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Mark your calendars for Friday, May 27 at 6:00 pm. We're having a potluck supper.
These kinds of gatherings have a very long history in the church. Even Paul admonishes the church in Corinth that all members should share their meal together, not one eating early and another becoming drunk and another left hungry. It seems that congregation could learn a lesson from SPPC. Our potlucks are a feast for all with plates overflowing and plenty of left overs.
Down through the ages, congregations have gathered together as friends to share food and fellowship. The word potluck itself was first recorded in 1585. Over time these meals evolved from a sharing of simple food to hearty country fare or to elegant dishes served in sumptuous surroundings. They migrated from indoors to backyards, to barn raisings, to riverbanks, to penthouses. A google search of "church potluck" turned up 1,830,000 replies, not to mention the hundreds of cookbooks promoting the "best potluck recipes" ever.
During the nineteenth century a new wrinkle was added to potlucks, as well as bringing food, guests were required to provide entertainment. And that's what we're doing at SPPC on May 27. Following the meal, the Living Flame choir, with help from the senior choir, will present Jonah Man Jazz, by Michael Hurd. But the entertainment isn't limited to the choirs. Guests are invited to polish up their party piece and add their names to the program.
Fun, food, fellowship and praise to the Lord, plus it's all free. What more could you ask?
For more details or to volunteer contact the church office at 250 656-2241
Why is it that some Sundays, the worship service lifts you from your everyday concerns, strengthens you for the coming week and fills you with hope? Other times, nothing seems to click. For help with this question I asked Edna Kirk, prayer leader, study leader and minister's wife, for some assistance. Here's what she said.
It is a very true saying that you get out of a thing what you put into it. This also applies to church going and worship. How many of us pray about the service and our approach to it? How many of us pray for our minister that he/she will know God’s guidance as they lead us in worship?
In one Bible Study I attended we were asked to prepare a worship service – choose a theme, the hymns, write prayers and a sermon AND then conduct the service. Those who participated realized how much thought, effort and prayer went into each Sunday service and they appreciated their minister’s work more.
Praying about the service beforehand helps to get us more involved and more aware of what God is saying to us through the words of the hymns, anthems, prayers and the sermon. Next time you go to a church service look for the theme running through it and what God may want you to learn from it that will help you in your daily living.
Cold and damp on Easter morning in Cy Hampson Park. No sunrise, but the Son has risen. He is risen, indeed.
What a glorious morning!
We began Easter Week yesterday with the celebration of Palm Sunday, that strange day in the Christian calendar, which begins with the shouting of Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, and ends with Holy Communion, a remembrance of the Last Supper Jesus shared with His disciples. From here on, we move through Holy Week, descending to the pain of betrayal, entering into the fear of the upper room, sharing the darkness of Gethsemane and huddling in despair at the foot of the Cross.
But for us, an Easter people, the Cross is not the end of our journey. Out of the darkness, we move forward into light, celebrating the joy of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and the proclamation that "He is Risen. He is risen indeed! Hallelujah."
Listed below are opportunities at SPPC to share the moments leading up to that joyful Easter morning. All are welcome.
Mon., April 19, 9:00 am -- Devotional time in the sanctuary
Tues., April 20, 9:00 am -- Devotional time in the sanctuary
Wed., April 21, 9:00 am -- Devotional time in the sanctuary
Thur., April 22, 6:00 pm -- Maundy meal, Molloy Hall
Fri., April 23, 10:00 am --Good Friday church service with
community churches held at
Fellowship community church,
7820Central Saanich Rd.
Sunday, April 24, 7:00 am -- Easter Sunday sunrise service in
Hampson Park.
9:00 am -- Breakfast Molloy Hall
10:00 am -- Easter Sunday Worship
Bible Study continues on Wed. April 20, 9:30 am . in Ross Lounge and 7:00 pm at the home of Edna Kirk
I think I have been at SPPC about 14 years, give or take a few. ( I came just after Rev. Barb became pastor.) .My background is long and varied,(including time in the mission field) however, I moved to the Island from Abbotsford when I retired from my job as office clerk in my daughters business. I came to SPPC because my son, Hugh, really liked the people and the service. He was living with me and he felt accepted and loved by the people of the church. Also, my background is Presbyterian so I also felt “at home”.
My favourite part of SPPC is the Wednesday morning Bible Study. The in-depth study of God’s Word under the insightful explanations of Rev. Irwin are so meaningful. The small group discussions are most helpful and a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other and offer personal experiences we can apply to everyday living.
All the Bible Studies are excellent, but this current study of Romans is special as it is a difficult book to understand. It is spelling out our need for salvation and how to obtain it in a very clear and understandable way. Rev.Irwin takes the hard parts and makes them clear. It is the best day of the week.
by Norma Scott
Twice a year, in April and October, the Mission and Outreach Committee of SPPC promote the "Warm Toes" project. Warm Toes consists of a pair of warm socks (Capitol Iron or Mark's Workwear World are good places to shop).
Lay one sock out flat, roll up the other and stuff it into the toe of the first sock.
Fill the rest of the sock with small size personal care items like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and the like. Shopper's Drug Mart has lots of sample sizes for sale, or travellers may have picked up soaps and shampoos at hotels.
Knot the top of the sock and, behold, one completed "warm toes" offering. Bring your socks to the church anytime during April. By the end of the month SPPC expects to have several large bags of socks. Once they are dedicated by Rev. Irwin, they will be delivered to Our Place in Victoria.
The Our Place centre includes a health and hygiene area where those living on the street can come for a shower --as many as 50-70 a day. Each person is offered a change of clean clothing and warm socks. That's where our "warm toes" offerings end up.
There is also a Foot Care Program offered for those with foot problems. Twelve health care students from the University of Victoria give foot care four mornings a week. Clean, dry socks are supplied following treatments. So the need for socks is great. Used clothing and towels, are also welcome.
To learn more about Our Place, visit ourplacesociety.com.
Norma Scott is an elder, a Sunday School Teacher, and a passionate believer in the church's mission to serve the world.
by Anne MacKinnon
For a long time Rev. Irwin and session members have tried to select a suitable time and place for a session retreat. However, this has not happened as we all seemed to have different agendas. How do International Conferences ever manage to get hundreds of delegates together when eight people have such trouble? Our solution was to study a course Experiencing God for two hours every Wednesday afternoon for twelve weeks. The primary author of this course is Henry Blackaby. He writes, "Experiencing God was my life message . . . This is how I had pastored and guided God's people." There are twelve short videos accompanying the course in which Henry Blackaby and his son Richard preach the message of each week and share a great many personal experiences. Blackaby has a systematic approach in this course. Basically, he gives seven steps which must be followed in order for us to reach our goal of experiencing God in a very real and personal way. The course was not meant to bring a person to Christ, but to deepen the relationship with Him. Hence the title -- it is not learning about God but experiencing His power in our lives. There is a fair amount of home study involved -- approximately one hour each day. Some weeks it also involves showing a DVD. Although it has a strong Baptist flavour, I think many churches might find the course interesting and worthwhile. Since its publication in 1990, it has gone worldwide, has been published in 47 languages, and has been used by almost every denomination. I think the course can be regarded as a starting point for a whole new adventure in walking with God each day.
