New Year Message from the Chaplain of St Philip and St James Anglican Ch...

Dear Members and Friends of St Philip and St James,

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, I am filled with gratitude and joy as I reflect on the journey we have shared throughout 2024. On behalf of my family and myself, I want to express our heartfelt thanks for the immense support we have received from you, the members of our church. Your kindness, prayers, and encouragement have been a source of strength and inspiration to us.

I also want to extend my deepest gratitude to our dedicated church leaders. Your unwavering support for the ministry of St Philip and St James, particularly through your volunteering, has been invaluable. From coordinating events to guiding our initiatives, your efforts have been the backbone of our mission. Thank you for your tireless dedication and servant hearts.

One of the most beautiful aspects of our church community is the spirit of welcoming that you have all embraced. St Philip and St James has become a place where everyone feels at home, and that spirit of hospitality continues to define who we are.

However, this past year has not been without its sorrows. We mourn the loss of beloved members of our community: Georgie Insull, Simon Chippindale, Barbara Hall, and Ali Giri. They were a cherished part of our family, and their absence is deeply felt. We give thanks for their lives and the impact they had on our church. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

Despite the challenges, we thank God for the blessings He has bestowed upon us. Together, we have achieved so much, including:

Monthly fellowship meals, which have become a pillar of our hospitality and a cherished time of connection.

Monthly church fundraising lunches, which have strengthened our community and supported our ministry.

The Mother’s Union ministry, providing care, prayer, and outreach.

The Annual Christmas Bazaar, a highlight of our year and a testament to our collaborative spirit.

Baptisms, which remind us of the growing future of our church family.

We have shared in moments of joy, celebrating weddings and anniversaries as a family united in love and faith. We have also supported one another in times of challenge and difficulty, embodying the compassion and care that Christ calls us to show.

As we step into 2025, let us do so with hope, faith, and determination. On behalf of the church leadership, I wish you all a prosperous, joyous, fruitful, and successful year ahead. May God continue to guide and bless our community as we serve Him and one another.

With love and prayers,

Ishanesu Sextus Gusha

Chaplain, St Philip and St James Anglican Church, Mallorca.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Celebrating the World Vocation Sunday

Image
  Texts  Acts 4:5-12  Psalm 23  John 10:11-18 Vocation means what you are called by God to be and do. Everyone has a vocation. While appreciating all vocations, the Church concentrates her attention on raising up shepherds for God's people - vocations to Holy Orders (the priesthood and diaconate) and to the religious life - while encouraging all who are discerning their vocation to pray more earnestly that they may hear and respond to God's call. The Fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Vocations Sunday or Good Shepherd Sunday, and is marked as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The purpose of this day is to fulfil Jesus' instruction to “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).  Exegeting the Text  ‘I am the good shepherd’ This shepherd image reminds me of the bishop’s charge when we were ordained priests 21 years ago. This is how the bishop’s charge to those to be ordained priests reads, “…following the Good Sheph...
Read more

Trinity 7 Sermon

Image
 Mission Work Checklist  Mark 6:1-13 Today is the seventh Sunday of the Trinity season and I would like to commence my sermon by a conversation on Traveling Checklist. As you can see the majority of us are not here because some are on vacation and have travelled outside the Island. On the other hand we also have visitors who are here with us today because they are also on vacation in the Island. Whenever we plan to travel there is a checklist that we go through for our trip to be successful. Let us say we are travelling for a vacation to an Asian holiday destination, for example, Bali in Indonesia, how will plan your trip? Which are the things needed for the trip?  Travel Checklist: Essential Items 1. Passport and other additional IDs and Photocopies 2. Visa 3.Traveling Insurance   4. Debit/Credit Cards/Cash 5. Clothes  6. Toiletries  7. Assorted Accessories  Why are we talking about traveling checklist? In today's gospel,...
Read more

Enjoying the Spirit of Pentecost

Image
  The feast of Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after the Easter Day. The name comes from the Greek word pentekoste which means fiftieth. However, Pentecost is a Jewish feast that has been celebrated since the Old Testament times, being called the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks in Jewish tradition. It is mentioned in five places in the Pentateuch (Exodus 23, Exodus 24, Leviticus 16, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy 16). In the Christian calendar, it is the day that is celebrated to mark the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. The Book of Acts of the Apostles in chapter two vividly narrated this event that took place in Jerusalem. Today we celebrate it as the birthday of the church because on this day after Peter’s testimony over three thousand people repented and were baptized. Every year, Christians around the globe gather in their churches to celebrate this day in unique ways. The chaplaincy of St Philip & St James in Palma ...
Read more