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Welcome!

Hello! Happy June! 

And happy Pentecost! The lilacs’ are in bloom and the end of the school year is now in sight!  

Last weekend many people from churches all across NS & PEI gathered at our Diocesan Synod over Pentecost to discuss church governance and vision together toward the future of the church. As part of our weekend together we spent time reflecting on Moments of Joy in each of our church communities all across the province, asking, ‘What has God been doing in your church community the past few years?’ 

As the school year draws to a close—I think this is an important question for our families to each reflect on too.  

What has God been doing in your family and home in this past year? 

Yet, this year has come with its hardships, from the hurricane in fall 2022, to the wildfires simmering across our province. The cost of living in the city is higher than ever before, and then there are the more familiar challenges of navigating the ups and downs of the school year. For me this year has been coloured by more personal losses such as the death or sickness of a loved one or the loss of a job or home. So when we reflect on our time as a family, I think it’s really important to be honest about holding the things that have been hard about the year too.  

As exam season, field trips and the end of the school year approaches, let's take a moment to reflect back over the past few months.  

What has God been doing in your family, your community and your home this school year?  

What have been some moments of Joy for your family?  

And What might the Holy Spirit be nudging you into as we approach summer? 

Try This at Home!

-Activity 1- Pentecostal voices 

The holy spirit enabled the disciples to speak about God in many languages that could be understood by each person in the crowd. Do you have family, neighbours or friends who speak a language different from your own? 

Find out how to say words like ‘praise God, or ‘The Lord is Great’ in some other languages.  

(if you have elementary aged kids: practice saying them together and if you want to have fun with it count to three and get everyone to shout out these sayings in different languages. This can help us imagine what it could be like to be at that first Pentecost with the disciples!  

(note. If you have any refugee families in your parish community, maybe this could be a neat way of connecting with them too!) 

(pg.209 The Word. For Families., by the Canadian Bible Society) 

-Activity 2. Iceberg of gratitude  

Often when we reflect on our year and consider what we are grateful for or those moments of Joy in our lives, it’s the more profound life experiences and events that come to mind.  

“While recognizing and being grateful for these experiences is important, our gratitude practice must also venture below the surface. 

Below the surface, we find the simple, everyday joys that often go unnoticed. This may be a great book we read, laughter with a friend, or even the joy of eating ice cream in the sunshine. Whatever these simple pleasures may be, consciously expressing our gratitude for them can help us grow our daily gratitude practice beyond the surface level. 

We invite you to consider the full iceberg of gratitude, your fortunate life experiences, as well as simple daily pleasures.” 

>>Together draw an iceberg on a piece of paper. On the ice above the water- brainstorm and write down together some of the big moments of joy or gratitude you each remember from your year.  

Then, on the part of the ice berg in the water, consider and write down all the simple everyday things that bring you joy in your family.  

(Q) When you look at this iceberg what do you notice?  

(Q) After brainstorming together, what do you think the Holy Spirit has been doing in your family this year?