October 16th 2011

The older I grow the more the Psalms mean to me. It is hard for me to respond when someone asks which is my favourite. It depends on my need at the time. However, one that is very dear to me is Psalm 103. It is so full of thanksgiving and recognition of God’s many mercies to us and his love and forgiveness. I am sure you have read it many times but please turn to it again and put the joy of your heart into it as you read. While you are at it, go on to Psalm 104. I wish space would allow me to quote at length from it but I love verses 14 and 15. To quote from verse 15 “(You) bring food from the earth and wine to gladden the human heart and oil to make the face shine”.  God does not just provide the necessities of life but some special refreshment and emollients to brighten our skin. Let the cosmetic industry say Amen.

Do we as we are filled with thanksgiving and joy feel guilty? We know there are so many people in the world who are suffering unimaginable pain and sorrow. Why do these people suffer when we receive the necessities of life and extra luxuries as well?

First of all, let us do away with the guilt. It will not help those who are suffering. It will not help us. We must not reject Jesus’ terrible suffering but accept it as the gift it was to us. We must accept his suffering and cast off our guilt and move on to thanking him for this gift of his love. That does not mean we just turn our backs on those in need. It means that we do what is within our power. We give of our time and substance. We give ourselves in prayer. Perhaps God will give us some wonderful opportunity of service; perhaps actually to be with those in distress, to reach out and touch them. This privilege is given only to a few. The rest of us must go forward giving and praying and thanking. We do not give up our concerns for those who suffer. We reach out in love to them. I know it is unsatisfying never finding a real answer to suffering but some day we will know and I am sure the answer will be found somewhere in God’s love.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast

love toward those who fear him;  as far as the east is from the west, 

so far he removes our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103: 11-12  (NRSV)

October 9th 2011

When someone says, I love my church - what do they mean? We have been told from childhood ; that the church is not the building - it is the people. But we must go farther than that. It is a body of people, who live in Christ and love their Lord. How do we show love to our Lord. We reach out to him in prayer and worship. We reach out to him who dwells in each one of us who know him and love him. We also reach out to those who reject him or who have not found him.

No one can completely understand God but we can find confidence in his love for us and be affirmed in each ; other. That should mean that we can exchange different points of view as we grow together. We should show compassion in word and deed to those who know him and especially to those who have not yet found him, remembering always that our Lord speaks and moves through us.

This does not mean that the church building cannot mean a great deal to us. It is a special place where we come together to worship him and be with each other and I rejoice to see it being cared for.

I knew a lady in England who owned a beautiful home in the country. On the property, was a very old barn. ; As a child, she liked to go and play there because she sensed a holy atmosphere of quiet and peace. When she grew up, she learned up that the barn was a place where persecuted Quakers would go to hide and have prayer together. She later turned the old barn into a retreat house where many people came to enjoy the sense of God's presence in worship and fellowship together.

So, why do 1 love my church? I love it because it is my family who meet together from time to time in one holy place. We love each other and empower each other for the enrichment and care of others. Let us reach i out to those, both inside and outside our church family remembering we are all persons created by him who made us in his image, redeemed by Jesus Christ and empowered by his Holy Spirit.

October 2nd 2011

Many months ago, someone decided to store the long extension ladder in the chancel – not where anybody could see but hidden beyond where the piano is behind the baptistery. However, it is not hidden from me where I sit in the center front. I can look at it and mediate on Jacob’s ladder. You all know the story in Genesis 28. Jacob with his mother Rebecca’s help, contrived to steal his brother Esau’s birthright and his father’s blessing. He has to flee their wrath and sets out to take refuge with his mother’s brother Laban. On his journey, when night time comes Jacob picks a stone for a pillow, lies down and falls asleep. Then he has a dream. He sees a ladder stretching from earth to heaven and there angels were going up and down. We read in Verse 13  “the lord stood beside him” – how wonderful! Then God revealed to Jacob all the things he had prepared for his future. When he awoke from his sleep, he was overcome with awe and fear “This is none other than the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven” he declared. He took the stone pillow, poured a libation over it and declared it to be God’s place. This somehow reminds me of the stone Inukshuk our Inuit people build to say “I was here”. Jacob’s stone says “God was here”.

The first part of Jacob’s journey was one of running away in fear. The second part was one of going forward in faith. God had been with him before. Now he knew God was with him and he responded to him in his love and strength.

We all have points in our journey where we stop at God’s place and he intervenes. It may be an actual physical place but more than likely it is a place of crisis. We become aware of him, know he is there, feel his arms around us. In this renewed strength, we go forward.

Last Sunday, I came to church. My ladder was gone. Walter offered to put it back when I said I missed it, but I really do not need that particular symbol to be reminded of God’s presence or his gate to Heaven. I am surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ. We together are his body. Let us surround each other in support and love. Let us get to know each other that as we strengthen each other in the body of Christ here at Trinity and throughout the world, we may respond to his presence through the power of his Holy Spirit. Let us be assured of his forgiveness for past mistakes and go forward together on our journey.

Alter for Harvest Thanksgiving Service