Christ Church, Petrolia
414 Oil St. N0N 1R0 Petrolia, ON, Canada

The next Vista order goes in on Sunday, the 27th. For those who wish to offer shopping cards, please take your order, with cheque or cash and drop it off at Nancy and Brian in the box prepared for it. Your support at this time is really appreciated.

We ask your prayers at this time for Cecille; that God may send her the love of Christ and that she may find divine peace in her journey.

Listen...Breathe

Join the Deanery of London for this vital conversation. The event will be held on Zoom.

Dear Clergy and People of the Diocese of Huron, Ever since my ordination to the diaconate, and before, the Anglican Church in our Diocese has been on a journey ...to listen to the stories of members of the LGBTQ2+ communities. Many of us have come to understand that all persons are wholly made in the image of God. We have welcomed LGBTQ2+ persons into our parishes, they have become our deacons and priests and within the last year have been able to be married in churches that have been given permission to hold same-sex weddings. After thought and prayer, I have decided to remove the requirement that special permission be required by priests or parishes before a same-sex wedding can be held in a parish. All priests in the diocese may marry any two persons who meet the requirements found in our Marriage in the Church Guidelines which is available here. I know that some of you will disagree with this decision. The Anglican church is a large tent of diverse theologies and the Diocese of Huron is no different. Priests have always been able to determine whether or not they are comfortable performing a particular wedding ceremony and this has not changed. I do ask that a priest who does not wish to do a same-sex wedding refer to the couple to another priest or to my office. The marriage rite that I am authorizing for same-sex weddings and also for opposite-sex weddings is that from the Episcopal Church which may be found here. It has been slightly amended to ensure that the marriage laws of Ontario are being followed. As the marriage rites in the BCP and BAS are authorized by General Synod only for opposite-sex marriages, they may not be used for same-sex marriages I pray that we may continue to reveal the love of God in all our relationships. Yours in Christ, +Todd

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS DAY: SUNDAY, JUNE 21 This is a day celebrating all that Creator is doing. We come with our own cultural perspectives and sometimes make the mistake of assuming that other cultural realities are not as important.... Jesus listened to racist voices and his heart responded in action, opening eyes to the Kingdom of God where all are welcome. We are on a sacred journey together as the Holy Spirit guides and builds relationships. Here are some of the ways you and your congregation can join Indigenous Peoples this National Aboriginal Day: Rev. Rosalyn Elm has shared A WAY TO WALK TOGETHER inspired by Isaiah 40: 25-31, to respond to our calling and build a relationship of justice with truth telling. We are invited to spread our wings and let go. The prayers are written by Lutheran Pastor Janaki Bandara, member of the Primate's Commission of the Doctrine of Discovery and music by Scott Knaar, Lutheran Three Ministry at Six Nation's Grand River Territory. Rev. Rosalyn's reflection also available as an article (Settler to Sojourner: The Creative and Moral Imagination). Rev Mark Loyal of St. John the Baptist Walpole Island First Nation is making available the FOUR DIRECTIONS PRAYER through video (available on diocesan YOUTUBE and WEBSITE). There will be a service for Sunday that will come out next Thursday on the ACIP site. The ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA WEBSITE also has a variety of resources that you can access. Here you can also join an online video worship service to celebrate National Indigenous Day of Prayer, June 21 at 2pm (the service will be available for download to include in your local online service starting Friday, June 19). STAY TUNED FOR BISHOP TODD'S WEEKLY VIDEO MESSAGE, SATURDAY, JUNE 20 (available on diocesan YouTube and website)

Statement from Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd Townshend, Bishop of Huron, on June 2, 2020: As a part of our Baptismal Covenant, Anglicans promise to "strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being." Keeping with this covenant, the Diocese of Huron is committed to social justice, equity, and anti-racism. We stand in solidarity with those across the United States, Canada, and the world who are protesting racism, racial inequity, systemic oppressio...n, police brutality, and state-sanctioned violence against any human being. We specifically denounce the killing of George Floyd and we offer our support and prayers for those who are protesting for justice and for an end to police brutality. We believe, as stated in A Charter for Racial Justice in the Anglican Church of Canada, that "one of our strengths as a church lies in our diversity and in our commitment to eliminate systemic and individual racism, whether intended or not." Recognizing the Anglican Church's own history of complicity in racial oppression and injustice, especially against Indigenous peoples and communities, we affirm our commitment to anti-racism, to racial justice, and to working towards equity in our churches, our communities, our country, and our world. As we each reflect on our own role in systemic oppression, we repent of the sin of racism and pray for truth, for justice, for reconciliation, for peacefor both those who are oppressed and those who oppress.

Some Trinity Sunday fun!

With the family's permission, I am requesting prayers for Margo.

Watch for this video, Sunday May 31 at 2:00! Links to follow. Diocese of Huron.