Good morning friends,
It’s been a long and eventful three weeks! I am looking forward to being back with you, and I start work on Monday.
As you may remember, I had two weeks of annual leave (booked back in February) to begin straight after Synod (9-10 October). We planned to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary and then spend some time in Albany. The best laid plans….. Suffice it to say that on the second day of my leave Allan was taken to hospital by ambulance and his gallbladder removed the following day. After 5 days in hospital he came home feeling sore but very much better, but all our plans had to be cancelled. That’s why I asked for another week of leave- so we could do something nice at least! Thank you to Mothers Union for the Joy Bag for Allan- such a nice thought.
Thank you particularly to Chris Albany for stepping in; he is truly a gift to this parish.
The process of discernment and search for a new Rector is beginning. Please remember that this process must remain confidential, for good reasons; just as you wouldn’t want someone to tell your employer that you have interviewed for another position, so the nomination board must keep their deliberations in confidence. Our nominators can only speak in general about how it’s going so please don’t ask them for details.
This week has an assortment of things happening: Halloween is on Monday, so we might see children in costumes roaming the streets- hopefully with a responsible adult! All Saints is observed on November 1st; it was once known as All Hallows (=holy) hence Halloween, the evening/ night before. We will celebrate All Saints on Sunday 6th at church. On Wednesday we commemorate All Souls, when we remember those who have died. Our Wednesday morning Eucharist will focus on All Souls and there will also be a service at 7pm for those who can’t come in the morning but would like to come and say a prayer and light a candle for their loved ones.
On Thursday at 6pm the meditation group will meet with Grahame as leader for the final time; and Sunday 6th will be the last day of Grahame’s placement as formation student with us. Grahame will preach on All Saints, which I look forward to very much. I’m sure you will agree that Grahame has been a blessing to us this year and we will keep him in prayer as he waits to know whether he will be ordained Deacon in the new year. There will be opportunities to farewell Grahame at morning tea after each service.
Here is the Collect Prayer of the Week until Sunday:
Almighty and everlasting God,
give to us the increase of faith, hope and love;
and, that we may obtain what you promise,
make us to love what you command;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God bless,
Lorna
The Reverend Lorna A M Green
Rector
St Nicolas Anglican Church 