If you know the answer, ask bigger questions!
Things To Bring:
There will be pop for sale. $ 1 each
Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Veggie Burgers $ 3 each or 2 for $5
Beckoning God,
You promise long journeys and new names.
Call us out to risk holy adventure with unusual table companions.
Linger with us so that we may be faithful disciples,
touching the fringe of your healing on behalf of all your children. Amen.
Genesis 12:19
Psalm 33:1-12
Romans 4:13-25
Gospel Matthew 9:9-13,18-26
What is it like to be chosen?
Well, I guess that depends on what you are being chosen for; or who is doing the choosing. I think we have all had that feeling, maybe in school, when we either hoped that we would be picked for a particular team or group and then other times we tried to hide ourselves so we would not be picked.
But then I think. God did not let this happen. It happened by choices or circumstances. God did however choose those people to serve this breakfast, to be there for a chat, give them a bit of love and most of all God walked in and out of that door with each and every one of them.
As children, and even adults as well (although that is harder to admit), we tend to choose because of looks or where a person’s sits on the status ladder. We all want to be on a good team, we want to be in the cool kids group. Most of these times we didn’t have any choice once we were chosen by this person, we had to join them.
With God, this is different. We have choices. When we are called, we can ignore him or say, “not me”. For those of you who have answered his call, you know that he doesn’t always take no for an answer.
The disciples would have had a choice. So here in the Gospel reading we have Jesus, who finds Matthew, a tax collector sitting in his booth doing his job of collecting taxes and says, ‘follow me’ and from what the story says, Matthew gets up and follows Jesus. There is no dialogue where Matthew asks, ‘where are we going’ or ‘I am busy’, he just gets up and goes with Jesus. I really wonder what Matthew was thinking about. Jesus’s ministry is with those who need healing, who need some ‘fixing’. He even says this in the reading: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick”.
As a person who volunteers with the homeless or less fortunate this is comforting, not new but still it makes me feel good. Quite often, before we open doors and welcome our breakfast guests into the church hall, I am asked to pray. Often part of the prayer is that I ask God to make himself known to those who enter the doors, so that each of them understand that they are never alone, that God walks with them always.
The doors are opened, and the breakfast hour begins. As I watch over the group and chat with some, I sometimes wonder if what I pray for is true. How can this many people go through their lives in this kind of hardship and when a pregnant woman shows up or a particularly troubled person, I think, where is God in all of this. How can this be happening?
But then I think. God did not let this happen. It happened by choices or circumstances. God did however choose those people to serve this breakfast, to be there for a chat, give them a bit of love and most of all God walked in and out of that door with each and every one of them.
Message from Ray: The Trivia Night on June 3 has been postponed due to lack of response. We will attempt this night of fun at a later date.
The next Messy church is our Father’s Day Sale on Friday, June 9th from 5-7pm. We are still looking for donations for the sale.
This will be our last messy church for the summer!
I’m also happy to announce that after a few years’ hiatus, we will be hosting our own VBS (vacation Bible school) this summer! It will be held 9am-noon on Monday August 21, through to Friday, August 25, with a lunch on the Friday to finish off. The cost is $20 per child for the week, with a maximum fee of $50 per family.
All children from ages 5-11 are welcome, and so are Volunteers aged 14 and up. Please reach out for more information and registration.
An event this large and fantastic can’t be run without a wonderful team of helpers! I am still looking for quite a few volunteers- folks to run the registration table, prepare snacks, run crafts/game stations, and group leaders. If you are able and willing to help in any of these areas during these times and dates, we would love to have you!
Dear Friends of PWRDF,
On behalf of the Board, staff and partners of The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), I would like to extend our thanks for your recent generous donation of $2,330.70 from your church.
Your gift supports the work of PWRDF and its partners in preventive health, mother and child wellness, food security and nutrition, clean water and sanitation, Indigenous language and cultural reclamation, economic empowerment, and emergency humanitarian relief both here at home in Canada and in more than thirty countries around the world. For over 60 years, PWRDF has worked to improve the lives of marginalized people around the world through development programs and relief efforts. We could not achieve these results and helped so many vulnerable men, women and children without the generous support of our caring donors like you.
Thank you again for your support for the work of PWRDF and our vision of creating a truly just, healthy and peaceful world.
With blessings and gratitude, Will Postma, Executive Director
God, whose fingers sculpt sun and moon
and curl the baby’s ear;
Spirit, brooding over chaos
before the naming of day;
Saviour, sending us to earth’s ends
with water and words:
startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic name. Amen.
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Matthew 28:16-20
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday, and talking about the Trinity is always a bit challenging because we are talking about something we cannot truly grasp with our limited human understanding; one God, three persons Creator, Word and Spirit, how do we understand that? There are lots of very dense theological books and papers about it which are very interesting but how does all that philosophical discussion impact our everyday lives? A few quick caveats about the Trinity; God is not suffering from a split personality, the three persons of the Trinity are not just different ways for God to present God’s self to us in different situations.
In the life and death cycle of nature I see God bringing life from death.
The amazing thing for me about the Trinity is the idea that God is in God’s very nature communal. God’s very nature is about relationship about the ebb and flow of energy and idea and love between the persons of the Trinity and even us. We know what that feels like, to brainstorm ideas with others, feeling the energy rise as we bounce ideas off each other and work together to problem solve. We feel that when a child runs up and wraps their arms around us in a hug, that exchange of love is elating. We feel that when we are vulnerable with each other, crying together over our loss at funerals, understanding another’s pain and offering comfort. We experience all those things because they mirror what is happening within God, we are made in God’s likeness, pale and imperfect likenesses but though we see through a mirror dimly, we do get some glimpse. God is Creator, bringing something from nothing, God is Word, acting in our world most notable understood as the Incarnation of God as Jesus Christ and God is Spirit, bringing life, breath, the spark of inspiration, encouraging and equipping.
In the life and death cycle of nature I see God bringing life from death. Over and over and I am reminded that that I was created an eternal being and that one day I will experience death but it will not quench the life that is within me, given by the Creator, molded by the Word and enlivened and encouraged by the Spirit. Amen.
Rev. Sheila will be away on a silent retreat from May 8 – May 14 and then on holidays from May 15 – May 29. If there are any emergencies, please contact the office or one of the wardens. Rev. Donald and Rev. Wayne will be covering pastoral emergencies.
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 104:25-35, 37B
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
John 20:19-23
This week while visiting my Grandma, she told me about a recent news story that really touched my heart. A young boy with autism was about to celebrate his birthday, and invited all his classmates to his party. The heartbreaking part of the story is that only one classmate showed up. As a mother- with my own sweet child who has additional needs- this is one of the fears that keeps me up at night.
With Pentecost coming up, our own “birthday party” as a church, I have been reflecting on inclusiveness. It was easy for me to see God’s intent to include people from every nation and walk of life in this story.
There is a beautiful end to this story! The boy’s father, clearly heartbroken himself, learned through the grapevine how frequently this kind of thing occurs to kids who are viewed as “different.” He contacted the local Autism Centre, and together they organized a giant “birthday party” for all the kids who belonged to the programs. They all had a blast playing with each other, devouring their own personal birthday cake, and singing, “Happy Birthday to Everyone!” It was such a success that it is now going to be an annual event.
With Pentecost coming up, our own “birthday party” as a church, I have been reflecting on inclusiveness. It was easy for me to see God’s intent to include people from every nation and walk of life in this story. During the significant time of celebration, God poured His Spirit out in a way that surpassed every cultural expression and language barrier, enabling his followers to understand the different languages of everyone nearby. They were joined together, and brought closer to one another, through the Holy Spirit. And let’s not forget that they were there to begin with because they wanted to be like Jesus himself- the man who believed in loving and including everyone with no exceptions.
Today, we as Christians are working hard to demonstrate both inclusiveness and inclusivity. I see this every day in our church through our outreach to the less-fortunate, our Safe Space signs on the doors, the Territorial Acknowledgement in each service..the list goes on. This fulfilment of our Christian duties is a reflection of that same Spirit that descended on a hodgepodge group of Jesus-followers all those years ago, coming together as one. Amen!
Our Mother’s Day Messy Church was a hit, but we can’t forget about Dad! We will be doing the same event just in time for Father’s Day, on Friday June 9th from 5-7pm. I am collecting donations of new, small-scale gifts for Dad, Grandpa, etc.
We are also planning on hosting a VBS this summer, our first one in quite a few years. I am looking for lots of volunteers in various positions. Please reach out if you would like more information on how you can help!
Congratulations to Nancy Elder for receiving First Annual Anita Robertson Award from the Ridley College Family Guild! This award is given in Anita’s memory for Dedication, Volunteerism and Commitment to the Family Guild at Ridley. Anita was one of the most wonderful people we have ever know. She, along with her husband and daughter were tragically taken much too early in a private plane crash a few years ago.
Congratulations Nancy!
A quick note regarding the yard sale: If anyone has placed anything in the basement, or anywhere else for the yard sale please advise Barbara Forder as to what it is, how it is packaged and where it has been placed. Thank-you.
Transfiguration Needs Your Help
Barbara Forder, one our newer members of our Parish Family, has kindly offered to coordinate our Yard Sale this year with the guidance of so many who have done this before. Can you help? This event has been so beneficial for our Parish in the past and we want to continue to make it successful.
Helpers required to unpack, sort and price items Thursday and Friday. We need help in carrying out tables and items that go outdoors. This is done at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. The sale begins at 8:00 a.m.
People needed to oversee and sell items both indoors and outside. People needed to repack all unsold items and reorganize Fireside room and replace chairs for church services on Sunday. People needed to load items into trucks or cars and deliver to Value Village after the sale.
Our success will come from many hands making the work lighter and way more fun! Add your name to the volunteer list on the bulletin board today.
Precious love,
your ascended Son promised the gift of holy power. Send your Spirit of revelation and wisdom,
that in the blessed freedom of hope,
we may witness to the grace of forgiveness
and sing songs of joy with the peoples of earth
to the One who makes us one body. Amen.
Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 47
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53