We deepen the wilderness journey of Lent with a bit more of a gentle, contemplative feel.

Mitch Coggin, who works extensively in forgiveness work will be preaching on forgiveness - forgivness from God, of others, of ourselves.

The band leads us in contemplative song and praise.  There'll be a spiritual or two, some Taize chants, a Leonard Cohen and Sandra McCracken song and some beautiful hymns.

Lucy is with the youth and Abi and Amaya are with the children.

There will be bread and wine.  Rebecca Yeo presides at Christ's table, open for all to receive ...

Come ...

The order of service leaflet is here.

This church would not survive without its members' participation. To sign up for scripture reading or other helping roles, please click here or chat with Margot, our new rota coordinator.

Image:  Christ in the Wilderness - Ivan Kramskoy - Public Domain via WikiCommons

Check out Rev. Rebecca Yeo's sermon on Transfiguration as a story of both ascent AND descent.

Join Rev. Lynn as well as informed voices from both the Anglican and United Churches for these two sessions to talk about Medical Assistance in Dying  (MAID).  

We'll use some chapters from the book Faith Seeking Understanding and have an open handed, open hearted conversation.

Please be in touch with Lynn or email admin@abbeychurch.ca if you'd like to participate.

Our own Jen S., AbbeyChurch musician and AbbeyCouncil member and gardener extraordinare is walking in this year's Coldest Night of the Year to support Our Place.

Chat with Jen if you'd like to sponsor her or become part of our team, the Abbey Amblers - and walk with her!

AbbeyYouth is in a period of reimagination as we look to partner with The Place and North Park Neighbourhood Association on a youth group that is more resourced, more structured, and available to more youth than just our little flock.

We will spend time together brainstorming what that could look like, where it could be, and what kind of activities should be included. We will also be filling easter eggs with candy (and eating some!) for the Easter egg hunt on holy week.

We've at Emmaus and AbbeyChurch have been a part of helping out on hampers for a while.  If you can help out somewhat regularly, please do drop them a line!

If you would like to give to support the work NPNA does in serving food to our neighbours you can do so at this link.

NOTE: Morning Prayer happens 4 weekday mornings - join us at any of these times:

+ Mondays at 9am - Morning Prayer with Centering Prayer @ The Upper Room (aka AbbeyChurch office - off the Balmoral parking lot, metal stairs up) - in-person only.  There is not usually AM prayer on holiday Mondays. 

+ Tuesdays at 9am - Morning Prayer  @ Emmaus/AbbeyChurch Upper Room  (off the Balmoral parking lot, metal stairs up) - in-person and online.

+ Thursdays at 8:15am - Morning Prayer - @ The Upper Room  (off the Balmoral parking lot, metal stairs up) - in-person and online.

+ Fridays at 8:15am - Morning Prayer - online on zoom only.

Our weekday common prayer is liturgical in nature and based on ancient monastic practices.

It's open to all who wish to join in-person or online.

We sometimes chant the psalms, listen to a reading or readings assigned for the day, have a short period of silence, sharing and intercessory prayer.

The liturgies and psalter for weekday prayer are posted here.  

Please do email for a zoom link if you are joining online.

The Emmaus Community is a neo-monastic intentional community of ordinary people who commit ourselves to following Jesus in ways akin to the monastic life.

The AbbeyChurch is a Sunday worship expression of the Emmaus Community. 

Not all AbbeyChurch folks are part of Emmaus - you're welcome to be a part of AbbeyChurch regardless of connection to Emmaus!

As a witness to unity and diversity, we are an ecumenical shared ministry of The United Church of Canada and The Anglican Church of Canada. We intentionally draw on the 'jewels' of these traditions, as well as the wider church.

The Emmaus Community and the AbbeyChurch acknowledge that we worship, take action and pray on the stolen territory of the Songhees and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) Nations, the Lək̓ʷəŋən  peoples'.

We're grateful for your contributions to our common life as both Emmaus and the AbbeyChurch.

We are  our own registered CRA charity and have our own bank account!

We  accept e-transfers to treasurer@emmauscommunity.ca for charitable donations.  If you'd like a charitable receipt, please email your contact information to that same address or fill out this form so we can send you a receipt at tax time.

In addition to the many ways to participate, there are a number of ways you can give finanically - including PAR (monthly withdrawl), CanadaHelps (one-time giving) and by cash or debit (via Square) on Sundays at AbbeyChurch. 

You can read more about the options and a bit about our finances here. 

In this section, and posted below, are things that folks have flagged as wanting to share with the community.  If you have something you'd like to add, please email admin@abbeychurch.ca and we'll do our best to get it in!

Dear Abbey friends, 

Many of you will be aware of Dr. Kate Evans, SPOT, and its impending closure at the end of March. Here is some recent media coverage to refresh your memories.

SPOT's work intersects significantly with the work St. Andrew's, Sidney (where I am Curate) does to support and advocate for the un- and precariously housed in Sidney. Our volunteers often drive folks to SPOT to receive medical care that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. 

The Rev. Kelly Duncan (Rector of St. Andrew's) and I recently met with Dr. Kate, and Kelly met with MLA Rob Botterell this afternoon. The outcome of today's meeting was more encouraging than we expected: Rob plans to make a statement at the Legislature before they break in mid-March, and he'd like as many community leaders as possible to be there in support, to show the Minister that people will really be impacted if SPOT is allowed to close.

I'm writing in the hopes that some of you will consider joining us at the Legislature. I do not have an exact date yet, but expect it to be in the next two weeks. 

Please let me know if you'd be willing to attend, and I will keep you posted as things unfold. If I have missed anyone that you feel would be up for this, please pass this along to them and/or have them contact me! Any and all community connections that can be drawn in for this effort would be deeply appreciated.

Many thanks,

Reba

Photo: Adrian Lam, Times Colonist

Thanks to all those who wrote letters, spread the word, circulated info cards and showed up at Goldstream. We were fortunate to have Elder Carl Olsen speak at Abbey and are grateful for all the work he and his supporters did in the last three years to stop this highway expansion project. See the link below for details.

Photo by Darren Stone at the Times Colonist

sent to us from Rev. Meagan:

You are invited to a share dessert with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), grow in your awareness of the impact of our political decisions on displaced people and engage in building peace.  This event highlights the issues faced by the people living in a refugee camp in Malawi.  We are fortunate to have some guest speakers who are very involved with this particular camp. The evening will be interactive, and Ten Thousand Villages will be there, as well as New Foundations (a local program working with newcomers to Canada). 

There is a link to buy tickets at the event page below. Tickets are $15 for students and $20 for general admission.