Dear St. George’s Family,

Christ is Risen.

It’s good to be back. After a week away following the beautiful whirlwind of Holy Week, I’m grateful to return and step back into the life of our church. Thank you for your grace while I was away, and a special word of thanks to Bill Pringle for leading our Sunday service in my absence. I’ve heard from more than a few of you that it was a rich and joyful morning. I’m so glad it was, and I’m so glad to be back.

We’re now in Eastertide. And just to say it plainly, Easter is not over. Not even close. The resurrection is still unfolding in us and around us, even on the ordinary Tuesdays and the mildly chaotic Saturdays. So as we keep walking through this season together, here are a few things happening in the life of our church.

  • We ended our Lenten teaching series with what felt like one of the most meaningful Holy Weeks we’ve shared. Easter Sunday was full of joy, full of faces old and new, full of grace. If you missed any of the sermons during Lent or want to revisit something, you can find the whole series here.

  • This past Sunday, our Creative Outreach Coordinator Ji Won Baxter hosted a concert and fundraiser for Banff Food & Friends. Ji Won and Heather Jordan sang classic crooner duets and filled the room with warmth and laughter. Even better, the evening raised $800 for our community meal program. Thank you to everyone who came, and thank you Ji Won and Heather for a night that brought beauty and generosity together in one place.

  • I’m also excited to share that Alex Kurdiokov, who recently joined our Warden team, is now leading our new St. George Prayer Team. This isn’t just a nice program to offer. It’s about learning how to become a church where prayer is not just something we do, but something we live. If you’d like to be part of this growing rhythm, you can learn more on our prayer webpage. Thank you Alex for taking this step with us.

  • Ji Won will be away for two weeks beginning Friday, May 2. She’ll be spending time with family and getting the kind of rest that is not just allowed, but holy and necessary. When she returns, she’ll be launching a book study on The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It’s a book that’s both sharp and funny and surprisingly deep, and if you’d like to join the study, just let her know at info@stgeorgebanff.com or speak with her on a Sunday.

  • The Community Cafe has opened and it’s already a beloved new part of life at St. George’s. The OESA Cafe in the Upper Room is open Tuesday through Saturday from 2 in the afternoon until midnight. They’ve just launched a new menu, and it’s worth discovering. Expect thoughtful drinks, delicious treats, Middle Eastern breakfasts, and a space that feels creative and unhurried. You are warmly invited to come up, pull up a chair, and make yourself at home.\

Finally, I want to invite you into our new Eastertide teaching series called Following Jesus in Real Life. We’ll be exploring how Peter and Paul were changed after meeting the risen Christ, and how that change worked itself out in the real world. This is not a series about abstract ideas. It’s about what it means to walk with Jesus in the world as it is. The struggles. The hopes. The fears we admit only to ourselves. Whether you’re still sorting out what you believe or have been a Christian for decades, this is a season for you.

Join us on Sundays at 10 in the morning. I’d love to see you there.

With gratitude and hope,
Rev. Seth Enriquez
Rector, St. George in the Pines