Pastoral Reflections

Greetings to my fellow labourers in Christ!

We all love the story of 1 Kings 18, where Elijah confronts the false prophets, in a contest praying fire down from heaven.  The result?  A mighty acknowledgement from all the people, ‘The Lord, he is God!’ The story continues with Elijah going to the valley of Kishon to personally deal with 450 false prophets, after which he goes back up the mountain, and prays for rain.  After intense prayer, (to end a 3 ½ year drought) rain falls and Elijah runs quite a long way into the city of Jezreel ahead of King Ahab’s chariot. After these significant triumphs, is Elijah ‘pumped’?  No, Queen Jezebel threatens his life, and he runs, alone, into the wilderness, and some say suffered a classic case of depression.  ‘I want to die, I am the only one left serving God’.  Was Elijah’s malady preventable, or inevitable?

Stressors, both good stressors like wedding preparations, and bad stressors, like overwork, are a part of everyday life.  Everyone has to deal with them at some time. Too much stress is like a heavy back pack that keeps weighing us down, and gets heavier by the minute.  When your stress level exceeds your ability to cope, something starts to break down.  This fall, Ray and I are excited to offer some ‘stressbusters’ which we think will be a practical help for everyone dealing with stress.

Ray kicks off our ‘Stressbuster’ series this Sunday with assurances of Christs’ presence and help, and the series continues until Advent with tips such as how to win over worry, dealing with family stress, and job-related pressures.  All from a biblical perspective. Join us, each week, in person or via zoom!

Pastor Lloyd

Greetings in the name of God who is Lord of the changing seasons of life!

On Wednesday of this week the change of seasons happened on the calendar and in the weather! Ready or not the fall/autumn season is upon us. The changing of the season can be both exciting and unsettling. The change to fall often means a change in the sports we play (or watch), new opportunities for learning, new activities to engage, new seasons of our favourite shows and so much more. The change to fall also brings the reality of shorter times of daylight, more layers of clothing, colder nights and more time indoors. The reality of changing seasons, and all the feelings and changes that go with it, will be one continuing constant in our lives. Genesis 8:22 reminds us that, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

The consistency of the changing of the seasons is a reflection of the consistency of change in every area of our lives. Our physical bodies change; our relationships, and ways of relating, change; our priorities change; our ways of doing church change… and so much more. Sometimes we encourage the change, and plan for the change, and help it to happen. Sometimes the change is forced upon us through no decision of our own. Sometimes we welcome and eagerly embrace the change. Sometimes we resist the change, or even deny it. But I believe we always have the possibility and opportunity of being transformed to greater life because of the change. 

Over the last 18 months we have encountered many changes in many areas of our lives. Church life has been no exception. Because of the evolving nature of change church life will not return to the normal of February 2020. The changes of the last 18 months have been changing us as individuals and as a community of God’s people together. Those changes invite us to explore new ways of being the church together. Those changes invite us to experiment, to learn and to grow. Those changes invite us to reimagine the ways we will keep working to be rooted in Christ, growing together in faith and to extending God’s love. Those changes invite us to the potential of transformation! Although we will not return to the “normal” of February 2020 we will be led by God’s Spirit to a new normal of life together, inside and outside of our building. I invite us to hold to that hope as we embrace change! I invite us to be led by God! I invite us to be transformed!

As we embrace the autumn season may we be reminded that the consistency of the changing of the seasons is also a reflection of the consistency and faithfulness of our creator God – a God who is constant in love, grace and faithfulness through the changes of the seasons and through all the changes of our lives!

Pastor Ray

Greetings! God is worthy of our thanks and praise!

I give thanks for our times of worship, dedication and celebration last Sunday! I give thanks that 70 people could gather in our indoor worship space and that 100 plus more gathered behind computers, tablets or phones through Zoom. I give thanks that following indoor worship about 100 of our church family members could gather in our outdoor green space. We shared in good conversation as we sat together, ate together, prayed together, played together and dedicated our green space to the ministry of the church and the glory of God! (See link below to watch the dedication service.) It was so good to be together! I went home grateful for the gift of those moments and opportunities. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow!”

This week conversations continue as we discern how we keep creating meaningful connection, transforming worship and gathering opportunities. Many questions surface in these conversations. When can we sing together? When can we have more than 70 people in our indoor sanctuary space? When will Sunday School begin? When will Youth group, J-Walkers, kids club, launch? When can we use our basement for activities with groups? When can we drink coffee together? When can we open our Green Space to Playgroup and in other ways welcome the broader community to our space? And how can we do all these things in ways that provide a welcoming and safe space for all those who gather?  

These are some of the questions that dance regularly in our heads and hearts as we think, pray, discern and plan for the weeks and months ahead. I invite you to read the “Update on Return to our Church Building & Programming” attached to this letter/announcement sheet this week. The conversation continues as our Church Ministry Council meets again next Wednesday September 22. We will continue to reflect on questions like these. We need your prayers as we share and discern together. We invite you to reach out to the leaders you have called to serve on this council. (Their names are included in the update.) Share with them your thoughts, reflections and questions before our Wednesday evening meeting, and this way join the conversation! We want to hear from you!

Some days all the questions that need to be discerned, and the restrictions and challenges we need to navigate, become overwhelming and discouraging.  But I choose again today (and I invite you to join me), to give thanks to God who is making a way through this unusual time!

Psalm 100

A Psalm of thanksgiving.

¹ Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
²     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come into his presence with singing.

³ Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he that made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him, bless his name.

⁵ For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

Pastor Ray

Grace and Peace to you!

We give thanks that schools are open for in person learning and that the presence of God accompanies all of us on this school year journey! We share this prayer for the new school year offered from the perspective of a student. This prayer comes from a resource packet received from “Illustrated Ministries”.

God of fresh starts and new beginnings,

we bring ourselves, our big feelings, and our backpacks to you.

Last year was different from what we expected.

We couldn’t see our friends or play on playgrounds,

we learned at home, in masks six feet apart, or both.

In all these changes, we may have felt sad and alone.

God, our friend who comforts us, hold us close and wipe our tears.

In our backpacks, we carry blank pages, sharpened pencils, and pointy crayons,

and in our hearts, we carry big feelings, unanswered questions, and hopeful expectations.

There are endless possibilities of what this New Year might bring—

of what we might learn, who we might meet, and who we might become.

God, our friend who is always with us, be with us through it all.

Be with us as we ride the bus.

Be with us as we walk.

Be with us as we buckle seat belts, zip-up jackets, and tie shoes.

However we get there, and whatever we wear,

bless this journey into a new school year.

For the grown-ups going back to school,

God, be with them too.

Thank you for our teachers, helpers, caregivers, and leaders,

and for all they do to help us learn and grow.

God, our friend who’s full of wonder, fill their hearts and bless their hands.

Amen.

Greetings to the ever–learning group at East Zorra!

The formal academic school year is about to begin for many students. If you have children in your home, you are well aware of this! At a new beginning, there is both excitement and trepidation. Now is a great time to pray for our young students, and their teachers.

Now is also a great time to remind ourselves no matter how old you are, and no matter what kind of career you’re in, you need to be learning. The possibilities are endless. Pick up a new skill. Study a fresh topic. Learn a language. Read a new book. Start a new Bible study.

The Bible says in Proverbs 18:15, “Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights” (Proverbs 18:15 The Message).  One of the most important roles you have in life is as a student. Jesus wants us to be disciples. That’s just another word for ‘learner’. You’re learning what it means to follow Christ.

Disciples of Jesus keep learning. They never stop.

You’ll do yourself a favour when you keep learning. The Bible teaches us, “Those who get wisdom do themselves a favor, and those who love learning will succeed” (Proverbs 19:8 NCV).  And again, To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding.  (Proverbs 9:10 GNT)

As formal education begins this season, what new things are you interested in learning and experiencing?  Take some positive steps that hold you accountable to do it.

Blessings in your thirst & quest for more wisdom,

Pastor Lloyd