Interview with the MSO's Brian and Katherine Manker

I had the pleasure of interviewing Montreal Symphony Orchestra (MSO) performers Brian and Katherine Manker on April 11th. They are two of the three members that make up "Manker and Friends" who will be performing a benefit concert at St. Philip's as part of our 125th anniversary festivities. The trio is composed of Brian Manker on cello, his wife Katherine on violin and WeiTang Huang on piano. The concert will take place at St. Philip's church (25 Brock North) on May 27th at 8 pm. See the full interview below.

Richard Matthews, Social Media Coordinator, St. Philip's Church.
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Richard: Thank you very much for meeting with me today and for performing at our church at the end of May.

Richard: You both play with the MSO and you both teach music. Clearly music is an overarching theme for the both of you. How did music come to play such a central role in your lives?

Bishop Mary's Sermon at St. Philip's Church on the Occasion of our Patronal Feast

Here is a video recording of Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson's sermon at St. Philip's Church on the occasion of our Patronage Feast on May 1, 2016. This is part of St. Philip's 125th anniversary celebrations.

Check out our forthcoming event, an evening of classical music on Friday, May 27th by the trio Manker and Friends. Click here for more information.

Classical Music Benefit Concert at St. Philip's by the Trio "Manker and Friends"

St Philip's is honoured to present an evening of classical music on Friday, May 27th by the trio Manker and Friends who will be performing works by Beethoven and Dvorak (see the full programme at the bottom of the page). The concert will start at 8 pm in the church which is located at 25 Brock Avenue North, Montreal West. Brian and Katherine Manker are members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and they along with their friend WeiTang Huang have generously offered to perform a benefit concert to help celebrate St. Philip's 125th anniversary.  See their bios below.

Forgiveness and Reflections on Marriage: A Sermon by Rev. J.B. Pratt

                                                     Sermon for the 5^th Sunday of Easter (Year C) April 24, 2016

It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

We’ve all heard that said before. And it can be especially true in the church, where we are supposed to be all about forgiveness, and where we often can move and make decisions at a glacial pace.

Our first lesson this morning [Acts 11:1-18] is all about asking forgiveness for breaking the rules. The early church was a Jewish movement, and the apostles saw themselves as Jews first, Christians second. They observed the Jewish law, including the kosher requirements; they attended synagogues and worshipped at the Temple. Non-Jews who wished to become Christians had to first convert to Judaism, study Torah and be circumcised, then they could be baptized as Christians.

St. Philip's Guidelines for Constructive Communication

These guidelines are meant to serve as a basis for comment and conduct and they are intended to facilitate constructive communications. They are derived from the Anglican Diocese of Montreal's Safe Church Policy and Email Etiquette they are deliberately brief and not meant to be legalistic.

These guidelines are a function of discussions within the corporation. They have been reviewed at the January 2016 advisory board and suggested revisions have been incorporated into the current text. The guidelines were passed almost unanimously at the February 2016 Vestry.

St. Philip's Spring Fair and 125th Anniversary Events

We have married our Book Bake and Craft Fair with our Yard Sale to make an even bigger event that we are calling St. Philip's Spring Fair. It will take place at 7505 Sherbrooke St. West, on Saturday May 7th 2016, from 9 am to 2 pm.

At the Spring Fair you will find a wide assortment of items from delicious desserts to one of a kind, hand crafted works of art. In addition to baked goods and artisanal crafts, you will find books and a variety of articles too numerous to mention. There will be balloons for the kids and holy hot-dogs made by our very own Father Jim, aka Rev. James Pratt our beloved rector.

Major new report calls Anglicans to Intentional Discipleship and Disciple-Making

This image of baptisms in India has been chosen as the cover illustration of "Intentional Discipleship and Disciple-Making - An Anglican Guide for Christian Life and Formation" - a major new report from the Anglican Communion

An Anglican Communion-wide season of intentional discipleship should not be created to address poor church attendance, or to counter the challenge faced by churches with high attendance and low commitment. Instead, it should be “a response to the biblical call to make disciples to honour and glorify God, as Christians live out their faith in everyday life as faithful followers of Jesus Christ, their Lord and Master,” a major new report published by the Anglican Communion says.