Will be held on Saturday July 4th from 10 am-12:00 pm. Admission $2.00 at the door. If you have items to donate please contact Gregory at 902-295-7843 to arrange a time. Baking items for the bake sale are greatly appreciated and can be dropped off after 6:00 pm on Friday July 3 or after 8:00 am on July 4.

If you are able to help out on the day of the sale please contact Gregory. Many hands make light work. The proceeds of the sale help in the care of the grounds at the church and hall.

THE SACRAMENT OF FIRST COMMUNION -- St. Columba Church, Iona.

For parents wishing to have their child (Grade 2 and up) receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion, please contact Josie by email at stcolumba.iona@ns.sympatico.ca or by phoning 902-725-2173. First Communion will be held in late May or early June. Thank you.

ST. COLUMBA CHURCH

In an effort to keep our church sustainable to our parishioners for years to come we are looking ahead at work which should be done over the next few years. This beautiful building is one of the most photographic churches on the Island of Cape Breton. Inside or out many, many people are impressed with this work of art.

It has served our community well for years spiritually and for this to continue we must keep attention on the work to keep it in good repair.

Some of the work that may be anticipated over the next number of years may include:

(1) Work on replacing the copper on the steeple to prevent leaks which was temporarily repaired and seems to be holding for now.

(2) Three windows in the front above the doors should be replaced because they are wood and are over 30 plus years old.

(3) Brick work repair.

So in attempt to raise money for this we are asking for support to our Building Fund from parishioners and former parishioners or anyone who would love to see the St. Columba Church remain in the best possible condition for what it was built for - Weekly Mass, Funerals, Administration of the Sacraments, etc.

To make a donation e-transfers can be sent to stcolumba.iona@ns.sympatico.ca Make a note on your transfer that it is for church repairs and/or upkeep. We thanks you in advance for your support of these endeavours.

Visit our website parishesofcentralcapebreton.ca for pictures taken by Neila MacLellan of the interior and exterior of the church. We would like to thank Neila for allowing us to use her beautiful photos.

WINDOWS AT ST.COLUMBA CHURCH-The two wooden windows on the water side of the church will need to be replaced this year at an estimated cost of $2000 per window. As was done with the previous window replacement, any parishioner or friend of the parish who would like to donate a window in memory of a family member or friend can do so by contacting Gregory at 902-295-7843.Thank you for your consideration.

St. BARRA, the first church in Central Cape Breton, is the new salt giving fresh flavor to the manna from heaven, the Word of God. At 10:00 AM every Sunday morning the Word of God, transcribed in the Bible, is read and explained for us today which brings the the past to life in our times. The Lord God says: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and who is yet to come, the Almighty. ( Rv.1: 8 ) Everyone is welcome to come hear the words of God explained, for us today. When : Sundays at 10:00 AM at St. Barra's Church in Christmas Island.

Bulletins, news and reflections for our family of parishes can be found on our website: www.parishesofcentralcapebreton.ca

We're looking for a Building Maintenance Worker to help keep our fire hall and grounds in good shape — an 8-week Canada Summer Jobs position, Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week at $16.75/hour. This is a great opportunity to build practical skills while supporting your local community. Applicants must be between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive), hold a valid SIN, and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person granted refugee status in Canada. Deadline to apply: May 31, 2026. For more information or to apply, contact Michael at christmasislandfiredept@gmail.com or (902) 209-8320.

The regular meeting of the Boisdale Volunteer Fire Dept. will be held the first Monday of the month at 7pm.All Welcome

In the event of a prolonged power outage EMO will request we open the St. Columba Church Centre as a warming centre for anyone requiring assistance. If you require assistance before the warming centre is open you can call 1.) EMO Coordinator Lyle Donovan 1 (902) 578-1994 2.) Colin MacNeil 1 (902) 371-0598 3.) Gregory MacNeil (902) 295-7843 or any Fire Department Member. Iona Volunteer Fire Department