What’s Going On at All Saints

It’s a beautiful day in Ladner today. The May Days event is being prepared up at Memorial Park - rides are being set up (seemingly WAY too fast for my comfort and safety), stalls are being built and there is loud music and a general air of hard physical work and a sincere desire to stop having to do this stuff. I do not envy these men and women. I’m sure it’s nice to travel all around BC but at what cost?

yeah, this pretty much sums up the whole experience

When I was about sixteen I worked at what we fondly called a “tourist attraction” ie a hugely over built area that was once one of natural beauty and is now a place where visitors and their cash part company. Fast. Anyway - this place had what was described as a “genuine old fashioned carousel” thus giving the impression that it was actually old. It wasn’t. For a start it had a remote control, not to mention the fact that the horses were made of a remarkably heat absorbent plastic, cleverly designed to cause maximum discomfort when you sat on it, and to remove at least one layer of skin when you peeled yourself off at the end of the massively underwhelming ride. Obviously to maintain the maximum impression of authenticity however, the music was the gratingly traditional pipe organ stuff on a constant loop. I worked on this thing once a week. Only once a week. But oh joy! Even when I wasn’t physically anywhere near it I could still ‘hear’ the music. I dreamed about it. I heard it when I was entirely immersed in water at the beach. Lucky me having such an excellent internal stereo system. I think I have aural PTSD from that summer … anyway - this is all said in an effort to remind you that the May Days Parade will be happening on Sunday so you can keep your parking spot at church and enjoy the parade passing by from the comfort of the parish hall, tea and cookies in hand.

Bringing our best singing voices

This Sunday is Ascension Day. Our services are as usual - at 8.30 and 10 am. However we WILL all be bringing our best singing voices to the second service. Jennifer, our musician, is away this Sunday so be warned - there are less hymns and what there is will be sung a cappella.

Just a reminder - as is the new normal, you are invited to place your donations and envelopes on the bronze collection plates located at the back of the church as you arrive for the service. During the Offertory Hymn the collection plate will be processed up to the altar by the Crucifer (when present) and one of the Ushers (usually Mitch G) in time for the Prayer Over the Gifts. The option to donate via Pre Authorized Donations (PAD) or online also remains a vital and meaningful way to contribute financially to the ministry of the church. The Collection Plate represents the contribution of all our gifts offered online or in-person.

The primary reason for this slight change is to place a greater emphasis on the gifts that we bring before God. All of us are called to contribute and participate in the ministry of the Church to the best of our ability, and all gifts are worthy of our thanks and are an acceptable offering to God. For this reasoning, it is fitting to provide some dignity and grace to the gifts offered to God for God’s Mission.

Robin will be away at a clergy conference in Whistler until Thursday. We pray he will return refreshed and rejuvenated after some time spent in such a beautiful place with his peers.

Speaking of people who are going away - Cam - our live streaming camera guy - will be heading off to Europe on Wednesday. We will pray for him too - for safety and for an exciting time of adventure and self discovery. I won’t pretend I’m not envious. He’ll be visiting some family in England first so I’m jealously imagining toasted tea cakes, beautiful historic buildings and drunk people screeching in the street. Ah England, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

On Wednesday at 7 pm Parish Council meets in the Narthex. As usual, this meeting is open for anyone to attend and observe. Minutes of these meetings are available in the hall if you wish to read them.

Pentecat.

Don’t forget - next Sunday (5 June) is Pentecost so you will want to dig out those red shirts/blouses which you hung up so carefully after Pentecost last year.

Finally - the Men’s Fellowship will be meeting on Tuesday 7 June at 6 pm. Sign up at Church or call Cliff or the office for more info.

Enjoy your weekend!