The key note speaker at the Conference AGM was Dow Edgerton, who had just publised a book entitled: "Speak to me that I may speak: a spirituality of preaching" that arrived the day of Conference and was available for sale ...
Dow presented two theme talks. I missed most of the first one running my son to the Museum to meet his class who were in Winnipeg on thier class trip ... but his second theme presentation was extraordinary. His style is easy, narrative and simply delightful - he entertains, enlightens and educations simultaneously. What follows are some highlights I jotted down of his presentation ... they may not do him justice - but they are the wisdome I gleaned from the moment:
- he spend some time on the streets of Winnipeg and noted the wide variety of ethnic backgrounds he encountered on the streets. He said that such places offer astonishing possibility, and with that comes astonishing responsibility. He went on to reflect about our need to live out and share the Gospel to a broad and diverse world ...
- he shared some reflections that came from his now grown son. He noted that one day his 4 year old son began asking some really tough questions about life and ministry and what it was his dad (a seminary professor) did. The exchange ended with his son making the observation that "if you want to be in ministry you have to know alot about love becasue God is love right?" Dow then noted like the Jewish Rabbis tell us - everything else is commentary.
- he noted that love and justice are just the inward and outward forms of faith lived out in the world - that faith flows forth from the actuality of existence - that in the hidden depths of our souls lies love which issues forth, and the deeds that love embodies are where we find and live justice.
- at the beginning of his talk Dow noted that all of the Scriptures are focused on only one commandment which is simply focused on the Love of God, the love of our Neighbour and nothing else ...
Ultimately Dow's presentation was about living our faith and sharing the love that is found within us with the world around us ... kind of makes you think it isn't a bad thing ...
l'chaim
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
From the shards of our lives ...
I went back to my file of photos to use this image ... it is one of the now lost stained glass windows from our Church. It fits well with the reflection I would offer on the Memorial Service held at the AGM on Saturday.
At the meeting we remembered those Saints of the Church who in the last year have gone on before us ... using a multimedia presentation we remembered by name and with pictures, those whom we've lost. It was a powerful service of Remembrance.
Throughout it, the images and the words used hearkened us to how death is very much like the shattering of glass - the shards scatter and leave us wondering what to do next ...
As the service began and the presider spoke of life and death being like glass breaking, I was taken back to the bitter cold morning following the fire when Sarah Burton and I picked through the debris that was only hours before - our Church. Our search was for any shards of glass form the glorious windows that graced our sanctuary ... we picked in the ice and snow ... we froze our finger tips and cut our hands and fingers trying to pry loose tiny coloured shards of glass ...
For all our hard work we have a small box of shards ... tiny, irregular shaped shards of glass that were once pictures of Jesus, harps, wheat sheafs, crosses and flowers ... as we picked through the debris in the bitter February cold, we hoped to slavage from the snow and ashes anything that could be used in a fresh new way to grace our new home when it rises and opens ...
Such is the power of the resurrection: Death comes and shatters our hopes, our dreams, our future ... the life we once lived is left scattered and shattered across the floor - shards of what once was ... But then we begin to pick up the pieces ... we pick through the dust and ashes, the snow and ice, and we gather what we can ... we can recreate - we can pick up the pieces and allow the light to shine through the shards ... Glorious, numinous light ...
That is the Resurrection: even in the smallest shards, the light shines through and brings beauty and colour to our world ... to pick up the pieces requires time and patience ... to craft something new demands time and creativity ... to be open to the new light combinations needs vision and faith ... And when we open our eyes, our hearts and our souls in that moment and are bathed in fresh new light, we are living the Resurrection.
May it be so ... thanks be to God ...
L'chaim
Monday, May 29, 2006
Better a bit late then not at all ...
This entry is about a week late ... it is the bulletin and sermon from last week.
This week has been a bit busy.On Thursday my three children and I went into Winnipeg for the Annual General Meeting of the Conference of Manitoba and North Western Ontario (there will be more about that here and at my other two blogs in the coming days).
I have been without access to computers since noon Thursday (suprisingly there were few withdrawal symptoms), and have been busy doing the tasks expected of us at Conference, looking after my kids at Conference, and being overwhelmed by the support and encouragement of folks at Conference who have been following the journey of Minnedosa and me, since the fire ... So, with a thanks to all of those who are regular visitors I offer my bulletin, and also the advanced warning that in a couple of days this blog will fall silent for about 90 days (or thereabouts).
Starting on Thursday I am on a Sabbatical of sorts from the duties and responsibilities of ministry here in Minnedosa. It is a leave given by the Board to give me the time and the space to rest, recover and most importantly reflect on ministry and the challenges I've encountered here lately ... (I may break my silence in June briefly following the sentencing of the three suspects in our fire - on Thursday they appeared in court, and NOW all three have plead guilty to thier part in the fire. The three will be sentenced in Minnedosa in June and following that hearing I may post an edited version of the victims' impact statement we submitted a few weeks ago ... )
But as of Thursday, this site will fall silent for a time ... but silence is good. In the First Nations Traditions I lived within for a time in Bella Coola, silence was not merely the absence of noise and talk, instead silence was a place where we can be together and simply know that God is there with us ... Wasn't it the prophets who urge us to "be still and know that I AM God ..."??
In silence we find the gift of Shalom and we find the gift of peace ...
Between now and Thursday I will post some of my reflections on the experience of Conference this past weekend in Winnipeg - and today I will offer LAST WEEK's service materials ... So, as Douglas Adams so eloquently penned: "so long and thanks for all the fish ..."
L'chaim
(and now the bulletin:)
GREETINGS / ANNOUNCEMENTS / MINUTE FOR MISSION
HYMN #217 All Creatures of Our God and King
CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: Jesus said: Love one another.
ALL: WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD WHO IS LOVE,
THAT WE MAY LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
One: Jesus said: No longer do I call you servants;
now I call you my friends.
ALL: WE COME TO BEAR FRUIT,
SHARING OUR FAITH WITH EACH OTHER
LIVING OUT THE COMMANDMENTS GIVEN BY GOD.
One: Jesus said: Love one another.
ALL: WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD WHO IS LOVE,
THAT WE MAY LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER
AS WE LIVE IN LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP.
ALL: AMEN.
PRAYER OF APPROACH:
One: Holy God, you called all life into being,
ALL: THE EARTH, THE SEA AND THE SKY ARE YOURS,
One: Your presence is all around us,
Your love is within us,
Your spirit enlivens us as we walk upon the earth.
ALL: WITH YOUR SPIRIT WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE OUR FAITH.
One: In the midst of hunger and war,
ALL: WE CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF PLENTY AND PEACE.
One: In the midst of doubt and despair,
ALL: WE CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF FAITH AND HOPE.
One: In the midst of fear and betrayal,
ALL: WE CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF JOY AND COMMITMENT.
One: In the midst of hatred, fear and death,
ALL: WE CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF LOVE AND LIFE.
WE CELEBRATE THE PRESENCE OF THE RISEN CHRIST.
AMEN
HYMN #593 Jesu, Jesu Fill Us With Your Love.
PRAYER FOR WHOLENESS:
One: God of Love, God of Resurrection,
We draw into your presence today yearning to touch you,
hoping to find for ourselves your presence in our lives …
ALL: WE CRY OUT TO YOU FROM A DARKENED WORLD
A WORLD THAT KNOWS THE FULLNESS
OF SUFFERING AND DEATH.
One: Merciful and Loving God,
in the light smothering darkness
we stumble forward longing for the light to break over us …
(pause)
One: Gather our lingering fears and our confusion …
ALL: MEET OUR DOUBTS
WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING,
OPEN OUR EYES TO YOUR LOVE AND GRACE,
OPEN OUR EARS TO HEAR YOU CALLING TO US,
OPEN OUR SOULS TO NEW POSSIBILITIES …
HYMN #396 Jesus, Stand among Us
One: God of Grace, God of Love,
Guide us to paths of resurrection,
ALL: GOD OF HOPE, GOD OF STRENGTH,
TRANSFORM US, RENEW US.
TAKE OUR WOUNDEDNESS,
AND BRING HEALING AND NEW LIFE.
One: These things we ask in the name of the Risen One,
ALL: HOLY ONE, HEAR OUR PRAYERS,
AND IN YOUR LOVE ANSWER. AMEN.
HYMN #593 Jesu, Jesu Fill Us With Your Love
SCRIPTURE READINGS: John 15:1-17
Borrowed and adapted from the Apr/May/June 2000 issue of A-Ha:
In our reading today we hear of vines and vineyards and the fruit of love … In a US college they once did an experiment to find out the power held in a simple squash.
As the fruit grew they wrapped a band around the squash to measure the pressure the squash exerted against the band as it grew. They expected a pressure of 500 pounds …
In a month’s time the squash was growing with a pressure of 500 pounds against the strap – but it wasn’t finished – in two months it was growing 1500 pounds, then it went up to 2000 pounds and the bands were reinforced – the scientists gave up the experiment when at 5000 pounds the bands snapped. The squash plant hadn’t finished growing, and it hadn’t given up. It had sent out over 80 000 feet (80 000 feet !!) of roots to help it find the strength to grow against the forces that would hold it back.
The squash plant, and our readings remind us of the life force that can not be stopped … the life force that is the power of the resurrection in action.
Our challenge is to live that kind of force in the world – to grow in strength and faith as we live our lives …
I read about a woman who lived through the holocaust and who is still a person of faith. Somebody questioned her about how she could have faith in a God who let something like the Holocaust happen.
Her response was “It wasn’t that God let it happen, and it wasn’t that God wasn’t there, but it was that God didn’t have enough friends on earth willing to do anything about it …”
I think this fits with the idea that Jesus abides in us and we abide in him … we grow and become strong in our faith we push against the bands that hem us in, and in THAT, Jesus’ witness is clearer and our task as friends is obvious …
Psalm 98 (pg 818 Voices)
CHOIR ANTHEM:
THE STORY STOOL:
HYMN #373 As Comes the Breath of Spring
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 10:44-48
The Church is deeply divided in our reading. The movement that has its origins in the teachings and witness of Jesus from Nazareth is struggling to include a wide variety of people. In this reading, it is a question of whether the Gentiles should be baptized or not … Peter stands ready to pour out the Baptismal waters and to welcome ALL in the name of Christ. But others are less sure …
Canadian writer Milton Schwartzentruber once wrote of this passage: “There are many things over which churches tear themselves apart. A church I know of is in great pain over the fact that two lesbians have asked the minister to bless their union. They would like to have the service in the sanctuary. Some in the Congregation look at the women and see two wonderful, involved, caring and loving people. Other in the congregation see two people in an unholy relationship.”
“No matter how this situation gets resolved, it appears that some people will leave the church… The minister there said to me – ‘if the NO side wins we will have to re-write the church ad in the newspaper to read SOME are welcome instead of ALL are welcome …”
Such is the very real dilemma faced by Peter … If he baptizes the Gentiles, he will lose members of the Church … but if he doesn’t baptize the Gentiles he will lose them and others …
So Peter offers up in prayer is dilemma and calls on the Spirit to guide him in his decision …
I John 5:1-6
SERMON:
The text from our Gospel reading this morning is no doubt being widely used across our country today – “love one another as I have loved you, for no greater love hath a man then to lay down his life for another …”
In today’s context the gender of the text would be changed to celebrate the life of a Captain in the Canadian military, who by all reports lived a life filled with love extended to those around here. Last night on one of the reports of Capt. Goddard’s life they noted that she once stopped in a marathon and helped another participant finish the race … such ethics of helping others regardless of the consequences or the outcome is the very essence of love.
Love is not just a warm pink fuzzy feeling … love is something much deeper then that.
In one of the commentaries I read this weekend it noted that love is the living of life to the fullest. Love is the embodiment of joy and joy is living life boldly and courageously by embracing the laughter and the tears. Joy is one of the concepts in faith and life that is important to me. I have shared with you on several occasions a piece I once wrote on Joy, that was eventually published in a now defunct magazine (I don’t think there is a connection there …)
But as I’ve moved through ministry I have valued the gift of love that is revealed through the work of the church – that is the ministry that you and I share together as the people of God. Love is the life force that lies within, and that motivates us to action.
You can’t fake love … love is faith lived out …
As I consider love, a series of encounters stands out for me with the very margins of society … In Bella Coola there were a wonderful group of people called the Troopers. They were the drinkers. They spent their time trooping around town collecting the empty bottles and cans (hence their name). Then they trooped to the store and cashed them in, and made a purchase that would keep them for the rest of the day … and tomorrow they would do the same.
When they walked past the manse I would often open the door and yell at them to bring me the 10% tithe for the church … they would respond by yelling back – “if you want ten percent you gotta come and work for your share …” then they would laugh and carry on their walk …
I had innumerable encounters with them throughout my time amongst the Nuxalkmc people. One afternoon they were sharing the bottle and they taunted me from the front step of the house – “hey, we got the wine – if you got the bread we can have communion …”
The next day Mag was baking bread, so she made a small loaf that tucked in my pocket … on my walk down the street the same taunt was offered … I responded by reaching into my coat and saying – “actually, I do have bread …” And on the front step of the house, in the glorious summer sunshine of Coastal BC, the troopers and I had communion … Many other times, we shared communion, in a wide variety of ways …
When we needed jobs done around the church – the boys were there for us.
When we had feasts and potlatches I enjoyed sitting with them as the meal was served.
But nearing the end of my time in Bella Coola I was blessed with two moments that embodied love in action … the first came one night when one of the boys came to Church. He hadn’t darkened the door of the Church in many, many months. Yet the previous week he had begun to share with me his story of abuse in residential school, and why he drank to deaden his pain … As he sat beside me during the service when one of the congregation members shared a couple of specials, I noticed fleas crawling up my alb … tiny little moving specks … that we being joined by their buddies jumping from him to me …
I had a choice – I could have been disgusted and stood up and shook off my alb and offended and embarrassed him, or I could sit and know that I could deal with the fleas later …
I sat … I was horrified and disgusted (not by him, but by the bugs – I hate bugs crawling on me …), but I trusted that in that moment, the place I needed to be was right beside him. He had screwed up his courage to FINALLY come to Church and sit … He never tried to deny his problems. I never heard him say that his choice of lifestyle was someone else’s fault. He said simply one afternoon while we sat by the river – “you don’t know the pain that I have within me …”
And so in that moment, we sat – fleas and all – and felt the presence of God all around us … Had I stood up and shook my alb free of the critters, the alienation he already felt from the Church and from God would have deepened. Instead I laid aside my feelings about the bugs and sat …
There was no laying down my life in that moment, but there was a willingness to share in the moment on terms that were not mine …
The next moment of love in action came some weeks later as we prepared to say our farewells in Bella Coola. At one of the evening services, the troopers marched in and when the offering was taken up they came forward with bread bags bulging with dimes and other change … they laid them on the table and turned to me and said – “There’s the share for the Church …” as they laughed …
They gave up a lot … it may have been a few dollars of change – but to them it was a real sacrifice. They could have bought some time away from the burdens of pain they carried – but instead, they had (they just had) to have the last word. In love and joy, they offered what they had to say thanks that the Kingdom of God had room for them too.
In those moments I learned the meaning of love. Love is the willingness to embrace life and live fully in this moment the opportunities that are presented to us.
Last week I had the opportunity to speak to the students at MCI as part of their life skills work. I shared with them some of the learnings I’ve gleaned from life around grief, loss and recovery.
One of the life lessons I shared with them was the simple truth that it may hurt terribly right now – the loss could be a death, the break up a relationship, the loss or theft of a cherished item, or even a fire in a much building – but whatever it is, it might hurt terribly in this moment, but in time the hurt will be lessened. We will eventually look back on the loss and be able to find goodness that flowed forth from that horrible moment of pain …
That is the triumph of love … being able to move forward knowing that we are all members of the family of God, and that because God loves us, because we love ourselves we will heal and recover… That is love in action.
Opening ourselves up to the fullness of life and the very presence of God in our midst … we are called to go into the world, to share the Gospel, to pour out the baptismal waters, to welcome in the strangers and the broken … to speak in the languages that are comprehensible to those whom we meet along the way …
It is not an easy journey – it is seldom comfortable. Sometimes it requires pruning and nurturing, as our reading from John reminds us … but at the end of the day, the goal – the destination – the ends we seek and the means we live, as simply love in action.
It’s easy to speak of love – but love is sometimes harder to live … we are called to be people of love … and as the kids song tells us – “they shall know we are Christians by our love, by our love …”
We need to move beyond the understanding of love as nothing more then a simple, warm, pink fuzzy feeling that puts on a smiley face and gives hugs to everyone … love sometimes challenges us to name and reject bad behaviour, and to tread a path that is uncomfortable in the name of healing … I never accepted the heavy drinking of the troopers – I understood where it came from – but instead I tried in my own way, to help them own the pain they sought to dull, and to find ways to bring healing … I don’t know if it made a difference, but I know the journey we shared had an indelible effect on me …
And sometimes that’s all there is … like a stone thrown in a pond, we don’t know where the ripples will go … we don’t know what effect there will be down the road somewhere … all we can do is trust in God to be with us through it all …
We are called to live our love … today, tomorrow and always …
May it be so – thanks be to God …
OFFERING
OFFERTORY:
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
HYMN: #175 This is the Day That God Has Made
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN #222 Come Let Us Sing
COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION:
SUNG RESPONSE: HYMN #424 May the God of hope Go with Us
The worship has ended…
…the work of God’s people has just begun
Go in peace
Announcements:
Building Committee Meeting – Tuesday, May 23rd at 6:00 p.m.
Bible Study has taken a break for the summer. A BIG thanks to those who have joined in the conversation and the fellowship this past year.
See you in the fall …
Confirmation Class will be taking a break for the summer …
See you again in the fall.
The Annual Meeting of Conference of Manitoba and North Western Ontario will be held in Winnipeg from May 25th to the 28th. Sam and Hannah Ankenmann will be attending the Pre-TAC events during the meeting as representatives of our Congregation.
Pentecost Sunday (June 4th) – Congregational lunch following Worship
Graduation Service – with our 2006 Grads - June 25th
Womens’ Weekend – information about this weekend (the end of September) is available at the back of the Sanctuary, or at the Church office.
THANKS TO HEATHER BRAZEAU for all of her hard work in hosting, organizng and preparing the community Mothers’ Day Dinner last week at the MCCC. Thanks to her efforts, $2884 dollars has been donated to our Rebuilding efforts … Thanks to all those who donated and participated.
This week has been a bit busy.On Thursday my three children and I went into Winnipeg for the Annual General Meeting of the Conference of Manitoba and North Western Ontario (there will be more about that here and at my other two blogs in the coming days).
I have been without access to computers since noon Thursday (suprisingly there were few withdrawal symptoms), and have been busy doing the tasks expected of us at Conference, looking after my kids at Conference, and being overwhelmed by the support and encouragement of folks at Conference who have been following the journey of Minnedosa and me, since the fire ... So, with a thanks to all of those who are regular visitors I offer my bulletin, and also the advanced warning that in a couple of days this blog will fall silent for about 90 days (or thereabouts).
Starting on Thursday I am on a Sabbatical of sorts from the duties and responsibilities of ministry here in Minnedosa. It is a leave given by the Board to give me the time and the space to rest, recover and most importantly reflect on ministry and the challenges I've encountered here lately ... (I may break my silence in June briefly following the sentencing of the three suspects in our fire - on Thursday they appeared in court, and NOW all three have plead guilty to thier part in the fire. The three will be sentenced in Minnedosa in June and following that hearing I may post an edited version of the victims' impact statement we submitted a few weeks ago ... )
But as of Thursday, this site will fall silent for a time ... but silence is good. In the First Nations Traditions I lived within for a time in Bella Coola, silence was not merely the absence of noise and talk, instead silence was a place where we can be together and simply know that God is there with us ... Wasn't it the prophets who urge us to "be still and know that I AM God ..."??
In silence we find the gift of Shalom and we find the gift of peace ...
Between now and Thursday I will post some of my reflections on the experience of Conference this past weekend in Winnipeg - and today I will offer LAST WEEK's service materials ... So, as Douglas Adams so eloquently penned: "so long and thanks for all the fish ..."
L'chaim
(and now the bulletin:)
GREETINGS / ANNOUNCEMENTS / MINUTE FOR MISSION
HYMN #217 All Creatures of Our God and King
CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: Jesus said: Love one another.
ALL: WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD WHO IS LOVE,
THAT WE MAY LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
One: Jesus said: No longer do I call you servants;
now I call you my friends.
ALL: WE COME TO BEAR FRUIT,
SHARING OUR FAITH WITH EACH OTHER
LIVING OUT THE COMMANDMENTS GIVEN BY GOD.
One: Jesus said: Love one another.
ALL: WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD WHO IS LOVE,
THAT WE MAY LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER
AS WE LIVE IN LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP.
ALL: AMEN.
PRAYER OF APPROACH:
One: Holy God, you called all life into being,
ALL: THE EARTH, THE SEA AND THE SKY ARE YOURS,
One: Your presence is all around us,
Your love is within us,
Your spirit enlivens us as we walk upon the earth.
ALL: WITH YOUR SPIRIT WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE OUR FAITH.
One: In the midst of hunger and war,
ALL: WE CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF PLENTY AND PEACE.
One: In the midst of doubt and despair,
ALL: WE CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF FAITH AND HOPE.
One: In the midst of fear and betrayal,
ALL: WE CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF JOY AND COMMITMENT.
One: In the midst of hatred, fear and death,
ALL: WE CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF LOVE AND LIFE.
WE CELEBRATE THE PRESENCE OF THE RISEN CHRIST.
AMEN
HYMN #593 Jesu, Jesu Fill Us With Your Love.
PRAYER FOR WHOLENESS:
One: God of Love, God of Resurrection,
We draw into your presence today yearning to touch you,
hoping to find for ourselves your presence in our lives …
ALL: WE CRY OUT TO YOU FROM A DARKENED WORLD
A WORLD THAT KNOWS THE FULLNESS
OF SUFFERING AND DEATH.
One: Merciful and Loving God,
in the light smothering darkness
we stumble forward longing for the light to break over us …
(pause)
One: Gather our lingering fears and our confusion …
ALL: MEET OUR DOUBTS
WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING,
OPEN OUR EYES TO YOUR LOVE AND GRACE,
OPEN OUR EARS TO HEAR YOU CALLING TO US,
OPEN OUR SOULS TO NEW POSSIBILITIES …
HYMN #396 Jesus, Stand among Us
One: God of Grace, God of Love,
Guide us to paths of resurrection,
ALL: GOD OF HOPE, GOD OF STRENGTH,
TRANSFORM US, RENEW US.
TAKE OUR WOUNDEDNESS,
AND BRING HEALING AND NEW LIFE.
One: These things we ask in the name of the Risen One,
ALL: HOLY ONE, HEAR OUR PRAYERS,
AND IN YOUR LOVE ANSWER. AMEN.
HYMN #593 Jesu, Jesu Fill Us With Your Love
SCRIPTURE READINGS: John 15:1-17
Borrowed and adapted from the Apr/May/June 2000 issue of A-Ha:
In our reading today we hear of vines and vineyards and the fruit of love … In a US college they once did an experiment to find out the power held in a simple squash.
As the fruit grew they wrapped a band around the squash to measure the pressure the squash exerted against the band as it grew. They expected a pressure of 500 pounds …
In a month’s time the squash was growing with a pressure of 500 pounds against the strap – but it wasn’t finished – in two months it was growing 1500 pounds, then it went up to 2000 pounds and the bands were reinforced – the scientists gave up the experiment when at 5000 pounds the bands snapped. The squash plant hadn’t finished growing, and it hadn’t given up. It had sent out over 80 000 feet (80 000 feet !!) of roots to help it find the strength to grow against the forces that would hold it back.
The squash plant, and our readings remind us of the life force that can not be stopped … the life force that is the power of the resurrection in action.
Our challenge is to live that kind of force in the world – to grow in strength and faith as we live our lives …
I read about a woman who lived through the holocaust and who is still a person of faith. Somebody questioned her about how she could have faith in a God who let something like the Holocaust happen.
Her response was “It wasn’t that God let it happen, and it wasn’t that God wasn’t there, but it was that God didn’t have enough friends on earth willing to do anything about it …”
I think this fits with the idea that Jesus abides in us and we abide in him … we grow and become strong in our faith we push against the bands that hem us in, and in THAT, Jesus’ witness is clearer and our task as friends is obvious …
Psalm 98 (pg 818 Voices)
CHOIR ANTHEM:
THE STORY STOOL:
HYMN #373 As Comes the Breath of Spring
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 10:44-48
The Church is deeply divided in our reading. The movement that has its origins in the teachings and witness of Jesus from Nazareth is struggling to include a wide variety of people. In this reading, it is a question of whether the Gentiles should be baptized or not … Peter stands ready to pour out the Baptismal waters and to welcome ALL in the name of Christ. But others are less sure …
Canadian writer Milton Schwartzentruber once wrote of this passage: “There are many things over which churches tear themselves apart. A church I know of is in great pain over the fact that two lesbians have asked the minister to bless their union. They would like to have the service in the sanctuary. Some in the Congregation look at the women and see two wonderful, involved, caring and loving people. Other in the congregation see two people in an unholy relationship.”
“No matter how this situation gets resolved, it appears that some people will leave the church… The minister there said to me – ‘if the NO side wins we will have to re-write the church ad in the newspaper to read SOME are welcome instead of ALL are welcome …”
Such is the very real dilemma faced by Peter … If he baptizes the Gentiles, he will lose members of the Church … but if he doesn’t baptize the Gentiles he will lose them and others …
So Peter offers up in prayer is dilemma and calls on the Spirit to guide him in his decision …
I John 5:1-6
SERMON:
The text from our Gospel reading this morning is no doubt being widely used across our country today – “love one another as I have loved you, for no greater love hath a man then to lay down his life for another …”
In today’s context the gender of the text would be changed to celebrate the life of a Captain in the Canadian military, who by all reports lived a life filled with love extended to those around here. Last night on one of the reports of Capt. Goddard’s life they noted that she once stopped in a marathon and helped another participant finish the race … such ethics of helping others regardless of the consequences or the outcome is the very essence of love.
Love is not just a warm pink fuzzy feeling … love is something much deeper then that.
In one of the commentaries I read this weekend it noted that love is the living of life to the fullest. Love is the embodiment of joy and joy is living life boldly and courageously by embracing the laughter and the tears. Joy is one of the concepts in faith and life that is important to me. I have shared with you on several occasions a piece I once wrote on Joy, that was eventually published in a now defunct magazine (I don’t think there is a connection there …)
But as I’ve moved through ministry I have valued the gift of love that is revealed through the work of the church – that is the ministry that you and I share together as the people of God. Love is the life force that lies within, and that motivates us to action.
You can’t fake love … love is faith lived out …
As I consider love, a series of encounters stands out for me with the very margins of society … In Bella Coola there were a wonderful group of people called the Troopers. They were the drinkers. They spent their time trooping around town collecting the empty bottles and cans (hence their name). Then they trooped to the store and cashed them in, and made a purchase that would keep them for the rest of the day … and tomorrow they would do the same.
When they walked past the manse I would often open the door and yell at them to bring me the 10% tithe for the church … they would respond by yelling back – “if you want ten percent you gotta come and work for your share …” then they would laugh and carry on their walk …
I had innumerable encounters with them throughout my time amongst the Nuxalkmc people. One afternoon they were sharing the bottle and they taunted me from the front step of the house – “hey, we got the wine – if you got the bread we can have communion …”
The next day Mag was baking bread, so she made a small loaf that tucked in my pocket … on my walk down the street the same taunt was offered … I responded by reaching into my coat and saying – “actually, I do have bread …” And on the front step of the house, in the glorious summer sunshine of Coastal BC, the troopers and I had communion … Many other times, we shared communion, in a wide variety of ways …
When we needed jobs done around the church – the boys were there for us.
When we had feasts and potlatches I enjoyed sitting with them as the meal was served.
But nearing the end of my time in Bella Coola I was blessed with two moments that embodied love in action … the first came one night when one of the boys came to Church. He hadn’t darkened the door of the Church in many, many months. Yet the previous week he had begun to share with me his story of abuse in residential school, and why he drank to deaden his pain … As he sat beside me during the service when one of the congregation members shared a couple of specials, I noticed fleas crawling up my alb … tiny little moving specks … that we being joined by their buddies jumping from him to me …
I had a choice – I could have been disgusted and stood up and shook off my alb and offended and embarrassed him, or I could sit and know that I could deal with the fleas later …
I sat … I was horrified and disgusted (not by him, but by the bugs – I hate bugs crawling on me …), but I trusted that in that moment, the place I needed to be was right beside him. He had screwed up his courage to FINALLY come to Church and sit … He never tried to deny his problems. I never heard him say that his choice of lifestyle was someone else’s fault. He said simply one afternoon while we sat by the river – “you don’t know the pain that I have within me …”
And so in that moment, we sat – fleas and all – and felt the presence of God all around us … Had I stood up and shook my alb free of the critters, the alienation he already felt from the Church and from God would have deepened. Instead I laid aside my feelings about the bugs and sat …
There was no laying down my life in that moment, but there was a willingness to share in the moment on terms that were not mine …
The next moment of love in action came some weeks later as we prepared to say our farewells in Bella Coola. At one of the evening services, the troopers marched in and when the offering was taken up they came forward with bread bags bulging with dimes and other change … they laid them on the table and turned to me and said – “There’s the share for the Church …” as they laughed …
They gave up a lot … it may have been a few dollars of change – but to them it was a real sacrifice. They could have bought some time away from the burdens of pain they carried – but instead, they had (they just had) to have the last word. In love and joy, they offered what they had to say thanks that the Kingdom of God had room for them too.
In those moments I learned the meaning of love. Love is the willingness to embrace life and live fully in this moment the opportunities that are presented to us.
Last week I had the opportunity to speak to the students at MCI as part of their life skills work. I shared with them some of the learnings I’ve gleaned from life around grief, loss and recovery.
One of the life lessons I shared with them was the simple truth that it may hurt terribly right now – the loss could be a death, the break up a relationship, the loss or theft of a cherished item, or even a fire in a much building – but whatever it is, it might hurt terribly in this moment, but in time the hurt will be lessened. We will eventually look back on the loss and be able to find goodness that flowed forth from that horrible moment of pain …
That is the triumph of love … being able to move forward knowing that we are all members of the family of God, and that because God loves us, because we love ourselves we will heal and recover… That is love in action.
Opening ourselves up to the fullness of life and the very presence of God in our midst … we are called to go into the world, to share the Gospel, to pour out the baptismal waters, to welcome in the strangers and the broken … to speak in the languages that are comprehensible to those whom we meet along the way …
It is not an easy journey – it is seldom comfortable. Sometimes it requires pruning and nurturing, as our reading from John reminds us … but at the end of the day, the goal – the destination – the ends we seek and the means we live, as simply love in action.
It’s easy to speak of love – but love is sometimes harder to live … we are called to be people of love … and as the kids song tells us – “they shall know we are Christians by our love, by our love …”
We need to move beyond the understanding of love as nothing more then a simple, warm, pink fuzzy feeling that puts on a smiley face and gives hugs to everyone … love sometimes challenges us to name and reject bad behaviour, and to tread a path that is uncomfortable in the name of healing … I never accepted the heavy drinking of the troopers – I understood where it came from – but instead I tried in my own way, to help them own the pain they sought to dull, and to find ways to bring healing … I don’t know if it made a difference, but I know the journey we shared had an indelible effect on me …
And sometimes that’s all there is … like a stone thrown in a pond, we don’t know where the ripples will go … we don’t know what effect there will be down the road somewhere … all we can do is trust in God to be with us through it all …
We are called to live our love … today, tomorrow and always …
May it be so – thanks be to God …
OFFERING
OFFERTORY:
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
HYMN: #175 This is the Day That God Has Made
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN #222 Come Let Us Sing
COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION:
SUNG RESPONSE: HYMN #424 May the God of hope Go with Us
The worship has ended…
…the work of God’s people has just begun
Go in peace
Announcements:
Building Committee Meeting – Tuesday, May 23rd at 6:00 p.m.
Bible Study has taken a break for the summer. A BIG thanks to those who have joined in the conversation and the fellowship this past year.
See you in the fall …
Confirmation Class will be taking a break for the summer …
See you again in the fall.
The Annual Meeting of Conference of Manitoba and North Western Ontario will be held in Winnipeg from May 25th to the 28th. Sam and Hannah Ankenmann will be attending the Pre-TAC events during the meeting as representatives of our Congregation.
Pentecost Sunday (June 4th) – Congregational lunch following Worship
Graduation Service – with our 2006 Grads - June 25th
Womens’ Weekend – information about this weekend (the end of September) is available at the back of the Sanctuary, or at the Church office.
THANKS TO HEATHER BRAZEAU for all of her hard work in hosting, organizng and preparing the community Mothers’ Day Dinner last week at the MCCC. Thanks to her efforts, $2884 dollars has been donated to our Rebuilding efforts … Thanks to all those who donated and participated.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Mother's Day bulletin ...
It's been a busy week around Minnedosa ... (more about that later) ... for now - here is the bulletin from LAST week's service with Nancy W preaching. I wish I had notes for her sermon - it was a grand offering. She reflected on her time here in Minnedosa, on the texts and then she ended by musing about the future that we face here in Minnedosa ...
I will post yesterday's service materials tomorrow (or maye even later today) - but for now - here is the bulletin from last week:
GREETINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS MINUTE FOR MISSION
HYMN #477 I Come with Joy
CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: Jesus said: Love one another.
ALL: WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD WHO IS LOVE,
THAT WE MAY LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
One: Jesus said: No longer do I call you servants;
now I call you my friends.
ALL: WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD,
WHOSE FRIENDS WE ARE IN CHRIST.
One: Let us sing praise to God,
and live in love and friendship;
through Jesus Christ.
ALL: AMEN.
PRAYER OF APPROACH:
One: We are not called to be fearful,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE
One: We are not called to be perfect,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL.
One: We are not called to be fearless,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO BE OBEDIENT
One: We are not called to be all knowing,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO BELIEVE.
One: We are not called to be victorious,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO BE COURAGEOUS.
One: For it is in serving that we shall reign,
It is through courage we shall find victory,
ALL: IT IS THROUGH GIVING ALL THAT WE SHALL GAIN ALL,
IT IS THROUGH BELIEVING THAT WE SHALL DISPEL DOUBT,
IT IS IN OBEDIENCE THAT WE SHALL OVERCOME.
One: It is in loving that we shall dispel all fear,
It is in faithfulness that we shall find perfection.
ALL: IN CHRIST, AND GOD’S JUSTICE, WE SHALL FIND FREEDOM,
NOW AND FOREVER. AMEN.
HYMN #371 Open My Eyes, That I May See
PRAYER FOR WHOLENESS:
One: God of Resurrection,
We come into your presence today yearning to touch you,
hoping to find for ourselves your presence in our lives …
ALL: WE CRY OUT TO YOU FROM A DARKENED WORLD
A WORLD THAT KNOWS THE FULLNESS OF SUFFERING AND DEATH.
One: Merciful and Loving God, in the light smothering darkness
we stumble forward longing for the light to break over us …
(pause)
One: Gather our lingering fears and our confusion …
ALL: MEET OUR DOUBTS WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING,
OPEN OUR EYES TO YOUR LOVE AND GRACE,
OPEN OUR EARS TO HEAR YOU CALLING TO US,
OPEN OUR SOULS TO NEW POSSIBILITIES …
HYMN #396 Jesus, Stand among Us
One: God of Grace, God of Love,
Guide us to paths of resurrection,
ALL: GOD OF HOPE, GOD OF STRENGTH, GOD OF SALVATION,
TRANSFORM US, RENEW US.
TAKE OUR WOUNDEDNESS, AND BRING HEALING AND NEW LIFE.
One: These things we ask in the name of the Risen One,
ALL: HOLY ONE, HEAR OUR PRAYERS, AND IN YOUR LOVE ANSWER. AMEN.
HYMN #562 (vs 1,3,5) Jesus Calls Us
SCRIPTURE READINGS: I Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11
Acts 1:6-14
CHOIR ANTHEM:
THE STORY STOOL:
HYMN #556 (vs 1,2) Would You Bless Our Homes and Families
SERVICE OF BAPTISM:
Today we celebrate the Baptisms of:
Savannah Marilyn Sage Topping daughter of Sheryl
And
Meredith Irene Erven, daughter of Frances and Keith
One: Sisters and Brothers,
let us celebrate God’s gift of grace
given to us in the sacrament of baptism.
ALL: THERE IS ONE BODY
AND ONE SPIRIT;
WE HAVE ONE HOPE IN CHRIST.
One: There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God, Creator of us all.
ALL: OUT OF THE WATER OF BAPTISM
WE RISE WITH NEW LIFE,
FORGIVEN, RENEWED, AND ONE WITH CHRIST,
MEMBERS OF CHRIST’S BODY.
One: On behalf of the congregation of Minnedosa United Church,
I present the following persons
for initiation into the body of Christ through baptism:
QUESTIONS TO THE FAMILY:
One: Do you believe in God, who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
and who works in us and others by the Spirit?
RESPONSE: I DO, BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
One: Will you follow in the way of Jesus Christ,
resisting oppression and evil, seeking justice,
and witnessing to God’s love for all creation?
RESPONSE: I WILL, GOD BEING MY HELPER.
One: Will you follow the way of Jesus Christ joining
with your brothers and sisters in this community of faith
to celebrate God’s presence, live with respect in creation,
and love and serve others?
RESPONSE: I WILL, GOD BEING MY HELPER.
One: Will you share your faith with your child,
supporting and encouraging her as you grow together in faith, hope and love?
RESPONSE: I WILL, GOD BEING MY HELPER
CONGREGATIONAL COMMITMENT:
One: Let us pledge to these persons our support and care.
ALL: AS A BAPTIZED AND BAPTIZING PEOPLE,
WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO SUPPORT AND UPHOLD YOU
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH.
One: May God grant us all
the grace to live out our baptism.
ALL: AMEN.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH:
A New Creed page 918 Voices United
POURING OF THE WATER:
One: God be with you.
ALL: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
One: Lift up your hearts.
ALL: WE LIFT THEM TO GOD.
One: Let us give our thanks to God.
ALL: IT IS GOOD TO GIVE GOD THANKS AND PRAISE.
One: As the water is poured, we recall
Isaiah’s promise:
“waters shall break forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert”;
Ezekiel’s declaration:
“I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean”;
the Psalmist’s testimony:
“Beside the still waters, God leads me”;
and Jesus’ words:
“whoever gives even a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones—
truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
May God’s Spirit be upon us
and these waters of daily use,
which we now use to baptize and to welcome.
Listen to its free-flowing powers;
Listen to its releasing powers;
Listen to its welcoming powers.
ACT OF BAPTISM:
One: I baptize you,
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
BLESSING:
One: May the blessing of the God of Sarah and Hagar,
as of Abraham,
the blessing of the Son, born of the woman Mary,
and the blessing of the Spirit, who broods over us
as a mother her children,
be with you today and always.
ALL: AMEN.
One: Child of God, from this day forward,
you bear the sign of Jesus Christ.
ALL: AMEN.
One: May the Holy Spirit, Love’s power,
guide you, inspire you, and work within you,
all the days of your life.
ALL: AMEN.
PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATE AND CANDLE:
One: Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good works,
and give glory to God.
ALL: AMEN.
CONGREGATIONAL WELCOME:
One: Into the household of faith,
we welcome you with joy and thanksgiving.
ALL: WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.
WE ARE INHERITORS OF GOD’S PROMISE.
IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, WE WELCOME YOU.
One: The grace of Christ attend you,
the love of God surround you,
the Holy Spirit keep you.
ALL: AMEN.
HYMN #644 I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry
SERMON: The Reverend Nancy Wetselaar
OFFERING
OFFERTORY:
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
HYMN #477 I Come With Joy
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE - THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN #232 Joyful, Joyful
COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION:
SUNG RESPONSE: HYMN #424 May the God of hope Go with Us
The worship has ended…
…the work of God’s people has just begun
Go in peace
Announcements:
Our thanks to Hilda Comrie, The AOTS Mens’ Club and all the volunteers and very talented people who made Tuesday Night’s concert a huge success. (Thanks too, to Ruth Wiwchar and her choirs for coming out to share their ample talents with us). In all $3000 dollars was raised for our rebuilding efforts.
Thanks to Cathy Mansell (CM Artworks) who presented us with a donation of $397 this past week. This represents the proceeds to date from the sales of her sketch of the Church. As sales continue, Cathy will make further donations to our rebuilding fund. The sketches are available locally …
Worship service at PCH -Tuesday at 2:30, Shawn will be leading the service
UCW - Wednesday at 2:00 pm, at Amy Kozak’s home.
Church Board Meeting – this Wednesday, May 17th at 7:00 p.m. at the Adult Learning Centre.
Building Committee Meeting – Tuesday, May 23rd at 6:00 p.m.
Bible Study will resume on Friday at 10 am at the Library
Confirmation Class will meet at Minnedosa Bowl Saturday at 12:30.
The Annual Meeting of Conference of Manitoba and North Western Ontario will be held in Winnipeg from May 25th to the 28th. Sam and Hannah Ankenmann will be attending the Pre-TAC events during the meeting as representatives of our Congregation.
Pentecost Sunday (June 4th) – Congregational lunch following Worship
Graduation Service – with our 2006 Grads - June 25th
And a very warm welcome to our friend (and former Minister) the Rev. Nancy Wetselaar, who joins us in our worship service this morning.
I will post yesterday's service materials tomorrow (or maye even later today) - but for now - here is the bulletin from last week:
GREETINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS MINUTE FOR MISSION
HYMN #477 I Come with Joy
CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: Jesus said: Love one another.
ALL: WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD WHO IS LOVE,
THAT WE MAY LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
One: Jesus said: No longer do I call you servants;
now I call you my friends.
ALL: WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD,
WHOSE FRIENDS WE ARE IN CHRIST.
One: Let us sing praise to God,
and live in love and friendship;
through Jesus Christ.
ALL: AMEN.
PRAYER OF APPROACH:
One: We are not called to be fearful,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE
One: We are not called to be perfect,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL.
One: We are not called to be fearless,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO BE OBEDIENT
One: We are not called to be all knowing,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO BELIEVE.
One: We are not called to be victorious,
ALL: WE ARE CALLED TO BE COURAGEOUS.
One: For it is in serving that we shall reign,
It is through courage we shall find victory,
ALL: IT IS THROUGH GIVING ALL THAT WE SHALL GAIN ALL,
IT IS THROUGH BELIEVING THAT WE SHALL DISPEL DOUBT,
IT IS IN OBEDIENCE THAT WE SHALL OVERCOME.
One: It is in loving that we shall dispel all fear,
It is in faithfulness that we shall find perfection.
ALL: IN CHRIST, AND GOD’S JUSTICE, WE SHALL FIND FREEDOM,
NOW AND FOREVER. AMEN.
HYMN #371 Open My Eyes, That I May See
PRAYER FOR WHOLENESS:
One: God of Resurrection,
We come into your presence today yearning to touch you,
hoping to find for ourselves your presence in our lives …
ALL: WE CRY OUT TO YOU FROM A DARKENED WORLD
A WORLD THAT KNOWS THE FULLNESS OF SUFFERING AND DEATH.
One: Merciful and Loving God, in the light smothering darkness
we stumble forward longing for the light to break over us …
(pause)
One: Gather our lingering fears and our confusion …
ALL: MEET OUR DOUBTS WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING,
OPEN OUR EYES TO YOUR LOVE AND GRACE,
OPEN OUR EARS TO HEAR YOU CALLING TO US,
OPEN OUR SOULS TO NEW POSSIBILITIES …
HYMN #396 Jesus, Stand among Us
One: God of Grace, God of Love,
Guide us to paths of resurrection,
ALL: GOD OF HOPE, GOD OF STRENGTH, GOD OF SALVATION,
TRANSFORM US, RENEW US.
TAKE OUR WOUNDEDNESS, AND BRING HEALING AND NEW LIFE.
One: These things we ask in the name of the Risen One,
ALL: HOLY ONE, HEAR OUR PRAYERS, AND IN YOUR LOVE ANSWER. AMEN.
HYMN #562 (vs 1,3,5) Jesus Calls Us
SCRIPTURE READINGS: I Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11
Acts 1:6-14
CHOIR ANTHEM:
THE STORY STOOL:
HYMN #556 (vs 1,2) Would You Bless Our Homes and Families
SERVICE OF BAPTISM:
Today we celebrate the Baptisms of:
Savannah Marilyn Sage Topping daughter of Sheryl
And
Meredith Irene Erven, daughter of Frances and Keith
One: Sisters and Brothers,
let us celebrate God’s gift of grace
given to us in the sacrament of baptism.
ALL: THERE IS ONE BODY
AND ONE SPIRIT;
WE HAVE ONE HOPE IN CHRIST.
One: There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God, Creator of us all.
ALL: OUT OF THE WATER OF BAPTISM
WE RISE WITH NEW LIFE,
FORGIVEN, RENEWED, AND ONE WITH CHRIST,
MEMBERS OF CHRIST’S BODY.
One: On behalf of the congregation of Minnedosa United Church,
I present the following persons
for initiation into the body of Christ through baptism:
QUESTIONS TO THE FAMILY:
One: Do you believe in God, who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
and who works in us and others by the Spirit?
RESPONSE: I DO, BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
One: Will you follow in the way of Jesus Christ,
resisting oppression and evil, seeking justice,
and witnessing to God’s love for all creation?
RESPONSE: I WILL, GOD BEING MY HELPER.
One: Will you follow the way of Jesus Christ joining
with your brothers and sisters in this community of faith
to celebrate God’s presence, live with respect in creation,
and love and serve others?
RESPONSE: I WILL, GOD BEING MY HELPER.
One: Will you share your faith with your child,
supporting and encouraging her as you grow together in faith, hope and love?
RESPONSE: I WILL, GOD BEING MY HELPER
CONGREGATIONAL COMMITMENT:
One: Let us pledge to these persons our support and care.
ALL: AS A BAPTIZED AND BAPTIZING PEOPLE,
WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO SUPPORT AND UPHOLD YOU
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH.
One: May God grant us all
the grace to live out our baptism.
ALL: AMEN.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH:
A New Creed page 918 Voices United
POURING OF THE WATER:
One: God be with you.
ALL: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
One: Lift up your hearts.
ALL: WE LIFT THEM TO GOD.
One: Let us give our thanks to God.
ALL: IT IS GOOD TO GIVE GOD THANKS AND PRAISE.
One: As the water is poured, we recall
Isaiah’s promise:
“waters shall break forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert”;
Ezekiel’s declaration:
“I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean”;
the Psalmist’s testimony:
“Beside the still waters, God leads me”;
and Jesus’ words:
“whoever gives even a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones—
truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
May God’s Spirit be upon us
and these waters of daily use,
which we now use to baptize and to welcome.
Listen to its free-flowing powers;
Listen to its releasing powers;
Listen to its welcoming powers.
ACT OF BAPTISM:
One: I baptize you,
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
BLESSING:
One: May the blessing of the God of Sarah and Hagar,
as of Abraham,
the blessing of the Son, born of the woman Mary,
and the blessing of the Spirit, who broods over us
as a mother her children,
be with you today and always.
ALL: AMEN.
One: Child of God, from this day forward,
you bear the sign of Jesus Christ.
ALL: AMEN.
One: May the Holy Spirit, Love’s power,
guide you, inspire you, and work within you,
all the days of your life.
ALL: AMEN.
PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATE AND CANDLE:
One: Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good works,
and give glory to God.
ALL: AMEN.
CONGREGATIONAL WELCOME:
One: Into the household of faith,
we welcome you with joy and thanksgiving.
ALL: WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.
WE ARE INHERITORS OF GOD’S PROMISE.
IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, WE WELCOME YOU.
One: The grace of Christ attend you,
the love of God surround you,
the Holy Spirit keep you.
ALL: AMEN.
HYMN #644 I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry
SERMON: The Reverend Nancy Wetselaar
OFFERING
OFFERTORY:
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
HYMN #477 I Come With Joy
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE - THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN #232 Joyful, Joyful
COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION:
SUNG RESPONSE: HYMN #424 May the God of hope Go with Us
The worship has ended…
…the work of God’s people has just begun
Go in peace
Announcements:
Our thanks to Hilda Comrie, The AOTS Mens’ Club and all the volunteers and very talented people who made Tuesday Night’s concert a huge success. (Thanks too, to Ruth Wiwchar and her choirs for coming out to share their ample talents with us). In all $3000 dollars was raised for our rebuilding efforts.
Thanks to Cathy Mansell (CM Artworks) who presented us with a donation of $397 this past week. This represents the proceeds to date from the sales of her sketch of the Church. As sales continue, Cathy will make further donations to our rebuilding fund. The sketches are available locally …
Worship service at PCH -Tuesday at 2:30, Shawn will be leading the service
UCW - Wednesday at 2:00 pm, at Amy Kozak’s home.
Church Board Meeting – this Wednesday, May 17th at 7:00 p.m. at the Adult Learning Centre.
Building Committee Meeting – Tuesday, May 23rd at 6:00 p.m.
Bible Study will resume on Friday at 10 am at the Library
Confirmation Class will meet at Minnedosa Bowl Saturday at 12:30.
The Annual Meeting of Conference of Manitoba and North Western Ontario will be held in Winnipeg from May 25th to the 28th. Sam and Hannah Ankenmann will be attending the Pre-TAC events during the meeting as representatives of our Congregation.
Pentecost Sunday (June 4th) – Congregational lunch following Worship
Graduation Service – with our 2006 Grads - June 25th
And a very warm welcome to our friend (and former Minister) the Rev. Nancy Wetselaar, who joins us in our worship service this morning.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Happy Mother's Day ...
The bulletin for today's service will be delayed slightly ... today our Service was co-lead by Rev. Nancy Wetslaar who is currently in Stratford Ontario at Centennial United Church (which is my home congregation). Nancy served her from 1979 to 1981 before returning to Ontario.
We celebrated the baptism of two little pilgrims, and Nancy shared the reflection. It was a grand service - thanks to Nancy for coming and being part of the day, and continuing to be a part of our journey ...
Then tonight our Community celebrated Mothers' Day in fine fashion. A local caterer put on a great banquet spread, and is commited to donating the proceeds to our Rebuilding efforts. Heather pulled together a fabulous (and delicious) meal, and a couple hundred people gathered in the local Conference Centre.
It was a great evening - a nice way to remember and celebrate our mom's, and a nice way to celebrate the gift of community that becomes so important when we face struggles and traumas like a fire !!
Thanks Heather for all your effort and all your work. Thanks to your staff, and to the many businesses in our community who donated door prizes and other items. It was a wonderful evening ...
We celebrated the baptism of two little pilgrims, and Nancy shared the reflection. It was a grand service - thanks to Nancy for coming and being part of the day, and continuing to be a part of our journey ...
Then tonight our Community celebrated Mothers' Day in fine fashion. A local caterer put on a great banquet spread, and is commited to donating the proceeds to our Rebuilding efforts. Heather pulled together a fabulous (and delicious) meal, and a couple hundred people gathered in the local Conference Centre.
It was a great evening - a nice way to remember and celebrate our mom's, and a nice way to celebrate the gift of community that becomes so important when we face struggles and traumas like a fire !!
Thanks Heather for all your effort and all your work. Thanks to your staff, and to the many businesses in our community who donated door prizes and other items. It was a wonderful evening ...
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Inspiration and enlightenment ...
I'm a fan of Robert Frost's poetry. One of his early pieces, "A time to talk" is often used in my funeral reflections, because it reminds us to take the time to build relationships and talk to the people around us. I also like his much loved, "The Road Not Taken ..."
The lone traveller standing on the road looking up one path and then another reminds us of the importance of choosing our path well ... In Minnedosa we have and do and will continue to find ourselves standing at many forks in the road where we will face the choice of which path shall we trod ... The big moments will be choosing an architect, creating plans for the new church, and committing to the rebuild ... but we face smaller moments of decision all the time. In our journey it has been about words spoken or forgotten, actions taken or not, gifts accepted or declined ... and so on. When we choose a path, we commit to a course of action. And there are repercussions ... we face choices all the time - it's part of life. The important thing in our choices is considering the support, care and nurture of those around us ... particularly in the challenges that we've faced since our fire.
This week as a community we found ourselves on a path where the chosen actions have produced wonderful moments of inspiration and enlightenment for most of us:
ON Tuesday night the much anticipated, and long awaited evening of music finally happened. Minnedosa played host to a number of young people involved in choirs in the Winnipeg area school division of Pembina Valley, who came to share their ample talent and provide us with a much needed night of entertainment. It was truly inspiring ...
The choirs were under the able leadership of Ruth Wiwchar (a woman with roots that run deep into Minnedosa - Ruth is a talented musician in her own right, and her Mom Jean Stephenson was a vertiable institution in Minnedosa with many years of leading the various incarnations of the Junior Choir that are remembered so fondly.). The young people came and enjoyed a meal put on my the AOTS Mens Club, then we had a two hour evening of music provided by the young people as well as our Senior Choir, and a variety of local singers, groups, and ensembles.
It was a terrific night. The music was great, and the night collected over 3000 dollars for our rebuilding effort ... Thanks to Ruth and her young people for coming and sharing their talents with us, thanks to Hilda C for putting the pieces together so wonderfully, thanks to the local folks who came and enthralled us with their singing, and thanks to those who rounded out the evening. It was good to have a such a large group of people together to support us in our journey ... It was by and large a wonderful evening.
Then last night the Building Committee meet once again. This night, they began the process of interviewing potential architects to help us in the process.
It was an enlightening experience. Hearing the sales job from these men who want to work with us was inspiring, but they also managed to give us much to think about. All of us around the table took notes, and we picked up on different things, and thought of new ideas that hadn't yet popped up on our "radar screens."
There are more interviews to come, but the process continues. We may be a few weeks from our final selection, but there is little doubt that the process is in the hands of very competent and capable people ...
With each little step the journey continues ...
May we have the eyes to see and the hearts to care about those around us,
and may we have the courage and boldness to speak and walk in faith ...
The lone traveller standing on the road looking up one path and then another reminds us of the importance of choosing our path well ... In Minnedosa we have and do and will continue to find ourselves standing at many forks in the road where we will face the choice of which path shall we trod ... The big moments will be choosing an architect, creating plans for the new church, and committing to the rebuild ... but we face smaller moments of decision all the time. In our journey it has been about words spoken or forgotten, actions taken or not, gifts accepted or declined ... and so on. When we choose a path, we commit to a course of action. And there are repercussions ... we face choices all the time - it's part of life. The important thing in our choices is considering the support, care and nurture of those around us ... particularly in the challenges that we've faced since our fire.
This week as a community we found ourselves on a path where the chosen actions have produced wonderful moments of inspiration and enlightenment for most of us:
ON Tuesday night the much anticipated, and long awaited evening of music finally happened. Minnedosa played host to a number of young people involved in choirs in the Winnipeg area school division of Pembina Valley, who came to share their ample talent and provide us with a much needed night of entertainment. It was truly inspiring ...
The choirs were under the able leadership of Ruth Wiwchar (a woman with roots that run deep into Minnedosa - Ruth is a talented musician in her own right, and her Mom Jean Stephenson was a vertiable institution in Minnedosa with many years of leading the various incarnations of the Junior Choir that are remembered so fondly.). The young people came and enjoyed a meal put on my the AOTS Mens Club, then we had a two hour evening of music provided by the young people as well as our Senior Choir, and a variety of local singers, groups, and ensembles.
It was a terrific night. The music was great, and the night collected over 3000 dollars for our rebuilding effort ... Thanks to Ruth and her young people for coming and sharing their talents with us, thanks to Hilda C for putting the pieces together so wonderfully, thanks to the local folks who came and enthralled us with their singing, and thanks to those who rounded out the evening. It was good to have a such a large group of people together to support us in our journey ... It was by and large a wonderful evening.
Then last night the Building Committee meet once again. This night, they began the process of interviewing potential architects to help us in the process.
It was an enlightening experience. Hearing the sales job from these men who want to work with us was inspiring, but they also managed to give us much to think about. All of us around the table took notes, and we picked up on different things, and thought of new ideas that hadn't yet popped up on our "radar screens."
There are more interviews to come, but the process continues. We may be a few weeks from our final selection, but there is little doubt that the process is in the hands of very competent and capable people ...
With each little step the journey continues ...
May we have the eyes to see and the hearts to care about those around us,
and may we have the courage and boldness to speak and walk in faith ...
Sunday, May 07, 2006
By the still waters ...
GREETINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS
MINUTE FOR MISSION
HYMN #534 I Cannot Dance, O Love
CALL TO WORSHIP
One: We come to celebrate and embody God’s presence
ALL: WE COME TO SHARE GOD’S LOVE AND OUR FAITH
One: In word and song we gather to praise God
ALL: THROUGH ACTION AND GESTURE WE CARE FOR
OUR NEIGHBOUR AND STRANGERS.
One: With worship and prayer we join in community.
ALL: BE WITH US IN OUR WORSHIP AND OUR LIVES. AMEN
PRAYER OF APPROACH:
One: The Lord is our shepherd,
ALL: HOLY ONE, LEAD US, KEEP US SAFE.
One: God leads us to lie in green pastures, God guides us to still waters.
ALL: CREATOR GOD, IN THE TURMOIL OF LIFE: BE WITH US.
One: God restores our soul, God leads us on God’s own path.
ALL: GOD OF LOVE, EVEN IN MOMENTS OF LONELINESS,
YOU ARE THERE
One: Though we walk through the presence of death, we fear nothing
ALL: OUR FRIEND, OUR COMPANION, YOU ARE THERE
One: In You we have no fear, we are fed, we are anointed with goodness.
ALL: HOLY ONE, HEAR US WHEN WE PRAY,
BE WITH US IN OUR LIVES. AMEN.
HYMN #218 We Praise You, O God
PRAYER FOR WHOLENESS
One: Merciful God,
ALL: WE CONFESS THAT WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU,
IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED,
BY WHAT WE HAVE DONE,
AND BY WHAT WE HAVE LEFT UNDONE.
WE HAVE NOT LOVED YOU WITH ALL OUR WHOLE HEART
AND MIND AND STRENGTH.
WE HAVE NOT LOVED OUR NEIGHBOURS
AS OURSELVES.
WE ARE TRULY SORRY.
(pause)
HYMN #396 Jesus, Stand among Us
One: Resurrect our lives,
ALL: IN YOUR MERCY FORGIVE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN,
HELP US TO AMEND WHAT WE ARE,
AND DIRECT WHAT WE SHALL BE;
One: Renew and recreate us,
ALL: THAT WE MAY DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL
AND WALK IN YOUR WAYS;
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 4:5-12
“If you don’t like the message, then jail the messenger” That is likely what the high priests and the temple authorities were feeling as they listened to Peter explain the miracle that had people around the temple abuzz with excitement.
They couldn’t deny the miracle. They couldn’t cover it up. And now they couldn’t really offer an explanation either. So, Peter stepped forward as a follower of the wandering rabbi from Nazareth, and affirmed the contention that such miracles clearly come from God and God alone.
Therefore God must be with those who in the name of the Risen One, enacted such miracles in defiance of the authorities who short days before had condemned Jesus to death and thought they eliminated this pesky movement peopled by the rough and tumble Galileans. But now, in the midst of people and the temple, the reality of the Resurrection was being revealed for all to see.
The stand taken by Peter and the others was not where the majority stood, nor was it where the powers and authorities of the day placed their trust. Peter boldly and courageously stood alone and apart, taking a stand for faith.
Mark Twain once wrote – “that when you find yourself on the side of the majority, you should reexamine your position …” The re-examination here is not held by the minority, but by the majority who are required to find and claim the presence of God in their midst … Peter was showing them the way, but they didn’t like the message nor the path being offered …
What would their response be?
Or more importantly, what would our response be if we were in their shoes?
John 10:11-18
When Jesus says – “in truth,” or “verily” in the Gospels it is a passage that is important and we are to pay attention to it …
In today’s reading he says simply – “I am the Good Shepherd …” and it is our task to determine what that understanding and that reality is about in our lives.
We all carry images of the Good Shepherd. When we hear the words – “The Lord is my Shepherd,” we conjure up images of white flowing robes, gentle lambs and vast grassy fields. In our world that image might be appropriate and accurate. But in Jesus’ world, the Shepherds were on the margins of society.
They were dirty, they were dangerous, they were mysterious figures who lurked in the hills and valleys beyond the safety and comfort of the towns and villages. Yet, Jesus, the very messenger of God stood up and said – “I am the Good Shepherd …” and he reweaves a new image in their minds.
Taking the imagery that was familiar from the Psalmist, Jesus reminds his listeners and us, that the Shepherd comes and calls the sheep to safety and protection.
The world might be a cold and lonely place, but with a shepherd standing watching over us from a nearby hill we need not be afraid … The challenge for us in our hurry up and go world is to hear the whisper that calls us to peace and rest and safety … The whisper is out there, echoing and resounding across time – our challenge is to hear it as it says – “verily I say unto you …”
HYMN #268 Bring Many Names
STORY STOOL:
CHOIR ANTHEM:
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 John 3:16-24
In the Church we often speak of love and the importance of living lives of love as we journey together in faith. Love is a word that is easy to speak, but it is a word that is hard to live.
In our reading today we are challenged to remember and to embody the concept of LOVE AS A VERB.
We are good at loving from a distance. We can love the refugees from Darfur and Iraq, and be generous in our aid and assistance. We can send our donations to the latest trouble spot and ensure that people are cared for and cared about. But loving up close is harder to do.
Do we close our eyes to deception and manipulation by our friends and family, or do we call them to task?
Do we expect others to do what we want, or are we open to the possibility that we might be wrong?
Do we have the courage to grow in love, or do we have an idealized notion of romance and lust that has little bearing on the reality of love as something that seeks the comfort, the care and the nurture of those whom we truly love.
Love is a verb. The early Church knew this and struggled to live it. In our world, we’ve made love a noun and prefer to place it on a shelf or in a frame and admire it.
Love is dead if it is not lived … Our challenge is to live our love as we journey through the hills and valleys the Shepherd guides us to …
HYMN #747 The Lord’s My Shepherd
SERMON: “The Lord IS my shepherd …”
One of our readings today, the one we sang, rather then said – is one of the most well known passages in the English Language.
When I’ve worked in care facilities with people suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia, I have always been struck by the ability of these folks to join in when I say the words – “The Lord is my shepherd …” It is a familiar and much loved reading.
We use in at funerals, we use it as a prayer at the bed side of a loved one who is ill, we use in moments when we need comfort and encouragement. It is a reading that with a few dozen words speaks of the holy in a comfortable and comforting way, and that is what gives this passage its strength and its universality.
When we say the words – “The Lord is my shepherd …” and move through the psalm, even if we’ve never seen a shepherd with our OWN eyes we form a mental image of a shepherd who looks after us and keeps us safe from all harm. Even though the text was written Centuries ago, in a place half a world away, in a time when iron was a novelty – it still speaks to us today.
Rabbi Harold Kushner, the author who penned the book “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” tackled the Shepherd Psalm and asked the very question – why is this simple text so popular? His musings are an intriguing and enlightening answer to this question, and they challenge us to move forward with those understandings to a place where we take the words from the page that comfort us and do something more with them then just read them over and over and over …
Kushner writes: “in a mere 57 words of Hebrew and just about twice that number in English, the author of the 23rd Psalm gives us an entire theology, a more practical theology than we can find in many books. The author teaches us to look at the world and see it as God would have us see it. If we are anxious, the psalm gives us courage, and we overcome our fears. If we are grieving, it offers comfort and we find our way through the valley of the shadow. If our lives are embittered by unpleasant people, it teaches us how to deal with them. If the world threatens to wear us down, the psalm guides us to replenish our souls. If we are obsessed with what we lack, it teaches us gratitude for what we have. And most of all, if we feel alone and adrift in a friendless world, it offers us the priceless reassurance that “Thou, art with me …”
The 23rd Psalm IS more than just mere words. It is a living breathing text that offers us a way of seeing and living life grounded in the reality in which we find ourselves. Kushner explores this in his work, and invites his reader (that is US – you and I) to join him this journey.
The 23rd Psalm begins with the universal human concern – “is the universe a friendly place that is supportive of our hopes and our aspirations? Or is the universe a vast and lonely place where we are utterly alone?
The Psalm begins with the simple statement of faith – “The Lord is my shepherd.” It answers this concern with an affirmation that the universe is NOT a vast and lonely place. It is God’s world, and we are in our lives part of God’s world.
The Psalm doesn’t claim the world is a perfect place, but it names and owns the reality that at times the world can be a cold and lonely and even dangerous place, but God is always there to take care of us in the same way a shepherd is there to care for the sheep in presence of dangerous predators and fatal accidents.
The world may be a dangerous and frightening place, but God is ALWAYS with us. That is OUR faith.
Next the Psalmist doesn’t try to deny the shattering reality of death and loss and suffering, nor does it try to minimize nor deny the effect those moments have in our life. Rather then trying to offer empty words that minimize the impact of death and loss, the Psalm names this hurt and sorrow and proclaims in the face of it the understanding that God accompanies us into and leads us through the Valley of the Shadow of death, and we will have no need to fear
The Psalm summons us to move forwardly boldly in our lives, living in the confidence that comes only with knowing that God is with us … The Psalm doesn’t offer the pious idealistic hope that if we are good and faithful people life will be easy as some religious teachings would proclaim.
The writer of this text knew what it meant to have people hate him and want to harm him. The author has known failures and set backs. He has lost loved ones, he has suffered loss. But in the challenges life has thrown at him, he has grown and become a stronger and likely a better person. Life’s experience have taught him to be wiser and stronger.
But perhaps the strongest lesson the Psalm teaches us is that we can seldom control what happens to us – we will suffer accidents and losses – we will have health set backs – we will have runs of bad luck … but we can control HOW we will RESPOND to those moments.
We can sit on the dust heap and weep and wail, or we can pick ourselves up and move forward. The Psalmist, and this is perhaps the strength of this reading, and why it is SO well known and so well used, understood the vagaries of life and the importance of learning and growing and appreciating life in its fullness rather then simply cursing God and others when things don’t go OUR way.
We live in a culture that runs counter to this ethos, and so the impact of the 23rd Psalm has become focused on what God will do for ME, rather then how with God’s presence and care we can move forward. We moved from understanding God as a loving, steadfast presence to understanding God as sort of divine Santa Claus who will supply our every want and whim … To utter the words – “The Lord is my shepherd…” and to move through the text that is SO familiar to many of us, is a bold proclamation of faith.
It is a proclamation of faith that says – “Life is not simply a rose garden where everything will be lovely and wonderful …” Life is a place filled with shadows and darkness and threats. Life is a place where we really have only limited control, a place that is often awash in emotion and hostilitiy, a place where sometimes we may feel utterly alone …”
But in the midst of that place we WILL, in faith, hear a familiar whisper that is guiding us forward … The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and they staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever … (KJV)
When we hear and believe and live those words we move from a place that finds us sitting saying – “woe is me …” to a place where we take the Love we have found in our faith and like the call of our epistle reading, put that love into action.
It begins with the proclamation – “the Lord is my shepherd …” putting the rest of the text into action is up to you and I … It’s a good psalm. It’s better when it is being lived …
May we have the courage to live the message of the psalm today, tomorrow and always …
May it be so – thanks be to God, Let us pray …
OFFERING:
OFFERTORY:
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:
HYMN: #273 The King of Love
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE /THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN: #427 To Show by Touch and Word
COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION:
SUNG RESPONSE: HYMN #424 May the God of Hope Go with Us
The worship has ended……the work of God’s people has just begun
Go in peace
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Next Sunday we welcome “home” The Reverend Nancy Wetselaar (nee Peckham) who is visiting and sharing in the service. Nancy currently serves at Centennial United Church in Stratford (Shawn’s home church)
Mother’s Day Banquet – next Sunday at MCCC – proceeds to our rebuilding efforts.
Building Committee – meets this Wednesday, May 10th.
Church Board – meets next Wednesday, May 18th.
Tuesday Night – An evening of song and music at MCCC when Ruth Wiwchar brings choirs from the Pembina Trails School Division and they join with local singers and choirs in an evening concert. Come and join the fun.
Women’s Weekend – Sept 29-Oct 1 - Registration forms are ready and can be picked up at the Church office or from Lois Neabel.
MINUTE FOR MISSION
HYMN #534 I Cannot Dance, O Love
CALL TO WORSHIP
One: We come to celebrate and embody God’s presence
ALL: WE COME TO SHARE GOD’S LOVE AND OUR FAITH
One: In word and song we gather to praise God
ALL: THROUGH ACTION AND GESTURE WE CARE FOR
OUR NEIGHBOUR AND STRANGERS.
One: With worship and prayer we join in community.
ALL: BE WITH US IN OUR WORSHIP AND OUR LIVES. AMEN
PRAYER OF APPROACH:
One: The Lord is our shepherd,
ALL: HOLY ONE, LEAD US, KEEP US SAFE.
One: God leads us to lie in green pastures, God guides us to still waters.
ALL: CREATOR GOD, IN THE TURMOIL OF LIFE: BE WITH US.
One: God restores our soul, God leads us on God’s own path.
ALL: GOD OF LOVE, EVEN IN MOMENTS OF LONELINESS,
YOU ARE THERE
One: Though we walk through the presence of death, we fear nothing
ALL: OUR FRIEND, OUR COMPANION, YOU ARE THERE
One: In You we have no fear, we are fed, we are anointed with goodness.
ALL: HOLY ONE, HEAR US WHEN WE PRAY,
BE WITH US IN OUR LIVES. AMEN.
HYMN #218 We Praise You, O God
PRAYER FOR WHOLENESS
One: Merciful God,
ALL: WE CONFESS THAT WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU,
IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED,
BY WHAT WE HAVE DONE,
AND BY WHAT WE HAVE LEFT UNDONE.
WE HAVE NOT LOVED YOU WITH ALL OUR WHOLE HEART
AND MIND AND STRENGTH.
WE HAVE NOT LOVED OUR NEIGHBOURS
AS OURSELVES.
WE ARE TRULY SORRY.
(pause)
HYMN #396 Jesus, Stand among Us
One: Resurrect our lives,
ALL: IN YOUR MERCY FORGIVE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN,
HELP US TO AMEND WHAT WE ARE,
AND DIRECT WHAT WE SHALL BE;
One: Renew and recreate us,
ALL: THAT WE MAY DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL
AND WALK IN YOUR WAYS;
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 4:5-12
“If you don’t like the message, then jail the messenger” That is likely what the high priests and the temple authorities were feeling as they listened to Peter explain the miracle that had people around the temple abuzz with excitement.
They couldn’t deny the miracle. They couldn’t cover it up. And now they couldn’t really offer an explanation either. So, Peter stepped forward as a follower of the wandering rabbi from Nazareth, and affirmed the contention that such miracles clearly come from God and God alone.
Therefore God must be with those who in the name of the Risen One, enacted such miracles in defiance of the authorities who short days before had condemned Jesus to death and thought they eliminated this pesky movement peopled by the rough and tumble Galileans. But now, in the midst of people and the temple, the reality of the Resurrection was being revealed for all to see.
The stand taken by Peter and the others was not where the majority stood, nor was it where the powers and authorities of the day placed their trust. Peter boldly and courageously stood alone and apart, taking a stand for faith.
Mark Twain once wrote – “that when you find yourself on the side of the majority, you should reexamine your position …” The re-examination here is not held by the minority, but by the majority who are required to find and claim the presence of God in their midst … Peter was showing them the way, but they didn’t like the message nor the path being offered …
What would their response be?
Or more importantly, what would our response be if we were in their shoes?
John 10:11-18
When Jesus says – “in truth,” or “verily” in the Gospels it is a passage that is important and we are to pay attention to it …
In today’s reading he says simply – “I am the Good Shepherd …” and it is our task to determine what that understanding and that reality is about in our lives.
We all carry images of the Good Shepherd. When we hear the words – “The Lord is my Shepherd,” we conjure up images of white flowing robes, gentle lambs and vast grassy fields. In our world that image might be appropriate and accurate. But in Jesus’ world, the Shepherds were on the margins of society.
They were dirty, they were dangerous, they were mysterious figures who lurked in the hills and valleys beyond the safety and comfort of the towns and villages. Yet, Jesus, the very messenger of God stood up and said – “I am the Good Shepherd …” and he reweaves a new image in their minds.
Taking the imagery that was familiar from the Psalmist, Jesus reminds his listeners and us, that the Shepherd comes and calls the sheep to safety and protection.
The world might be a cold and lonely place, but with a shepherd standing watching over us from a nearby hill we need not be afraid … The challenge for us in our hurry up and go world is to hear the whisper that calls us to peace and rest and safety … The whisper is out there, echoing and resounding across time – our challenge is to hear it as it says – “verily I say unto you …”
HYMN #268 Bring Many Names
STORY STOOL:
CHOIR ANTHEM:
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 John 3:16-24
In the Church we often speak of love and the importance of living lives of love as we journey together in faith. Love is a word that is easy to speak, but it is a word that is hard to live.
In our reading today we are challenged to remember and to embody the concept of LOVE AS A VERB.
We are good at loving from a distance. We can love the refugees from Darfur and Iraq, and be generous in our aid and assistance. We can send our donations to the latest trouble spot and ensure that people are cared for and cared about. But loving up close is harder to do.
Do we close our eyes to deception and manipulation by our friends and family, or do we call them to task?
Do we expect others to do what we want, or are we open to the possibility that we might be wrong?
Do we have the courage to grow in love, or do we have an idealized notion of romance and lust that has little bearing on the reality of love as something that seeks the comfort, the care and the nurture of those whom we truly love.
Love is a verb. The early Church knew this and struggled to live it. In our world, we’ve made love a noun and prefer to place it on a shelf or in a frame and admire it.
Love is dead if it is not lived … Our challenge is to live our love as we journey through the hills and valleys the Shepherd guides us to …
HYMN #747 The Lord’s My Shepherd
SERMON: “The Lord IS my shepherd …”
One of our readings today, the one we sang, rather then said – is one of the most well known passages in the English Language.
When I’ve worked in care facilities with people suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia, I have always been struck by the ability of these folks to join in when I say the words – “The Lord is my shepherd …” It is a familiar and much loved reading.
We use in at funerals, we use it as a prayer at the bed side of a loved one who is ill, we use in moments when we need comfort and encouragement. It is a reading that with a few dozen words speaks of the holy in a comfortable and comforting way, and that is what gives this passage its strength and its universality.
When we say the words – “The Lord is my shepherd …” and move through the psalm, even if we’ve never seen a shepherd with our OWN eyes we form a mental image of a shepherd who looks after us and keeps us safe from all harm. Even though the text was written Centuries ago, in a place half a world away, in a time when iron was a novelty – it still speaks to us today.
Rabbi Harold Kushner, the author who penned the book “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” tackled the Shepherd Psalm and asked the very question – why is this simple text so popular? His musings are an intriguing and enlightening answer to this question, and they challenge us to move forward with those understandings to a place where we take the words from the page that comfort us and do something more with them then just read them over and over and over …
Kushner writes: “in a mere 57 words of Hebrew and just about twice that number in English, the author of the 23rd Psalm gives us an entire theology, a more practical theology than we can find in many books. The author teaches us to look at the world and see it as God would have us see it. If we are anxious, the psalm gives us courage, and we overcome our fears. If we are grieving, it offers comfort and we find our way through the valley of the shadow. If our lives are embittered by unpleasant people, it teaches us how to deal with them. If the world threatens to wear us down, the psalm guides us to replenish our souls. If we are obsessed with what we lack, it teaches us gratitude for what we have. And most of all, if we feel alone and adrift in a friendless world, it offers us the priceless reassurance that “Thou, art with me …”
The 23rd Psalm IS more than just mere words. It is a living breathing text that offers us a way of seeing and living life grounded in the reality in which we find ourselves. Kushner explores this in his work, and invites his reader (that is US – you and I) to join him this journey.
The 23rd Psalm begins with the universal human concern – “is the universe a friendly place that is supportive of our hopes and our aspirations? Or is the universe a vast and lonely place where we are utterly alone?
The Psalm begins with the simple statement of faith – “The Lord is my shepherd.” It answers this concern with an affirmation that the universe is NOT a vast and lonely place. It is God’s world, and we are in our lives part of God’s world.
The Psalm doesn’t claim the world is a perfect place, but it names and owns the reality that at times the world can be a cold and lonely and even dangerous place, but God is always there to take care of us in the same way a shepherd is there to care for the sheep in presence of dangerous predators and fatal accidents.
The world may be a dangerous and frightening place, but God is ALWAYS with us. That is OUR faith.
Next the Psalmist doesn’t try to deny the shattering reality of death and loss and suffering, nor does it try to minimize nor deny the effect those moments have in our life. Rather then trying to offer empty words that minimize the impact of death and loss, the Psalm names this hurt and sorrow and proclaims in the face of it the understanding that God accompanies us into and leads us through the Valley of the Shadow of death, and we will have no need to fear
The Psalm summons us to move forwardly boldly in our lives, living in the confidence that comes only with knowing that God is with us … The Psalm doesn’t offer the pious idealistic hope that if we are good and faithful people life will be easy as some religious teachings would proclaim.
The writer of this text knew what it meant to have people hate him and want to harm him. The author has known failures and set backs. He has lost loved ones, he has suffered loss. But in the challenges life has thrown at him, he has grown and become a stronger and likely a better person. Life’s experience have taught him to be wiser and stronger.
But perhaps the strongest lesson the Psalm teaches us is that we can seldom control what happens to us – we will suffer accidents and losses – we will have health set backs – we will have runs of bad luck … but we can control HOW we will RESPOND to those moments.
We can sit on the dust heap and weep and wail, or we can pick ourselves up and move forward. The Psalmist, and this is perhaps the strength of this reading, and why it is SO well known and so well used, understood the vagaries of life and the importance of learning and growing and appreciating life in its fullness rather then simply cursing God and others when things don’t go OUR way.
We live in a culture that runs counter to this ethos, and so the impact of the 23rd Psalm has become focused on what God will do for ME, rather then how with God’s presence and care we can move forward. We moved from understanding God as a loving, steadfast presence to understanding God as sort of divine Santa Claus who will supply our every want and whim … To utter the words – “The Lord is my shepherd…” and to move through the text that is SO familiar to many of us, is a bold proclamation of faith.
It is a proclamation of faith that says – “Life is not simply a rose garden where everything will be lovely and wonderful …” Life is a place filled with shadows and darkness and threats. Life is a place where we really have only limited control, a place that is often awash in emotion and hostilitiy, a place where sometimes we may feel utterly alone …”
But in the midst of that place we WILL, in faith, hear a familiar whisper that is guiding us forward … The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and they staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever … (KJV)
When we hear and believe and live those words we move from a place that finds us sitting saying – “woe is me …” to a place where we take the Love we have found in our faith and like the call of our epistle reading, put that love into action.
It begins with the proclamation – “the Lord is my shepherd …” putting the rest of the text into action is up to you and I … It’s a good psalm. It’s better when it is being lived …
May we have the courage to live the message of the psalm today, tomorrow and always …
May it be so – thanks be to God, Let us pray …
OFFERING:
OFFERTORY:
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:
HYMN: #273 The King of Love
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE /THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN: #427 To Show by Touch and Word
COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION:
SUNG RESPONSE: HYMN #424 May the God of Hope Go with Us
The worship has ended……the work of God’s people has just begun
Go in peace
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Next Sunday we welcome “home” The Reverend Nancy Wetselaar (nee Peckham) who is visiting and sharing in the service. Nancy currently serves at Centennial United Church in Stratford (Shawn’s home church)
Mother’s Day Banquet – next Sunday at MCCC – proceeds to our rebuilding efforts.
Building Committee – meets this Wednesday, May 10th.
Church Board – meets next Wednesday, May 18th.
Tuesday Night – An evening of song and music at MCCC when Ruth Wiwchar brings choirs from the Pembina Trails School Division and they join with local singers and choirs in an evening concert. Come and join the fun.
Women’s Weekend – Sept 29-Oct 1 - Registration forms are ready and can be picked up at the Church office or from Lois Neabel.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Assessing our losses ...
This week we've had two things happen that have begun moving us to a more full appreciation of what it is that we've lost ...
The first was the composing and sharing of what will be the Victims' Impact statement that we will submit to the Courts as they determine what to do with the three suspects connected to our Fire. I penned the first draft and passed it around over the last week for people to edit, change and add to. This morning I sent a second revised and lengthened version. It was helpful to have other eyes read over the words that will, on behalf of all of us, tell the Courts how we've been impacted by the cowardly and callous act that robbed us of our sanctuary and our building.
There is very little about our life as a Church today that isn't impacted by the fire. Even gathering to worship involves the physical movement of boxes of books, supplies and many other items that we simply had sitting in our worship space. Now we have to run through a "check list" and make sure everything is there ...
Then on Thursday we gathered in community to say farewell to one of our saints (in the fullest sense of the word), who had died over the weekend. We've gathered to hold funerals, but this one had an added poignency. Muriel and her husband Ed had been long time members of the Choir, and were instrumental in helping make happen, the purchase of the new Organ in 2002. One of my strongest memories of the afternoon the new Allen organ arrive was seeing Ed standing with tears in his eyes saying "It's beautiful ..." and "it's been a long time coming ..." Both of them enjoyed and savoured the good music offered by our Choir and by our organist/choir director Eleanor.
Regretably, today all that remains of the exquisite organ that graced our sanctuary with sound for such a short period of time, is a small battered brass plaque that we scavenged from the debris left after the fire ... we WILL get a new organ, but we will never replace what we've lost !!
As we said our farewells to Muriel we, the congregation, the choir and those gathered all knew that Muriel was an important part of the community that continues to grieve the loss of our building. Muriel's service should have been held in our Sanctuary, and it should have resounded with a choir and music and an organ that were part of her legacy to our church and community. But because of the thoughtless action of cowards lurking in the dark, such possibilities lie only in the realm of "woulda, shoulda, and coulda's"
We named the loss on paper ... then we lived the loss in community. As we said Good bye to one of our saints, we also said good bye to many things that were once central to our lives and our worship ... And that was perhaps the hardest thing of all ...
In the face of it though, we continue to affirm:
L'chaim,
The first was the composing and sharing of what will be the Victims' Impact statement that we will submit to the Courts as they determine what to do with the three suspects connected to our Fire. I penned the first draft and passed it around over the last week for people to edit, change and add to. This morning I sent a second revised and lengthened version. It was helpful to have other eyes read over the words that will, on behalf of all of us, tell the Courts how we've been impacted by the cowardly and callous act that robbed us of our sanctuary and our building.
There is very little about our life as a Church today that isn't impacted by the fire. Even gathering to worship involves the physical movement of boxes of books, supplies and many other items that we simply had sitting in our worship space. Now we have to run through a "check list" and make sure everything is there ...
Then on Thursday we gathered in community to say farewell to one of our saints (in the fullest sense of the word), who had died over the weekend. We've gathered to hold funerals, but this one had an added poignency. Muriel and her husband Ed had been long time members of the Choir, and were instrumental in helping make happen, the purchase of the new Organ in 2002. One of my strongest memories of the afternoon the new Allen organ arrive was seeing Ed standing with tears in his eyes saying "It's beautiful ..." and "it's been a long time coming ..." Both of them enjoyed and savoured the good music offered by our Choir and by our organist/choir director Eleanor.
Regretably, today all that remains of the exquisite organ that graced our sanctuary with sound for such a short period of time, is a small battered brass plaque that we scavenged from the debris left after the fire ... we WILL get a new organ, but we will never replace what we've lost !!
As we said our farewells to Muriel we, the congregation, the choir and those gathered all knew that Muriel was an important part of the community that continues to grieve the loss of our building. Muriel's service should have been held in our Sanctuary, and it should have resounded with a choir and music and an organ that were part of her legacy to our church and community. But because of the thoughtless action of cowards lurking in the dark, such possibilities lie only in the realm of "woulda, shoulda, and coulda's"
We named the loss on paper ... then we lived the loss in community. As we said Good bye to one of our saints, we also said good bye to many things that were once central to our lives and our worship ... And that was perhaps the hardest thing of all ...
In the face of it though, we continue to affirm:
L'chaim,
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