Rector's Message
April 6, 2025
Dear Sisters and Brothers at Christ Church Brampton:
Christ has risen! Christ has risen indeed!
For all kinds of reasons, I always look forward to celebrating Easter with my family of faith. Easter hope inspires me always, especially the promise of resurrection in spite of grave (no pun intended) forces that counter God’s Reign.
I can also tell you that the Easter Vigil, the highpoint of the Christian year, our most important worship service, is my favourite. Forty-some years ago I had no intention of ever being a liturgical-sacramental Christian but a friend brought me to an Easter Vigil at the Basilica of the University of Notre Dame. That was a key moment in slowly awakening in me a deep hunger for worship that takes God’s mysteries seriously and offers rich praise to our great Redeemer. So there’s that.
This Easter, CCB has much to celebrate. We look forward to baptisms during the Easter Vigil – possibly both infant and believer’s baptisms. The following week, we welcome Bishop Fenty to celebrate our Confirmation. One of many great joys for me this winter as your pastor has been to work with the incredible group of people preparing for confirmation. (Thanks so much to Shumaila for her stellar work with this class and to Jeannie for her great help too.)
You probably have not noticed, but I’m kind of a sentimental guy. There is something else about Easter Sunday. It falls on 20 April and that intrigues me because I began working here on 21 April. In other words, Easter Sunday will be my 365th day here – even though I thought I had signed up for five months. When I started last year, I did not anticipate being here a year later.
How glad and grateful I am that things worked out this way. I think this is an extraordinary and lively congregation. I so admire my colleagues, Martha and Shumaila, the appointed officers here, and so so many volunteers. I am glad when I see children and youth show up Sunday after Sunday. Not to mention the hard work of many on Sunday services, both the musicians led wonderfully by Ron and Sally, the altar guild, and all the people who work behind the scenes (greeting, sound, hospitality, food). I have been astonished by the mutual care and hospitality I’ve seen here and by your concern for the community and the wider world.
My time as priest-in-charge is soon coming to an end. I am grateful to all of you for this grand opportunity. And I’ll keep praying for you and the next incumbent (lucky priest!).
Thank you one and all for your gracious partnership with God, with each other, and with me in advancing God’s Reign through the ministry of Christ Church Brampton.
Easter is a time to number blessings, express gratitude, celebrate together, and generously share with others. Please consider making a special offering at this time in support of work at CCB, a great way to show gratitude, and to mark the end of a transitional year into the church’s next chapter.
Your Interim Priest-in-Charge
Arthur +
Arthur Boers
