New Starts Given

Welcome to your online Sunday worship from St. George’s, Georgetown. This Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord and the focus of my message is on new beginnings.

This has been a difficult week with COVID cases continuing to rise and even more unrest south of the border. A new start, a clean slate, a new beginning, all these things would be welcomed. Each of us, through the promise of our baptism, the opportunity to have a new start and a new beginning.

Family Ministry

St. George’s families, this week in our Sunday email we have a Family Page and some colouring and activity pages for parents and children to use to help them engage with today story from Mark’s Gospel.

Please sign up for our weekly emails to get those links to these great resources to use together with your family.  

Opening Music

We often sing the hymn that I have chosen as a first hymn during advent, but it reflects on just the event that we celebrate this Sunday, so I think it is the best pick for this week. It is “On Jordan’s Bank.”

The Reading

The reading for this Sunday is Mark 1:4-11:

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”1

Prayers and Message

And here is the link to the video of this Sunday’s Prayers and Message: 

Closing Music

I am returning to selecting a traditional and a contemporary song to conclude with. The traditional hymn is “Come Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire.” I know it is a bit of a challenge to sing this one, but it is wonderfully ethereal.

The contemporary song that I chose for this week is “Knowing You.”

A blessed and safe Sunday to you. Please continue to be safe and take care in all your activities.

Thank you so much for your continued support of the ministry and mission of St. George’s.

Be Well and God Bless.

Peace,

The Rev’d Canon Rob Park

P.S. If you are looking for even more church this Sunday be sure to check out n our diocesan Facebook page and the diocesan YouTube page.

  1. Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.