Welcome to the Church of St. Aidan in Sutton Junction
Sunday Services:
May to October at the Church at 9:30 am
November to April, in houses at 2:30 pm
Warden:
Velma Smith 450-243-4256
Rector:
The Rev. John Serjeantson
Box 17
Brome, Quebec
J0E-1K0
Phone: 450-243-6096
Church of St. Aidan - 90th Anniversary
1999 is the 90th Anniversary of the consecration of the church building
in memory of St. Aidan. Aidan was an Irish monk who was of the Celtic tradition
of Christian Spirituality. He was sent out from the monastic community of
Iona in Scotland to North Eastern England to lead in the restoring of the
English people to Christianity. He set up a monastery on the Island of
Lindisfarne. He travelled everwhere on foot. He encouraged believers and
invited unbelievers to accept the mystery of faith. He cared for the poor.
He rebuked the rich and powerful when they oppressed the poor. He encouraged
learning from and meditation upon the Bible. Towards the end of his life
he gave himself completely to prayer and contemplation. He died in the year
651. Some call him, "The Apostle to the English."
Aidan followed the Celtic form of Christian Spirituality like Patrick, Columba, and David. It has a strong sense of God's Presence in everyday life. "I will kindle my fire this morning in the presence of the holy angels of heaven." It reminds us that as God became human in Jesus, so God's life is closely woven with our human life. God is the life within all life, and yet beyond all life. One of the prayers of blessing said by Celtic midwives for a newborn child was, "The lovely likeness of the Lord is in thy pure face." Celtic spirituality believes in basic goodness of nature and of human nature. Human beings are not basically sinful, but are made in God's image. Jesus came to free a good world from bondage to evil forces. It has a strong sense of the communion of Saints who are the faithful men and women of earlier times and now; and in the presence of the angels around us. God, the Trinity, is with us, the one "in whom we live and move and have our being." "Celtic Christianity is rich in stories and legends, in images and symbols in art and music." (Patricia Bays). The Celtic tradition as well as the Roman one are part of our Anglican heritage.
We give thanks for Aidan and the faithful members of the Church of St. Aidan, Sutton Junction. We can learn from them as we face the challenges of God's present and future. May we regain a sense of purpose, and be given a vision as a parish through the life of Aidan and the Celtic form of spirituality. The Church of St. Aidan, Sutton Junction, is at a crossroads. Those who regularly meet for worship have gone down to a very few. There were very few in Aidan's day. Yet one person made all the difference. Will we follow the way of Aidan?
On Sunday, August 29th, 1999, at 11 am, there will be a special worship service to give thanks for the life and witness of St. Aidan and the faithful people of the Church of St. Aidan. Please come and celebrate with us! We shall be emphasizing our Celtic Christian Spiritual tradition.
ALMIGHTY GOD, our heavenly Father, we remember before Thee all thy servants who have served Thee faithfully in their generation, and have entered into rest, especially Aidan and the past members of the Church of St. Aidan; beseeching Thee to give us grace so to follow in their steps, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Church of St. Aidan is part of the Parish of Brome.
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Anglican Diocese of Montreal
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Readings and Commentaries
for this Week
Commentaries on the scripture readings for this Sunday