Fr. Victor Li
Pastoral Message
for Sunday,
July 25, 2021
Happy Summer everyone,
This week, we read the story
of David and
Bathsheba. If you
wonder why on earth we are
reading it for Sunday
worship, it is part of the
larger narrative in
explaining Solomon's
succession to the throne of
David. Yes, we should
feel uneasy about this
particular episode of King
David's life. Is it
adultery or rape by royal
decree? I invite you
to read further or take
listen to my reflection:
"How the Mighty have
Fallen - Part 2"
For those who wish to join
in worship via Zoom together
at 10:00 am this Sunday
(live),
please refer to the
instruction on the second
page of the Order of Service
at the link below. Do join
the meeting earlier to visit
with one another -- the Zoom
meeting will be open after
9:40 am.
If you cannot join us on
Sunday morning live, please
follow the Home Worship
materials at your
convenience. Do click
on the links for the hymns
to listen & sing
along! Check also the
announcements for important
updates.
God's Blessings and Peace be
with you all !
Fr. Victor
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The Right Rev.
Andrew Asbil
Bishop
Andrew's Latest
Message to
the
Diocese
posted Friday,
July 23, 2021
Dear Friends in Christ,
July 20th. Some dates
hold a deep significance
for each of us. In our
family one of those
dates is July 20th. On
that day the Apollo 11
module landed on the
moon in 1969. For those
of us old enough to
remember, we know
exactly where we were
when the event took
place. We were on
vacation in Cap a
L’Aigle, Quebec. We
watched on a little
black and white
television set that had
rabbit ears. Neil
Armstrong would take one
small step, one giant
leap for humankind...
Continue
reading here →
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Margaret Black
Tri-Churches Parish Nurse
Your
latest Parish Nursing
Health Tip
posted on June 12, 2021
A Different
Pandemic
As
if COVID-19 weren’t
enough, we now have a
new pandemic of hatred
and destruction.
Within 2 weeks we have
learned of a mass grave
at a former Indigenous
residential school
containing the remains
of 215 unidentified
children, and a family
out for an evening walk
murdered by a
20-year-old white man
with a truck due to
Islamophobia. I feel as
if I am swimming in an
ocean of grief for those
who have been
irrevocably hurt and
guilt because I am a
white person with a
British heritage.
So I am seeking answers
and a way forward.
First, I am very
grateful for family
members and friends from
different backgrounds.
In my family are
children who are part
Asian, part Black, and
Metis and they are all
wonderful people whom we
dearly love. And I have
Muslim neighbours who
are very good friends,
always bringing me food
when they have a family
BBQ and waiting to
invite me over again
when COVID is gone.
Having all these people
in my life is a truly
enriching experience.
The residential school
system is a more
complicated matter that
weighs all of us
down. The fact
that these things were
happening at the
direction of the
Canadian government
without our awareness,
and worse still that the
churches were involved,
is beyond terrible.
How can these things
happen?
I believe that hatred is
the offspring of fear.
We are afraid of things
we don’t understand, of
changes that may
negatively affect us, of
not being in control. So
we build up terrible
negative stereotypes in
our minds and seek to
destroy the things we
feel threatened by.
Hatred and
discrimination destroy
not only those who are
the objects of hatred
but also the haters.
Regardless of whether
they ever face legal
justice, the haters live
in self-imposed prisons
for life. This is
not the Canada I
understood as I was
growing up, and not the
Canada I want to
live in now.
So how can we change
things for the better?
I think the key is
working hard not only to
recognize our potential
hidden biases, but also
to ensure we open
ourselves to learn about
those who are different.
Under the skin we are
all children of God. The
Bible is full of stories
about helping others
(e.g. the Good
Samaritan). Jesus
summarized all the law
and the prophets into
the Two Great
Commandments: Love God
first with all our
heart, soul, mind, &
strength: and second,
Love our neighbours as
ourselves. This may not
be easy but it is the
way forward.
Even if we have never
had negative thoughts
about others, terrible
wrongs have been done in
our society and we need
to acknowledge that to
the victims and to work
hard to change a culture
that allows these things
to happen. Only then can
begin to heal and go
forward in unity.
Let us all pray for
God’s guidance, strength
and patience to help us.
Margaret Black
Tri-Churches Parish
Nurse
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