Message from the Incumbent

November 2, 2009

I am pleased to be the pastor at St. Stephen's. People pride themselves on it being a friendly parish. St. Stephen's is a small parish, attendance ranging from 30 to 60, but a busy one. We are active with worship, socials, outreach and Christian Education.

I am part-time at St. Stephen's as the Incumbent (pastor), part-time as Chaplain at the Mission to Seafarers and Chaplain at the local Naval Reserve Division, HMCS GRIFFON.

We are trying to be faithful in following Jesus.

Our worship is contemporary Anglican with a traditional feel and children are involved in our worship. Worship is where we connect with Jesus. When I preach, my aim is to teach to encourage people to develop their faith using the scriptures and to make their faith something that helps them live a quality life. We turn in faith to Jesus and Jesus blesses us.

Outreach is important; the church lives out Jesus command to love our neighbour. The Current River Churches Food Cupboard is located at St. Stephen's and parishioners support it through donations and as volunteers. On the 3rd Thursday of each month a group of parishioners volunteer at the Dew Drop Inn, a soup kitchen located at St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Parish. Parishioners volunteer at the Mission to Seafarers, an Anglican mission that particularly assists foreign sailors coming to the Port of Thunder Bay. Donations to the Parish Operating Fund support diocesan, national and international Anglican mission work through our apportionment. Voluntary donations to the Primates World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) support Anglican outreach and to Camp Gitchigomee support a local Anglican summer camp program.

In our age, the church is being challenged to demonstrate that its teaching is sound. Christians need to be people of integrity, living their faith in a humble manner and Christians should be able to explain the faith to someone who does not know it. As St. Francis says, ‘Preach the faith at all times and when necessary use words.’ Christian faith is compatible with scholarship, and as Anglicans, we support learning and the search for truth.  People ask can the Bible be trusted? How does our faith relate to science? The church is there to help people explore questions of faith.

If people want to make their faith relevant, they need to put effort into learning their faith as well as making time for regular prayer. People would like to encounter God, and to do that we need to make space in our lives for God. Weekly sermons are what most people take in for faith development. Sunday school is offered on Sunday mornings for children. Additional opportunities are a weekly Bible Reading Fellowship offered on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and periodic studies offered Wednesday evenings. A self-study guide and Daily Bread, a daily devotional, are available at the church. I am available to discuss any questions a person might have.

Whether you become an active member of St. Stephen’s or not, I hope that you invite Jesus into your life and make him your companion on your life’s journey.

Please use this web site, and let us know suggestions for improvement. It has been set up for those interested in finding out more about St. Stephen's as well as active parishioners.

Rev’d Ed Swayze
office@ststephenanglican.com