Coming Up at All Saints
Well, I think we can safely say winter is very much here. I hope none of you were stuck in the nightmare of Tuesday night’s travel chaos. It was truly shocking to see just how vulnerable we are. I have read stories of people stuck for hours with their small children, a diabetic stuck on the Port Mann bridge who ran out of snacks and was becoming seriously unwell, an older couple who were not dressed well enough for the cold and who became stuck for hours. It’s scary stuff. However in all these cases, strangers came to the rescue. Someone invited the family with kids into their home, gave them dinner and made them welcome until 2 am when things started moving. The diabetic put out a plea on social media and a fellow frozen commuter walked halfway across the bridge to find them and bring them hot chocolate, food and a blanket and the older couple too were given everything they needed by the Sikh community who were walking along the lines of cars and inviting everyone to the temple for hot food and tea. Lately it’s been so easy to look at the TV for five minutes and feel complete despair for the future of humanity. Hearing this kind of thing just fills me with hope and reassurance that there are many, many good, generous and kind people around. They just don’t make as much noise (or grab the attention of the media) as those who are … less so. So, thank God for that. Hope is replenished and a little goes a very long way.
Tomorrow, Saturday 3 December at 11 am - we meet to remember Maren Lipton and all the good she brought to the world. If you plan to attend, please consider staying a while and helping with clean-up after the reception. Help is a little thin on the ground just now and any assistance you can offer would be very much appreciated.
On Sunday our services are at 8.30 am and 10 am as usual. Reverend Robin is preaching and presiding.
On Wednesday 7 December at 10 am we have our midweek Eucharist and Bible Study which is still going strong and welcoming new people. You have a standing invitation.
Some dates for your diary:
Tuesday 13 December at 6 pm - Men’s Fellowship Dinner
Sunday 18 December at 10 am - A Service of 9 Lessons and Carols
Tuesday 20 December 6 pm - Christmas Community Meal
Saturday 24 December at 7 pm - Family Service with Carols
Christmas Day at 10 am - Family Service with Carols.
Sunday 22 January - Robin’s last Sunday at All Saints with a celebration following the 10 am service.
My own plans for this chilly weekend are to hold a book while repeatedly opening the door for a meowing cat who then walks away in the wrong direction before returning to repeat the process. Swine animal. One day I’ll just plonk him out there and leave him to it. I mean, obviously I won’t, what I mean is that I’ll threaten to do it many times and never ever actually go through with it while being haunted by a kind of ghost-guilt at thought of what would happen if I did (see haunting images below).
