Pastoral Reflections

Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—the King of Israel!

These are the words that the crowd shouted as they waved palm branches while Jesus made his entry into Jerusalem on what we have come to know as Palm Sunday. As we gather for worship this Sunday we will reflect on this story.

Palm Sunday is the beginning of what we call Holy Week or Passion Week. It’s the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday and it’s a week packed with historical events rich in meaning and power. The triumphalentry to Jerusalem; the cleansing of the temple; the clashes with religious leaders; the anointing of Jesus; the Last Supper; the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane; the betrayal by Judas; the denial of Peter; the crucifixion and death of Jesus; the burial; the quiet Saturday; the gift of resurrection and Easter Sunday morning! It’s a week that forever changed our lives!

A few days before Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, as the Gospel of John tells the story, Jesus arrives at the home of his friends Lazarus, Martha and Mary.

12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ² There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. ³ Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped themwith her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denariiand the money given to the poor?” ⁶ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷ Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought itso that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

This story from the home of Lazarus is also rich in meaning and power. Although many followers of Jesus did not understood that Jesus must die in order to rescue God’s people and set them free, it seems that Mary understood. At least more deeply than many. She had taken the time in her years with Jesus to sit at his feet, listen deeply to his teaching and absorb the depth of his life and ministry. She had come to know and love Jesus in a way that elicited a surprising and extravagant response. In an act of love Mary anoints the feet of Jesus as a preparation for his coming death and burial. And the fragrance of the perfume she used filled the house just as his life and presence had filled her! And Jesus affirms her extravagant and radical act of love. It touched him deeply.

As I reflect on this story I am reminded of the significance of human friendship and the importance of both ordinary and extravagant acts of love.  Lazarus opens his home and sits at the table with Jesus. Martha plans, prepares and hosts a dinner party in honour of Jesus. Mary anoints Jesus’ feet, with a costly bottle of perfume. Others show up to be with Jesus. Each of these actions and all of these actions help prepare Jesus for the greatest act of service and love Jesus is about to offer for the world.

I wonder, what are both the ordinary and extravagant acts of love we can offer to Jesus and to each other? Take time to ponder that question this week. Be reminded that as we offer these acts of love to one another we continue to serve Jesus and we help to prepare each other for the works of ministry God calls us too.

 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit! (Philemon 25)

Pastor Ray

Hope and peace to you!

Many of us have named and acknowledged the grief and struggle of this past year.

We have also named the beauty and new opportunities this struggle and grief has birthed. We continue to affirm that God has been and will continue to be with us on this journey! Our God of love and grace is leading us, in the midst of the struggle and grief, to new life!  For that truth and hope we give thanks!

While we give thanks for that truth and hope we acknowledge that this past year has created many opportunities for anxiety. Life in general does that. Pandemic life does it with greater intensity and to a greater percentage of us. What will we do with all this extra anxiety?

Last Thursday I was blessed by joining the 2^nd Annual Spiritual First Aid Summit. This summit is a gathering of leaders from around the world who are desiring to move from grief to hope. As the Summit began Steve Carter, a pastor and author, shared a few reflections on a bible verse from 1 Peter 5. His reflections were a blessing me so I want to share a few of his reflections, and a few of my own, with you. I pray they will be a blessing to you too!

⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5.7)

Peter was a fisherman and he knew lots about casting; casting the net of his trade into the Sea of Galilee. Peter also understood anxiety as he faced both the joys and the challenges of leaving his nets to follow Jesus and learn the new trade or vocation of engaging in the lives of people. As Peter followed Jesus he had come to know the love, hope, joy, and peace that Jesus could bring. Peter experienced that personally from Jesus and he witnessed that love, care and peace being shared with, and received by so many, that Jesus encountered.   

As Steve shared last week he reminded us that anxiety turns our peace into pieces. And because of that we are invited to do what we can to not let anxiety, negativity, fear or (whatever you would name that is causing anxiety for you right now), to find a resting place in our lives. We are invited to name our anxiety and to cast it (use a casting motion it that helps) on God because God loves you and cares for you!

I invite us a few actions this week.

I invite you to pause in the midst of moments when you feel the weight of anxiety and pray a prayer like this: “God, I am casting my __(name your fear and anxiety)__ on you because I believe you care for me.”

I believe casting our anxiety on God becomes easier when we are vulnerable with each other and pray for each other. So I invite you to a second action. When you sense that a friend, family member or colleague may be anxious, ask them about that. Open up a conversation. If they risk being vulnerable and sharing with you offer to pray for them. And then pray with them if that’s possible. And if this feels awkward and a bit anxiety producing cast that anxiety on God and trust that God will lead you. Remember, God cares for you and desires to bless you with peace! And God desires to make you a blessing to others!

Pastor Ray

Hope and peace to you!

One year ago on March 11 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a ‘Pandemic.’ 

The WHO director-general, in his March 11^th 2020 announcement said, “This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector…”

And it has touched every sector of our lives. The Covid pandemic has deeply impacted our ways of daily living, socializing, working, schooling, worshiping, vacationing, playing, volunteering, shopping, and so much more. It has impacted physical health, mental health, emotional health, spiritual health, and relational health. It has impacted our ways of being church and doing church. So much has changed! And while all the impacts have not been negative, and much good has also come, we need to name the truth that we have suffered the loss of much and we have grieved the losses we have faced, and continue to. Take a moment to pause and acknowledge the significant losses we personally and the world corporately has faced. May we all receive God’s healing grace!

The good news for us as people of God is that we do not grieve as people who have no hope. The story of God, revealed so powerfully in Jesus, is that out of pain, suffering, grief, loss and death, can come new hope and life. As we go through Lent and look to Good Friday and Easter we are reminded that the pain of suffering and death can lead us to the gift of resurrection and new life. Suffering, pain, death and grief can be a path to new transformed life!

While we have seen signs of life all through this past year we do wait in hope to the day when many of the restrictions we still face today will be removed. We look in hope to renewed opportunities to gather with our friends, extended family and our whole church family. We look in hope to a day when the threat of this virus is contained. We look in hope to the transformation God is working in the midst of the challenges and pain of this past year.

The apostle Paul may have been speaking primarily to the final hope of our full redemption when he wrote these words from Romans 8.

¹⁸ I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; ²⁰ for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 

But I believe these words also speak powerfully to the present day renewal we can hope for. God’s renewal and transformation, which will one day be full and complete, begins now in smaller ways as we receive the gift of every work of transformation in our lives.

The gift of this past week, as spring temperatures begin to emerge from the cold of winter, is a needed reminder of the daily transforming work of God always at work. Every season of life comes to an end, and new seasons begin. As we wait for this Covid pandemic season to end I invite you to reflect on the words of the familiar song, “In the bulb there is a flower” written by Natalie Sleeth. As we receive the message of this song may we wait in hope for what is yet to be revealed!

In the bulb there is a flower

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree; in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter, there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody. There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me. From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity; in our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity. In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Pastor Ray

Grace and peace to you!

Pastoral Letter 52 is a reminder that we are nearing the 1 year mark since we last gathered in our building as a whole congregation for worship and fellowship. One thing, of so many things, that we have missed is the sounds of our children and watching them grow and mature into all that God created them to be.

This week, as I thought about our children, I was blessed by a Facebook post shared by Amy Yantzi on our EZFAMILIES Facebook Group. Some of you were able to read it. Many were not. I am grateful Amy was willing for me to share it with all of you.

Amy writes:

Tanya’s words on Sunday inspired me to write this poem for our boys and she encouraged me to share it on the EZFAMILIES Facebook page.

My little acorn, I can’t wait to watch you grow,

I hope you know just how much Jesus loves you so,

Through faith we are rooted, growing and extending,

And are shown a love and purpose that is never-ending,

You are uniquely you, as God created you to be,

And I pray that you will find your place in God’s story,

Today’s a new day,

One filled with joy and laughter,

Don’t let anything get in your way,

Of starting your next chapter.

Isn’t it exciting, to think of all the things you see,

And every little memory creates the person you will be,

Sometimes you may lose sight of His plan for you,

But give Him all your burdens and trust Him in all you do,

Just be proud of every accomplishment,

don’t worry about the rest,

as long as you did everything to try your very best.

My prayer is that God will strengthen you, from the inside out,

So you can carry out your purpose without even a doubt.

Be kind to one another,

Even if others are mean to you,

Because you may just discover,

That they are hurting too.

Live each day abundantly, full of love within your heart,

So we can continue to watch you grow into God’s wonderful work of art.

Once you have made the decision on your own to follow Jesus,

You will begin to grow and see yourself just as He sees us,

You will see things differently like from a slumber you awoke,

Unwavering amongst the storms, just like the tallest oak.

Written by Amy Jantzi

Thank you Amy for reminding us of the significance of offering our prayers and blessings for our children!

Even when we can’t see our larger church family each week we can pray for our children and their parents. And we can offer to them our words of blessing too!

³ Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord. Psalm 127:3 (Contemporary English Version)

Pastor Ray

Grace and peace to you!

The metaphor of journey is a familiar one as we talk about our lives of faith and our relationship with God. The Bible make references to walking with God and choosing our road or path for living. As we reflect on the story of God’s people through the Bible they were a people on the move; they were a people on a journey. Abraham and Sarah are called by God to go and travel to the land that God will show them. Eventually the nation of God’s people birthed through Abraham and Sarah travel into Egypt, stay there for a while and then exodus from there and journey through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. After years of living in Canaan they are exiled from there and forced to journey to Babylon. After years in exile in Babylon, “a way” or road his made for their return to the place they had made home. Then God comes to earth in Jesus to dwell among his people. As Jesus calls people to lives of discipleship we often hear him say, “Follow me!” And the people that did follow literally took the paths that Jesus took walking with Jesus from town to town sharing with him in the mission of God.  

12.5 years ago Tanya and I came to East Zorra to join you on your journey of faith as God’s people in this place. The journey over those years has been a journey filled with highs and lows, struggle and pain, and lots of joy. I personally have valued walking the road of pastoral leadership with Tanya as we have share with you on our personal and corporate journeys of faith.  As an East Zorra family we have learned together, challenged each other, energized and encouraged one another and have grown in our faith and ministry. Tanya ministry has blessed East Zorra in so many ways on our journey together. Ways that will be named and celebrated as we gather for worship and our farewell service for Tanya on Sunday.

On Monday Tanya’s journey alongside of East Zorra, as a member of our pastoral team, will end. Her journey with Jesus as one of God’s children, along with Don, Katarina, Ruby and Johanna will take another path in the landscape of God’s kingdom. The Dyck Steinmann path, like the East Zorra path, has some unknowns and risks but also new opportunities. There will be challenging tougher days, and good energizing days, as we each continue to travel our paths as followers of Jesus. As we each face the uncertainties of the future paths we travel, as we each discover the surprises and gifts of grace along the way, and as we each continue to live the mission God has for us, we will discover that God accompanies both of us and all of us!

Psalm 121 is often understood as a psalm for the journey. The Psalm reminds us that wherever the road and journey takes us and whatever we face along the way, the Lord our God will keep us and will guard both our coming and going. May we receive the gift and promises of this Psalm as we bless each other for the continuing journeys that are before us.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ He who keeps Israel [and Tanya, Don, Katarina, Ruby, Johanna and East Zorra] will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
    from this time on and forevermore. (Psalm 121)

Pastor Ray