May 4, 2022
Well hello everyone, I hope the emerging sunshine is lifting your spirits a little. It has been a dreary week so far and the sun is like medicine for the heart. As I write this it is trying to break through the clouds dispersing the gloominess with an inner strength that will shine through.
Hopefully you can sense the inner strength of the love of the Son we call Jesus today and all days.
What a wonderful service last Sunday. The dialogue about Mary by Wendy Paterson and Paul Wilson was a delightful encounter that lifted all our spirits – a true experience of the resurrection – something we all continue to need. It seems as though COVID is around as much or more than ever and I am sure we are not the only ones who feel a bit ‘down’ about it. Barb and I continue to be in quarantine until next Monday. We know that we are very fortunate, we are quarantining in a beautiful house with a warm and comfortable bed – we know that millions of people around the world have lives much, much harder than ours. But I suppose it is very human to feel sorry for yourself from time to time. We can’t wait until Monday.
In the meantime, I am busy working on some projects from my home office. Last week I worked on service planning to the end of the summer. This week I am getting to know the new software program that will enable service planning to be more inclusive and easier to access for all involved in the worship experience.
As well we are planning to launch the new St. Andrew’s church website next week. Lauren Wasyluk has been working very hard on it with the help of others as well. I am working on a script for a welcome video that we hope to tape next week for inclusion in the website.
This coming Sunday, Mother’s Day, Rev. Linda Ashfield and the Rev. Brooke Ashfield will be leading the service. I appreciate them stepping in on short notice as well. They are well known to many within St. Andrew’s having been the ministers at Knox Presbyterian, Waterloo for many years. They watch the St. Andrew’s services regularly and are happy to lead in worship this Sunday. I will be back leading worship on May 15 when we will formally install Ann-Marie MacDairmid and Gordon Burnett into their respective positions as Director of Music and as Choir Director. I look forward to that service.
On Thursday night, Andrew and I will lead the youth group again. Andrew will meet the youth in person and I will provide a teaching segment via Zoom. I have enjoyed the time spent with the youth and last week we had a great discussion about possibilities for the future – one that gives the youth themselves a greater governance over the youth programming. We explored the possibility of a youth engagement model for the youth group and it sounds very promising. Two of our youth, Sam and Noah Baksh were part of that conversation.
I am also involved in a small group set up by the session to look at the re-development of the Roy Street House. We have had some incredible wide ranging conversations that may create a strong and beautiful vision for the future. This task force will report to Session soon and it is something to look forward to, so stay tuned!
Finally, an invitation from our Champions of Change with respect to the Global Refugee crisis. See below.
Subject: Opportunity to hear PWS&D’s Refugee Program Coordinator - May 7, 2:30 pm
Join us for "Displaced - A Conversation about the Global Refugee Crisis," during which we will hear from PWS&D Refugee Program Coordinator, Biniam Goitom. You can register directly for this chat here.
Mary & Terri, Champions for Change
I think that’s all for now. In preparation for Mother’s Day I leave you with this Mennonite prayer by Carol Penner:
hank you for all who mother us,
Biological or adoptive mothers, caregivers, relatives and friends;
Women who have been there for us, people who have made us who we are.
Thank you God, that even though mothers may fail us, you never fail us and that you mother us through your love
Take care everyone
Marty