HELLO!

Bethe is back! While she was away, I filled in for her by making a Facebook video for United Churches for Dartmouth. Kaitlin helped me by coming up with the opening three seconds of the five-minute video. Here it is: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AvcaGjnmy/?mibextid=wwXIfr It turns out, you can tell how long someone watches these videos. Analytics tell us the moment my face appears on the video most people stop watching. The UCFD will be relieved and thrilled to have Bethe back!

On this Sunday our Gospel text (Matthew 9:37 – 10:13) introduces us to the first disciples called by Jesus to follow him. They are an unlikely group. There are not any religious leaders among them. And the ones that we do know something about are ordinary, imperfect, not that impressive. First, there is Matthew, a tax collector. Which means he works for Rome, Israel’s oppressors, and is probably in the habit of cheating the people. Then there is Simon the Zealot, a political radical. James and John? Uneducated fishermen. These two can’t stop arguing about who is the greatest. There is Philip, who doesn’t think anything good can come out of Nazareth. There is also Thomas, who – probably unfairly – is best known for doubting the resurrection. And then there is their leader, Peter who regularly speaks before he thinks, who will eventually deny even knowing Jesus. And let’s not forget Judas who will betray Jesus.

Perhaps Jesus chose them because he saw something in them that the world did not. You don’t have to have it altogether to be called by Jesus. He “gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.” That’s you and me. None of us are perfect. All of us have been called by Jesus. Just like those first disciples, we have been summoned by Jesus and named his disciples. Remember disciple means someone who learns, and apostle means someone who is sent. Jesus’ ministry and that of his disciples entail the exorcism of demons, an issue that will pose a stumbling block for many of us. Yet even those of us who cannot get our imaginations around real demons tormenting individuals can relate to what it means to be bound by a power one feels powerless to resist. Such demons need not be found only in “those” people, but they reside whenever something harmful has us firmly in its grip. Many people find themselves bound by behaviours, patterns, or structures they cannot escape, often cursing themselves when they repeat the same behaviour time and again. When we imagine the realm of exorcism, let us imagine liberation, freedom from powers that constrain us and prevent us from living full human lives. And you and I, we are called to help set others free, to love. Peace, Kevin

PS Tomorrow, Saturday June 13^th, those willing and able are invited to come to the church and help clean up the gardens at 9 am. If you have garden tools please bring them but it’s not necessary as we have some at the church. Gardens need edging, weeding, shrubs need trimming. We have new plants to add to the garden, and mulch to be added to beds…