Christ The Servant
Catholic Church
Cold Springs, Ontario
Latest Bulletin
January 31, 2010
An internet prayer…..My Creator, I just want to say THANK YOU, because.....
This morning I woke up and knew where my children were.
This morning my home was still standing.
This morning I am not crying because my partner, my child, my brother or sister needs to be buried after being pulled out from underneath a pile of concrete.
This morning I was able to drink a glass of clean water. This morning I was able to turn on the light.
This morning I was able to take a shower... I was not planning a funeral, but most of all I thank you this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of Haiti.
Jesus, I cry out to you, the one that makes the impossible, possible, the one that turns darkness into light, I cry out that you give those mothers strength, give them peace that surpasses all understanding, that you may open the streets so help can come.
May you provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all they need without hesitation. For all that have lost family members, give them peace, give them hope, and give them courage to continue! Protect the children and shield them with your power.
I pray all this in the name of Jesus!!!
Mission Statement - To love God and to love people; and in response to that call, to be a loving, safe, spiritual home where the seeker is welcome to begin the road to spiritual growth, and where those who believe are supported to follow the path of Jesus and to mature in faith. We join together to express our love of God through our service to others. We are ordinary people joyously celebrating the opportunity to follow Jesus' radical message of unconditional love and to live the beatitudes.
** Read the full Statement of Faith here.
Financial Report (Contributions):
December 20 $563.55
December 24 $605.00
December 27 $263.00
January 3 $355.00
January 10 $490.75
January 17 $583.00
January 24 $436.00
December 24 $605.00
December 27 $263.00
January 3 $355.00
January 10 $490.75
January 17 $583.00
January 24 $436.00
Prayer Group
Prayer group will be held every other Tuesday. Watch for the sign-up sheet at church the Sunday before. New members are welcome. For more info call Nancy at 905-373-0447.
Lending Library
Don’t forget to make use of our fabulous Lending Library. There is a large selection of faith-related books – both non-fiction and fiction. There is no cost to sign out a book. If you have a book that you would like to “loan” to the Library from your collection, please see Nancy Bondy.
Greetings, Prayers and Announcements-email birthday, anniversary information to Michele at shortmhere@yahoo.ca to have them included in the bulletin.
Thanks to all at CTS for your prayers for Fr. Bernard over the course of his long illness and especially their caring and support of me at the time of his death and funeral-Love and Peace Kathleen
Please pray for Terry Guiry (Lil's husband) who is quite ill. He is the late Kate Passmore's brother; Dave and Marie Stothart, Jackie Abrams, Fr. Bernard O’Neill
Board Report
- Counselling service will be investigated and discussed by the Pastor and Heather.
- The agenda for the March retreat will be discussed at the next Board meeting.
- Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill in the questionnaires. Your input was very important to us. We have based the future plans on the responses to the questionnaire, when possible.
- The results of the questionnaire will be presented today (Jan 31,2010) & the whole presentation will be printed in the next bulletin,so everyone may use it as a future reference.
- Congratulations to Nathan on his First Communion celebration! We were all proud to share in his special day.
Outreach Projects
Last Sunday afternoon an interdenominational prayer service was hosted by St. Peter's Anglican Church in Cobourg. About 50 people attended of which 19 where from CtS. Food and cash offerings from participating churches were placed before the altar. Priests, Ministers and Chaplains were inspirational and challenged the community to become like the Good Samaritan on an ongoing basis both home and abroad. Our own Rev. Gary O'Dwyer provided the homily. St. Peter's hosted a small reception afterward allowing the guests to mingle and learn about each other. CtS was happy to donate a carload of groceries for the local Food Bank.
Community
Habitat
for Humanity Northumberland is currently accepting applications from
families in need of safe, decent, affordable housing. We partner with
families to offer them a hand up into homeownership as a means of
breaking the cycle of poverty. We have scheduled 2 information sessions
to offer an opportunity for those interested in the program to find out
more as well as apply. The next session is scheduled for 6:30 pm on Monday, February 8, 2010 at Grace Evangelical Missionary Church, 2 Centennial Drive, Port Hope or 65 Bridge St East, Campbellford.- Christian apologetics (defence of Christian doctrine) specialist Joe Boot will be facing off in a debate with atheist lecturer and columnist Clair Rowson titled "Does God Exist?" at CDCI West (the West Cobourg high school) starting at 7:00 PM. Joe, who has worked with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, will also be speaking at the two morning services at Fellowship Baptist the next day.
- Retired missionary Allan Connor has written a new book, and this time around it's a work of fiction, though it's fiction that has roots in a part of the world (West Africa) with which he is quite familiar. The book An Unlikely Saint is available at Searchlight, but phone first, as we've twice run out of copies. Allan and his wife are members of Calvary Baptist Church in Cobourg.
- Stained Glass Ceiling Tour- a new date for this event has not been set up. More details will follow when available
- February Family Day holiday, Beginnings Crisis Pregnancy Centre in Cobourg is having a skateathon that day.
God is Like a TV Commercial
Then there's the Sunday School teacher who had her 5th grade class watch commercials to see if they could use them to come up with ways to communicate truths about God. Here's what they said:
God is like..
Allstate: You're in good hands.
Alka-Seltzer: Try him, you'll like Him
Tide: He gets the stains out that others leave behind.
Sears: He has everything.
A Ford: He's got a better idea.
Hallmark Cards: He cared enough to send the very best.
Bayer Asprin: He works miracles.
Delta: He's ready when you are.
Alberto Vo-5: He holds through all kinds of weather.
Coke: He's the real thing.
The US Post Office: Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail will keep Him from His appointed rounds.
Scotch Tape: You can't see Him, but you know He's there.
Dial Soap: Aren't you glad you've got Him? Don't you wish everybody did?
General Electric: He brings good things to life.
Alka-Seltzer: Try him, you'll like Him
Tide: He gets the stains out that others leave behind.
Sears: He has everything.
A Ford: He's got a better idea.
Hallmark Cards: He cared enough to send the very best.
Bayer Asprin: He works miracles.
Delta: He's ready when you are.
Alberto Vo-5: He holds through all kinds of weather.
Coke: He's the real thing.
The US Post Office: Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail will keep Him from His appointed rounds.
Scotch Tape: You can't see Him, but you know He's there.
Dial Soap: Aren't you glad you've got Him? Don't you wish everybody did?
General Electric: He brings good things to life.
February 1:
St. Brigid was born in Ireland around AD 432. Her background as a child remains a little unclear, she was born as a slave and was eventually sold with her mother to a Druid.Under her mother’s influence she learned generosity. Upon conversion to Christianity her mother married and her parents’ lot in life improved. In fact Brigid would often give away family possessions to the poor!
When Brigid was 18, her father arranged for her to be married. Brigid refused and left immediately to become a nun. As she waited at the end of a row of girls waiting to be accepted into the order, the Bishop say a fiery pillar above her head, reaching to the roof. He called her forward saying Come, holy Brigid, that a veil may be placed on your head before all others. Then, it seems, in his excitement, he read from the consecration of a bishop service (The dignity has been given her by God).Thus Brigid was now a Bishop.
Brigid founded many churches, but she is especially known for the convent she established at Kildare. It became known for miles around as the City of the Poor because of her hospitality. There she lit a fire and she and her fellow nuns constantly tended it, keeping it alight as a symbol of faith and welcome. The nuns of the convent continued to keep the fire alight for a full thousand years!
Prayer: Almighty God, your servant Brigid served you in all humility and the shining light of her faith burned as a fire in the midst of the challenges of life. Grant us, we pray you such faith and constancy that in your name we may bring the good news of Jesus to a world that is still in great distress and which continues to call out for help. Amen