Author: admin

Collect

Perfect Light of revelation,
as you shone in the life of Jesus,
whose epiphany we celebrate,
so shine in us and through us,
that we may become beacons of truth and compassion, enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy. Amen.

Readings

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 119:1-8

Matthew 5:21-26, 33-37

My reflection this week is my report for Vestry as we celebrate the year that has passed and the amazing work that was done, the worship that was experienced, the celebrations we shared and the times of fellowship.

This has not always been an easy year but there is a growing sense of life returning to normal, of people gathering again to worship, celebrate, work and have fun and that is so wonderful to see happening.

This has been a year of restarting and recovery, as we have emerged from the isolated world of Covid shut downs we have been slowly resuming the activities and relationships which have been closed off to us for the last many months. After 2 months of on-line worship this year we were back to in person worship on Ash Wednesday. It was wonderful to begin the trip to Easter morning together again. Everyone has wisely been taking their time in returning ensuring that they felt physically ready and as we continue to offer our services live-streamed each Sunday for those who were not able to attend that option was still available.

Along with a wonderful Easter celebration we had a Blessing of the Backpack/book bags in September coinciding with a Sunday Sundae treat after the service, we also had our Blessing of the Pets service which Donald always celebrates and it was wonderful not only to see the people but also our beloved furry friends in church! We honoured the survivors of the Residential School with a moving Orange Shirt Day service and we finally had a chance to worship together on Christmas Eve!! This was such a joy filled service, our hopes and prayers lifted to God in the beautiful Christmas hymns, our hearts filled with love hearing the familiar Christmas story and our eyes drawn to the light of the flickering candles as together we worshipped the Christ child. For all of this we say, thanks be to God!

We have Yoga and Zumba classes once again taking place at the church and Church of Christ Abundant has also started up in person worship and I am sure is glad to be able to gather together again as well. Our coffee hour finally resumed in September and we held a games night and a 2 Messy Church events, both well attended! Other events have also resumed such as our Yard Sale, Silent Auction (which couldn’t even be sidelined by a major snow storm!!!) and Christmas Vendor Sale. The Roadshow was also able to perform their fabulous Christmas Concert raising funds for Hospice Niagara!

There have been a number of things to celebrate as well, I was appointed Regional Archdeacon by the Bishop, a position which I am finding is helping me to push myself into new areas of growth which while challenging are also very affirming and have helped to deepen my faith life and strengthen my walk with God. Ray Elder was given the Order of Niagara for the amazing amount of work he does for our church building and parish family but also for his work in the community and his faith living out of his baptismal vows. Congratulations Ray!! We finally received out Photo Directories and they turned out beautifully, they will be a great help especially to new people who join our parish family.

For 3 Sundays this year we met after service to discuss the Mission in Action (MAP) plan for our parish. Very exciting and fruitful conversations took place and we looked at where God might be calling us as we move forward. We are looking at ways to feed people spiritually through continuing Christian Education classes including book studies, by working with Brock University to meet the needs of students and to continue to look for ways to invite our neighbours into the life of the church. Included is a summery of the initiatives we discussed and are looking to implement.

We celebrated 2 baptisms this year Chizaram Godson and Lincoln Doan, it’s always a beautiful thing when we welcome 2 new people into the family of the church! We also celebrated the life of Kathleen Harmon, Kathleen Langlois, Harold Leece and Rev Donald and Mrs. Virginia Powell. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

We have fed hundreds of people through our Community Meals Program, through our teams serving breakfast at St. George’s Church downtown and through the fresh vegetables which have been planted, watered, weeded and harvested by many members of our congregation. We are a blessed people and we share our blessings with those in need.

This has not always been an easy year but there is a growing sense of life returning to normal, of people gathering again to worship, celebrate, work and have fun and that is so wonderful to see happening.

As we continue to hear the gospel and work to live that gospel message out in our lives both within our church family and the wider world may God continue to bless and watch over us.

Collect

O God of light,
your searching Spirit reveals and illumines
your presence in creation.
Shine your radiant holiness into our lives,
that we may offer our hands and hearts to your work: to heal and shelter,
to feed and clothe,
to break every yoke and silence evil tongues. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 58:1-9a

Psalm 112:1-9

1 Corinthians 2:1-12

Matthew 5:13-20

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.” Matthew 5:13

Our walk with Jesus should make a difference in our lives, it should have an impact not only on our own lives but the lives of those around us and in fact the world as a whole.

What is salt if it is no longer “salty”? It’s just sand really and while sand definitely has it’s uses it does not have all the amazing properties of salt. As humans we would die without salt, while too much is definitely bad for us our bodies need salt to work. Salt has wonderful preserving qualities, has healing qualities, can change the temperature of water and melt ice and enhances the taste of our food. But if it ceases to have these properties it becomes another grain of sand on the seashore.

What then does Jesus mean when he says we are the salt of the earth? I think if we look at this quote in connection to the seven fruits of the spirit it might help us to understand the saying a bit clearer. The seven fruits of the spirit, as they are called, are the attributes which Christians show and act on in their lives, they are signs of our faith in Jesus, gratitude for our lives and the love we experience in knowing God. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Our walk with Jesus should make a difference in our lives, it should have an impact not only on our own lives but the lives of those around us and in fact the world as a whole. Now if we do not show any of these gifts in our lives we are no less human and we are not bad people but we have missed the message of Jesus and we have not truly incorporated our faith into our daily lives.

The thing about these fruits is that they are all attributes which are positive, healing, they build up people and relationships. They heal rifts and are helpful in times of crisis. They not only make our own lives better but they make the lives of the people around us better. When we treat others with kindness and gentleness and patience we give them a chance to flourish and grow. When we are faithful and peace-loving we make connections to others and between others. When we experience joy and love we are able to then give joy and love out into the world, shining a light on those who may be experiencing darkness, bring joy to those who are sad.

So imagine a world without those fruits, where people weren’t joyful or kind or loving or gentle, the world would still continue but at what loss. So be salty! Show kindness and gentleness, share love and joy, bring peace and patience into challenging situations, practice self-control and show faithfulness in all areas of your life. Enrich the world around you in whatever way you can and do it in and through the power of the Holy Spirit! Amen.

Collect

God our deliverer,
you walk with the meek and the poor,
the compassionate and those who mourn,
and you call us to walk humbly with you.
When we are foolish, be our wisdom;
when we are weak, be our strength;
that, as we learn to do justice
and to love mercy,
your rule may come as blessing. Amen.
 

Readings

Micah 6:1-8

Psalm 15

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Matthew 5:1-12
 

The Beatitudes 

As I reflect this week on the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes, I am taken back to Sunday School when we were asked to recite all eight blessings. And while I admit I couldn’t remember more than two or three off the top of my head, I do know that being “blessed” equates to being in the grace and favour of God. 

Out of our struggles we will emerge, and we will bless the world despite it. We will bless the world because of it.

Now, it is easy to believe that we are blessed when things in life are going our way. I have never doubted God’s favour when I have a full bank account or a new season of my favourite TV show. But when I reacquainted myself with these verses this week, my expectation and idea of blessings was turned completely upside down. Our reality is that we are living in a world full of sin, and Jesus is reminding us here that our lives will be filled with difficulty and periodic suffering. But the good news is, we do not have to be afraid! We do not have to hide from our weaknesses or our problems, and we do not have to hide them from others.  For both our relationship with Jesus, and our steadfastness in faith, grow the most during hard times. Out of our struggles we will emerge, and we will bless the world despite it. We will bless the world because of it. 

So I invite you, too, to evaluate blessings in a different way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Collect

God of Blazing light,
through the power of the cross you shattered our darkness,
scattering the fears that bind us
and setting us free to live as your children.
Give us courage and conviction
that we may joyfully turn and follow you
into new adventures of faithful service,
led by the light that shines
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 9:1-4

Psalm 27:1, 4-9

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Matthew 4:12-23

In our Gospel from Matthew for this week we hear about the beginnings of Jesus’s ministry. The choosing of his disciples, those who would walk with him and he would walk with. Regular, everyday kind of people, not kings or rulers who may have already had connections to many of the people, but instead they were fishermen, those who had to work hard to make a living. The disciples he chose were people he could teach, who would then pass on what they learn to others. Those who may relate better to those to whom they were to meet.

What does this have to do with us today? I don’t think many of us have been asked by God to leave all our things and loved ones behind to walk with Jesus. One could argue that we have a lot more to leave behind than those disciples did so long ago. We can still make that journey with Jesus without leaving our homes and families. It is a journey into a ‘Jesus Shaped Life’.

Jesus was about 30 when he began his ministry and I always just thought the reason he waited until then was just ‘Gods plan’. As always, a little bit of research can help with any question one might have. So, the reason he waited may have been because of the fact that priests could not begin public ministry until 30 and rabbis were not regarded as mature enough to do so until age 30.

If you look at the first few words from Matthew it says that ‘when Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee……From that time Jesus began to proclaim, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’. Those same words were used by John the Baptist. So it looks like John the Baptist had to finish his ministry before Jesus began his.

In the first portion of Jesus’s ministry he chooses two brothers (fishermen) who are willing to leave everything they have and leave behind those they love in order to follow him. Not a lot of people would just get up and leave everything behind, but sometimes curiosity and desire to do something different can be a determining factor. And let’s be honest, God has a way to get us to do things we might never have thought we would or could ever do.

What does this have to do with us today? I don’t think many of us have been asked by God to leave all our things and loved ones behind to walk with Jesus. One could argue that we have a lot more to leave behind than those disciples did so long ago.

We can still make that journey with Jesus without leaving our homes and families. It is a journey into a ‘Jesus Shaped Life’. I heard those words recently and I much prefer them over ‘Be like Jesus’. Seems to me that is a monumental task sending me to failure. Jesus is perfect, I am not. This always reminds me of those teachers who say to a student, ‘why can’t you be more like your sister/brother?’ The answer is I am not them, I am different.

So, instead we journey to try to lead a Jesus shaped life. Everyday is a new day. We step out of bed and begin. Focus your mind on smiles and kind tones (may take a bit for some to wake up first), but starting with the right attitude in the morning helps. Sometimes a bit of meditation or a centering prayer may help to start the day off correctly.

Then, keep your eyes wide open. That way we can see what is truly out there in our neighbourhoods. Don’t shy away from the homeless guy on the corner or the person in the aisle ahead of you who fumbles with their wallet to pay what they owe. Have patience. Put aside your thoughts about why you think that person on the corner is homeless, just realize that they are and may need a bit of change or maybe a little to eat or something warm to drink, or maybe just a smile.

It isn’t just about looking out for those in need of our help, it is also seeing what is being done already to help them. It isn’t all gloom and doom. Like I said earlier, keep your eyes wide open. Look also for those who give to that homeless person, or the cashier who waits patiently for the person trying to find the right change and helping when asked. There are a lot of groups in the Niagara Region who are already doing their part to helping others and maybe it is time to join one of these groups. This is all part of leading a Jesus shaped life.

Looking back at the fishermen who left their lives behind to walk with Jesus. Although I said we don’t need to leave all our things behind, we do need to leave some of our old ways behind. If we are doing things that hinder our working toward a Jesus shaped life, then those things need to be changed. For me, sometimes it is just attitude. I have recently been working hard at remembering that a smile not only helps others, but it also can make me feel much better about the things that I need to do at that moment and feel better about myself in general.

When the day is done, just before you fall asleep, think back to your day. Did you do a fair job of trying to lead ‘a Jesus shaped life’? Could you do better? Maybe you need a little help from God, but don’t forget to thank him for your day.

Collect

Steadfast God,
you have enriched and enlightened us
by the revelation of your eternal Christ.
Comfort us in our mortality
and strengthen us
to walk the path of your desire,
so that by word and deed we may manifest
the gracious news of your faithfulness and love. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 49:1-7

Psalm 40:1-11

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

John 1:29-42