Thursday, January 26, 2023
Hello everyone
I hope you are all safe and sound after the first real snowstorm of this winter season. It actually looks like January out there. It is nice to see the snow. Is it too early to say I would love to see the end of the snow? 😊 I have to admit, my muscles are a little sore – Barb’s too from shoveling all the snow yesterday and this morning.
Pristine snow covers the world with a blanket. In so many ways it is breathtaking! It looks beautiful. It covers all the perceived imperfections that lie underneath. Sometimes I wonder if we cover ourselves with a blanket of snow to hide what we consider to be our flaws and imperfections from others – even from God. If we do it is unfortunate. Because it is precisely our flaws and imperfections that make us human, and able to connect with other flawed human beings. God creates us and loves us for who we are. That has and always will be the good news of the gospel. So as you enjoy the snow today – the beautiful white blanket – remember what’s underneath as well. It is as beautiful and as loved as the blanket itself.
I saw a greeting card one day – the message on the front said – Wouldn’t it be nice if life were like a VCR? When you opened the card it said “That way you could fast forward through the tough days”. I must admit I feel a little bit like that these last two weeks. Meetings after meetings – all of which have been good meetings, but it is a lot – all in preparation for the session this Sunday night, January 29. Session is meeting for an extended period of time – the first hour will be a visioning workshop where we will look at the governance report. The next two hours will be dealing with committee reports and then the financial reports of 2022 and budget for 2023. Please pray for the session members in their deliberations this week. The congregation will discuss the budget at the Annual Congregational on Sunday, February 26 at 11:15 following the worship service.
Tomorrow I am meeting with Gord and Ann-Marie as we plan worship themes and music for the season of Lent and Easter. Again if you have favourite hymns you would love to sing in these upcoming seasons, please send them in as soon as possible.
This coming Sunday we are going to hear from a young person new to the church. Megan Strazds-Esenbergs and her husband Dave have been coming to church lately together with Megan’s parents Doug and Paula Woodhouse. They have all decided this is now their church home. Megan is very interested in local justice issues and will be speaking to that on Sunday. Please come out to support her as you are able.
February 5 was scheduled to be a focus on Presbyterian World Service and Development. We are rescheduling that at this point to a Sunday in March.
February 12 will be Planned Giving Sunday and Rev. Herb Gale will be assisting us in the service on that day
February 19 is Transfiguration Sunday and also a Pancake Luncheon afterwards celebrating the coming of Lent
That’s enough for now
Take good care everyone
Marty