Pastoral Reflections

When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! Romans 6:3 MSG

When you think of a sacred place where you can meet with God what picture comes to mind? Is it a church? A special place in the wilderness? What about your kitchen table? Or the grocery line?

Author Dallas Willard once said that the place where we grow spiritually and as people “is in our real life, where we dwell with God and our neighbours…First we must accept the circumstances we constantly find ourselves in as the place of God’s kingdom and blessing. God has yet to bless anyone except where they actually are.”

The new life into which we are baptized is lived out in days, hours, and minutes. Monday thru Sunday, God is forming us into a new people. And the place of that formation is in the small moments of each day.

Tish Warren Harrison – in her book Liturgy of the Ordinary writes “We tend to want a Christian life with the dull bits cut out.”

Too often, we fall into the trap of believing that God only shows up in the big, exciting, the important – that to get God’s attention – we too must do something big! But the country of grace we now all live in – this new life that we now possess – happens in the ordinary moments of everyday. Paul’s reminder of this is our baptism. We were not baptised with something magical it was just ordinary ubiquitous water put to work by the power of God’s Spirit, just like you and I.

You do not have to travel to some sacred mountaintop or perform some special work to encounter God’s presence. The truth is that the most sacred space may just be the kitchen table where you are up late at night sipping coffee and praying (more on that in an upcoming sermon).

Harrison continues: “God made us to spend our days in rest, work, and play, taking care of our bodies, our families, our neighborhoods, our homes. What if all these boring parts matter to God? What if days passed in ways that feel small and insignificant to us are weighty with meaning and part of the abundant life that God has for us?”

The ordinary everyday life is where we have been saved by God and love and serve others. The life in front of you is where God will meet you. In joys and struggles, sickness and health, excitement and boredom.

So, this week, try and be present to these moments that pass by. How might God be meeting you in the ordinariness of everyday?

Pastor Mike

Rhythms of Grace

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”                                Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

Rooted in Christ. Growing together in faith. Extending God’s love.

These are the words that jumped out at me when I was first learning about East Zorra Mennonite Church – rooted, growing and extending – that’s this community’s reason for existence.

I assume if you are reading these words that you have some sort of desire or curiosity – however small in living the way of Jesus. Pursuing a life that is deeply soulful, connected to our real needs, and good news to our world.

Yet, a common challenge we face is how do we do this?

One danger is that the desire for spiritual growth or draw closer to God is to pursue a long list of “to do’s”. A sense that we earn God’s approval or love if we do enough of the right thing. Eventually this causes us to grow weary and burn out. Church and faith becomes one more performance tread mill we run on.

A second danger is that after two years of pandemic we have simply fallen out of practice and habit. We’ve forgotten how.

But as Jesus’s words remind us – life with him is meant to be anything but burdensome, it’s meant to give life, joy, purpose and meaning. We don’t need to go on a far off pilgrimage or have some revelatory vision to experience God, or complete a series of tasks. Rather, it is in the fabric of ordinary life with ordinary people that we learn the rhythms of God’s grace and meet Jesus.

The path to being rooted in Christ, growing and faith and extending God’s love is one that is easy to find: if we want to experience the kingdom of God we simply should get together and try to do the things that Jesus asked his disciples to do. That’s what church is all about. It’s here we learn to experiment together how to apply the teachings of Jesus to the details of life, imitating the faith of those who went before us who trusted that the same power that rose Jesus from the grave is at work giving us the ability to do so.

So, over the course of the next few months I would like to offer you experiments in grace. Small practices in ordinary life to help you become rooted in Christ, grow in faith and extend God’s love.

The first experiment is a simple one: for the next two Sundays, leave your phone in the car or at home when you come to Church. Ask: What did I learn about presence by disconnecting for a morning?

The best thing about an experiment is that even if we fail – we still learn something.

Let me know what you discover!                                                              

Pastor Mike

Grace, love and Peace to you!

This summer has been very dry in our part of the world. We have longed for rain to fall to water our fields and lawns, and replenish them with life. For many of us Wednesday evening brought a much-needed rain, showers and even down pours of blessing and life.

The prophet Hosea in a call to the people of God, inviting them to return to God, speaks these words,

Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
    his appearing is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like the showers,
    like the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6:3)

Like rain, so the grace, love and peace of God is so regularly needed in our lives. The “climate” of the world and the circumstances of life that confront us, can often leave us feeling dry, parched and in desperate need of God – God’s grace, love and peace.

If you are feeling dry today may you hold onto the promise that God’s presence and appearing is as sure as the dawn that came today. And the reality of God’s love, peace and grace is as certain as the rain that fell to water the earth this week. We may not feel it at the moment we want it but it is sure to be revealed in our lives.

If you are feeling refreshed today may you be reminded to offer thanks to the God of rain and the God who showers us with grace, love and peace. And may you be a channel of God’s grace, love and peace to all who cross your path. As God reminded Abraham so God speaks to us, “I will bless you (and shower love, grace and peace upon you)… so that you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12.2)

I am grateful for the refreshing holiday time Sue and I experienced in July! Our time with family, and our quieter times alone, were like showers of love, grace and peace.

I also extend my personal welcome to Mike, Brandy, Petra and Rebekah. May our lives and ministry together bring mutual blessing and refreshment! May it be like spring (and summer) rains that water the earth!

Pastor Ray 

“And he said to them, ‘What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?’ And they stood still, looking sad.” (Luke 24:17)

Sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye, and farewells are not always happy occasions. They make us sad as things are never the same again, but with endings come new beginnings. This short devotional offers hope when you face the finality of separation or lost opportunity.

What We Don’t Like About Endings

Nostalgia and bitter-sweetness are normal emotions associated with endings. You feel a sense of regret for what you’ve lost even if the conclusion is a happy one. It can be heartbreaking when someone leaves, or a door closes.

The above Scripture passage is an example of the ending two of Jesus’ disciples experienced immediately after His death. The finality of it all was so acute that they looked sad as they walked and talked on the road to Emmaus. Something had ended. A treasured relationship was over. They did not understand until later that with endings come new beginnings.

What We Like About New Beginnings

Everyone loves to start over and refresh. Each day welcomes a host of blessings and new beginnings at work, home or play. The two men on the road to Emmaus received a fresh start when they finally recognized the Risen Christ! Their grief immediately turned into gladness. The relationship had not ended but was now on a new level! (Luke 24:31-32)

With Endings Come New Beginnings

Stop looking at your endings as all bad. Instead see them as crosswalks to new prospects full of blessing, possibilities, and fruitfulness. Remember, beginnings are great “Do-Overs” that give you a chance to wipe-the-slate-clean and start anew.

How can God help you move through the endings you are facing to the new beginnings He has planned for you?

Pastor Lloyd

Farewell Lloyd and Margaret.

We have been blessed by our time together.

This photo was taken at the Farewell Service for Lloyd & Margaret on Sunday July 24^th.

Photo credit to Katelyn Wagler

Greetings & Salutations to the saints and sinners of East Zorra! 

The Good Word says, ‘Cast your bread upon the waters, and it shall return to you after many days’ 

This makes no sense to us.  Any bread I throw in the water is soon a pile of mush, and slowly sinks out of sight!  Have you ever sat by a river and seen a piece of bread floating by? I never have.  However, on further consideration, it is good advice. To cast one’s bread upon the waters is an expression that means to give generously without worrying about what you will gain from it or what the people will do with what you give them. 

In the summer of 2004, an email came across Margaret’s desktop at Interfaith asking for host families for Canada World Youth. The host’s obligation was to feed and house and introduce them to Canadian customs and life.  Do you know how much young men can eat?   There would be no compensation for being hosts. Margaret said, ‘I really feel we need to do this’.  We had never done anything like it before nor since.  

In September, we drove into Kitchener and picked up two young men, one from Kenya and one from Tanzania. Some folks warned, ‘you better watch your stuff.  They will take things’.  They never did, but they gave us a delightful time as we learned from each other.  They tried to teach us Swahili, but we are terrible at learning languages. The time passed so quickly. 

When the 3 months were up, Charles, the man from Kenya, disappeared.  We were so concerned, but we soon learned he had ‘defected’.  Miraculously he had thumbed the 401 and was picked up by a stranger who took him to ‘Sojourn House’ on Jarvis St. in Toronto where he stayed while his case for asylum was being decided.  Charles maintains his father in Kenya was poisoned because someone from the predominant tribe wanted his father’s job as a Superintendent of Police. It was an open and shut case.   

Through some of our friends, Charles found a place to stay and enrolled in York University to study nursing while he worked a part-time job.  Margaret and I proudly attended when Charles became a Canadian citizen. Charles met Sylvia where he was boarding and they married after graduation and moved to Sylvia’s hometown of Triesenburg, in Lichtenstein. Five years ago, we visited them in Lichtenstein and felt like we were treated like king and queen.  Three years ago, Charles and Sylvia gave birth to a son Elijah who calls Margaret and me, ‘Grandma & Grandpa Oakey’.  Wow!  The bread we cast on water’ has come back to us!  In fact, this family intends to join us this Sunday as we worship at Queen’s Park, which will be the beginning of a two-week stay at our house. 

So, this Sunday is loaded for me. I am especially looking forward to Keith Wagler sharing his personal story. Things were desperate at times, for him, yet God made a way.  And Charles & his family will be there.  My single children, Katy & Ben are also planning to attend. And hopefully, you will be there too!  That will be the cherry on top of another great Sunday!   

Come to the water! Don’t be afraid to ‘cast your bread’!  God has a way of looking after you.

Pastor Lloyd