Will Haughton’s Reflection on July 19, 2020

Scripture Reading:Genesis 28:10-22

Our reading today from Genesis 28 tells what has been one of my favourite Bible-stories over the years. I remember learning it as a boy in Sunday school and being amazed that Jacob could sleep in the wilderness with a rock for a pillow—surely one of the awe-inspiring mysteries of scripture. As a younger man, I remember appreciating the way that God had promised to be with one of his chosen people, Jacob, to the end of his journey—not because Jacob was a particularly good and faithful person or that he deserved it but because God is generous and faithful. These days, I’m hearing in this tale a reminder of the way God sometimes leads us into uncharted territory in order that we might be more attentive to God and better able to hear what God is saying.

I can’t remember having ever slept outside in my life. When I was growing up, we had a family cottage. It was very rustic and going there was a lot like camping, I suppose, but we never actually camped, in tents. Once, when I was about 10 years old, I tried camping out in our back yard with my best friend, Chris Oh, but we never fell asleep and ended up going back inside for the night.

One of the closer moments I ever came to not having a place to sleep was in Brazil, on a summer trip taken with friends when I was in university. Before leaving, we had decided to make as few plans as possible. We wanted to be spontaneous and flexible. We determined our first night’s lodging after asking one of the flight attendants on the way down: “where’s a good place to stay in Sao Paolo?” My memories of our arrival are spotty. The airport had not been given any updates since the 1970s. We took a shuttle bus to the city centre and were appalled at the conditions we saw. When we got to our suite-style hotel room, our nerdy engineering friend Curtis went immediately to flush the toilet in order to watch the water draining in the “opposite” direction. Apparently this happens in the southern hemisphere but I couldn’t tell the difference. Later, we went to get some dinner. Because the seasons are opposite in the global south, it got dark very early on that warm July evening. We couldn’t remember the way back to our hotel. Eventually, we decided to hail a cab and asked the driver to take us back to the Paulista Flats, which was the name of our hotel. Unbeknownst to us, there were several buildings in the city known as the Paulista Flats and it took some considerable time, with increasing anxiety, before we made it “home”.

I will admit, in hindsight, it was not the best idea to visit a foreign country without making sufficient plans in advance. We were never in any danger of being without food or shelter. However, the ideal of spontaneity was shown to be a myth. What happened primarily was that we ended up wasting a lot of time just figuring out where to go and what to do next. I think perhaps that for those of us with some stability in our lives, we neglect to realize how draining it is for some others to spend so much time and energy strategizing their next meals or sleeping arrangements. It’s difficult to focus on or achieve anything else with those questions hanging over your head.

One of the great challenges of this pandemic season, I find, as time goes on, is dealing with the uncertainty. Life feels freer than it did a few months ago, granted, and I, as an outdoorsy person in the summertime, am able to do presently most of the things I would normally do anyway. What is added to our daily routines is a level of uncertainty. It is difficult to plan ahead. It is an added burden to try and accomplish simple tasks while being always mindful of distancing, masks and other procedures. Often, it isn’t clear, what is the right decision to make? Or, what is the appropriate level of risk to be taking—not just for ourselves, but for those we love? Though we are all fortunate to have roofs over our heads, food in our refrigerators and things like technology to help us “zoom”, we are journeying through what, for us, is a relative wilderness.

Thankfully, we know from the biblical story that God sometimes leads us into the wilderness so we can stop being distracted and listen more attentively for what God has to say. In Genesis 28, Jacob had received his father’s blessing, but a highly dysfunctional family dynamic, to put it mildly, led to his fleeing the family home. On the run to his uncle’s family, homeless Jacob slept against a rock and dreamt—angels were going back and forth between heaven and earth and God spoke to Jacob, saying: “I am with you. You will someday have a home and family of your own. Your descendants will be countless and through your family all the families of the earth will be blessed.” This promise continues to come true every day as people from every corner of the earth put their trust in God. Jacob awoke and built his pillow-rock into an altar which marked the place at which his life, and the world, changed forever.

Our own times in the wilderness are not a sign that God has forsaken us. Rather, they area an opportunity to be reminded that God is with us, to draw closer to God, to grow as people and to hear God’s voice. Much uncertainty will remain in our lives. I’m sorry to say our wilderness wanderings usually go on far longer than we hope or expect. However, we can rest assured that God will guide us to our destination and be faithful to all God has spoken. 

At Dalston-Crown Hill United Church, we love to celebrate our rural heritage!

On Saturday, November 2nd, over 200 full turkey dinners followed by home-made pies were enjoyed by community members, guests, and members of our congregation. We are so fortunate to live in an area that still supports activities that are linked to our rural past. In fact, this year our dinner was sold out almost two weeks ahead of time! Thank you for your overwhelming support!  To everyone in our congregation…..yes everyone, thank you! There was total participation in one (or more!) areas which included ticket sales, set up, food preparation/donations, serving, dish washing, etc!  And, we are so thankful for energetic additional help from the ‘young leg team’ of Bev, Madison, Sydney, Anthony, Megan, Rick and John! Hosting our church dinners , sharing the workload , the laughter, the full tummies, brings us together….as a church family, and as a still vibrant rural community. Our springtime Ham Supper will be on May 2nd…..be sure to reserve early! Watch for more details in next issue.

Advent begins on Dec. 1 and we will be celebrating the four Sundays of Advent during December at both churches. Christmas Eve services are scheduled for Forest Home at 4 p.m. which will be a family service and Dalston-Crown Hill will hold its service, with Communion, at 7 p.m.  All Welcome!

Meditation Circle continued at Forest Home church for six weeks during the Fall, with Hazel Soares as the leader. For more info on the next session, please contact Debbie at 705-329-1709.

MEET, GREET & EAT Men’s Breakfast will be held at the Dalston-Crown Hill church on the following Wednesday mornings: January 15, March 18, May 20 at 9 a.m. All men welcome!  Please let Joe (705) 722-6965 or Al (705) 737-2552 know if you can attend.

Do you make Gingerbread for Christmas? If not, and you’d like to, here’s your opportunity to learn how. Generation to Generation “Learn to make Gingerbread” Saturday, Dec. 7^th – 2 – 4 pm – at the Dalston-Crown Hill Church. Bring friends or family of all ages to make and decorate gingerbread. For more info or to reserve your spot, please call Will at 249-877-0393. Bringing your own cookie cutters and rolling pins is welcomed but not required.

CHIT CHAT, SIP’N SNACK -. A Women’s Social Time happens on Wednesdays; December 11, February 12, April 15, at the Dalston-Crown Hill church at 9:30 am. For more info please call Janet Isaac at 705-835-2750. All women welcome!

Forest Home United Church Women (UCW) meets the 2^nd Friday of each month at 1:30 pm at the church. The next meeting is the Christmas Potluck on December 13^th at 12 pm.  All Women Welcome!

Our reno continues….

This Fall the Dalston church received a complete exterior facelift. While a master in stucco work was on site to stucco the exterior of the newly added storage room, he also repaired the well-aged stucco on the existing building. Then our church volunteers (youngest 8 years old – oldest 70+) spent a week-end painting the walls. One of those volunteers spent time the following week painting all the foundation, having to dig out the gravel around the foundation, paint the cement, then put all the gravel back. We rented a lift to get to the high spots, which worked well, and even the person who said he was afraid of heights, was determined to try it, and painted the dates in our “date blocks” on the front of the church. The weather so far has prevented any further outdoor work.  We could really use an “Indian summer” now. Over the winter, we’ll hopefully get the new storage room set up with shelving and get things organized. So the next time you drive to, or by, the Dalston church, you will find the little white church much whiter! Our volunteers, like in most places, are invaluable. We couldn’t find a painter who wasn’t booked all fall, so our amazing church members took on the job! A huge thank you goes out to all who assisted in some way on this project.

A few words from Rev. Will …

I heard from someone recently who had been chatting with some friends and family of hers after a funeral and the consensus of their conversation was something like this: “we should get together more often, and not just wait for times like this to see each other.” That struck a chord with me because I have been a part of that same conversation, on similar occasions, with my own friends and relatives. It is often the case that we get so busy with our lives, with important and even extraneous things, that we go long stretches between connecting with those who might be closest to us.

The Christmas season is a time when we might be more inclined to visit with those we care about. This is fitting, as we remember and celebrate those images of community being created around the baby Jesus, born amongst the animals and laid in a manger, as parent and stranger alike paid homage to the newborn king. Yet the holiday season has become for most of us like the rest of our lives–overwhelmingly busy! With God’s help, may we commit ourselves, this Christmas and in the year ahead, to spending quality time with the important people in our lives and, as we are able, gathering in community around this same Jesus–the perfection of God’s love among us.

To stay tuned to upcoming events, follow the postings on Facebook at Forest Home United Church and Dalston Crown-Hill United Church or check out the websites at:      www.DalstonCrownHillUnitedChurch.net  or  email dalcrown@gmail.com.
www.ForestHomeUC.ca  or email foresthomeunitedchurch@yahoo.ca

Humility and Hospitality

Pat Edmonds Reflection of September 1, 2019

Based on
Luke 14: 1, 7-14
Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16

Humility and hospitality are the themes of both the lesson from Hebrews and Jesus’ parable in the Gospel of Luke. Our opening hymn this morning speaks of how we are all part of the family of God. We are all welcomed by the Lord in this sanctuary. Here in God’s place there is life to be shared. Did you know? – that when this hymn was first published in Songs for a Gospel People – that little bright green book – it was titled “Part of the Family”? There was also another verse not included in Voices United. It went like this: Children and elders, middlers and teens,

Singles and doubles and in betweens,
Strong eighty-fivers and streetwise sixteens
Greeters and shoppers, long-time and new
Nobody here has a claim on a pew,
And whether we’re many, or whether we’re few
We are a part of the family.

Nobody here has a claim on a pew is the theme of today’s gospel reading from Luke. We see Jesus eating at the home of a prominent Pharisee and he is watching how the guests behave. Each seeks out the best place – the places of honor at the table where they can be noticed by the other guests and, by their proximity to the host, be served first and receive the best portions that the table offers.

This reminds me a bit of the dilemma our UCW faces at their Annual Christmas Luncheon to which we invite guests from other women’s groups. How do I decide which table goes to the buffet table first, second, last etc? I usually use some silly criteria such as – drawing table numbers from a hat, the table with someone wearing red shoes because it’s Christmas or someone who is visiting from a long distance or the group with the oldest member (although some don’t want to admit to this!). I don’t know why. I am beginning to regard being a senior as a badge of honor!  Anyway I usually end up letting those who were the last table for the main course be the first ones to go to the dessert table. There is always more food than necessary so no one goes hungry.

What does Jesus say about seating at a banquet? “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, DO NOT take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited and the host may ask you to give up the prime seat you have chosen. How embarrassing! But when you arrive, take the lowest place so your host may come and ask you to move to better place. Then rather than be humiliated you will be honored by all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. I am reminded of the passage from Mark chapter 10 where Jesus says the greatest at the banquet is the slave who does the serving, not the host sitting at the head of the table getting all the attention and telling others what to do. According to Jesus greatness is found in humility and service. The only real greatness lies in service. Greatness in God’s kingdom is achieved by serving others; just the opposite of what society considers tobe great. We think the way to be number 1 is with hard work and long hours, stepping on others who get in the way, being tough and stern and making lots of sacrifices. Like so many lessons in the Bible, we learn that God treats us the opposite from how the world does. So often in the world, he who humbles himself is left in the dust. He’s passed over for promotions, ignored, forgotten, discarded. In the world, he who exalts himself is noticed by others. He’s praised, remembered, elected to office. But God is different. God exalts the humble and humbles the proud. God raises up those the world has forgotten and gives them a place of honor.

Humility is also a theme of today’s reading. What is humility? I found that Alcoholics Anonymous defines humility  this way – “Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.” Let’s think about that for a minute. “Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.” I also discovered that this definition of humility was originally a quote from the author C.S. Lewis. So as Christians we are asked to think of ourselves less and about others more.

There is an old country and western song recorded by Willie Nelson that goes like this:

Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
When you’re perfect in every way.
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
Cuz I get better looking every day.
To know me is to love me
I must be one really great man.
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
But I’m doing the best I can.

I wonder if Willie Nelson ever read today’s scripture!

We are justified not by our actions or our looks and boasting of them. We are justified by God’s mercy. As disciples we are to ground our lives in God’s love – admitting mistakes and learning from them, being thankful instead of boastful and serving God and God’s people with dignity. God gives us the strength required. We need only believe in his mercy and come before God humbly in prayer, trusting in his forgiveness and guidance.

The passages today also deal with hospitality. Hospitality is no small matter, scripturally speaking. Think of all the times in his short ministry that Jesus spoke of being a good host and a good guest. So much of what Jesus taught and did took place in the midst of a meal. Whether it was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, or feeding a crowd of people on a hillside, or eating with tax collectors and sinners, or accepting a spur-of-the moment dinner invitation from a short man sitting up in a tree, it was at a meal that Jesus showed people who he was and what their lives were really meant to be. There was always a message in the kind of meal that it was.

And what is the message in the wedding feast passage?  Is it perhaps one of universal hospitality? Is it a reminder to apply the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, to our social invitations and our party arrangements? We are asked by Jesus to be the kind of host we would want if we were the guest and vice-versa. In other words the kind of host Jesus was.  The host who sought out the marginalized of society – the tax collector that no one likes, the prostitute, the foreigner, the woman at the well.

I don’t think one of us here today would seek out total strangers from unknown neighborhoods to invite to a family anniversary or birthday celebration. These celebrations with family and close friends are very important in our lives – and so they should be. These kinds of gatherings have meaning in people’s lives. They hold people together and help define who we are.

 A few years ago there was a movie entitled “Soul Food”. It was about a family meal that grandmother held every Sunday. The members of the family who lead very separate lives during the week all came together to share a meal and talk about their lives. There was care and concern for each other. There was acceptance of one another. There was respect for each other’s life style. Then, the grandmother became ill, ended up in the hospital and eventually died. The family didn’t gather anymore. They remained apart, everyone in their own world, doing their own thing. There was competition and dissension. Disagreements and quarrels arose when chance meetings did occur. In fact, since grandmother’s death they ceased to behave as a real family at all. Finally one of the younger family members had a scheme to get the family together for a Sunday meal. It was only after they finally got together that they realized the weekly meal was really something they were missing in their lives. It was truly their “soul food”.

Family get-togethers are very important. But surely there still exist opportunities for inclusion that we sometimes unthinkingly pass up. What about the new family down the road, the ones whose skin may be a different hue than ours or whose English doesn’t sound quite as polished as ours? – or the new co-worker who has just moved from a distant city or country? – or the child a few doors away who spends all his time after school sitting alone in the house waiting for a single working parent to return at the end of a long working day? – or the elderly man down the block whose wife passed away last winter and whose children live far away? – or the new couple in your condo building? When inviting some people over for a summer barbeque have we included these children of God or just the same two families we always invite? Have we considered inviting that lonely 11 year-old boy to join our children or grandchildren for a simple after-school snack and perhaps some hoops in the driveway? Or have we considered how lonely meals must be for the widower? There are surely opportunities in all our neighborhoods to extend Christian hospitality.

The Hebrews passage calls upon us to show true empathy and compassion. “Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured as though you yourself were being tortured.” I admit that often it is difficult for me to picture myself in some of the dreadful situations that exist currently in our world. What IS it like to live in a refugee camp? – to eat from garbage cans and sleep on the streets? Or even closer to home – what is it like to sit day after day alone in a house you had shared with someone you loved for 50 or so years? – to eat every meal at the table by yourself? True compassion exists when we try to imagine ourselves in these circumstances and then, most importantly, we DO something about it. Be it so simple as inviting someone to share a meal.

A few years ago there was a letter in The Observer  responding to a previous issue which had referred to the UCW as “catering” a church event. The women who wrote it said “When we are making a special lunch or dinner to share, it is part of everything else we do to be together and support the work and joy of our church. There can be no more caregiving gesture than the preparation and service of food to others.” Would anyone of us as we prepare a special dinner for our family members or friends refer to it as “catering”?

Are not the lunches we provide following funerals, the birthday parties we host for members of our community, Camp Awesome, the Men’s Breakfast, the church suppers we use as fund raisers the very kind of Christian hospitality Jesus asks us to engage in? In many cases these events are the only glimpse of us, as Christians, that many people in our community and town see. I’m not naïve enough to believe that any high percentage of people will flock to join our church community just because we served a nice funeral lunch, but the Christian hospitality, our gentle, caring attitude, the respect we showed them as a community of faith in their time of need – all these will become important parts of their family memories for years to come. Jesus, our most gracious host, invites us to show our Christian hospitality to others. Thanks be to God for sending his Son to show us the way!

FOOL’S GOLD
Pat Edmond’s reflection of August 4, 2019
Based on Luke 12:13-21

If you have ever taught a class or chaired a meeting you know there is always at least one person in the group who always gets the others off-topic, whether accidentally or on purpose. Let’s look at today’s scripture. The crowd is silent, listening to the words of the Great Teacher. Jesus is telling the people gathered there not to worry if they are called before the authorities. The Holy Spirit will tell them exactly how to defend themselves, what to say when the time comes. Pretty powerful words!

BUT that one person in the crowd is so wrapped up in his everyday problems he obviously is not paying any attention whatever to the Speaker. –and suddenly he breaks in and places a demand on Jesus. “Tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me”, he says. Off topic to say the least, but Jesus answers anyway by saying, “Friend, who set me to be judge or arbitrator over you?” Actually asking advice about legal matters was a role often fulfilled by the clergy in Biblical times. So although the timing may have been off, the request was not that unusual. However the man did not get the answer he was likely expecting. Jesus seizes the opportunity to deliver a lecture on the evils of greed including the Parable of the Rich Fool.

“Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” – a very clear message to the man hoping to receive an inheritance and a very clear message to the others listening and a very clear message to us today!  Some versions of the Bible use the word “covetousness” which does not roll trippingly off the tongue and others say “all kinds of greed.” What is greed? A definition we might like to consider is “wanting more of what you already have enough of”. Wanting more of what you already have enough of. Saying it that way may help us relate to this story from a long time ago. After all very few of us would like to think of ourselves as “greedy”, but “wanting more of what we already have enough of” sounds a lot more like you and me than is comfortable.

This parable is the story of a man who has worked hard and done very well for himself. He has not obtained his abundance by illegal means or by cheating others. He has worked hard. Through a combination of skill and luck and plain hard work, his investment and labor have paid off. He’s got this massive crop, too big to store in his barns, so he plans to tear down the inadequate storage barns and build bigger ones. This is his vision. Then he will relax, eat, drink and be merry for he has ample goods for many years. Sounds like a great plan, doesn’t it? Work hard for many years, retire and live off the fruits of his labor and probably a few RRSP’s on the side. Sounds like the great Canadian dream! But God puts a BIG wrinkle in these carefully laid earthly plans! For the man’s hours on earth are numbered. All his bounty and planning come to naught for his time on earth is over. The man dies and all his riches are of no use to him.

A few years ago The Rumors website told the story of a rich man. “You can’t take it with you,” said God to the wealthy man. But the man argued so long and so hard, that God finally gave in. “All right,” said God, “But you can only take what you can fit in one suitcase.” The man quickly sold all his assets and used the money to buy solid gold bars, with which he filled a suitcase. Happy, he died and went to heaven, suitcase in hand. At the pearly gates, the streets of gold gleaming in the distance, St. Peter demanded to know what was in the suitcase. The man opened it proudly and showed St. Peter the gold bars. St. Peter took a look and asked,  “Paving stones?”

The message of today’s parable is NOT that God doesn’t like people who work hard and are successful. What happens to the rich man is not a denial of any of the good actions, the hard work or even the charitable things he may have done in his lifetime. Rather this is just one of those facts of life that happens to all of us, rich and poor, successful or struggling. Our life on earth is finite.

It’s not an easy story to hear, for it is difficult to face our own mortality.

And Jesus’ teachings around wealth and possessions may be even harder to follow for our age and generation than it was in Biblical times. In fact these teachings may be hardest to follow of all the commandments. After all, we are brought up to consume. My grandchildren, before they could hardly talk and certainly before they could read, were already bombarded with all sorts of messages that told them to have, to want, to need more and more things. As toddlers they already recognized certain brand names and products. In today’s society we’re trained to be consumers at a very early age and when we don’t consume we’re told that because consumers don’t have confidence, the economy is faltering. It seems if we’re not spending our money on goods and services that we already have enough of then we are causing our neighbors to be unemployed! So Jesus’ words that say “beware of greed of all kinds”, beware of wanting more of what you already have enough of, go against the grain of everything we have been taught by modern society.

The Romans had a proverb: “Money is like seawater; the more you drink the thirstier you become.” Yet money, or the things which money can buy, are a passion for many people. Howard Hughes made several billion in his lifetime. It was much more than he could possibly spend. If you spent a thousand dollars an hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, you’d need over 100 years to spend that billion. Why would men like Howard Hughes or J. Paul Getty strive to earn more money when they already had more than they could count, let alone spend? Surely not for happiness since each of them became more unhappy and lonely as their wealth increased. Much as the rich fool in Luke chapter 12, they died alone without anyone to inherit their bounty. And they couldn’t take it with them!

Jesus is asked to mediate an inheritance dispute between two brothers. Unfortunately, stories of this kind are often repeated in our time. Too often families can be divided forever because of such disputes. The very thought of such a thing happening can give nightmares to parents today. We never do find out the details of this story, but it must have been a troublesome time  and help was needed. Very few inheritance disputes end happily for anyone involved. The good intentions to provide for relatives after death too often backfire and cause irreparable rifts.

But I found a very interesting inheritance story that gave me much food for thought.

A very rich man died and left his inheritance equally to his two sons. Now one son had married young in life and had a large and happy family. The other was still a bachelor. The night after the division of the estate the single man sat thinking in his living room. “Why did my father make such a mistake? Here’s my brother with all those mouths to feed, so many to provide for and no real joy in it. I’m quite comfortable. I’ve got more than I could ever use. Why did my father divide the estate equally?”

The other brother, when the children were tucked in bed and his wife was off working on some project of her own, thought to himself, “Why would my father divide the estate equally? Here am I surrounded by a loving family and all that joy, while my brother sits alone over in his house. I have my family to care for me, while he will need financial security for his future. Why divide the estate equally?” So each brother, that very night, resolved to place the majority of his inheritance in a suitcase and take it over and hide it where the other brother would find it and make good use of it. As they were doing just that, they met between their two homes and realizing what each had intended, fell into one another’s arms – meeting in love just as their father hoped they might! Because of their equal inheritance they became more aware of each other’s needs and less selfish than before.

All material things are given to us by our Creator to be enjoyed. But it’s easy to become enslaved by them. We find ourselves driven by the urge for more, more, more – more to eat, more to drink, more to wear, more expensive toys to entertain us, more to distract our minds. Every time we surrender to that inner urge for gratification, for more of the things we already have enough of, we lose a little more of that inner freedom that allows us to exercise one of our most important human powers – the power to choose.

To choose what? To choose being rich toward God! Jesus was rich toward God, yet he had nothing – no material possessions. He was born in a borrowed manger; He had no permanent home; He borrowed a boat to travel across the lake; He even borrowed a cross to carry to Calvary! Yet He gave his life for others. You are rich towards God in what you give away to others, not in what you accumulate. When people met Jesus, they realized that he believed in them so much, that they were never the same again. We can choose to give ourselves to others in such a way that that we make a difference in the lives of those we meet. And we don’t have to have great wealth in order to touch the lives of others in very meaningful ways. One of the greatest humanitarians of the 20^th Century, Mother Teresa, had very little in the way of personal possessions or wealth. She was rich toward God. Mother Teresa once said, “It’s not what you do, but the love with which you do it. It’s not what you give, but the love with which you give it.” We can all be “rich toward God” as we allow his love to flow through us. Thanks be to God for his bountiful love and blessings.   These are our true riches!

Let us pray:

If we ever speak of riches, O God, may we do so only with words about love. For the only riches we have in this world, despite its wealth and poverty, despite its overfeeding and its hunger, despite its power and its powerlessness is the amount of love we have for each other.

So in our poverty, bless us; in our shallowness, challenge us; in our materialism, confront us; and in our living, love us. Amen.

Knock, Knock
by Pat Edmonds on July 28, 2019
based on Luke 11:1-13

Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Ketchup
Ketchup who?
Ketchup with ya soon.

Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Cargo
Cargo who?
Cargo beep, beep

Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
A little boy.
A little boy who?
A little boy who can’t reach the doorbell”

I’m sure if you have children or grandchildren the age of mine you have been subjected to many ”Knock, knock” jokes – probably too many! Someone gave my grandson a whole book full of “Knock, Knock” jokes and we were sure whenever we saw him we would be subjected to a few. The thing about “Knock, knock” jokes is that if you don’t go “Knock, knock” nothing happens. No one answers.

In today’s scripture Jesus tells his disciples that if they knock on heaven’s door it will be opened for them. If they talk to God, that is if they pray, if they seek him, they will find him. God will give them the things they need each day. But you need to knock, you have to look, you have to ask, before anything can happen. Jesus says when we do this; when we talk to God; when we turn to God in prayer, that God will answer. All we have to do is come to God and speak to God each day. It is in prayer, in conversation with God, that we best hear the word of God and receive that which we need to live as the children of God.

In today’s gospel reading we find Jesus praying. When he is finished one of his disciples says, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.”

At first this seems a strange request – TEACH us to pray. Surely they knew how to pray! They had been there and done that, with John, with the village rabbis, in the synagogues and temples. As good Jews they had learned to pray at the Sabbath table. They would have recited the prayers of the Passover and called upon God during Yom Kipper and the Feast of the Tabernacles. At home each day, at every meal, surely there was a table blessing, a prayer of thanksgiving that the disciples like most of us, learned to say. So why? Why this request to Jesus?

After watching Jesus, after being impressed by his wisdom and power, his love, they ask him to teach them how to pray. Jesus had the appearance and the substance of God’s power about him and the disciples sensed that. They asked a person who was very close to God, who was in touch with God, to teach them how to pray.

Prayers learned by heart, prayers taught to us by tradition and prayers used in formal worship events are good things. But the prayers that arise from the heart that is connected to God are another. The Christian life is fuelled by prayer. It is made strong by our contact with God each day. Yet very few people ever show the desire and hunger of the disciples and ask “Teach us to pray.”

Jesus answers the request of the disciple, and shows his disciples a MODEL of prayer. The Lord’s Prayer, as we know it and say it, is only a model – an example of what prayer is like. When we learn the Lord’s Prayer by rote, we don’t know everything we need to know about prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is a form of prayer for disciples, for followers of Jesus, for the family of God. It is a form of prayer, not THE PRAYER or the ONLY PRAYER, nor even all prayers rolled into one. It is an example of how we as followers of Jesus MIGHT pray to God.

Often things we know by rote wane in importance and/or meaning. We often say the words without looking at them or thinking about what we are saying.

So today, let’s take a closer look at a very familiar prayer.

The first two statements in the prayer establish its foundation and orientation. God is addressed as holy or hallowed, that is, set apart from the world. The words of prayer then proclaim the great hope that God’s will, God’s way of being and God’s desire, will be present in the world. The next statements ask God to provide for three basic human needs – sustaining of the world by provision of food, restoration of individuals and communities by forgiveness, and protection of the world. We can imagine that when these three things are fully achieved; then God’s reign will have come indeed.

Jesus moves on to describe further to whom we are praying. Jesus employs two striking images to underline the certainty of God’s response to prayer. The first image is of a neighbor who refuses to provide hospitality. This would have seemed absurd to those first hearing the story because of the hospitality customs in first-century Middle Eastern cultures.  Hospitality was a social requirement and often essential to sustaining health and wholeness for one another in the community. The second image of a parent giving a child snakes and scorpions seems even more bizarre. It is assumed that even the least suitable of parents will provide basic care for a child.

The message to the disciples and to all hearers of this text, including us, is that God’s goodness exceeds that of any earthly neighbor or parent. God will always hear and respond to our prayers – not because we are worthy or have the right formula, or say the right words – but because it is God’s nature to be generous and loving.

The magic of prayer, if we can call it that, is not in the particular words we use in our prayer, nor even the particular things we pray about, but the relationship into which we enter when we pray to God in all things and about all things.

When we present everything that concerns us and everything that delights us to God, we are sharing with God who we are and what we are. That builds between God and ourselves the intimacy that allows the new life that God wants to give us and our world to come about. Just as spending time together in a marriage, speaking and listening, expressing our fears and hopes, our desires and wants, helps make the marriage a true marriage. Our partners help us where help is needed, rejoicing when we rejoice, weeping when we weep, and sharing with us all that they are.

As in human relationships sorrows shared are sorrows divided and joys shared are joys multiplied, so it is in the divine-human relationship – but even more so. For God is greater than we are and is fully able to help those who call upon him. God is ready and willing to lift us up when we are cast down and bless us when we hold forth our hands in trust and thanksgiving.

 God is like the neighbor who is close enough to pester us at the worst time or like the parent who wants what’s best for the children. God is the one we spend time with as a child spends time with his friends and parents. It is a simple time; a time of praise, of thanksgiving, of asking for forgiveness, of expressing hopes and dreams.

God answers prayer, not always as we want or when we want, and gives no magical solutions to our problems but God does answer.

I am reminded of an old story about the man who was marooned on the roof of his house during a flood. He prayed for God to rescue him. Later that day a man came by in a canoe and offered him a ride. The man refused. He continued to pray to God to rescue him. The next day a motorboat appeared. The people in it offered to take him off the roof. Again the man refused. He prayed to God to rescue him. A rescue helicopter flew overhead. The man waved it off. He prayed to God to rescue him. Finally God answered him. God’s voice thundered down from the sky, “Who do you think sent the canoe, the motorboat and the helicopter?”

Often God answers our prayers through other people. Twelve years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer I was going through a very difficult time. I was scheduled to travel to Newfoundland to join in the celebration of the 45^th Anniversary  of UCW. I went but felt I had an enormous cloud hanging over me and certainly didn’t feel much like celebrating.  But during the week’s celebration I met by chance several other women who, like me, had been diagnosed with cancer, had undergone treatment and were alive and well. Spending time with these survivors was just what I needed. I was also very fortunate to room for two weeks with a wonderful, upbeat woman, a nurse by profession. Her cheery yet realistic outlook on life caused the cloud hanging over me to gradually dissolve and I came home feeling like a different person –  a woman ready to face my diagnosis head-on, ready to be a survivor rather than a victim.

In 2016  I was again diagnosed with cancer. The prayers of family, friends, members of the congregations I serve and the wider church helped me weather this storm as well. The dozens of cards, e-mails and phone calls were such an important part of my healing, physically, mentally and spiritually. God has answered their prayers and mine as I stand here today, feeling very well, able to be engaged once again in my usual activities. I stand here filled with gratitude for all the doctors and researchers who persevered to find a cure for this particular kind of leukemia, for the care I received at one of the top 5 cancer centres in the world and most of all for the prayers that have been answered through these people.

Sometimes God answers simply by listening when we share – as a father listens to his daughter tell him about her day or as a mother listens when her son tells of his frustration and anger about how things are going at school or at work. God is a friend who understands us, holds us and reassures.

Lord, teach us to pray.

Teach us as Jesus taught his disciples. Teach us to be connected to God when  we are afraid and when we are full of courage.

Teach us to be connected when we are weeping and when we are laughing.

Teach us to be connected when we are in need and when we have much to give.

Lord, teach us to pray.

Teach us to turn to God as a child turns to his parents in trust and confidence that he will be heard and helped and encouraged and loved.

Lord, teach us to pray. Amen

JUST DO IT!
by
Pat Edmonds
From July 14^th 2019 service
Based on Luke 10: 25-37

Sometimes the most difficult passages to preach about are the very well-known ones and today’s parable of the Good Samaritan is no exception.  As humans we have a tendency to become complacent about things we are overly familiar with.  Each one of us here could probably stand up and give a fairly accurate account of this story without looking in the Bible or reviewing the facts. Basically a man is attacked by robbers and left injured at the side of the road. Several people, including a priest, pass by and leave him there until a Samaritan, a man from a group that usually treated the Jews with hostility, not only helps the traveler on the spot, but ensures he will be cared for until he is well enough to resume his travels. This is another of those nicey-nice stories we all like to hear and tell – some nice person did a nice thing for someone else and we can all feel nice about it!

But in order to reveal the real message of today’s passage we must examine the WHY – Why does Jesus tell this parable? – for Jesus always has a reason! He doesn’t tell parables to be nice. Jesus tells parables as indictments against the actions of people. Through parables He invites us to take a closer look at ourselves. Jesus is responding to a question from a learned man in society – a lawyer. In fact in this passage he answers two distinct questions.

First the lawyer asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” And like a good educator Jesus turns the question back to the man. “What is written in the law? What do YOU read there?” It seems to me that the lawyer really knew the answer all the time for he quickly replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” “You’re right”, says Jesus. “DO this and you will live.”

So the answer is simply to LOVE. That’s not too difficult. We all know what love is. We use the word all the time. We love our spouses; we love our children; we love our new home; we love a book or a movie or a play or a new outfit. We in Canadian society are great lovers! I even used to tell my little dog that I loved him!

But let me tell you a little story about love. A psychology professor who had no children of his own would frequently reprove a neighbor who often scolded his child. “You should love your child, not punish him,” the professor said on several occasions. Then one hot summer day the professor worked hard repairing his concrete driveway. After several hours of work, the professor laid down his trowel, wiped the perspiration from his forehead and started toward the house for a well-deserved rest. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a mischievous little boy putting his foot in the fresh cement. He rushed over and started ranting and raving at the boy and was about to grab the culprit by the scruff of his neck, when the neighbor, the boy’s father, leaned from the window and said, “Watch it, professor! Don’t you remember? You must LOVE the child.” At this point the professor yelled back furiously, “I do love him, in the abstract, but not in the concrete!”

Sometimes, we too love in the abstract. Love is the topic of the day, something to discuss, something to think about, something to base reality TV shows on, something to write songs about or tell jokes about. We talk endlessly about it. We use it in commercials. It’s a lovely word we use to describe our feelings, our emotions, that tingly sensation we experience on those romantic occasions. But the love Jesus talks about is not a feeling. Love in general, that is love outside our family or intimate acquaintances, is not based on a feeling. Love goes beyond being nice, being friendly to the people we know. If not a feeling, what is this love Jesus asks of us? This love is one of ACTION. In a society where there is an abundance of love-talk, there seems to be a super absence of LOVE ACTION.  The Golden Rule is not “FEEL about others as you FEEL about yourself.” The Golden Rule is, “DO unto others as you would have them DO unto you.” Real love takes a great deal of effort, and is often painful. It is an act of will. Jesus says in verse 28, “DO this and you will live!” Jesus is saying that love-talk is not enough. Love is something you DO.

True story: Picture a large secondary school lunchroom. A group of grade 10 girls are seated at a table eating lunch. At a nearby table is a group of students from the “special class” or the “handicapable class”. Some of the grade ten girls decide it would be fun to break off small pieces of food and throw them at the special students. One girl, however, does not consider this action funny or proper. She asks her friends to stop. Three times she asks them to stop. She feels that what they are doing is not right. But her friends continue. So what does she do? She stands up, picks up her lunch and goes to sit at a table with the special students who are being tormented. – And her friends then quickly get up and leave the cafeteria. It is one thing to say everyone is welcome, all are included, or it doesn’t matter how people look or how smart they are, but it is a different matter altogether to do something about it – to take action! This was love in action – the kind of love Jesus modeled.

The lawyer in today’s scripture has another very important question to ask. Even though he appeared to know the answer to the first question before asking it, lawyers being lawyers, he had to get the facts straight. So he asks of Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In my grandfather’s time and to some extent my parents’ time this was a very easy question to answer. The neighbor was the farmer and his family on the next farm; the people you saw at church each Sunday; the men you talked to down at the general store or the feed mill; the farmer whose barn you helped rebuild after a fire; the lady down the road you borrowed a cup of sugar from. It was very clear who your neighbors were. They were the people who looked a lot like you, dressed in a similar fashion to you, experienced many of the economic and social difficulties you did, worshipped with you and raised their children with similar rules and moral values.

But the world has changed a great deal since then. As modern transportation and communications have caused the planet to shrink, our world has expanded. Our neighbors are no longer” just like us”. Our grandchildren attend classes where they as “white Anglo-Saxon Protestants” may indeed be in the minority. They walk to school with children who dress very differently than they do, have very different food, customs and religious practices. Due to the miracle of television and computers, at an early age they have knowledge of peoples and lifestyles, wars and violence half a world away. They know about refugees, immigrants, boat people, those with AIDS, welfare bums and even criminals. They are taught to “Never Talk to Strangers”. Police, teachers and parents work hard to street-proof this generation and keep them safe. All of this makes “Who is my neighbor?” a little more complicated to answer. It is not always easy because while we know the answer in our hearts, real life in the 21^st century keeps getting in the way.  Yet I cannot help but see the similarity between the “neighbor” in this story today and the neighbors we are being asked to love. For the Samaritan who came to the aid of the traveler was not the most like him, in fact was quite possibly someone he hated for the usual reasons of racial prejudice and stereotyping. Perhaps Jesus envisioned the kind of world that might evolve and chose the characters carefully so we could relate to them in our 21^st century world. There are many folks today who do not act like our neighbors, or the neighbors of anyone else, folks who are very different from us. People who do not show love to us or anyone else we care for. That is the way it is in the world around us. But we are not children of the world. We are children of God, loved unconditionally by God. As Christians we are called to live differently, to think differently, to do differently. We are called to be neighbors to those who are not our neighbors; to love those who do not necessarily love us back; to give to those who may not ever give back to us.

Last week as these thoughts of “Who is my neighbor?” were going through my head, I walked into the Sunday School room and there on the wall was the answer – in the form of a puzzle sheet, source unknown. The question is clear, but the answer had to be decoded using the symbols provided. And it is – ANYONE WHO NEEDS MY HELP! – the same answer Jesus gave to the lawyer so long ago.

There is no magic that transforms us into the kind of loving person who can and will do this. The secret is not to make ourselves loving persons, but to allow ourselves to be channels of God’s love. Loving is letting God love us and then letting that love flow through. Sue Lavery, a Canadian minister, shares the five rules given to her by her grandmother for dealing with people she disliked. They are:1. Remind yourself that the other person is a well-loved child of God. 2. See if you can discover why the other person is difficult. 3. Pray for the person. 4. Do a service for the other person. And 5. If you can, allow the other person to do a service for you.

Acting out our faith and sharing God’s love with those we come in contact with either personally or through the media, is its own reward. When we choose to follow God’s ways, our relationship with God deepens and as we share and care, our lives are enriched. In a world of Good Samaritans, there would be no war, poverty or suicide bombings. This is the world we are called to build by expressing our faith by our actions. I found this poster the other day. For me it sums up the story from Luke chapter 10, PEOPLE MAY DOUBT WHAT YOU SAY, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO. Thanks be to God for loving the world so much that he sent his Son to show us the way.

Reflection by Pat Edmonds, March 17, 2019

Readings:  The Story of Abraham & Sarah  – Genesis 15:1-12

Have you noticed the advertisement for a new network on television – it is one devoted entirely to reality shows! Personally I don’t watch any so-called reality shows. Why do I refuse to watch them? Because I resent the use of the word “reality” for situations that are so far from being real! Is it real to have 10 beautiful women from around the world compete for the attention and love of one man who may or may not be a millionaire? Or is someone being dragged through a muddy, leech-infested swamp in the presence of a full camera crew an example of survival? Or the latest one where engaged couples are put in a situation where they may be tempted to change their mind or be unfaithful. I sincerely hope not!

Reality for most of us is much more mundane. Reality is caring for an ailing spouse or parent day in and day out because of love. Reality is getting up and going to work to support a family and loved ones when you don’t have a million dollars in the bank. Reality is babysitting a grandchild whose parents or parent is going through a very difficult time. Reality is getting out of bed every day even when it seems more tempting to lie there and dwell on the aches and pains of advancing years. Reality is facing each new day with renewed hope and a positive attitude. Reality is using our time, talents and treasure to help others less fortunate. These are the real actions of real people. These are the people we should be watching as they are the role models who help us live our own lives in a meaningful way.

As for reality shows – I like the one recorded in the book of Genesis – the one about Abram and Sarai. This Biblical story would make a really good reality television show.

Abram says, “ Sari, God has just spoken to me. God is going to carry out a great mission through us! He is going to create a new nation through us! We are going to start a whole line of God’s people! We are going to become part of history!” Can’t you just hear Sari, no spring chicken herself, saying “Abram. You must be dreaming! I didn’t hear anything! It’s bad enough you have dreams in bed, but now you’re daydreaming as well!”

But Abram insists, “No Sari, God is going to create a famous line of His people through us!”

“Abram,” says Sari, “get real. Have a good look at us! We’re old, really old and we’ve never had any children, let alone started a new race of God’s followers! How can this possibly be? You must be crazy!”

Then Abram tells Sari that God has promised she will become pregnant! – at her age, God must be kidding! Then they both fall down laughing at how unreal that would be! I’m not sure if I would have laughed had I been Sari. Looking after babies was hard work when I was 30, but now? No, thank you! A day or two with my young grandchildren and I’m totally exhausted.  But we know the rest of the story, in due time a son was born. They called him Isaac, which means laughter. And God’s promise to Abram and his descendants was fulfilled.

As I was preparing today’s message and checking the suggested lectionary passages I realized that in all 3 cycles – A, B, and C – the story of Abraham and God’s promises appears.  Although the Bible is full of stories about promises,   few Biblical stories appear in all 3 cycles of the Common Lectionary. To me this underlines the importance of the relationship between Abraham and God.

In today’s passage from Genesis, God reiterates his promises to Abram told first in Chapter 12 of this book. In the intervening chapters of the saga, many adventures happen to Abram and his wife Sari and time marches on.

God decides it is time to remind this elderly couple of his promises. God even seals the covenant this time by giving them both new names : Abraham and Sarah. For both Abraham and Sarah, the name change is a sign of God’s presence in their lives

God reminds Abraham of several promises: 1. Abraham will be the father of many nations. 2. God will make him very fruitful. 3. God will make nations of Abraham’s descendants and kings will come from them. 4. He will be their God and the God of all Abraham’s descendants. 5. The whole land of Canaan will belong to Abraham and his descendants forever. The promises of God continue to be passed on from generation to generation. “All the ends of the earth” and “all the families of the nations” shall worship God. The promises of God truly change the world for all time.

Of the 10 or so times I have preached on the story of Abraham and Sarah, and it is one of my favorites, my thoughts have always dwelt on the promises of God. But today I want us to look at a different perspective of this familiar story – that of faith and trust. We know God’s promises are true. They are not dependent on weather, surroundings or changing societal times. But God’s promises can only be fulfilled if we have faith and trust God. The promises come from God but in order for their fulfillment to take place we must trust God.

When I was young my mother often told me. “Seeing is believing!” In other words don’t tell me what you are going to do, do it and then show me! I guess she was trying to teach me not to make idle talk or empty promises and she was right. But God does expect us to place our trust in things that cannot be seen. We are asked to stake everything, our very lives, on something that no one can touch or see, something not described, something invisible. There is lots of evidence that God exists and does what He says He does. The Bible is full of people like Abraham and Moses and Noah who through their trust in God accomplished marvelous things. We need only look around us at the beautiful world God has created to believe in God’s awesome power and love. The other evidence we have that our trust is grounded in reality is the long list of witnesses prepared to testify about how their trust in God has changed their lives. Even more evidence is revealed when we experience other people helping those in need, loving everyone they meet, treating all peoples with love and kindness – in other words living out their life because they trust in God.

Any covenant is two-sided. God promised but Abraham had to have faith and trust in God. We also, as twenty-first century Christians, must trust in God. Trust is not something we might acquire and store away for a time when it is needed. Trust in God is more like manna that is reclaimed each day. Each day there are new questions, new uncertainties, and fears. Each day we are invited to reclaim our covenant with God and journey forth in faith.  Our faith provides a vision for a future church, a church without boundaries, a table where people of all ages, races, colors and classes, gather to worship God in love and peace. Through our faith, we receive God’s grace to build a church community that embraces the non-traditional vision of our younger members, cherishes the traditions of our past and prepares a place for all. When we fall short in our faith, God steps in because when our faith fails, God remains faithful. God cares about our FAITH! God cares about whether we believe and trust in Him even though God cannot be seen. God cares that we are trying to be faithful and answer the call even if we’re not sure exactly what that call is. Like Abraham and Sarah we are asked to have the kind of FAITH that trusts what we CANNOT see.

In Africa there is a rather small deer called the impala. This amazing little animal can jump over ten feet high and cover the distance of greater than 30 feet in one jump. Yet surprisingly these creatures can be kept contained in a zoo behind a wall no higher than 3 feet tall. Why? Because the impala will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will land. So they stay behind the 3 foot wall.

Recently I heard a speaker describe FAITH as “stepping into the dark and then taking yet another step”. This is what God asks us to do. God asks each one of us to go on a journey of FAITH – to listen to what we are being asked to do. Then God asks us to TRUST as Abraham did even though we cannot always see where God is leading us. We are asked to trust that God knows the right path for us and will be there leading us every step of the way. We are not to be like the impala. We are to obey God and take a leap of FAITH trusting in the God of our fathers who lead Abraham and Noah and many others. Sometimes the journey may be difficult, but we are to place our trust in God.

FAITH and trust are intricately woven together. Faith is not so much about knowledge as it is about action. By faith Abraham “set out”, which is to say he moved, he took action, he did something with his life. He believed God’s promises and trusted God. This does not mean he had some doubts. I am sure Abraham had many doubts during this long journey – particularly the one about he and Sarah becoming parents a ripe old age. But still Abraham had faith and trusted that God would do as promised.

In our day FAITH is often thought of as something we acquire through study and the gathering of information. Although it is true that learning and studying are important, FAITH in God and trust in his promises are more important for daily living. With trust we can look toward the future. From FAITH comes hope, and if there is just one calorie of hope, it is enough to nourish life in the anticipation of unseen tomorrows.

This year as members of the United Church of Canada we are being asked to step out in faith and trust God.  We are asked to be people of action: people who are risk-takers; a community of faith ready to journey where God leads us; people who dare to share the Good News with everyone we meet; people ready and willing to share God’s great love with the world. We are to trust the wisdom and work of our members who saw a new vision for our denomination.  We are dared to journey into the future trusting in the God who led Abraham in the past, who is with us here in this time and place and the God who will be with us forever.

The promises of God do not change over time, however they exist in the context of faith, love, trust and commitment. God never reneges on his promises. God never goes back on his word, but God expects our trust and commitment in return. God says, “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” And Jesus says, “Believe in God and believe also in me; Love one another as I have loved you.”

God renewed his covenant with Abraham and even renamed him. God promised to be the God of Abraham and all his descendants. We are descendants of Abraham. We are God’s people. God’s covenant with Abraham is still valid today. Are we able to trust in this promise by living lives of love, hope and service to others? God expects us to understand the true meaning of promise and commitment, to do our best, to be true to ourselves and others, to help others, to take care of the beautiful world God has created and to trust as Abraham did. We must trust in God’s promises and try our best to live up to the promises we make regardless of what others around us say or do. When we find this difficult we can call on God for help and forgiveness. Thanks be to God for his never-ending love and sure promises

Reflection by Pat Edmonds, January 13, 2019

Readings:  Isaiah 43: 1-7 and Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22

Today’s passage from Isaiah is a very powerful one. It speaks to the very core of who we are. “I have called you by your name – you are mine!” Our name is very important to us because it identifies us as an individual and as a member of a family group. It is how we are known , and to a certain extent, it helps to shape us into the person we are. Many children wish, at one time or another, that their parents had given them some other name. I remember wishing I had been called Penelope. It sounded so much more sophisticated and mysterious. I was sure that as Penelope I would have been a different person – more popular perhaps. prettier or even have curly hair! Today I can’t imagine being named differently. I am equally “me” as Patricia or Pat, but I am NOT Patsy or Patty! Those names don’t refer to me!

Our lives are shaped by our sense of identity, by who we think we are. Often people buy unthinkingly into identities thrust upon them by the world. – worker, consumer, sexual object, young person, teen, old person, inferior class, superior class, etc – and their lives are shaped, often negatively by the inherent expectations. But we have an identity that supercedes anything the world might impose upon us, an identity declared in our baptism. We are children of God! God who knows each one of us by name!

Those of us who were baptized as infants are unable to literally “remember our baptism”, so it’s helpful to have a day like Baptism of the Lord”, when we are reminded that we – like Jesus – have been declared a beloved son or daughter with whom God is well pleased. We are those of whom God says, “I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are precious in my sight.”

Baptism affirms our inherent worthiness in God’s eyes, but it also challenges us to live in a way that reflects who we are, so that we go beyond saying “I WAS baptized” ( that is something that was done TO me) to saying “I AM baptized – this is who I am.” Jesus’ baptism was the beginning of his active ministry and our awareness of our baptismal identity is a summons to a life of service to God.

Jesus was baptized by John not because He required baptism –he was already filled with the Spirit of God. But Jesus identifies with us, showing us by example how necessary baptism is in the life of a person who wants to lead a new way of life according to the will of God. So the baptism proceeds as usual until the moment Jesus comes up from the water – then WOW!! The heavens open, the Spirit of God descends like a dove and a voice from heaven says, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased!”

Because we live in the electronic age, we are accustomed to hearing voices of people we cannot see. Communication of this kind is no surprise to us. But Jesus’ baptism took place long before telephones, radios and computers. This was truly an awesome event – hearing a voice from an unseen source somewhere in the sky!

Let us stop for a moment and think about this voice. It was a voice that probably sounded foreign amid the other voices that the people were accustomed to hearing. This voice came from an unseen source. Yet this is the very voice that spoke creation and called our world into being. This is the voice that spoke to Moses and delivered the Israelites from their life of slavery. This is the voice that spoke through the ancient prophets foretelling the arrival of John the Baptist and the One even greater who would come after him. This is the voice the psalmist speaks of in Psalm 29 “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.” It is the voice of a heavenly parent affirming and revealing to the world the true identity of this holy child. It is the voice of a heavenly parent saying “You are my Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” and saying this before Jesus HAD EVEN BEGUN HIS MINISTRY – before he heals the sick, comforts the lost, gives sight to the blind or teaches the people. Jesus has not yet done any of His good works yet God declares Jesus is beloved and pleases God. Jesus finds favor with his heavenly Father not because of his works but because of unconditional love. This is the kind of love bestowed upon us by God – not because it is earned or deserved.

Baptism is the most beautiful and powerful of the various rites we practice in the Christian church. Baptism is one of the common threads that unite us as the global community of Christ. Whether we pour, we sprinkle, we immerse, or we dunk, doesn’t matter. The details are not important; what is important is that we baptize with water in the name of the Trinity. In baptism we commit ourselves to a life lived in response to this great love. In baptism, God claims us, adopts us, gives us a new name: My daughter! My son! In baptism God singles us out and says, “This one is mine! – and in the case of infant baptism this happens before the human created by God has had an opportunity to EVEN BEGIN MINISTRY! When we practice infant baptism, we affirm that even a young child is one of God’s beloved.

At any baptism, there are lots of voices: the voices of parents and godparents and the minister. If you’re baptized as an adult, maybe there’s your own voice. There is the voice of the congregation and of the liturgy and the scriptures. In the midst of all this, where is God’s voice? What is it that God says?

God says at every baptism exactly what He said at the baptism of Jesus  “This is my beloved, in whom I am well pleased.”

God’s voice speaks to us, calls us, blesses us and makes us children of God.  God’s word continues to work wonders and create a new thing in each of us every day, as we grow and mature in our faith and practice following Jesus. Few of us, in fact probably none of us, have experienced the opening of the heavens and the descending of the Spirit as Jesus did at his baptism. My experience is that God speaks to us in more quiet moments. God speaks in the stillness of our souls, in conversations with trusted friends, through the scriptures, in times of worship and when we are busy serving those we are called to serve. Sometimes God speaks to us in the shocks and surprises of life. Sometimes God’s voice is like thunder, like a sudden summer storm,  shaking us out of our complacency and prejudice. Sometimes God’s voice is soft and gentle, a comforting voice when we feel alone or distressed. Other times God’s voice is nagging, the little voice that plants an idea in our head and keeps on nagging and pushing until we act or walk the path God has chosen for us.

In baptism we are all given a ministry. As we seek to live out our baptism, we find ALL of life to be ministry. With our identity as beloved and the delight of God clearly in mind, we are able to do what God wants. Baptism leads to community and commitment. We baptize into the Christian community because we need each other. Living out our baptism is not easy. We need others to help us through life’s struggles. We need to explore with others what our baptism means to us in the various stages of life. We need the encouragement of one another when we find it difficult to live out our ministry. We need to celebrate with one another the joy of living a life that is full of purpose and meaning as we live in harmony with the purposes of God.

Martin Luther once said, “There is no greater comfort to a Christian than baptism.” Why? Baptism is an ever-present reminder of our salvation, our nearness to God as the result of what God has done. The same God who reached out and claimed us in our baptism continues to hold on to us in life. The source of our hope is in the active, resourceful love of God. Luther, in times of despair and depression, received comfort by touching his forehead where he had been baptized and saying to himself, “ Martin be calm. Baptisimus sum. I am baptized.” When we feel the water on our faces at the beginning of each day, it should be a reminder that we are baptized; we are God’s beloved.

If we will listen, the voice of God sounds throughout our lives. Jesus came to remind us to listen to that voice above all others. God’s voice announces, affirms and commissions. We hear the Master’s voice above the chaos and storms of daily living. We are the body of Christ; we are beloved; and when we function as that body, certainly we must know God is pleased. As we hear God call to us – “Beloved, beloved, beloved” – we see the revealing of God’s power to effect change in us and in our world. Baptism happens just once. The confirmation, the fulfillment happens over and over and over. God’s gift of love is limitless. Thanks be to God.

DALSTON-CROWN HILL and FOREST HOME UNITED CHURCHES

As I write this, the wind is howling and the brief sunshine is now hidden by heavy clouds. I think snow is on the way! Possibly by the time you read this, we will already have had some snow storms, but I’m still hoping for a few weeks of “mild, sunny Fall weather”, which we don’t seem to have had much of this Fall.

Fall is such a busy time, and at our churches, it’s no different. We welcomed our new Minister, Rev. Will Haughton and his family to our churches, started up Kid Zone and Godly Play again, a Meditation Circle at Forest Home which will start again in January (for info – 705-329-1709), and now the children have been welcomed into the choirs, which they’re very excited about.

Will’s first 4F Event (Food, Friends Faith on Friday!) was held in October with an attendance of 28 – the largest gathering to date. This is for Families with children and Grandparents with grandchildren. Children are also invited to bring friends with them. Come to enjoy an evening where all you have to do is show up to enjoy a meal, share the company of good people, play a game, hear a story and reflect on life. The next FH will take place on January 25^th at FH church from 5:30 – 7:30. Please call Debbie (705-329-1709) or Will (249-877-0393) if you are coming.

The Dalston Fall Supper was held on Nov. 3 and was again another huge success.

Close to 200 people were served a delicious Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings and there were plenty of “Home Made Pies” for everyone! The members of our congregation would like to thank our patrons from the Community and Forest Home United Church for their continued support.  Watch for further information about our “Ham Supper” to be held in early May.

Our Advent/Christmas services:

• Dec. 2^nd – Advent 1 worship with Communion – regular worship times
• Dec. 9^th – Advent 2 – White Gift service at D-CH, and Gifts for the Community at FH during our regular morning worship.

In the evening a Candles of Remembrance service will be held at Dalston-Crown Hill U.C. at 7 p.m. for those who find this time of year painful from the loss of loved ones;

• Dec. 11^th (Tues.) – Candles of Remembrance service at Forest Home church at 7 p.m.
• Dec. 16^th – Advent 3 – Christmas Pageants will take place in both churches – 9 a.m. in Forest Home, and 3 p.m. at Dalston-Crown Hill church;
• Dec. 23 – Advent 4 – regular worship times
• Dec. 24^th Christmas Eve offers two services – 4 p.m. Family Service at FH, Communion Service at 7 p.m. at D-CH.

On Saturday, Dec. 8^th at 2 p.m., the Dalston-Crown Hill church is offering a

“From Generation to Generation – Bake a Pie Together” afternoon of fun for all ages and levels of experience. Participants will learn how to make a homemade pie and then take it home to enjoy. A free-will offering will help to defray the cost of ingredients. For more info, or to register (so we’ll know number of participants for ingredient purchases), please contact Will at (249) 877-0393 or howareyall2@gmail.com

Men’s Breakfast – The men of the Dalston-Crown Hill Congregation will be hosting their next “Meet, Greet, and Eat Men’s Breakfast” on Wednesday, January 16, at 9 a.m. at the Dalston church.  Hopefully you were able to attend the one held a few weeks ago. These breakfasts welcome men of the Congregations and from our communities.  If you would like to attend, please contact either Al @ 705-737-2552, or Joe @ 705-722-6965.

The next Chit-Chat, Sip’n Snack conversation time for women is scheduled for the Spring. Watch for the date in upcoming issues. All women are welcome!

A few words from Rev. Will…..

As I write these words, it has been a wonderful first two months at Forest Home and Dalston-Crown Hill United Churches! I have received a very warm welcome and enjoyed meeting folks from the congregations as well as from the community. Everyone has made me feel so comfortable I feel like I’ve come home.

This upcoming holiday season I look forward to experiencing the joys of Christmas through carol singing, pageants and fellowship and also to walking alongside those for whom this time of year is painful at Candles of Remembrance service.

The new year will bring some personal rest for me and also our exciting 4F program and a rumoured murder mystery dinner.

I would love to get to know you or be helpful in any way I can. I look forward to meeting you or hearing from you, so please get in touch with me – (249) 877-0393 or howareyall2@gmail.com.

Until then, I wish you and your families a merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

On Sunday mornings everyone is welcome to gather for worship at Forest Home United Church in the village of Forest Home at 9:00 am and at Dalston Crown-Hill United Church in the village of Dalston at 10:30 am. Sunday mornings our choir at Dalston practices at 9:45 before the 10:30 service……preparing for a few weeks at a time. If you love to sing, please join us!

Dalston Crown-Hill has been newly renovated to be accessible. Come check out the facilities that are available for a variety of gatherings, whether for community or private events. For details call Al at 705-737-2552.

To stay tuned to upcoming events, follow the postings on Facebook at Forest Home United Church and Dalston Crown-Hill United Church or check out the websites at: www.DalstonCrownHillUnitedChurch.net  or  email dalcrown@gmail.com 
www.ForestHomeUC.ca  or email foresthomeunitedchurch@yahoo.ca
or contact Rev. Will Haughton at (249) 877-0393 or howareyall2@gmail.com.

Christ Our King

Text of Reflection given by Guest Worship Leader, Pat Edmonds, on November 25, 2018 based on Jeremiah 23:5-8 and John 18:33-37.

Whether or not you are a fan of classical music, there are a few pieces which cannot help but stir the soul in a profound way. One such piece is Handel’s Messiah, the Hallelujah Chorus in particular. The chorus opens with the magnificent lines “Hallelujah, Hallelujah, the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth” and then quiets down “The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.” Not only is the music overpowering but so are the words.

Today is Christ, the King Sunday or the Sunday of the Reign of Christ. This is a day to reflect on our claim that Jesus, the humble carpenter from Nazareth, is the true king, the promised One, whose life and teachings announce the coming of the kingdom of God. It is a day to celebrate the sovereignty of God’s love in our lives and world.

The image of Christ the King, or of any king for that matter, is not an easy image to appreciate in this 21^st century. The role of king has certainly been downplayed in our Canadian society. Most of us probably view a king as a slightly archaic carryover from the pre-democratic era. Most modern kings or queens live far above the common existence of their subjects and are little more than political and media celebrities with very little actual power.

How then do we relate to this claim of Christ as our King?

Each of the lectionary readings for today touches on a different dimension of messianic kingship or divine leadership. What type of king DO we follow?

In our Old Testament lesson Jeremiah addresses a people who had suffered under the rule of unethical leaders. We can certainly imagine the people’s frustration. Even today the daily news reminds us of situations in which those charged with the responsibility for the political and social well-being of our society use their positions for personal gain and unethical profit. Yet Jeremiah envisions a time when the corrupt and unethical leaders of ancient Israel would be replaced by a good and true king. “The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” What a concept! – a king who would serve not for personal gain but for the common good – a leader who would lead the people by EXAMPLE and not by harsh rule. To imagine a leader whose actions could be characterized by wisdom, justice and good relations sometimes seems like an unattainable fantasy – and yet this was the vision of the prophet Jeremiah.

Today’s gospel reading is central to our recognition of how different God’s realm is from what the world views as important. The passage from John appears at first glance to be more suitable reading for Holy Week or Easter. In the gospel lesson, we encounter Pilate, Rome’s governor in Judea who ruled on the emperor’s behalf and commanded Rome’s troops in Judea. Hence Pilate sits in judgment as the agent of the Roman power. This interrogation of Jesus by Pilate follows the questioning of Jesus by the high priest so Pilate has already been told Jesus is a criminal. But an even more serious allegation, or rumor, is that Jesus is “the King of the Jews”. The trial and outcome hinge on this charge against Jesus as King.

In this encounter, Jesus uses the same words as Pilate – king, realm, truth – but they are not speaking of the same things. They are like people from two different worlds, using words common to both but having very different meanings based on their own life experiences and missions.

So Pilate begins by asking Jesus directly, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

If Pilate was hoping for a simple “yes” or “no” answer he was disappointed. Jesus responds in a way consistent with his answers throughout the Gospel of John: Jesus answers a question with a question. Then Jesus reminds Pilate that his kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. Jesus says to Pilate, “My kingdom is not from this world.” Jesus’ kingdom is not political or geographical, but spiritual. The kingdom of God proclaimed and ushered in by Jesus is the reign of God’s love, justice and peace. We are part of this kingdom when we follow the way of a Savior who lives and dies for us. The Reign of Christ unfolds wherever people choose to live under God’s authority.

But Pilate won’t let go of his original question and asks again, “So you are a king?” Jesus then baits Pilate by answering , “I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” Pilate takes the bait and asks his famous question, “What is truth?” Again Jesus doesn’t give Pilate a clear answer. This time his response is silence. We, the readers, are expected to know the  answer for Jesus said earlier in the Gospel of John, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

What is the truth about Jesus, the King of the Jews? Jesus never was a king in any recognizable sense. He had no kingly trappings. Jesus’ crown was a crown of thorns. He didn’t ride triumphantly into battle on a great steed. He walked about in a simple cloak or rode on a donkey. His throne was a cross.

Yet the Gospels present Jesus as a king. How is this possible? Jesus is a king  when we are his loyal subjects. It is only when we obey Jesus and worship him that we truly understand the nature of his sovereignty.

In Jesus’ time, many Jews were hoping for a messiah or king who would lead their nation in defeating the Romans, who were an occupying force in Palestine. They were looking for a strong warrior who would establish a theocracy and usher in a new age of peace. However Jesus didn’t fulfill these messianic expectations. Instead, Jesus fulfilled the messianic role of “suffering servant” who willingly and obediently did God’s will.

In Jesus the Christ we see a God who isn’t a remote, distant sovereign but a God-with-us. Jesus suffered physical and emotional agonies during his passion. By so doing, he reveals a God who knows our suffering, and shares it. What we are offered is the “true” king who eases our suffering by sharing it.

As Advent and Christmas near, the time is right for each one of us to truly reflect on and meditate on the idea of Christ as the image of the invisible God. Jesus reveals to us what God is like. The infant of the manger, the young boy in the Temple, the humble carpenter of Nazareth, the wise teacher and healer of Galilee, the rebel against religious authority, the breaker of bread, the feeder of multitudes, the friend of the outcast, the servant washing his disciples feet, the broken criminal on the cross – each of these images teaches us, helps us see, something of the very nature of God. They also epitomize a King who leads by EXAMPLE.

The Gospel reading reveals the true nature of Christ’s kingship – and also the true challenge of following Him. This is the paradox that exists at the very heart of our faith – that Christ the King is Christ the common criminal; that Christ the victor is Christ the crucified; that Christ the image of God is

Christ the broken image of humanity; that Christ the Risen Lord is Christ the dying servant. The cross is the true revelation of God in this world – the coronation of our King – for it was on the cross that the nature of his kingdom was revealed. The king of wisdom and justice, who had encouraged his followers to walk in the ways of peace, mercy, forgiveness and love, had been denied and abandoned by those followers at the moment of his greatest need.

The “true” king is Christ; the head of the body, the Church; He is the One in whom and through whom reconciliation with God is made possible. His ways are just and wise; his tender mercy and forgiveness invite us to follow him through the shadow of death into a new dawn of hope and peace. To follow him allows us to pass from darkness to light as we catch glimpses of God’s glory in him.

On Christ the King Sunday we are invited to take our part in God’s kingdom by living out the truth. Our Lord promised that He would be found amongst the poor and the naked, the sick and the imprisoned, the stranger and the hungry. Such a promise leaves each one of us with a challenge. The faithful Christian life is one that becomes familiar with human despair and tragedy, one that stands in solidarity with and in service to those who suffer and thus becomes familiar with the reality of God’s power at work in this world. To follow Christ the King is to embrace a life of discipleship, a life of giving our lives to others.

Only then will “The kingdom of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and He shall reign forever and ever.”  Amen