Dear Friends

This edition of Logos brings our very warmest Easter Greetings to you from all at Holy Spirit Kenmore and the Church of the Good Shepherd at Brookfield. The Easter cycle is very early this year, so it hardly seems any time at all since we were wishing you Christmas Greetings. As I write this letter, the end of Lent is fast approaching, and so is the 40 Days of Purpose spiritual growth campaign that our parish has been taking part in throughout these 40 days of Lent. Although it hasn’t been everyone’s “thing”, many people have found God has spoken to them in significant ways, and there have indeed been blessings in people’s lives, as they have read the book, and gathered in small home groups for study and discussion. It certainly has stimulated discussions on aspects of faith throughout the Parish, which is a good thing, and it promises to fulfil one goal very dear to my heart, and that is the increase in small groups throughout the Parish -  a number of the groups have indicated their desire to keep meeting after the campaign has finished. On 20^th March at 6.00 pm we will have a concluding celebration for the campaign, and hear some of the stories of people’s experiences.

I am very much looking forward to the beautiful liturgies of the Easter services. I do hope you will all find a way to be able to come to as many of the Services as possible. They enable us to really enter into those final days of Jesus on his journey to the Cross and beyond in a very meaningful way. We will process with palm branches on Palm Sunday, re-enacting the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem when the people lined the streets, and made such a fuss of him, waving and throwing down their palm leaves before him in honour of him, and shouting their Hosannas, their songs of praise and welcome. Jesus knew it wouldn’t take long for those cries to turn to shouts of anger as they called for his crucifixion. They didn’t understand the Godly message he was bringing – the message of a call to change, to repent of their ways and turn towards God, to love God and to love and serve one another. These were the last commandments he gave his disciples on the night before he was taken to be crucified. We again re-enact that time of the last Supper on Maundy Thursday evening with a shared supper of our own, and a time of sacramental washing of one another’s feet, before ending the service with a flight into the darkness, like the first disciples did those many years ago.

We gather again on Good Friday to hear the story of the Crucifixion, and the seven last words of Jesus from the Cross on Good Friday afternoon, a very powerful time of prayer and reflection.

Jesus died a cruel death that dark Friday, which God turned into the greatest good for all humankind. The good that came from it didn’t lessen the suffering that was part of it. Jesus had to trust God, to believe that ultimately God would be able to bring him through it all, even though everything pointed to the contrary that day.

On that wonderful early morning three days later, Resurrection came – with all its light and glory. Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death, and rising to new life – new life with God – and in that tremendous act lies the promise for all of us that we too will partake of that glorious new Resurrection life. Jesus carries us with him into it. Easter Day is such a wonderful day of joy and celebration, but we can’t really appreciate the amazement of it unless we have been through the journey towards it, with all its pain and doubt and darkness.

Isn’t that like so much of what happens to us in life? We go through awful times, dark times, where we can’t see the reason, or the way forward while things are happening to us. Then so often, as we look back later, the journey has become clear, and a whole new beginning has been made possible. The Resurrection promise helps us make sense of so much in life, if we will open our eyes and see.

This Easter journey is a very special time for the nine people on our Catechumenate journey as they prepare for their Easter Rites of Baptism, Confirmation and Reaffirmation with Bishop Ron on Easter Saturday evening. I do encourage you all to come along to that very moving service when we light the new Paschal candle, and enter the darkened church with the Light of Christ. It is so important for these people to be received and welcomed by the whole Faith Community. Let’s fill the Church again this year.

In this edition of Logos you will find a separate envelope with all the Stewardship paperwork. Stewardship Sunday is not until 22nd May, but this is an appropriate time to send out the Pledge forms so that everyone can have plenty of time to make prayerful decisions about their offering for the next year. We also are planning a Pot-Luck Thanksgiving Dinner on Friday 20^th May in the Hall at Holy Spirit Kenmore, and an invitation to that event is  enclosed.

We were delighted to receive a Grant for the renovating of the kitchen in the Utility Room at Holy Spirit Kenmore, plus the addition of a disabled access toilet. Work should begin very shortly. Buildings and furnishings are taking on a whole new look at both Holy Spirit Kenmore and Good Shepherd Brookfield, and we are so very grateful for the hard work and dedication of many people.

We have been discussing at great length our children’s, youth and family ministries in the Parish. We plan to employ another person this year, who will fill the role of Coordinator for our youth, children’s and family ministries. We are also looking at beginning some Sunday evening services at Holy Spirit, which may attract some of the young people and families, as well as a later Sunday morning Service at Brookfield. More news about these in the next edition of Logos.

Please do check out the Diary Dates page for other events that are happening in the next few months, and please also check out our excellent Website, which is regularly updated with all the current happenings.

I do look forward to catching up with so many of you over the coming Easter celebrations. A Holy and Happy Easter time from Paul and myself and all our family, to you and all your loved ones. God Bless.

With Love, Rev Bev.