Spring Children's Service

We had 103 souls at church today to celebrate our Eastertide Children's Parish Service. It was delightful as the children put on a Passion Play and led the Liturgy of the Word.

"Back to Church Sunday"

Back to Church Sunday

The above is a wonderful article written by Archdeacon Drummond,

we as Church need to adopt this
and encourage our communities to come
and experience our family
and encounter the living God!

Leviathan: Father Matthew Presents [... A Big Scary Monster]

Interesting exegesis and theology of the monster of the Bible. How do we deal with a "pre-critical world" in a very overly-critical world!?

Watch out the music is a big over the top and the level of the background music is very loud so just adjust your speakers before you watch.

Answered Prayer: Sherry

Many of you were aware that Sherry had found work at McCain's back in November of 2005 just a few months after we had arrived here in the parish. Her contract expired in May last year and after a few attempts at finding another job, decided to stay home and look after Pippa.

In the beginning of this year Sher wished to return to the workforce for a number of reasons. After a series of interviews that resulted in no call backs Sherry was getting worried she might not find anything. There was a possibility at Day & Ross the transport company, a subsidiary of McCain, but the hours were 5:15pm to 1:30am. Anyone who knows Sherry knows she is a morning person and might just fall asleep at the wheel. it was a prospect I was secretly hoping she would not get... and she didn't. Undeterred she made two more applications one in Florenceville for McCain's and the other for Day & Ross in Hartland, a 15 min drive from home. Low and behold after an anxious weekend, she had not one job but two!

After much deliberation, with a local job, 8:15am-5pm but a term position, meaning another job hunt in 6 to 12 months; and a job 15 mins away, taking me away to become the taxi driver, but with full benefits and a full time job 9:15-6pm... the choice became a no brainer with Hartland being the choice.

For me, it will mean that I will need to change the midweek 9am start times for Summer Mattins and a few winter services. On the positive side it will mean I am only a 3 min drive away from the new hospital that will open this coming fall, and that I will be able to go in daily if needs be.

Not only did our Lord answer the prayer for the job, but we just found out today that the Pie's daycare, Lil'Spuds, has one spot opening on Monday as a child is moving to Ontario; now that was a miracle!

Obviously she's happy!!!!

Clergy Day

Yesterday the clergy of the diocese met at St. Mary's, Fredericton, to consider the motions on Same Sex Blessings that will come before General Synod this June.

The Hon Ron Stephenson, QC, General Synod Chancellor, provided background and a greater understanding of the process . The Rev'd Dr. Stephen Andrews, a member of the Primate's Theological Commission and President of Thornloe University, assisted with context and the deliberations that have occurred at the Primates Theological Commission. Both were very responsive to questions and the day was very respectful and honest.

I believe that at the end of the day everyone had a better understanding of the serious implications of the many motions that the delegates will face, and the changing effect that will occur this year. Whatever is decided there will be very serious implications and all we can do at this point is to pray for our Communion and the General Synod members.

Though this is just a private blog, as the Chair of the Episcopal Team (the organizing committee), I do wish to thank the ladies and gentlemen of St. Mary's Parish who provided a blessed hospitality to all; for that grace and for the Rev'd Ian Wetmore and his great assistance I thank our Lord.

28C

Yesterday I woke wondering what to wear for the Clergy Day, why? Because the day was predicted to be quite warm. Recall that last week Sherry and I were in Quebec City with a foot of snow and 90 km/h winds. Well today proved to be "all that" it was not warm but down-right HOT.


What did I wear? Shorts and a short sleave clerical shirt! And I was glad I did too :-)

A Must Google

1. Go to google dot com
2. Click on the underlined word "maps"
3. Click on the underlined word "get directions"
4. Type "New York" in the first box (the "from" box)
5. Type "London" in the second box (the "to" box)
6. Click on "get directions"
7. Scroll down to step #24

Baptism is Centreville

What a blessed day as we welcomed Makayla into the Body of Christ.








Sermon: the voice quality is a bit poor but that is because I was away from the mic... just turn up the volume a bit.
VOICE030.MP3

What do YOU Want?

I think some of you might be interested in these statistics for the past week:

		Page Loads	Unique Visitors	First Time Visitors	Returning Visitors
Total		247	156	52	104
Average		31	20	7	13

As you can see there is a small but steady reader base. You may remain anonymous, but please leave suggestions of what you would like to read, see, listen to, etc. What do you like? What should change? What do you want to see more of or less of?

A Sketcher and a Painter

No I didn't do this... Liam, 10 years old, did this!

2 Months+ to New Primate

Well at General Synod, late June 2007, they will have 4 candidates for Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada... at least to begin with:

Bishops nominated for the election of the 13th Primate are:

• Bishop George Bruce of the diocese of Ontario
• Bishop Fred Hiltz of the diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
• Bishop Bruce Howe of the diocese of Huron
• Bishop Victoria Matthews of the diocese of Edmonton

My two cents says that it will be Fred Hiltz on the 2nd Ballot.

Deanery Clericus and Greater Chapter

The Clerics met in St. John's, Richmond Corner to celebrate the Eucharist together and to hear the Rev'd John Mills preach among us for the last time before he retires this August. After our service we met at the Rectory for our meeting and a presentation on Thomas Hooker by the Rev'd Dr. Ranall Ingalls. Following that we had a quick dinner at Smitty's (not a big fan fyi) and then over to St. Luke's, Woodstock, for our Greater Chapter meeting with all the clerics, wardens, synod delegates and their alternatives, to discuss the Shared Ministry Plan and to elect "nominated" representatives to Diocesan Council (they will be ratified [God Willing] at Synod in June and elected at that meeting). I was nominated to sit on council representing the clergy. Here are some pictures of that busy day.

So I'm Looking Up a Site ...

... on the Windsor Report, and what do I find? One of the funniest comics I've ever seen on the topic. Is it irreverent? Yes, at least to some, but it does put into perspective a youth's take on this issue. We can take our theology very seriously, and so we should, but there are times when we need to just laugh, especially with serious matters. And come on what does our Lord say time and time again, "don't worry"!

A Funny Windsor Report

General Synod Issues

Well there are many issues at General Synod but one catches the headlines and spurs conversations at the dinner table: same sex blessings. There is much to digest, Scripture, Theology, Doctrine, Creation, Relationship, Sexuality, Authority in the Church and a myriad of others issues.

This list is just some of the information that we as clergy have received to read through and consider in prayer. Please read through this at your leisure and consider what this all means, prayerfully considered of course:

• The Diocese of Fredericton Response to the St. Michael Report
• Motions to General Synod 2007 RE Windsor Report
• Motions to General Synod RE St. Michael Report

Reference and Background ...

Windsor Report

• The Windsor Report
• Canadian Bishops’ Response April 2005
• Statement of the Primate’s Theological Commission on the Discussion of the Authority of Scripture in the Windsor Report
• The draft General Synod Response to the Windsor Report
• A Response prepared by a group of ECUSA Bishops - “To Set Our Hope on Christ”

The St. Michael Report

• St. Michael Report web | St. Michael Report PDF
• The Communiqué of the Primates’ Meeting in Dar es Salaam
• The Report of the Covenant Design Group
• Faith Seeking Understanding Conference Papers
• Unofficial reports of Council of General Synod meeting
• Theological Commission’s response to resolutions proposed by Council of General Synod

Recent Developments (as I have gleaned)

• Archbishop of Canterbury: Church Needs to Listen Properly to the Bible
• Conservative Anglican Theologians Good Friday 2007 Letter to the Bishops
• A Statement to the Anglican Church of Canada from the House of Bishops of Rupert's Land
  

A Special Card

A Special Card arrived today for Pippa from a long time friend, Reagan! Two years ago, many tears were shed when we left The Coast, but especially from a wonderful girl from Old Fort. Often Clara and Reese, her mom and dad, looked after Pippa, when Sherry and I had to leave for Quebec City for meetings. The family remains dear in our hearts and in our prayers... how can anyone forget Easter 2005 and the Polar Bear that Reese took me out to see!

Pippa's excitement is obvious...

It's About Human Touch

You might know that I have been interested in revisiting my artistic interest; yes, with a name like "painter" it was bound to be.

Here is a very nice video about just doing it, feeling it, getting back intouch with the world around. In my free time, I plan on spending more time with the family and with a canvas or sketch pad, insted of a PC screen.

Not Pretty

Amid the horror of yet another shooting spree in the mighty USA, we have our own tale of senseless violence. My father, while crossing the road, was at first a victim of road rage. A driver upset by him crossing the road, honked. Upset, he turned the car around to express more: violence. After stopping the vehicle, both passenger and driver got out and began verbally abusing my father; the passenger spat in his face, my dad raised his hand to prevent more from hitting him and then... he was on the ground. He doesn't recall a blow, yet the evidence shows that it was more than one. The men were caught immediately, and my father was taken care of by many Saturday afternoon shoppers.

I will not impose the picture, but if you wish click here to see what idiots can do to the elderly.

Weather: Nor'Eastern

We arrived home today after quite a drive from Quebec City. We awoke several times throughout the night to see the snow and wind increase, by the morning a heavy mucky mess was all about with winds which pushed the car around. The slush was just as bad, driving the car more than myself at times.




A milestone was hit while on the road... after a number of years we reached 100000 km on our Red Hyundai. Many might not think that big, but for us this is our first "new" vehicle and we put almost all of it on the car. For us, each trip and km has some meaning, pastoral as well as personal. I pray that maybe another 100000 is in it :-)

Prayer Request: My Dad

Please keep my dad, Eric, in your prayers, as he was a victim of a violent crime yesterday. He has a broken nose and quite a bad eye, but he's home and I've spoken with him. My mom, Norma, could also use some prayers after all the past few months of heart issues; this I'm sure doesn't help. I'm just going down for a quick visit to give them my love and be a son.

Spring Fling

Might not be much flinging with all this snow, but niether will there be any after last night's adventure in Woodstock... for all that could be flung is now cut off. CRYPTIC? Well just look...




I think Cam needs to go to the same place mom did!

Pippa Pie's Fourth

Easter Sermons

Sunrise Sermon, Greenfield (John 20:1-18):
VOICE027.MP3

Easter Day Sermon, Centreville (Luke 24:1-12):
VOICE028.MP3

The Lord is Risen, ALLELUIA!
He is Risen Indeed, ALLELUIA!

Greek Orthodox Easter

Exsultet

ALLELUIA! AMEN!

The Lord is Risen!
He is Risen indeed! ALLELUIA!!

Exultet

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God’s throne! Jesus
Christ, our King, is risen! Sound the trumpet of
salvation!
Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendour, radiant in
the brightness of your King! Christ has conquered!
Glory fills you! Darkness vanishes for ever!
Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory! The risen
Saviour shines upon you! Let this place resound with
joy, echoing the mighty song of all God’s people!

[Taken from the Book of Alternative Services, Canada 1984]

Passion Play: Father Matthew Presents

Let Us Bless the Lord! Get out to Church this Holy Weekend.

Maundy Thursday

From Wikipipedia:
The word Maundy is derived through Middle English, and Old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum, the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" ( A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you), the statement by Jesus in the Gospel of John (13:34) by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet. William Blake wrote a poem on Maundy Thursday.

Neither of those passages mention snow...



Since the weather for today says 20+ cm of snow, we had to cancel services tonight... /sigh

The Easter Bunny Might be Missing Eggs

http://thirdeyedumb.com/2007/04/egg_stacker.html

Holy Week Drama- Cranford UMC 2004

This is very well done... watch it through.

How To Change Acoustic Guitar Strings - Part 1

HERE is the guy I was talking about below. He offers free lessons. I found out about him a few days ago listening to NPR (the USA equivalent to CBC) in a report given on YouTube and guitar lessons. Here is the link to the report I first heard http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9291453

I got so enthusiastic that I thought many would be interested in this.

Guitar Lesson

There are lots of YouTube Guitar lessons online. This one is just one, I know that there is a great African guitarist who offers all the lessons for free.

For those Camp Brookwood youth this is a great way to start to get ready for playing at Camp!

Prayer Request

I ask your prayers each day, and particularly Thursday morning, for Marina. She will be having a mastectomy that day due to cancer.

This is the second parishioner with Breast Cancer this month. If you feel so called, and the Lord does encourage giving alms as an act of sacrifice, please give Lenten Alms to the Breast Cancer Foundation.

Groening's Apple Add

Matt Groening helped advertise Macs back in '89, Matt of course being the famous creator of the 18 year old "Simpsons". Check it!

Passion / Palm Sunday

The sermon was based on today's Passion Gospel: Luke 22:12-23:56

Sermon: (ugh did this the long "FTP" way) http://www.pastorpainter.com/VOICE025.MP3




[having problems uploading the MP3 Sermon with Blogger... AGAIN! ... I swear if I can figure out how to use Wordpress I will switch ASAP]

Sliding Priest

Camp Brookwood Sliding

Before the Sleepover the Brookwood Crew took to the Hill... or was it a road? Either way they had a blast.

Pastor Painter: An April Fool