Texts: “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver * Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 (coming in and going out) * Video of complete service Friends, I enjoyed my summer break of four weeks. Kim and I spent time with our grandson from Calgary, Ethan, who at three months continues to seem well. We also enjoyed seven nights in … [Read more…]
Text: Mark 4:35-41 (Jesus calms a storm)Video of the complete service * Order of service (PDF) This past Tuesday, as has been the case on most Tuesdays over the past 17 months, I joined an hour-long Zoom gathering of United Church ministers. These weekly gatherings have been one of the silver linings to the pandemic. Through them, … [Read more…]
Texts: Mark 6:1-5 (Jesus rejected in Nazareth) * “My Little Town” by Paul Simon Video of complete service * Order of service (PDF) I remember the release of Simon and Garfunkel’s single “My Little Town” with fondness. It was October 1975, which was the first time in my life I was living away from my family. I … [Read more…]
Text: Mark 4:1-9 (the parable of the sower) * Video of complete service * Order of service (PDF) Ten years ago this week on my first Sunday as an ordained minister, I was happy the assigned Gospel reading was the parable of the sower. It seemed like a good text with which to start ministry in Borderlands — a … [Read more…]
Texts: “One Fine Day” * Mark 2:1-12 (a healing) * Order of service (PDF) * Video of complete service Is the COVID-19 pandemic over in Alberta? This Thursday, most health restrictions will be lifted. The numbers of new cases, patients in hospital, and active infections in the province have plunged from the highs of early May. Most importantly, vaccinations … [Read more…]
Text: 1 Samuel 8 (Israel asks for a king) * Video of complete service I am struck by the depth of the sorrow and horror felt by Canadians this spring after the discovery of the remains of 215 children in an unmarked grave at the site of a former Indian Residential School in Kamloops. Consciousness of the … [Read more…]
Text: 2 Corinthians 5: 5-8, 16-19 (a new creation) * Video of complete service * Order of service “The past is gone, and everything is fresh and new!” So says Paul in the inspirational passage we heard this morning. Today, as the third wave of COVID-19 recedes and as Canada’s vaccination campaign continues, many of us hope … [Read more…]
Text: John 17:20-23 (“that all may be one”) * Order of service (PDF) * Video of the complete service Can a festival of love and joy also serve as a political protest? And can participating in a political protest generate joy? These are questions with which people who organize gay pride parades have wrestled for more than 50 … [Read more…]
Text: John 3:1-17 (“born from above”) * Video of complete service * Order of service (PDF) My ordination 10 years ago this weekend during the closing worship service of the annual meeting of the Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada was an important moment for me. My mother was there. My younger brother and sister, Andrew … [Read more…]
Texts: Romans 8:22-27 (the intercession of the Spirit) * Acts 2:1-21 (the Day of Pentecost) * Order of service (PDF) * Video of complete service Can you feel it? It’s a new spirit of hope, which I perceive blowing across the country. Last week, Canada passed the threshold of 50% of the population having received a … [Read more…]