that option in the future.) Please see www.stbriceschurch.com or other resources on the “On-Line Services” tab on the Home Page – that is, the first thing you see if you type in, “St. Brice’s, North Bay, ON.” (Please see below.) We aren’t limited to St. Brice’s, either — one of the blessings of having the internet is that we can access things to feed us spiritually from all over the world. Certainly, some stuff on the internet is rubbish, but there are also gems.

On-line Layreaders Conference

Once every five years or so, Temiskaming Deanery (that’s us) is responsible for hosting the diocesan layreaders conference. 2020 is our year! We produced this on-line, and although there were a few minor technical glitches, there was a great deal of outstanding content. You don’t have to be a layreader to enjoy what was offered. If you missed it but would like some of the resources, please contact the parish office.

Opportunities for Spiritual Growth

There are a number of opportunities to grow deeper this fall:

• The Tuesday evening Bible study is meeting on-line;
• The Tuesday morning Bible study has changed its meeting time to Monday morning, beginning at 9:30am, in the Church building;
• Messy Church has “pivoted,” and resources are being dropped off to participants;
• I had hoped to be able to announce this week exactly when the Alpha Course (a light-hearted introduction to Christianity) and Confirmation classes would be offered, but the layreaders conference and follow-up has taken up a lot of my time this past week. I will be making an announcement about both of these programs in the near future;
• The Tuesday Take Home Meals continue, with deliveries (the sale date for this month is this coming Tuesday), as are the Quilters, the Food Bank, and so on.
• Most of the volunteers for the Teen Lunch Programme have been meeting regularly for prayer and consideration about how best to provide the programme. We are absolutely committed to caring for the young people, and to everyone’s mutual safety. How to manage this in a pandemic environment, given the numbers who typically draw on our services, is challenging. I have been very impressed by the listening work by the gathered volunteers, and my sense is that a way forward will become clear soon.

Noteworthy Service Announcements

We have not had a “joint” service at 10am since the beginning of March. However, at the recent Advisory Board meeting, after careful discussion, it was agreed to offer a joint service – God willing — on Sunday, 1 November, at 10am (All Saints’ Day).

Clergy had been encouraged to offer prayer services at different times during the pandemic, for anyone who wanted to come to the Church building, but were uncomfortable participating in Holy Communion. Accordingly, I offered Evening Prayer services last month. However, since no one else attended, I am not planning to offer them again this month. If something else develops, it will likely be in a different format.

This coming week will be Harvest Thanksgiving. Usually the Altar Guild spearheads decorating the Church building. However, as not all members can attend, support from members of the congregation (this coming Saturday at 10am) is very welcome.

Missions

It’s sometimes said that it isn’t that the Church has a mission, but that God has a mission, and the Church is the means God has for the mission to take place. Our focus is never exclusively on ourselves, but for the world for which Christ gave his life – even during a pandemic. How we will best support missions this year is still under consideration by the parish leadership, but more information will be forthcoming, probably in a few weeks…

Wanda and her Cats

I regret to let people know that parishioner Wanda Zalewski died suddenly this past week, as the result of being involved in a car accident. Wanda lived on her own and loved her two cats dearly. We are determined to ensure that the cats are not abandoned, but adopted into a good, loving home. They are neutered, peaceful, and in good health. If you have room in your heart, and your home, for these animals, please let us know.

Blessing of the Animals

The annual “Blessing of the Animals” service crept up on me this year. It is typically held around the day we remember St. Francis – October 4. Accordingly, there will be a short outdoor service in the back garden tomorrow (Sunday, October 4) at 2pm. Please come along, and bring your pet(s). We do ask that owners be responsible for their own pets.

Financial Status

Summer is typically a lean time for parish finances. A few people have been asking me about our current financial status. I’m pleased to say that our balance sheet is in good — though not perfect — shape. This is in large part because the diocesan office applied for a wage subsidy from the federal government, and so this parish received $6776 this past month. Even so, our income was a little higher, and our expenses a little lower, than the same time last year. We had income of $114, 338. Expenses were $115,237, leaving a deficit of $899 at the end of September 2020. In comparison, our deficit at this time last year was $8445.

Russell Elliott’s Death

I want to end on a personal note. Some parishioners have learned that my step-father, Russell Elliott, died early Friday morning. Russell had a long and remarkable life – born in 1917, ordained in Holy Orders for over 80 years, deeply pastoral but always willing to challenge whenever the Anglican Church seemed to be becoming complacent. Due to the pandemic, I will not be attending his funeral. Nonetheless, I am at peace. He had a full life, and in recent months, was becoming increasingly eager to go to his true home with his Saviour. By the grace of God, I shall see him again one day – and so shall you.

God bless you all.

Peter Armstrong