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Dear church family,

There’s a particular kind of fullness to life in our church these days, not just the busy kind (though there’s that too), but the kind that’s laced with grace and good surprises and a sense that something meaningful is unfolding, even if we don’t always catch it in real time. So here’s a little update on what’s been going on, what’s coming up, and what we’re giving thanks for.

OESA Cafe in the Upper Room: Launch! – Tuesday, April 8 at 2:00pm
We’re hosting a cafe. (Yes, a real one.) OESA Cafe in the Upper Room launches this Tuesday, and it’s not just about coffee (though there will be coffee, and good coffee at that) but about community and welcome and the kind of space where people feel seen. Come by the church at 2:00pm, grab a seat and a cup, and help us launch something that we hope will be both beautiful and brave.

Banff Food & Friends: Overwhelmed by Generosity
You already know how much heart and soul goes into Banff Food & Friends. Meals, conversations, connections that grow slowly and quietly like roots. What you may not know is that we’ve just received an absolutely incredible wave of support this year:

  • Wim & Nancy Pauw Foundation: $25,000

  • Banff-Canmore Foundation: $15,000

  • Pursuit Banff Jasper Collection: $12,000

  • Myron & Catherine Tetreault Foundation: $5,000

That’s $57,000 of trust and generosity poured into a ministry that began, more or less, with the idea that feeding people in a town full of strangers might actually be a sacred act. We’re stunned. And grateful. And more committed than ever.

Celebrating with Music! April 27 Concert at St. George’s
And because this deserves to be celebrated, not just the money, but the hands and hearts behind it, our Arts Outreach Coordinator, Ji Won, is hosting a concert right here at St. George in the Pines. The Ji  Won Baxter and Heather Jean Jordan will be performing on Saturday, April 27 at 7:00pm, and it’s going to be something special. A night of music and gratitude, honouring everyone who’s made Banff Food & Friends possible whether through funds, volunteer hours, and prayers. All proceeds from the concert will go right back into Food & Friends. Tickets and more info will be in upcoming newsletters, so keep an eye out.

Bible Study Moves to Wednesdays
In other news: Bible study has migrated. We're now meeting Wednesdays at 4:30pm instead of Tuesdays. Same curious, warm, occasionally rambling conversations about Scripture and life and everything in between, just a day later.

Coming Soon: The Screwtape Letters
We’re planning a book study on The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. It’s one of those strange little masterpieces, a fictional series of letters from one demon to another about how best to sabotage a human soul, that somehow manages to be both hilarious and deeply convicting. Think satire meets spiritual direction. Keep an eye out for dates and details.

Chimney Woes & Stonework Sorrows (a.k.a. Please Help Fix the Roof!)
On the less-glamorous-but-very-important end of things: our chimney has been misbehaving. Specifically, it’s causing problems with the roofing and the stonework above the chancel, which is the kind of problem that doesn’t go away on its own (or with prayer alone, though we’re trying that too). Repairs are being scheduled, and if you’re in a position to contribute toward the cost, we’d be deeply thankful. These stones have held a lot over the years; let’s help them keep doing it.

Grateful, Always
I’ll end here, just to say again how grateful I am for this church, for your presence, your questions, your giving (in every sense of the word), and your patience as we try to follow Jesus together in a world that often feels more like Babel than Bethlehem. Thank you for showing up. It means more than you know.

In Christ,
Rev. Seth