Summertime service times finish this Sunday - the 8am service will resume next week (Sunday 8th September)

First reading and Psalm
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9

Second reading
James 1:17-27

Gospel Reading
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Hope to see you there!!

All youth of the Edmonton diocese and their friends are invited to a Youth Bowling Night on Saturday, September 21, 6:30 to 9 pm, at Bonnie Doon Bowling Lanes, 8330 82 Ave NW, Edmonton. Please RSVP ASAP to the Rev. Danielle Key so she can reserve the bowling lanes. Hope to see you in September! Please share on social! 

The Good Shepherd ACW invites you to an afternoon of gourmet sandwiches, sweets and tea!

High Tea will be held on September 14, from 2 to 4 pm, at Good Shepherd Anglican Church, 15495 Castle Downs Rd, Edmonton.

Gluten-free options will be available. Don't miss this elegant and delicious experience! For tickets ($20), call Cathy Lake at 780-497-1802. 

In anticipation of coming together for Synod in October, join the Synod Planning Committee on Saturday, September 21, from 10 am to 11:30 am, for an online bible study on our theme: "Hearts Burning Within Us," and the Emmaus Road scripture (Luke 24:32); and, from 10:30 am to 1 pm, for a presentation of the Synod resolutions followed by an opportunity for questions.

Season of Creation, "Act and Hope with Creation,” takes place from September 1 to October 4. Season of Creation is an annual month-long season when Christian communities pray and act to protect creation. We celebrate our faith in God Creator and act in unity to care for our common home.

Find out more and download the Season of Creation Celebration Guide for ideas on how to get involved. 

Hot dogs and marshmallows provided.  Bring a lawn chair if you can and a dessert, salad, or beverage to share.

I am happy to tell you that “Gathering” is resuming Thursday, October 3rd .

You are invited to gather together and enjoy these informal afternoons with friends as we explore and
reflect on various aspects of our life of faith--and how this informs the choices we make as we
encounter the important issues of today’s world. We will begin with an examination of various
perspectives on spirituality and the environment.

Handouts will be out early each in the week to help bring a focus to our conversation.
So bring your coffee or tea or “whatever” and gather around our virtual kitchen table.

If you have any questions or want more information, e-mail me at wildrosie7@gmail.com.

Please feel free to invite a friend to join us via Zoom.

I am looking forward to seeing you all each week.
Anne

Uncover the Heart of your Call

By Pat Jameson, Rev. Jonathan Crane

Loyola Press – a major source of references on the spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius describes the exercises as “a compilation of meditations, prayers, and contemplative practices developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola to help people deepen their relationship with God.” The exercises are a structured and guided approach designed to uncover the heart of our call to serve God and God’s people. St. Ignatius in his time, developed them as a tool to help young men discern if they were indeed called to serve as a Jesuit and take up the potential dangers of being sent all over the world in witness to God (think the movie “The Mission”). Originally, the Spiritual Exercises were used within a thirty-day silent retreat.  There remain a number of retreat houses in the world where you can still do this, but the Exercises are more commonly used these days as a thirty-week “retreat in daily life.” The structure of the weeks is a progressive immersion in scripture and prayer: they are not primarily an intellectual study of the scriptures, but a personal experience of the life of Jesus through prayer.  The process allows us grow in our ability to hear how deeply the Spirit of God is speaking to our spirit through the scriptures. The Exercises are broken into four sections, or movements of prayer through the thirty weeks. Theme I: God’s Love.  The exercises begin with an immersion in the love of God which invites us into a generous offering of our whole selves just as we are. Theme II: Invitation.  The second movement focusses on God’s hope for the world as it is expressed in the gift of Jesus and his ministry and our call to follow Jesus and participate in this life. Theme III: Suffering.  We walk alongside Jesus in the suffering of his self-offering. Theme IV: Resurrection.  In the last set of prayers, we share with Jesus in his rising to new life.  We share in living out the life and ministry of the risen Christ. The whole process invites us into a deeper awareness of the particularities of our own call to ministry.  We often find that the Spiritual Exercises lead us to discern God’s movement in us and gives us tools to continue growing in this daily practice. This process is not designed to be done on one’s own, but with an experienced director who can help us reflect on God’s movement in our lives. The exercises are geared particularly to moments in our lives when we are experiencing transition and change, when we are discerning a change of our vocations, or simply seeking a deeper relationship with God.  The exercises have potential to be transformative and people may find a huge shift between their life before the exercises and their life after the exercises. If you are wondering where God is calling you, come, set aside space to walk through the exercises with one of several experienced directors in our Diocese.  We invite you to move towards Gratitude, Freedom, and Generosity: Gratitude at who God is and what God has given, Freedom to be set free to serve in full Generosity.

If you are interested in learning more please send an email to ignatianspirit46@gmail.com.  We intend to facilitate a Spiritual Exercises Retreat in Daily Life with a small group of participants to run from September 2024 to May 2025.

Space is limited.  Please fill out the attached application form to apply.  You will be contacted for a simple one on one conversation preceding our entry into the exercises.

We look forward to meeting again in the fall .. watch this space for the start up date.

In the meantime, hope everyone has a great summer!!

As we change gears for Summer schedule, the Wednesday night sharing circle will pause for the summer.

We suggest you might like to take the summer to

1) read some resource or book that is edifying for you in your spiritual life.

2) Choose one day a week, whether at home or on vacation, to jot down in a journal where you have seen God in the last week.  

Wednesday nights will be back up after Labor Day.

Administration, address updates, etc: Cheryl at office@staugustinesedmonton.com, 780-466-5532