HELLO!

We seem to, on non-high Sundays (so excluding Christmas and Easter Sundays) be settling in to be, on average, a congregation of 175 per week. And today was no exception, there were 139 of us in the sanctuary and another 36 in the Old/White/Heritage Church. The Women’s Retreat was a highlight for all participants. Bethe sent me photos. And when I arrived at my office this morning, 50 balloons greeted me as I opened the door. No flowers, only balloons. We celebrated Communion, so if you watch the service, please have some juice and bread at your fingertips. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7aILibuF_E

The highlight of this service was obvious, the Men’s Choir, accompanied by Steve on the sax, Gus on the piano, David R on trombone, David F on bass, and Allison on the drums, brought the house down. I think they could have carried on for 10 more minutes and the energy would just keep building. The Spirit was alive!

The theme of our Pentecost service was colourful puzzles, how God gifts all of us with unique talents that when fitted together create a common good, a beloved community (as Martin Luther King used to say). You’ve heard me quote theologian Stanley Hauerwas’ prayer before, about the church, how we fit together, albeit not always well. I hope it helpful to share it again, it is my all-time favorite and most meaningful prayer.

“All praise to you, Creator who birthed of our Lord Jesus, who Spirits your church into being, making us members one of another. It is a great mystery that we are your body. But we praise you for it, for otherwise we would be alone - condemned to live alone, to die alone. But you have given us one another in all shapes and sizes. We do not fit together all that well, but we pray that the puzzles of our lives may please you and entertain you, so that in the end we add up to be your kin-dom. Help us to live with the confidence of that kin-dom, in light of your Son’s resurrection, so that when all is said and done, this may be said: They were a strange lot, but look how they loved one another. Amen.”

When I think of the church, in the abstract, in the concrete, in history, now, this is the prayer that comes to my mind and heart. We are not alone, we are all a part of the puzzle, as is the one sitting next to us in the pews, as is the one in the line up at Tim’s, as is the one we most enjoy spending time with, as is the one we least enjoy spending time with. We are all a piece in this puzzle, how we fit together is the challenge, but God provides a vision, a purpose, and truth, that makes it all worthwhile, at Retreats, at services, at gatherings large and small.

Peace, Kevin