Pentecost Sunday in Dauphin

It is appropriate that as we celebrate the “tongues of fire” that spread in that upper room on Pentecost, so we celebrate a new ANiC parish in Manitoba this Sunday. Today was the inaugural Sunday service for the “Church of the Redeemer” in Dauphin, Manitoba. It was our privilege to attend and celebrate this service with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

It was a joyful service, bringing together Anglicans who had scattered to several different denominations in Dauphin over the past year. Many had been meeting together in a House Church/Bible study for several months. This was an opportunity to Worship and have Communion together for the first time in a while.

ANiC Suffragan Bishop Malcolm Harding preached and celebrated the Eucharist with about 35 enthusiastic people. The service started with local lay leader Jim Houston reading a letter of acceptance from ANiC Moderator Bishop Don Harvey. In that letter he officially welcomed the Church of the Redeemer – Dauphin into ANiC. The service continued using the “Kenyan Rite”. That Rite has also been used in the Church of the Resurrection – Brandon and is a very interactive liturgy that keeps the congregation involved. There was great worship music from the music team. The service included a Sunday School and a prayer team.

Bishop Malcolm’s sermon focused on the Holy Spirit. He included examples from his times in Dauphin in the 70’s and beyond. It was a very effective way to tie the Pentecost message to a personal and relevant experience. The service certainly left people with both encouragement as well as an exhortation to spread the Gospel as our Lord commanded us.

Following the service a luncheon followed. Everyone stayed and it was a great time for the four of us from Brandon to get to know the Dauphin folks better. How wonderful it was to be able to share this day with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, from Dauphin.

Praise the Lord! He is so Good!