Brian

     The Reverend Brian Vickers and his family were such a welcome addition to the Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity community when they arrived in White Rock, B.C.. His lovely wife Sally, his beautiful little children Michael and Katie were all wonderful in their own way and such a blessing to our congregation!

     When first together, my husband Paul and I enjoyed Brian and his family and in turn felt so welcome at the Church of the Holy Trinity. Though their kids were older than ours there was a lovely feeling of community. Michael and Katie, our daughters and many treasured friends seemed to grow up together in the Sunday School there. 

     My parents were very attached to the church over the years as parishioners, choir members, wardens and caretakers and consider Brian and Sally as friends.

     Personally, I was very encouraged by Brian to follow my passion for pastoral care which eventually led to a career in hospice and palliative care. Paul and I were sad when Brian and his family left the area and we missed them all very much! We are thankful now to receive a Christmas card from the Vickers and are thrilled to see how their children's families have grown and flourished.

   We all congratulate Brian on his retirement! His years of ministry in many different parishes has positively affected so many lives and we thank Brian for his time with us and our community. We think of him and his family often and hope that our paths may cross yet again!

Light

     One of the spiritual practices that people enjoy at our church is lighting our votive candles. They have been installed in our Newcomers Chapel recently and are a welcome addition. The word votive comes from the Latin word “votum ” meaning vow or promise. Lighting a candle serves as a visible extension of a prayer. 

     Early Christians used candles to provide light for nighttime services. They quickly took on religious symbolism representing Christ as the light of the world.

John 8:12 tells us “Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’”

     When I light a candle and invoke a loved one’s name, I take comfort in knowing that my prayer lives on, even after I have left the church. Jesus is the light of the world and the burning candle reminds me of His everlasting, ever living love for us all. Although I did not grow up with this faith expression, I am enjoying it and apparently others of us are appreciating it too.

Welcome

      All are welcome. If you look at that simple sentence, it doesn't seem that there is much there but the two important words in this phrase say a lot. Welcome is a word that we use so much---on our doormats, over our front doors, even to acknowledge thanks--- "you're welcome". But if you have ever felt not welcome, you know the weight it carries, the gift that it bestows. It says come as you are, our door is open, be yourself, stay for a while. It is the very definition of hospitality.

     To me the most important word is "all". There is no disclaimer, no fine print, no additional clauses to decipher. Everyone regardless of race, age, culture, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital status, previous religious affiliation or socioeconomic status is welcome here. That truly covers all of us. And for those who have not felt welcome in a church this is a magnificent blessing of gigantic proportions. Here and everywhere, God sees us, knows us, loves us and wants us to feel at home, welcome. And here, we are.