August 25, 2022

Well, doesn’t matter how hard I try to slow it down, time slips by quickly.  We are already heading into the first week of September next week.  Summer is passing by quickly – the days are already growing shorter and the nights a little cooler.  Some of you will be delighted by that!

Here at the church preparation for the fall continues.  I am working on a sermon series on the parables of Jesus that will begin on Sunday, September 18.  I love the parables.  They are powerful stories in which Jesus taught about the coming of the kin-dom of God – movement of grace and power that ushers in God’s peace and love into the world here and now – both in Jesus time and in our time today.  I will be using the work of people like Robert Farrer Capon .  Here is a quote by William Willimon a well known preacher and teacher – “If you think that you have seen and heard everything there is to see and hear in Jesus’ parables, then you haven’t’ looked and listened with Robert Farrar Capon.  Anyone who cares about scripture will be edified through Capon’s interpretive work.  Students of scripture will see things here they have not seen before.  Preachers will find things to say that they have not said before”

I look forward to the series and I hope you will as well

Today the worship team of Ann-Marie MacDairmid, Gordon Burnett, Wendy Paterson, Barb Molengraaf and myself have a planning session for all the services between now and the 1st Sunday in Advent.  It is usually lots of fun, choosing hymns, having great conversations, planning the worship.  Please keep us in your prayers.  And its not too late to send us your favourite hymn.  We have received some that we will incorporate into the musical selection this fall.  We will also attempt to expand the congregation’s library of songs and hymns.  There are some beautiful new songs written by contemporary composers including hymns affirming the LGBTIA2S+ community.

This week the church kitchen has been filled with laughter, hard work and the beautiful aroma of pickled beets.  Yum!  I love them.  It is wonderful to see people engaging in church activities again and I hope and pray this will continue into the fall.  We have a wide variety of activities planned – all the way from the sanctuary choir and handbells to confirmation classes, youth group activities, reconciliation events and potentially the first Agnes Stock Weekend in a long time.  If we are able to have the Agnes Stock Weekend it will focus on different aspects of death and dying including preparing your own funeral, bereavement support and also recognizing the 25th anniversary of the legacy fund in Grant MacDonald’s name at Grand River Hospital to support palliative care training.  So lots of exciting things this fall.  At this point we plan to go full steam ahead, even if it means taking necessary precautions for COVID.

As the staff plans for the fall, I ask for your prayers for all of us and all leaders within the congregation.

Take good care and God bless

Marty