To Mexico With Love—A Diocese of Kootenay Project
Parish of Holy Trinity — Grand Forks
by Joyce O'Doherty
PRAYERS FOR SQUARES— Cathy Straume praying over the quilt squares during Prayers for the People: “To Mexico with Love” project.
GOAL: A team of 30 people to go to Mexico (Baja Area) to help build houses, schools or whatever is needed for two weeks in the autumn of 2008.
COMMITMENT: A need to raise $1500 in each parish to send one person. This covers airfare, housing and food, plus one half is for building materials the funds to be raised by May 31, 2008.
HOW: Holy Trinity, Grand Forks has decided to make a quilt from jean material, using 6 inches squares.
- Each square represents $10 raised.
- Quilt squares are to be placed on the bulletin board in the church hall as a visual for everyone to see the project growing to completion. Quilt(s) to be taken to Mexico as a Love Give Away.
SQUARES MAY REPRESENT:
-
Donations of dollars
- In memory of a loved one
- To honour the living
- In lieu of gifts: (e.g. birthdays)
- Anything you decide
Excepts from Prayers of the People by Cathy Straume edited by Joyce O’Doherty.
Gracious Lord and Creator of us all, we come this day to find you within us, to be guided and nourished and be moved by your Spirit.
Today Father, as we hold these blue jean squares, we are reminded of the many people who wore these jeans, especially the people in Grand Forks, and then gave them to our local Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store… protect and comfort all we pray.
As we hold these squares, we are reminded to pray for those who shop at the Thrift Store and for the folks who volunteer there…especially the ladies who cut the squares for us and whose hands toiled so we could make a quilt. Lord you amaze us and we are grateful.
As we hold these squares, we pray for the Church. We, too, are like a quilt unfinished – all the different shades, different missions, different faiths, and as you work with us, may we be as useful as a quilt. May we know Thy hands.
Bless our Bishop and Priests…especially Simon, as he, too, is part of the quilt, giving of himself in many ways. May he know our gratefulness.
As we hold these squares, we pray for people all over the world who could use the love that we place into them. We particularly pray for this project, “To Mexico With Love,” and for the families that this quilt will cover. Thank you Father for this opportunity to serve and love you in this way. As these squares shall come from across Canada (“from sea to shining sea”) may we take up this task knowing that you answer prayer in numerous ways and will do what is best.
Lord hear our prayers.
PANCAKE FLIPPER-The Rev. Simon Shenstone proved to be an excellent flipper at the annual All You Can Eat Pancake Supper held at Holy Trinity in Grand Forks on Shrove Tuesday.
LENTEN PROJECT:
“Pecos for Mexico”
Every Sunday and including Easter Sunday, loose change will be collected in a special container, blessed with offerings to support “To Mexico with Love.”
To date, between Holy Trinity and St. Jude’s, we have raised half of the amount of $1,500 to send one person to Mexico. Two people have expressed a desire to go. Since Lent has begun, we have started our “Pecos for Mexico” fundraising.
End Hunger Fast—A PWRDF Project
photo frank warburton
Parish of St. Margaret's, Peachland
by Frank C. Warburton
LENTEN FAST — The Rev. Sue Mayoss-Hurd playing games with the group during "End Hunger Fast."During Lent, St Margaret's Youth Group in Peachland (SMYG) undertook a 22 hour sponsored fast to raise awareness and funds for “End Hunger Fast”, an initiative of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank a partnership of Canadian church-based agencies working to end hunger in developing countries (supported by PWRDF – the Primates World Relief and Development Fund). They abstained from food from after lunch at school, and then gathered in church at 4 p.m. to continue their fast. They watched an "End Hunger Fast" DVD and reflected on how it felt to be hungry, weak and brain fogged! They played a variety of board games and activity games and watched some movie's to help the time to pass and drank only water throughout the fast. After a sleepover on a hard church floor the seven young people and three adults were finally able to eat a late healthy breakfast at 10.30 am. Sponsorship monies are still to be collected - but early indications suggest that over $300 will have been raised for "End Hunger Fast".
Friendship Tea for St. Valentine's Day
photo j. wendy warburton
Once more St Margaret’s Anglican Church, Peachland opened their doors to the ladies only, Annual Friendship Tea. This was a gathering of ladies from Churches of all denominations in Westbank and Peachland to get together to renew friendships and have a good “old fashioned gossip” along with home made entertainment, while enjoying home made fare and a nice "cuppa" tea.
