Displaying items by tag:Reverend Valerie Kenyon

As We Wait for Spring by Canon Val

We Canadians do love to talk about our weather don’t we? (Do you ever wonder what folks talk about who live in climates with very little variation in the temperature? It is hard to image.) Whole conversations can take place between two complete strangers as they muse over the extremes we endure, with escalating tales of frozen pipes, outrageous heating bills, even debating just how many minutes does it take exactly for skin to freeze? I realize there are more cheerful conversations that can also be had around the weather such as the fact that winter provides us with opportunities to ski, snow shoe or skate outdoors. And there is nothing quite as lovely as the scene of the
sun in a bright blue February sky as it glistens down on snowy lawns and house tops. But as we stand on the verge of Easter 2024, even when within a single month we can experience blasts/teases of many different seasons, we know that spring is right around the corner, and while it can bring with it mud and melting, I don’t hear a lot of complaining as we watch winter disappear in our rear-view mirror.

Spring as it wakes up all around us becomes the season that turns sadness to joy, death into life, gloomy grays into brilliant colour, as trees and plants begin to shake off the hold of winter, pushing their way into a warmer world, each day bringing us a moment more light, with the mercury slowly but resolutely , making its way up the thermometer.

At the same time we as Christians are celebrating the season of Easter, the centre of our Christian year. Emerging from our Lenten observances and special services of Holy Week, Easter is for us a season of hope and of possibilities. As we recall and celebrate the incredible events of the first Easter Sunday, we are reminded that in Christ love triumphed over evil, darkness and death.
Humanity was set free from the slavery of the fear of death. Because of this as we go through grey and gloomy times in our own lives, challenged by health, financial or relationship issues, we know that in the midst of it all the gloom, there is God, even when and perhaps especially when it is not immediately apparent.

I know I have shared these verses before, but I do love this paraphrased translation, The Message. It expresses the perfect sentiment as we move out of gloom into light, and as life pushes us back and forth in and out of the gloom, catch Paul’s advice in the last verse…

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

So, Alleluia, the Lord is risen, the Lord is risen indeed.

Welcome to the website for the congregation of St. Anne's (Byron), an active Anglican (Episcopal) congregation in the western part of London, Ontario. Reverend Canon Valerie Kenyon is our priest. We extend a warm welcome to all visitors, and those looking for a new church home, being blessed with visitors on a regular basis. Our church and parish hall are both wheelchair accessible.

Check out our events calendar to see what is happening in the coming weeks!

As you explore St. Anne’s website you will get a glimpse of the lives and activities of people who make up the family of God at St. Anne’s. There are many more whose names are not recorded here but whose memory is cherished, whose lives have shaped our lives and whose hard work and love of Christ built a foundation stronger than the foundation laid over a century and a half ago with field stones and mortar from surrounding farm land, a foundation that is held together by its cornerstone – Jesus Christ. We are not a perfect family; we are a real family who daily put our lives in the hands of a perfect God, who continually conforms us into Christ’s likeness.

Along with Anglicans around the globe, we at St. Anne’s hold the traditional faith of Christians through the ages. We look back with thanksgiving for blessings received and we look ahead with joy, wondering what new song we are to sing unto the Lord. (Psalm 144:9) The holy friendship we share with God and one another makes us a family and the ministry to which every person you see here and beyond these pages is called, leads us into joyful service of the community in which we live. Our work is simple, to worship God, build a relationship with His Son and love one another as Christ has loved us. (John 15:12)

To get the most out of this website, check our Events Calendar for the list of activites and then consider our other menu items such as Church Seasons. Look for updates and current news on our Outreach and Faith and Worship pages.

Did you know that you could donate online to St. Anne's? Whether making a one-time donation or scheduling regular monthly ones, your donation can be made via the CanadaHelps website.

After the worship service on Sunday May 26th, you are invited to visit the greenhouse to see what is new this growing season. Come for coffee, tea and a treat while you hear about our additions from worms to bats, butterflies, the three sisters and more.Thanks again to our sponsors at Komoka Home Hardware and BigYellowBag for their support in helping us grow food for our neighbours.
If you are needing some soil or mulch this year, why not consider BigYellowBag. When you or any of your friends and neighbours purchase one of these products, and use our code ANNES24, St. Anne's will receive $10 for every bag purchased. The best part is that you can get what you need, AND help out St. Anne's to carry on its ministries. After you have emptied your bag, you will be able to return it to the BigYellowBag unit stationed by our greenhouse. For every bag we return, there will be an additional $5 donated to the church. You can find out more about BigYellowBag at https://www.bigyellowbag.com/ or by calling 1-855-424-4224

Help St. Anne's raise money by buying cash/gift cards at www.fundscrip.com.
Buy a cash/gift card to any number of participating businesses through St. Anne's and the church receives a commission on your purchase. For less than $1 in postage for online orders, the card comes right to your mailbox. To order online, go to www.fundscrip.com and use code 5MW25S. Payment must be made at the time of purchase.