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CURRENT EDITION

Rev. Dr. Michael Thompson, Rector

Last night was the last night of "Rainbows" at St. Jude's. Starting in January and for fourteen weeks, our members provided a safe place for seventeen children and young people to work through the impact of a loss (through separation, divorce, or death) on their lives. The programme is growing each year, and it's a part of the ministry of St. Jude's Church in response to the covenant of our baptism.

Each Thursday, one of our clergy, with a musician and communion assistant, celebrates communion in a local seniors' residence. In some cases, additional volunteers show up early to help residents with limited mobility get to the service. Part of "Sharing in Caring", the umbrella for pastoral care at St. Jude's, this is part of our ministry in response to the covenant of our baptism.

Now that the weather is warmer, the Memorial Garden outside my window will have more visitors, but they come in winter, too. They come to remember loved ones whose ashes have been interred there. Together with the annual Memorial Eucharist, celebrated for the first time two years ago, the Garden is part of the ministry of St. Jude's in response to the covenant of our baptism.

On June 7, Bishop Michael Bird will be with us, joining the Parish Council for its meeting in the morning, and then meeting the whole parish in the afternoon. (Mark your calendars!) Bishop Michael comes to us as a gift from the wider "household" of the Diocese of Niagara to help us focus on our ministry as part of that diocese.

Next October, Bishop Mark MacDonald, the National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, will join us for "The Feast", an annual gathering for learning and growth in faith and discipleship. Bishop Mark comes to us as a gift from the wider "household" of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples to help us reflect on our communion with Anglicans and First Nations communities across Canada, part of our ministry in response to the covenant of our baptism.

In our baptism we were joined to Christ, made part of his body. The "member" we are is served by many other parts, just as the hand is served by nervous and circulatory systems, the knee by surrounding muscles and ligaments. The "member" we are also serves, as surely as the hand brings food to the mouth and our knee makes it possible for us to walk. That is to say, the heart of our life is found in our relationships, in how they support, transform, renew, and delight us, as well as challenge us, and sometimes make demands on us.

I wonder if we could begin to think about our financial support of St. Jude's in that way - as being about relationships. We are the church together, in relationship with one another, with people around us, and with the world. The point is not to give money to St. Jude's, but to participate financially in the way your community makes a difference in the lives of persons - of children, of elders, the vulnerable, the sick, the grieving, the poor. It is tiresome and inaccurate to ask members to give money to the church, as if there were some "church" that isn't us - you and me and all of us gathered to learn and follow the servant way of Jesus.

As the rector of this parish, I see the good that our wealth, pooled for a purpose, does. Sometimes I am privileged to be the agent of that good. Often it is another who carries out our common service. Often it is accomplished as one among us, shaped by the ethic of compassion, justice, and truth embodied in Jesus, lives by that ethic in a household, workplace or neighbourhood. It would be a delight not to worry about this wealth, pooled for a purpose, but the reality is that we are several thousand dollars short of revenue we need to sustain this ministry. And that means either some people carrying a bigger burden (doing more with less), or just simply doing less. I don't think either of those things is what people want to say about our common life.

Some things to think about:

If you contribute through Pre-Authorized Payment, and have not changed that amount for, say, three years, the purchasing power of that contribution has declined by over 9 per cent according to the Consumer Price Index. There are in our body members who cannot contribute more. There are others who can. For people who can, and who want to be part of how God meets and transforms lives through relationships, please take this opportunity. Call Julie Hudak in the office. She can help you make the difference you want to make.

If you did not return a pledge card, please remember those entrusted with financial responsibility in our midst. When we simply don't know if there will be enough money to support the salaries, expenses, and resources that make it possible for our parish to participate in how God meets and transforms lives through relationships, when we wonder if there will be too much month at the end of the money, it is hard to approach our work with confidence and joy.

If you have not considered proportional giving, please consider it. Proportional giving means that those blessed with greater wealth offer more, just as a strong back lifts more weight and nimble fingers type faster. Proportionate giving (giving a percentage of income) does not work for everyone, but it's a good place for many of us to begin.

If your financial capacity is stretched by household costs or a fixed income, don't forget that the most important thing you give is your presence in worship. There you encourage others and bear witness in the world to the presence and purposes of God in its midst. This is a message to the whole body about the whole work we do, not shaming the ear for not being a thumb.

It is a true privilege to serve in this place with you. There is an abundant kindness and encouragement here. Figuring out the money angle takes time for each of us, so let me conclude by thanking you for putting into practice what you have figured out so far. All those things I wrote about at the beginning happen because of our members. God is at work in our midst and in the world through our common life and service. "Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine."

Next Newsletter Deadline will be Tuesday, July 29th . Submissions and reports should be in the office on or before this date for insertion in the August Newsletter. Thanks

Rev. Aaron Orear, Assistant Curate

Mutuall Societie, Helpe, and Coumfort

One of my great joys as assistant curate at St. Jude's is the number of weddings that I am involved in. Couples come to St. Jude's for all manner of reasons, seeking a community to bless their marriage. Some are here because of a family connection, some because we have a beautiful building, and some because the Anglican tradition is able to serve as a bridge between Protestant and Roman Catholic backgrounds and expectations. The reasons people come to St. Jude's to be married are as numerous as the couples themselves.

What is even more interesting, at least to me, is why they are looking to be married anywhere, and particularly in the church. Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of marriage, and very happily married myself. I don't doubt the value, the grace really, of marriage. I'm just fascinated by what it means to couples, and what leads them in particular to seek the church's blessing in a post-Christian culture.

The fact of modern life, whether we like it or not, is that the status of marriage has changed. It used to be that a couple had to be married in order for society to accept their living together, raising children, etc. However much we may (or may not) want to return to that standard, it is no longer viewed as a necessity by society as a whole. Unmarried couples cohabitate, have children, get joint checking accounts - all the stuff that used to be reserved for married couples - and are accepted with nary a blink.

What, then, impels so many couples to our doorstep to be married under the auspices of the church? I ask this of every couple I interview during marriage preparation. It must be more than parental or grandparental pressure (though that is often cited) yet very few of the couples describe themselves as being "religious" (whatever that means) much less as regular churchgoers. Some say that they've always wanted a "church wedding," and some say that they want to be married in the presence of God (as if God lives only in the church building).

Many couples at some point say that it's "the right thing to do," that God has some rules and those rules need to be followed. Whether or not this is said as part of a Please-the-Priest game, it's almost always a dominant theme and I think it's the most arresting answer. Marriage as a set of rules, a sort of constricting boundary, seems a meagre response to love. I find it sad that couples view the most treasured, intimate, sustaining and loving union of their life as something done simply to appease a strict, rule-making God.

Mind, I don't blame the young couples who say these things. They may well be trying to say the "right" thing to the guy in the collar, and even if they believe it they've probably been given little other justification for getting hitched. "Because you have to" is about the only message the church has broadcast on the subject for some time now. We've long been the arbiter of social mores, and as such we spent a lot of time telling people what they ought not do (with an almost indecent focus on sex) and what they ought to do (mostly, toe the line).

The 1549 Book of Common Prayer called matrimony "a remedie agaynst sinne…to avoide fornicacion." How romantic. Imagine the anniversary card: "Thank you for helping me avoid fornication, dear." Fortunately, Archbishop Cranmer didn't stop there. In a more modern version of his prose, from our own 1962 BCP:

Matrimony was ordained for the hallowing of the union betwixt man and woman; for the procreation of children to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord; and for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, in both prosperity and adversity.

These words, which survive from Cranmer's 1549 edition, were clearly written by a married man. "Mutuall societie, helpe, and coumfort" - a source of strength and a soothing balm in a hard world. A hallowed union - a union made holy, good and life-giving. These are things to stir our souls, whatever our attitude about unmarried couples.

Ultimately, this is one of the more favourable effects of the end of Christendom, the close pairing of church and state under which everyone was Christian and church attendance was required for social acceptance. True, our pews are no longer full, but neither are they full of people there by compunction. True, fewer couples get married, but the ones who do can now treat their marriage as a "mutuall societie, helpe, and coumfort," rather than as a dour "remedie agaynst sinne."

This isn't only good news for couples - it's good news for the church. Freed from our former role as guardians of the "rules," no longer the arbiters of social conformity, the church is able to turn attention toward the good, sustaining, energizing, joyful - hallowed, even - state of marriage. Likewise, we no longer have to sell church as an onerous Sunday obligation. Instead we can celebrate Christian discipleship and the community of faith as the lively, powerful, inspiring and empowering experience of God's work in our lives.

We might even realize, for ourselves and for the world, that life in Christ is a potent mutuall societie, helpe, and coumfort through this troublous life.

Warden's Report

Some of you may be asking yourselves "Why is the Rector asking for money? Shouldn't this come from the Wardens?

Over the past four years Stewardship Development at St. Jude's has intentionally focused on stewardship as a way of life and not a once-a-year fundraising activity. Through teachings from our clergy, stories and reflections of our members, small group studies, fellowship with each other, and the many hours contributed by our dedicated staff and volunteers we learn that stewardship is a way of life. A way of life in which we use all of the resources entrusted to us by God for the advancement of his mission in the world.

For us as followers of Christ, this way of life can be thought of as an attitude - one that influences our daily choices. We get our first understanding of stewardship in Genesis. God is the Creator, everything belongs to God, we are to be faithful stewards of all that God has created, taking care of God's creation includes concern for our environment, our fellow human beings, and ourselves. From this first stewardship story we see that activities have been touched by God, and how we view stewardship is very much related to our relationship to God.

In the 2007 small group sessions on stewardship, we learned that "Stewardship is the sustained lifelong habit of deciding what purpose we will serve, and more importantly, what power beyond us is trustworthy". We learned that although financial resources are an important aspect of the annual giving campaign, the more fundamental question for us to explore was "What does it mean to trust God with my life? Stewardship was not about getting people to give money to St. Jude's, but rather to understand "What purpose will we serve with the resources entrusted to our household?" These were clearly spiritual decisions!

Research tells us that we do not drift into good giving habits. We decide into them. The reason we decide is because someone asks us to decide. For us at St. Jude's this decision to give is very much a spiritual decision requiring God's guidance and the wisdom of our clergy.

Respectfully,

Cheryl Hudson Rick Dixon
Rector's Warden People's Warden

From Rev. Martha Tatarnic…

Yes, I am coming back.
That is the short answer to the Number One Most Frequently Asked Question I encounter.
And Cecilia is wonderful.
That would be the answer to the Close Second Most Frequently Asked Question.
It has been quite a year: becoming a new mother, adjusting to a pace of life that is far different from any I have ever lived before, experiencing the joys and worries of watching my daughter grow and hoping against hope that I'm not doing something horribly wrong, and also, increasingly wondering what professional life will look like when maternity leave comes to an end.

When I left last May, it was an open-ended departure. There were 'good-bye's and 'best of luck's, but it was unclear whether or not I would be coming back to St. Jude's a year later, and as many of you know from seeing me around, I continued to worship at St. Jude's on a semi-regular basis over the course of my leave. As I write this, I am one month away from the magical date of May 19th, which will be exactly a year since I left and is therefore logically my start-back date.

I will be coming back to St. Jude's, but there is a similar level of open-endedness and uncertainty to my return as there was to my departure. I will be coming back, but my job portfolio will be different, and the length of time that I will be with you before moving on to another parish is anybody's guess. As much as the lack of certainty I can grasp onto at this juncture of my life holds great potential for personal anxiety. There is much to be grateful for as well, and there is also an obvious metaphor in all of this for the mostly blind-folded, stumbling in the dark, leaping in the abyss and trusting that God will catch us, reality that so often typifies our journey of faith. (No doubt about it, this scenario that I am currently living will make its way into future sermons).

It has been a wonderful year. Motherhood is a miraculous journey. Cecilia is happy and well and beautiful. She is exploring the world in amazing ways, and Dan and I are filled with constant awe at the privilege of getting to watch - and help - her develop and grow. At the same time, I am looking forward to going back to work. I have felt blessed beyond measure by my participation in the life of St. Jude's community -- the support that has been given to me, the faithfulness modelled for me, the kindness and compassion and joy surrounding me is astounding, and it cannot be anything other than a good thing to be able to come back to this community for whatever length of time.

So, I am beginning to make plans. As I mentioned previously, my portfolio will be a different one when I return. I will be engaging in 'projects' - projects that I can initiate and in which I can invest on a shorter-term basis. I have several ideas brewing, but here are two of the projects I invite you to consider, because maybe these are projects that you might feel an affinity for, have ideas about, or energy toward.

The main piece of work in which I will be engaging is to begin a children's program for the 11am service. I have frequented the 11:00 service through this past year as a parishioner for whom the time slot has happened to work out better for Cecilia's schedule than the 9:30. It has been my observation that there are always about half a dozen or so other young families attending this service, and I assume it is for similar reasons. I am looking at modifying a program that will engage children in a structure of prayer, storytelling, reflection and play that will mirror the structure of our adult worship, and I will be approaching people to be involved in this vitally important ministry.

During the summer, we merge the two 9:30 and 11:00 congregations into one joint 10am service. This is a perfect opportunity to begin to try out this new program. Through the summer then, the children's program that we offer will eventually become the 11:00 children's program.

To our families with children, please consider making a point of continuing to attend church through the summer and involving your children in this initiative. We all benefit when we take seriously our participation and joint responsibility in investing in the faith formation of our young people.

The other project to consider is one for the teenagers in our congregation. I will be offering a week long Spirituality and Leadership course for our young people (anyone starting Grade 8 and up this fall). The tentative dates for this week are July 21st to July 25th and there will be a mix of fun and reflection, activity and relaxation. If you are interested in participating, please mark these dates in your calendars and talk to me so I can begin to get a sense of numbers. My hope is that this will be a thought-provoking week for those involved, but that it will also be a thought-provoking week for me as I hear from you your thoughts, questions, hopes, ideas, connections and disconnections in your relationship with God and your relationship with our church community. More information will follow about this week.

In conclusion, it has been a lovely experience to sit in the pews of St. Jude's with Cecilia over the past year and to worship in this community as a parishioner, to see the worship through a different lens, and to introduce my daughter to the rhythm and beauty of our Anglican prayer. And at the same time, I look forward to re-joining you to worship and offer ministry once again in the role of priest.

Martha

ABOUT ST JUDE'S ACW

Recently, I was asked by a couple of parishioners, "What does the ACW do with the money it raises?" On pondering this question I realized that if one person asked this question, how many other members of St Jude's do not know what we do with the money we raise?

Well, let me assure you that we don't "sock" it away for a rainy day or invest it. The mission of the ACW is to find ways to raise money that will assist the Church, the local community at home as well as communities abroad.

We strive to turn a large portion of this money back into the Church to make purchases that might other wise be cut, as there is not enough money in the budget. We top up the Crisis Fund when there is a shortage. The new small print hymn books were purchased this year on a request from the Church.

Twice a year we make financial donations to different organizations that depend on help from groups such as ours. One of these organizations is The Northern Clergy Wives and I don't mean "northern", as in Sudbury or Sault St. Marie. I mean "northern" as in the remote areas of the Great White North, where they see more snow and ice than they do green grass and where once the snow starts falling getting provisions is more than a little difficult. For these families a pound of margarine costs $6.99. A pound of coffee costs $9.99 a pound. A bottle of pop is a luxury. Our contribution helps to lighten their load. It may allow them to make a trip south for a vacation, to buy the things we take for granted.

We also make a contribution to St. Mathew's House in Hamilton, one of the Anglican Churches' outreach facilities located in the poorest area of Southern Ontario. This facility feeds and clothes many of the homeless and working poor in the city. Their clientele are allowed to visit them once a month for help with food and clothing. They also offer free legal counseling one evening a week. As the nice weather approaches they prepare to send children who normally could not afford it, to summer camps. We also make donations to Ian Anderson House, Well Spring, Grace House, Sleeping Children Around the World, Salvation Army and many others.

I hope that I have provided you with a look through the window into the workroom of the ACW. and that I have made you feel that we are indeed taking care of the needs of others less fortunate.

Ardyce Warren

The Abbeyfield Adventure Resumed

In the last newsletter, Margaret and Andrew Brockett called attention to the beliefs that motivate the work of Abbeyfield International. They had volunteered to spend a year at Abbeyfield Burnaby, an outreach project of St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church. After two months they reached the conclusion that their way of working was not acceptable to the House Manager and their position untenable, so they resigned and left the House in the middle of March. It was their opinion that the House in Burnaby was being operated along lines that did not reflect the Abbeyfield principles.

As of April 12 and the result of a quite remarkable sequence of events, Margaret and Andrew now find themselves back at Abbeyfield Burnaby as volunteer resident coordinators/managers. Their task is to manage the House according to Abbeyfield principles and to attempt to rebuild the community such that it will attract new residents. They have been catapulted into this position by strong representation from many of the existing residents, their families and friends.

The task is a daunting one and the Brocketts are committed to working with a whole new group of volunteers towards realizing the Abbeyfield beliefs that:

1. Individuals can work together actively to help older people enjoy a secure and happy life in the companionship of a small house.

2. Older people have an important part to play in the lives of their families, friends and communities.

Freed from the restrictions which had been imposed upon them by the previous management, the residents are enjoying renewed responsibilities as Margaret and Andrew encourage them to take part in the everyday running of the household. Volunteers play a very important role in working with and facilitating tasks undertaken by residents rather than doing things for them.

The unique nature of an Abbeyfield House is that it is small - in the case of Burnaby, there are 20 residents which is more than most - and that it offers an affordable, homelike environment. The Brocketts are working towards that homelike atmosphere and praying that it will encourage new applications from those who are struggling alone with household management so that Abbeyfield Burnaby will, once again, become a vital and viable project.

Margaret and Andrew give thanks for all the support and encouragement of St. Jude's parishioners. They will continue to keep you abreast of events and the opportunities that might even exist for other parishioners to volunteer in the future.

Y E S !
Our Family Picnic is coming soon!
Sunday, June 22nd

HOT DOGS, ICE CREAM, SUNSHINE, LEMONADE, SUN HATS, CHILDRENS GAMES, & LIVE GOSPEL MUSIC IN THE GARDEN.

Bring all of your family for our very special annual Family Picnic following the 10:00 am service.

Working together with the gifts God has given us for the work God is calling us to do.

We want to bring to your attention that we are currently facing a regular support shortfall as of March 31, 2008 of just under $7,000. As we are sure you are all aware, receiving the income that has been pledged, and therefore budgeted, is essential to fulfill our commitment to the ways in which we hope to serve God and God's world in the months ahead. Please give prayerful consideration to helping us address this shortfall.

St. Jude's Stewardship Team

CARING FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT

St. Jude's is contributing to being a good steward for our environment by responsibly disposing of our used batteries. Batteries in landfills may produce the following potential problems or hazards:
" Pollute the lakes and streams as the metals vaporize into the air when burned.
" Contribute to heavy metals that potentially may leach from solid waste landfills.
" Expose the environment and water to lead and acid.
" Contain strong corrosive acids.
" May cause burns or danger to eyes and skin.
At St. Jude's we have a blue receptacle in the narthex and in the office for your used household batteries. We will take these to the hazardous waste facility in Halton to safely dispose of them.

National Aboriginal Day of Prayer Evensong
June 21 at 8:00 pm

On June 21st St. Jude's will hold a special Evensong in the Garden to mark National Aboriginal Day of Prayer.

June 21st is about celebrating the gifts of Indigenous people and giving thanks to God who has created the diversities of peoples of the world and gifted Aboriginal peoples of Canada with many treasures of wisdom, spirit and vision.

We would like to start to form relationships with our diocese and community neighbours as we prepare for the visit for Bishop Mark MacDonald the National Indigenous Bishop to our Feast weekend this coming October.

ACW Coming Events

FALL RUMMAGE SALE
Saturday, September 20th

CHRISTMAS FAYRE
Saturday, November 22nd

ST JUDE'S GARDEN GUILD

Mark your calendars - PLANT SALE
SATURDAY 10TH MAY, 9:00 - 11.30 a.m. Victoria Hall

PLANTS & TOOLS, ETC., APPRECIATED:
Do you have perennials in your garden that could be divided & contribute towards our Sale?? If so, we would love to hear from you, and receive them as soon as possible, please. If you would like us to send someone round to dig them up, please let us know.
Do you have any garden tools in your garage that you no longer use, and would be willing to donate to the Sale?? If so, we would be pleased to receive them (again, as soon as possible) for our "Garden Shed Sale" table on the 10th. Or nice quality pots, urns, equipment, or other garden accessories.... Again, we will be happy to collect.

For some while, now, we have been digging, dividing, potting, and generally obtaining a wonderful selection of plants for you to choose for your garden. PLEASE come along to our once-a-year Sale, and support your own St. Jude's Garden Guild; as the proceeds from this Sale will go towards offsetting many of the annual expenses necessary to maintain these glorious Gardens.

We enjoy what we do, and we welcome new members. Once the Plant Sale is over we meet every Thursday, from 9:00 till 11.30 a.m. - with coffee & cookies to round off the morning. This year we have many exciting projects, with our planned renovations & plantings - you may even feel you would like to make a contribution towards the cost? Any donation is greatly appreciated, and should be sent to Julie Hudak in the Church office (so that a tax receipt can be issued) - identified for the Garden Guild.

So, please enjoy the beauty of Springtime, and these lovely Gardens, with us.
Thank you.

Michael Lanning (905 338 8678)

Sundays@4

For two years, worship at St. Jude's has included "Fourth@4", a monthly gathering around musical and worship formats that include Jazz Vespers, Bach Cantatas, Holden Evening Prayer, and classic Anglican Evensong.

Beginning in September, Fourth@4 will grow into Sundays@4, offering a regular pattern of evening worship as follows:

Beginning on September 14 and on the second Sunday of October (12), November (9), and December (14):
Messy Church - a simple activity-based gathering for people of all ages in a setting that works well for children and those who love to be with them. In Victoria Hall.

Beginning on September 21, and on the third Sunday of October (19), and November (16) but NOT December:
The Classics - traditional evensong in the Anglican tradition and worship grounded in the Cantatas of J.S. Bach.

Beginning on September 28, and on the fourth Sunday of October (26) and November (23) but NOT December:
Slow Prayer - A quiet reflective hour with generous silences, and words and symbols to enliven the inwardness of our souls in an age of hurry and noise.

Beginning on October 5, and on the first Sunday of November (2) and December (7) but NOT September:
Jazz Vespers - worship that traces the freedom and discipline, the surprise and the familiar that makes jazz and life so richly complex and wonderfully simple.

Congratulations to Michael Thompson & Deborah Tregunno who will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary on August 6th .

Come paddle with us!

For the fourth year in a row, St. Jude's Paddlers - the "Hey Judes" - will compete in the Oakville Dragon Boat Festival. This year's race will take place on Sunday, August 17, 2008 at Kelso Conservation Park. You can find additional information on the website - www.oakvilledragon.com. All paddlers must be 14 and over.

The total cost is $75 per person, which includes a $40 Registration Fee and 8 practices which have already been scheduled on Thursday nights at 6:00 p.m. at the Burloak Canoe Club (150 Water Street, Oakville) on Navy Street from June 26th through August 14th.
If you have any questions, please call Judy McCracken, at 905-849-0704 or e-mail her at jm@cfpc.ca.

You may drop your cheque - made out to the Burloak Canoe Club - to Amy or Julie in the church office. Paddles up!

Summer Services

We begin our summer service schedule on June 22, 2008 with Sunday Services at 8:00 and 10:00 am. Wednesday midweek services at 10:30 am in the Church and 7:00 pm (beginning July 2nd ) in the Garden Chapel.

Summer Choir!

The summer is coming and you are invited to give your vocal chords an airing with the (sensational!) summer choir. All singers - from "tentative tenor" (excuse the oxymoron!) to "confident contralto" - are most welcome. We meet at 9:00 in preparation for the 10:00 service and sing a wide range of music! If you are in town for a portion of the summer and are interested in singing with our merry band of singers, please speak to Tom Bell, Director of Music. Thank you.

On Sunday May 11th we will celebrate Pentecost by joining together the 9.30 and 11.00 celebrations at a joint 10 am celebration. The red and yellow balloons are on order, and we will once again hear the story of the church in several languages spoken by members of our parish community. But it won't be complete without you, and we ask you again to wear something RED. For the modest, red socks, perhaps. But feel free to be bold, as we celebrate the day that the Holy Spirit came with power on t he timid disciples and sent them on an adventure that hasn't ended yet.

On Sunday May 11th, help us claim the Spirit of that adventure as an empowering truth in our life at St. Jude's. It's more than an occasion; it is the feast of the church's founding. It offers us each year an opportunity to draw on the ancient power that emboldened the first followers of Jesus, and to remember that this adventure is bigger than us, and yet includes and welcomes our gifts, our longings, and our heart's desire, things that we can scarcely put into words.

Let the organ rumble, the wind speak, the fire of faith kindle in and among us, the bread of Truth feed us and the wine of gladness warm us. Let us wear red to honour the Spirit who blows across the reed of our lives and through us speaks to the world of God's love and purpose, and of human dignity and delight.

On Sunday, May 11th, join us in this festival. Wear red, and wait with us for the new thing the Spirit is up to!

A Day with our Bishop - June 7

The new Bishop of Niagara, Michael Bird, will be at St. Jude's on Saturday, June 7 for a morning meeting with the Parish Council, and in the afternoon to meet the parish community. Bishop Michael will provide us all with some questions to explore in advance, about the purpose and shape of our common life, about our hopes as well as our worries, and about how we see our ministry as part of the greater work of God in the diocese and in the world.

The meeting with Parish Council will include lunch together, and the parish gathering with our bishop will begin at 1:00 pm and finish at 3:00.

Details will follow, including the questions Bishop Michael will ask us to consider. Please put this date in your calendars, and anticipate a gathering that is both joyful and purposeful.

Coming September 2008………

This 10-week practical introduction to the Christian faith offers answers to some key questions. Each weekly session begins with an informal dinner, followed by a large group learning time, and ends with small group discussion and interaction.
Join our team!! We are looking for:
" Small group leaders and helpers
" Greeters and runners
" Dinner coordinators and helpers

The closest training sessions are:

June 20-21, 2008 August 22-23, 2008
Meadowland Fellowship Church City Centre Baptist Church
211 Stonehenge Drive 1075 Eglinton Ave. West
Ancaster L9K 1R4 Mississauga L5V 2W3
Friday 5:30 - 9:00 Friday 5:30 - 9:00
Saturday 8:30 - 5:15 Saturday 8:30 - 5:15

For more information contact Claire Wallace 905.339.2460 claire.wallace@sympatico.ca

"NOAH! You're both good and kind,
I'll tell you what I have in mind…."

ST. JUDE'S
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
2008
100% Chance of Rain!
Mark your calendars for Fun with Noah
and the Floating Zoo…
ONE WEEK,
Monday August 18th - Friday August 22nd, 2008
9 to 11:30
5 yrs to 13 yrs
$40.00/child (family rates available)
ALSO…
Continued Day Care Arrangements available upon request.

Registration is limited to 40 children for this program.
Check your calendars, plan your holiday
so that your children can take part in this
marvelous adventure with
NOAH!
And the wonderful and experienced St. Jude's staff and volunteers!

Contact Wendy Hart by e-mail (whart@stjudeschurch.net) or call the church to register your child(ren)
905-844-3972

Prayer then Pub

Once again this year we invite everyone to the Prayer & Pub night at St. Jude's. As most of you know, there is a church service every Wednesday evening during the months of July and August. Following the service we walk up to a pub for a more social and informal gathering. Everyone, including guests, are invited. See you there!

Summer reading group

This summer join our summer reading club while we explore "the Artist's Way - A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity" by Julia Cameron. This is a 12 week workbook of self discovery as you discern your inner artist. Participants will be doing daily journaling and working through one chapter a week of self-guided exercises and ideas. Your journals are not shared, but the weekly meetings encourage fun, free thinking and expression of your creative self that are on each week's theme.

At the cottage or canoeing through Algonquin Park? Not a problem as the book can be done individually. When you are back, you can join the artist cluster that will be meeting once a week in the garden after Wednesday night services, as we encourage each other to become more creative.

Put away your "to do" list and work on your "to be" list. Let this be a summer of discovering your hidden creative talents.

There will be an information meeting on Thursday June 19th at 7:00pm in the garden chapel. Rain location will be the youth room.

If you would like to order a copy of the book at a group discount rate of $16.00 please leave your name with Amy in the church office. The ordered books will be available at the information meeting.