Monday, April 14, 2025

April "Showers"

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.



Rev. G. Grant Wilson - pulpit supply on Palm Sunday

On the theme of "it never rains but it pours" April has turned into a very busy month at SPPC.

Of course, it is the month of Easter, so we have special services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Not to mention Bible Study and Choir Practice, and the Jesus is Lord Congregation's usage.

In addition, Canada is in the midst of an election. Our building is being used as a voting place. That means extra meetings hosted by North Saanich Council and the North Saanich Residents Association. Then, Monday, April 28 the building is used by Elections Canada from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. No excuse not to vote!

Not only that, SPPC is going to the movies. A film crew have been in most of last week using the Molloy Hall. Illness interupted their schedule so they'll be back later. More excitement!

The month kicked off with a Sunshine Lunch. 



Thanks, Joan, for sharing your pictures, and for putting on the lunch. The Sunshine Lunch may be an unsung hero at SPPC but it is a ray of light and love to the people it serves.



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Holy Week Services:

          

Maundy Thursday, 6:00 pm, Communion in the Upper Room
 
Good Friday, 10:00 am Worship Service with readings and string quartet playing "Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross" by Haydn
                                    
Easter Sunday, 8:00 am, Cy Hampson Park, "sunrise" service
                           9:00 am, Breakfast in the hall
                          10:00 am, Morning worship - Christ is Risen

Monday, April 7, 2025

Seize the Day

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here




Today's post was written by our clerk of session. 


Sieze the day!
Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
Make the best of it.
Inspired!
What title shall I give this blog? I had no idea but started writing anyway.
This really was written on the spur of the moment while sitting on the waterfront in Sidney.
It was Tuesday morning and I was out  enjoying a lovely walk, so how is this important? It’s not really but for some reason, something in my head said, write a post for the SPPC blog.


I was enjoying the warmth of the sun, the seagulls squawking and gliding over the sparkling ocean, the blossoms in the gardens and on the trees even the sound of a number of lawn mowers, all busily tidying up the grounds. It was just beautiful.


 I actually had 3 appointments booked for that morning but had caught a cold and was feeling pretty awful, achy, snuffly, runny nose and runny eyes and just felt blah and of course I was infectious too and so I cancelled all my appointments!
Any how, I still had to go out and so off I went to drop off a package and then I decided to go via Tim’s on the way home for a London Fog to take home and enjoy.


Instead, after getting my drink, I went and sat on the waterfront, did my daily puzzles and soaked up the sun. How warm it was, in fact too warm sitting in the car and so I went for a walk, what a beautiful experience it was.
At times like these, hymns come to mind and today was no different, the one that came to me on this occasion was:

  

I sing the mighty pow’r of God, that made the mountains rise,            That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies               I sing the wisdom that ordained  the sun to rule the day.                      The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

 I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.   

There’s not a plant or flow’r below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;                     And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God, art present there.


 



Maybe that, something that came into my head, was God talking to me and inspiring me to share this experience with you. Praise God for His awesome creation. 

I came home almost 3 hours later feeling considerably refreshed in many ways and was actually breathing better. God is so good!


Ed. Note: Thank you, Janet, for sharing your soul-lifting experience. "Whatsoever things are lovely"