MINISTER’S MESSAGE FOR MAY 2025

Hi all.

I hope all are well.  We are slowly emerging from a long winter but, I hope, with high spirits.

We enter the month of May still celebrating the season of Easter. There are seven Sundays in this season and then, on June 8, we have Pentecost Sunday as we remember the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

I was also surprised to learn about all of the important dates in May.

• First, of course, we have "Star Wars Day". Yes, that's right "May the 4th be with you".

• May 5 - "Cinco de Mayo" remembers the triumph of Mexico over the French Empire.

• May 12 - May's full moon known as the "Flower Moon".

• May 14 - "Dance Like a Chicken Day" which most of us will probably ignore.

• May 19 - Victoria Day - remembering her birth on May 24, 1819.

• May 22 - National Maritime Day - commemorates the first transoceanic voyage via steamboat in 1819.

• May 25 - "Rural Life Sunday"

May is also known as "Asian Heritage Month" in Canada.  And the month of May was probably named after the Roman goddess "Maia" who oversaw the growth of plants.

Celtic culture celebrated the first day of May in the northern hemisphere as the beginning of the pastoral summer season. This is when the people took their herds to graze in the mountain pastures. Probably, like May 14 above, we will also be skipping this one.

I imagine that we all have important events to remember this month. We remember birthdays of family and friends and, perhaps, pause to recall family events from the past. In any event, may we be blessed in our lives and activities as we move into our Spring season.

Submitted by

Rev. Dr. Bruce Sweet