“As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
–Matthew 4:18 – 20

I have a friend who is deeply committed to Christ and who believes he is being called to serve his Lord in a creative, new, and large way. I encourage him to pursue this vision, but the whole thing seems stalled around specifics. Namely, there is a lack of concrete and measurable steps toward making this dream a reality, and until a defined starting point with clear objectives gets named, I fear my friend’s dream may never achieve reality. Most days, his example reminds me of the frustrations many of our congregations face, year in and year out. Simply put, without a concrete, measurable, strategic plan, how do we ever attain the goals that we hope to reach in our service to Jesus Christ, and how do we know when we’ve achieved them?

The world of commerce has understood for a very long time that objectives seldom get realized without a clear, simple plan. Many faithful, Christ – centred congregations are well – meaning in their devotion, yet short on achievables. Truth is, when we are uncertain of what our objectives for Christ’s kingdom truly are, it’s inevitable that any old road will get us to that uncertainty.

Conversely, a congregation can begin to find new hope and energy for faithful ministry when a specific plan with measurable objectives is developed. Such a plan is not built upon wishful thinking, but a common sense Spirit – driven process which takes into account the gifts that God has intentionally given us. Every congregation is different, primarily because each one has different gifts. When we direct those unique gifts toward focused ministries of hope, reconciliation and healing for human lives, remarkable possibilities can begin to emerge. And the reason for such success is because God continues to bless those who use their gifts wisely for enduring purposes.

Sometimes we stumble and fall as congregations when we dream too small. Sometimes, we dream too big and take on too much. When Jesus issued his call to those first disciples, he made the daunting seem achievable. “Follow me,” he said to those two brothers, and since he intended a ministry of “catching believers,” he figured two fishermen would have the talents to grasp the concept! Built upon their gifts, he began a movement that continues to grow. But if he had told them that day that they would be the foundation of a whole new order to be called “the church,” do you think their hearts would have been so eager? Instead, he invited them to explore first steps based upon their God – given abilities.

My prayer for our church in Canada is for a renewed sense of achievable purposes in every local congregation. Start small, but build it upon the gifts that are uniquely yours to offer those around you who long to be loved and cared for. And trust God’s Spirit!

“When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him,
“Are you the one who is to come,
or are we to wait for another?”
Jesus answered them, “Go and
tell John what you hear and see:
the blind receive their sight,
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead
are raised, and the poor have
good news brought to them.”
—Matthew 11:2 – 5

As the 137th General Assembly drew to a close that Friday morning in London, Ont., I chose these verses from Matthew’s gospel as a final piece for reflection before calling for an adjournment and offering concluding prayers. It is and always has been for me one of the most compelling passages in all of the Bible, and it addresses, I believe, our contemporary hope for the church in profound ways.

Consider its honesty. The very same enthusiastic John who “leapt in his mother’s womb” when pregnant, young Mary was nearby, now struggles to be certain that his Messianic preparations have not been in vain. “Are you the one?” John asks. There is both apprehension and hope in his question, and he awaits a conclusive response.

The last time I was asked to verify who I was, I appealed to protocol and produced a passport. It displayed my name, my nationality, and for good measure, an accompanying photo of a man who appeared to be a humourless insomniac. Mercifully, it sufficed, as those things tend to for governments and institutions. But Jesus is not interested in making appeals to governments or institutions to validate his authority. No doubt, he could have told John that he was a verifiable descendent of King David, or even the one whom Isaiah spoke of in his prophecy. For John, that should be convincing enough, wouldn’t you think? But neither of those traditional criteria seem to matter to Jesus in this self – defining moment. Because for Jesus, what matters is hope. What matters is health. What matters is abundant life. What matters is people like you and me, scarred and scared, who long to be embraced and loved and set free from the burdens of daily hurt and despair.

Can our church discover again that we are never at our best as a tradition – bound institution, but rather as a powerful movement sharing Christ’s transforming grace? By the power of God’s Spirit, congregations of ordinary people can still do extraordinary things for the blessing of humanity, everyday!

When we grasp afresh that our priority mission in Christ is to address human hurts and hopes, and not matters of institutional maintenance, membership and money, we discover that these lesser things just fall in line. Turns out, healthy congregations go places they may never have imagined, and see encouragement and human blessing they only dreamed of! When we have the courage to truly cast our nets, we will indeed see Christ in our work.

Rev. Dr. Herb Gale addresses the 136th General Assembly

I think everyone is aware that the theme I chose for my moderatorial year was growing the generosity of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. I invited people to help build a new Dayspring – the first missionary ship launched from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia in 1862. I christened the ship the HMS Generosity and invited Presbyterians of all ages from across Canada to lend their hands in building the ship and climbing on board as crew members, because I am convinced that it is through our generosity that we will move forward as congregations and as a denomination.

I shared some of the stories of generosity through my articles in the Record and on my moderator’s blog. I heard many more stories through the nine Moderator’s Roundtable Discussions I held across Canada, from Edmonton, Alberta, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tiverton, Ontario, Montreal, Quebec, and Summerside, PEI. The challenges we face as a church are real: declining membership (especially among young families), an aging demographic, learning how to be church and do ministry in remote areas of the country and in rapidly changing times, and an overwhelming sense of exhaustion on the part of church leaders trying continue to do ministry with diminishing resources. I addressed this concern in my article for the May issue of the Record, which I entitled, “Fear of Running Out” – fear of running out of time, running out of money, running out of ideas, running out of leaders, running out of energy, running out of young people… you know, running out.

But the good news of the gospel is that God’s endless supply of grace never runs out; and Christ, the wellspring of grace, has promised he will never run out on us. And Christ has kept his promise. As I said in my sermon during the opening worship for General Assembly, the river of grace continues to flow, and I have seen that river flowing in my travels as moderator. Let me share with you some of the stories of generosity that have inspired me throughout the year.

Peter McLean

1. Peter McLean, son of the Rev. Dr. Paul and Mary Beth McLean, inspired me with his “Great Canadian Cycling Adventure” across Canada in which he pedaled from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland. Peter was inspired to do his solo trek for two reasons: as a belated coming of age ritual and to raise money to support his father’s work translating the Bible into Hakka, one of the indigenous languages in Taiwan. Peter lost 30 pounds during his 8,650 km trip, but he gained over $30,000 for his dad’s translation work and a new sense that God’s grace was sufficient to see him through even when he wanted to give up.

Fildelphia Church in La Esperanza

2. While Peter was pedaling across Canada, my wife Shirley and I were travelling in Nicaragua and Guatemala with Ken Kim, Director of PWS&D, and Barb Summers, the Communications Director for PWS&D. I would like to share one story of generosity from that trip. While we were in Guatemala, I brought greetings as moderator from The PCC to Filadelphia Presbyterian Church in La Esperanza. We worshipped with the congregation in their beautiful new sanctuary with gleaming white marble floors. The building of the sanctuary was a joint partnership between the local congregation and four congregations in Hamilton Presbytery. The Canadian congregations raised $25,000, which was matched by Filadelphia Church. But the congregations in Hamilton Presbytery did not just send money. They also sent two work crews to work alongside the people of Filadelphia Church. Jay Brenzil, one of the Canadian team members, said of his experience: “I always thought that doing mission meant doing work projects. I have learned that mission is not about doing work for others, but about working with others – forming relationships and bettering ourselves.” The partnership between the congregations in Hamilton Presbytery and Filadelphia Church is a wonderful story of generosity.

3. I helped celebrate a lot of church anniversaries during my year as moderator and I helped cut a lot of cake (even if I couldn’t eat it, since I am celiac). Let me share with you the story of one anniversary in which I participated. In November I joined with the members of the Chinese Presbyterian Church in Toronto as they celebrated their 100th anniversary. What they have done during their 100 year history is truly remarkable. The church itself was founded following what I would call “the Jim Naismith model of evangelism.” The congregation actually began in 1910, not as a church, but as a mission – the Chinese Young Men’s Christian Institute (CYMCI), providing housing and recreation for young Chinese male immigrants to Canada. My guess is that those young men played lots of basketball games as their introduction to Canada and to Christian community. The church still offers recreational programs 100 years later as well as many more programs and ministries. They run a Christian private school for children and youth from nursery through grade 12. They offer ESL classes and lively worship in three languages, Cantonese, Mandarin and English, and they have planted three new congregations.

4. I held one of my first moderator’s Roundtable Discussions while I was visiting Knox Church in Tiverton, ON, where Rev. Jeannette Fleischer is the minister. It is a congregation filled with new life, energy and young people. During the Roundtable discussion, I learned of the annual Cookie Walk the congregation holds during which church members knock on the doors of homes and businesses in the community selling their homemade cookies and introducing Knox Church to their neighbours. I also learned about a $100,000 gift one member of the congregation gave to the church that was used to replace their antiquated boiler with an energy efficient and ecological geothermal system. Now they have heating and air conditioning and are saving nearly $20,000 a year in fuel bills – money that they can channel to other areas of their life and ministry.

Herb and Rev. George Malcolm standing in front of the Forbes Homestead.

5. I held another Moderator’s Roundtable at Forbes Church in Grande Prairie, AB, where Rev. George Malcolm has been the minister for many years. George is the “Sandy McDonald of Peace River Presbytery.” The Forbes congregation recently partnered with the city of Grande Prairie to refurbish the original Forbes Homestead of Alexander and Agnes Forbes, who settled in the area in 1909. Rev. Forbes had been sent out from Edmonton to explore the area of northern Alberta to determine the possibilities for doing mission work. While on his exploratory trip, Rev. Forbes put a wooden stake in the ground in the area of what would become Grande Prairie with the words “Presbyterian Church” painted on the stake, and returned to Edmonton with the news that the territory was ripe for mission outreach. When the presbytery was unable to find volunteers for the arduous ministry, Rev. and Mrs. Forbes volunteered – they were 59 and 50 years old at the time. When they set out from Edmonton it was minus 40 degrees (that’s the same whether you use the Fahrenheit or Centigrade scales!). It took them three months to reach their destination. They set up a hospital and a church (seven people attended the first worship service). Rev. Forbes eventually deeded the property to the town where a hospital, schools, government buildings and businesses now stand. And as I listened to the story of Alexander and Agnes Forbes’ missionary work, I realized that they weren’t just planting a church, they were building a city! Grande Prairie is a gift of Alexander and Agnes Forbes and The Presbyterian Church in Canada. What a wonderful story of generosity!

Moderator's Roundtable Discussion with Peace River Presbytery

6. I attended several presbytery meetings during my moderatorial year, but by far the most interesting meeting I attended was the meeting of the Presbytery of Winnipeg held at St. James Church. The presbytery was gathered to decide what to do with their camp property, which they no longer used as a camp. The property is adjacent to three different First Nations bands, who had used the land before the Crown had given it to The Presbyterian Church in Canada. For their meeting the presbytery decided to gather in one large circle using the process of an Aboriginal listening circle. A rock with the picture of a tepee on one side and a church on the other was passed from hand to hand. Only the person holding the rock could talk while everyone else listened. I was privileged to be part of the circle. As people shared and listened, a growing consensus emerged to gift the land and facilities to the three bands collectively as a sign of walking together in the journey to wholeness. But then the participants wondered how to give it. “It was originally a gift to us from the Crown,” one person said, “and before that the aboriginal people themselves had occupied the land… It’s not our land, it belongs to God.” Then as more people talked they hit upon the ideas of “transferring stewardship of the land” to the bands after consulting with the aboriginal elders on the best way to make the transfer. And as I watched and listened as the rock was passed from hand to hand, I realized that I was witnessing, not just an amazing exercise in group discernment, but an amazing exercise in generosity.

Herb and Shirley leading communion at the Women's Gathering

7. It was my great joy and privilege to preach at the closing worship service of the Look In – Shout Out National Women’s Gathering in Richmond Hill, ON, this past May, and to officiate at the communion service with my wife, Shirley. More than 500 women gathered for the event, which was a partnership between the AMS (President Jennifer Whitfield) and WMS (President Joan Smith). The event was a story of generosity in action. A bequest from Giollo Kelly paid the travel expenses for the many international guests to participate. There was the generosity of time and energy on the part of many people to organize the event. And there was a contagious spirit of generosity present at the gathering as evidenced by the joy the women had as they danced up their offering during the Sunday morning worship. More than $14,000 was raised to provide education for girls in Afghanistan. Then on Monday, they auctioned off the quilted “Look In – Reach Out” banner. Amidst laughter and applause, they raised another $750 for girls in Afghanistan (if you’re looking for a good auctioneer, I recommend the moderator’s wife, Rev. Karen Horst!). And I myself was the beneficiary of an extraordinary gesture of generosity. When I had arrived at the Convention Centre, I had inadvertently scratched a bright yellow car while backing into a parking space. I had left a note on the windshield giving my name and confessing my sin. Minutes before the closing worship service, the owner of the car found me. She told me, “It’s okay. It’s just a scratch. Don’t worry about it.” And so I entered into the closing worship knowing that I was a forgiven sinner and my debts had been cancelled. Not a bad way to enter into worship, is it?

8. In Prince Edward Island I had the joy of helping to turn the sod for the new facility for Summerside Church. While there I held my final Roundtable Discussion for PEI Presbytery. Representatives from the four congregations that make up the pastoral charge in Murray Harbour North were present for the discussion, including Rev. Bill Dean, the minister. The four congregations, like many small rural congregations are struggling, but they continue to explore new ways of being church and sharing the gospel. They have made a bold decision to amalgamate the four congregations into one church with one new building, not out of a survival mentality but out of a desire to expand their ministry. Shortly after they announced their decision, an individual offered eight acres of land on which to build their new facility. Meanwhile they are discovering new ways to share God’s grace. This spring they planned a special women’s retreat. They found the whole project intimidating, but they stepped out in faith and dared to believe that the Lord would bless their endeavour. For a long while registrations only trickled in (ankle deep). They wondered if they should cancel the event. But they prayed, and God seemed to be telling them to go for it. So they continued with their plans, and to their surprise and joy 163 women registered. As Amelia Campbell, one of the organizers for the event, told me about their retreat weekend, I couldn’t help but notice the tears welling up in her eyes as she declared, “God was there in our midst!” Oh, and did I tell you the name they have chosen for the new amalgamated church? Wellspring Presbyterian Church!

Herb and Rev. Lynne Donovan with prayer shawls

9. Just this past Sunday I preached at St. Andrew’s Church in Picton, ON, where Rev. Lynne Donovan is the minister. Wow! The stuff they’ve got going on! They, like many congregations in The PCC, have an active Prayer Shawl Ministry, and they gave me three prayer shawls to add to the collection for the residents in the Boarding Homes Ministry.  [As of the day of this posting, June 24th, 294 shawls have been delivered with promises of 20-30 more. Thanks to all of the knitters across Canada who contibuted to this flood of generosity and compassion.] And the spirit of generosity keeps flowing in them and through them to the surrounding community. Two years ago they bought a store on the Main Street of Picton and opened a 10,000 Villages store. They opened the store during what has come to be called the Great Recession, and in the year and a half since its opening, they have done nearly $250,000 in sales! This September they are launching an after-school program for vulnerable girls in Picton, which they are calling “Reaching for Rainbows.” They are not trying to do it on their own – they know they can’t – so they are partnering with other groups on the community to carry out the ministry: The Prince Edward County Children’s Aid Society, Children’s Mental Health, and Alternatives for Women. And they are reaching out beyond themselves for funding to local service clubs and The PCC’s Experimental Fund. In just a few months they have raised the $25,000 needed for the first year of the program. Where will the money come from after the first year? They know it will come, because they have learned from their own experience that as Kennon Callahan often says, “Money follows mission.”

10. Throughout the year I attended several funerals for Presbyterians. Each funeral was a wonderful celebration of life and witness to the gospel. The most recent funeral I attended was the service for the Rev. Dr. Art Van Seters at Knox College. During the service, Art’s son, David, told the story of his father’s love for Impatiens (I mean the flowering plant, not the human characteristic). David said that in the midst of his gardening, his dad had discovered that he could harvest the little seeds from the plants, which he planted in starter trays in the basement of his home. Through the years Art gave away thousands of plants to family and friends and neighbors. Choking back the tears, David said that his dad had given away hundreds of plants just weeks before he died. “I’ve decided that I, too, am going to harvest the seeds of my Impatiens and give them away,” he concluded. “I want to carry on my father’s legacy.” Planting seeds of hope for generations to come!

Those are just a few of the stories of generosity I have learned about during my year as moderator. And is there any doubt that the God is at work in The Presbyterian Church in Canada and that his river of abundant grace continues to flow!

Oh, and did I mention that I had dinner with the Queen when she was in Toronto this past July? Just one more day in the life of the Moderator of the 136th General Assembly! Beat that, Rick Horst!

Herb passes the moderatorial duties, er, ball to Rev. Dr. Rick Horst

Finally, I would like to say thank you to everyone for their prayers and support during my moderatorial year and for the unique opportunity to see the church and its ministries through the eyes of moderator. It is indeed a great privilege (and a great relief) to be standing here as outgoing moderator. I gained five pounds during the course of my year eating all that gluten free food; but, like Peter McLean after he completed his bike trek across Canada, I feel thirty pounds lighter now that I have passed on the moderatorial responsibilities into the capable hands of the Moderator of the 137th General Assembly. May God bless you, Rick, during your year as moderator. You’re in for quite an adventure!

Herb
 
Many thanks indeed for your prayers and offering the prayers of the PCC to the communities in Manitoba that are suffering under the Great Flood of 2011.  These prayers are greatly appreciated.
 
Saturday night I was with the Reservists who are helping sandbag in Brandon MB  and Portage la Prairie.   These are amazing men and women who have taken on the call to help out their country.    Most of the 110  Reservists that were staying in the Brandon Armoury were actually already in MB the week before on a Military exercise called “Western Defender”.   These men and women are from Saskatchewan,  Alberta,  and BC.   As they are Reservists,  they had a choice to stay and help OR to return home.   One Hundred and Ten decided to stay.   By Saturday evening,  the Reservists were fatigued and tired with aching muscles and  windburn from the constant wind.  Brandon University opened their doors to provide these Reservists with a shower.  The Salvation Army has been providing lunches.   On Saturday night, the local Military Museum opened to give the Rerservists an opportunity to tour through a bit of the Reservist History from South Western Manitoba and to provide them with a cookie… or two or three.. and conversation.  :)    As well as the 110 Reservists from away,  there are also the Reservists from Brandon (26 Fd Regt RCA and 71 Bty) and Portage (13 Bty)  who are helping save peoples homes and businesses through sandbagging.    These Reservists are a dedicated group who continually amaze me with their compassion to help others in need.    As Clerks,  they work extremely long hours doing paperwork to make sure everyone gets where they need to go.  As Medics,  they work equally long hours making sure everyone is safe and healed.    As the Reservists were walking out of the Museum last night,  the Museum staff said to each individual,  “Thank you for the work you are doing to help our community”.   The Reservists would stop in surprise at that comment.  Their response was, “Of course we would help you! It is our honour and duty.”  
 
One of the Museum Volunteers is 15 years old.   Reauna has been sandbagging and hauling hay (helping to create an aqua dyke in Brandon) since last Sunday, helping fellow community families protect their homes.   While her family does not live in the Flood area,  this 15 year old thought it important to help her neighbours… the neighbours that live on the other side of town that she has never met.   Like the Rerservists,  she too chose to help others  because they needed help.
 
Another of the Museum Voluteers is 65 years old.   Like Reauna,   George has been sandbagging since last Sunday.   He volunteered at the Museum this week and was walking with a limp.   George said that those sandbags have grown heavier each day…. but he is back out helping this week as well.    And why?   Because it is what one does in helping their neighbour.
 
Katheryn,  a local Presbyterian  can not lift the sandbags but she has been donating cookies,  granola bars,  and chocolate bars to the Salvation Army so that the Salvation Army can provide energy to the Sandbaggers and the Reservists. 
 
And right here in this Flood situation we have so many examples of people serving others… the servanthood of Christ.     And we in turn,  open our hearts and hands to help others in the example that Christ gave to us.
 
Many blessings
Lorna

Reading Lorna’s email, I am reminded of Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan.  A scribe, who was an expert in the law, once asked Jesus a pointed question: “Who is my neighbour?”  (c.f. Luke 10:25-37).  Jesus responded with the story of a traveller who had been beaten and robbed and left for dead.  Two religious people passed by on the other side of the road, not wanting to get involved.  A Samaritan was the only one to help, bandaging the victim’s wounds, lifting the man on his donkey and taking him to a nearby inn.  “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?  Jesus asked.  The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” 

And do you see what Jesus did?  The scribe asked, “Who is my neighbour?”, in an attempt to draw the line between those whom he had a duty to help and those to whom he had no such responsibility.  Certainly, a typical Jew of Jesus’ day would have never considered a despised Samaritan to be a “neighbour.”  But in his answer, Jesus wisely reversed the question.  According to Jesus, the correct question is not ”Who is my neighbour?” but rather “How can I respond as a neighbour to those in need?”  The Reservists and other volunteers Lorna mentioned in her email have seen a need and responded with the practical help a compassionate neighbour would provide.  For that we are all indeed grateful.

Hoop and Holler Bend on Assiniboine River after the breach

southeast of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.  The breach was made to reduce the level of flooding further downstream where more farms and residences would be affected.  Latest news reports indicate that there will be compensation for the homes and businesses affected by the controlled breach.  The Presbyterian Church in Canada has four congregations located in the flood area: First Church, Portage la Prairie, First Church and St Andrew’s Church in Brandon, and Melita Church in Melita, MB.  Today I contacted all four congregations and Rev. Glenn Ball, the synod staff worker, to get an update on what is happening in the area and to assure the congregations and communities of the prayers and support of the larger church.  What follows is a short summary of those conversations and a brief update on the situation in Brandon and the surrounding vicinity.

 Rev. Glenn Ball, Synod Staff Worker in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario

Glenn and his family live in Brandon.  During my conversation with Glenn, he said that sandbags are now more than ten feet above the road level and are holding thus far.  He also reported that 400 families have been evacuated from their homes to local hotels as a precaution in case the dikes should burst.  A number of businesses have also been forced to close, including a major mall that has a Home Depot and other big box stores.  The fear is that heavy winds and waves coupled with rising flood waters could cause a breach in part of a dike with disastrous consequences.   There are more than a thousand soldiers in the field working alongside other work crews to strengthen the sandbag dikes. Glenn mentioned that his wife, Lorna, will be giving a tour of the local museum Saturday evening for 75 to 100 soldiers.  Just the thing soldiers want to do when they have free time on a Saturday night!

 First Church, Portage la Prairie

I called and spoke to a member of the congregation just as they were cleaning up from a Saturday morning men’s breakfast and to Rev. John Zondag, minister at First Church, later in the day.  They both reported that none of the families in their congregation had been directly affected by the flooding.  Flooding is in the rural, farming communities outside of the town.  The congregation took sandwiches and refreshments to the work crews yesterday.  The Portage Diversion, which was completed in 1970 to divert water from the Assiniboine River along a 29 km channel into Lake Manitoba, is now running more water than usually flows through the Red River.  The additional volume was made possible because work crews had increased the height of the channel’s side with additional sandbag dikes. 

 First Church, Brandon

I spoke with Rev. Dong-Ha Kim, the minister at First Church.  He reported that four families in First Church have had to be evacuated from their homes.  He said that the Red Cross has designated First Church as an emergency shelter, but at this point it has not had to be used as such.  Dong-Ha mentioned that the women in his church had just mailed a box containing six prayer shawls for distribution to residents served by the Boarding Homes Ministry.  Their gift marks the largest number of prayer shawls donated by any congregation in Canada thus far – all knit by women whose city is under threat of flood waters.  What a wonderful gesture of faith and generosity!

 St. Andrew’s Church, Brandon

I spoke with Rev. Paul Sakasov, the minister.  He said that no one in their congregation has been directly affected by the flooding.  No one he has talked with in the community has ever seen waters this high.  He stressed that the city council has been preparing for this flood since February, increasing the size of the sandbag dikes with the use of supersize sandbags that are more than a meter high and wide.  He said that one school has been closed as a precaution

Supersized sandbags hold back waters in Brandon

in case the swollen river should burst through the nearby sandbag dike.  The school is holding classes in a local university.  The goal posts for the soccer field/football field are completely under water.  Paul participates in a Tuesday morning prayer group, and the group prays regularly for the many people who are working so hard to secure their town from the rising waters and for the many families and businesses directly affected by the flooding.

Melita Church, Melita

I spoke with Rev. Barbara Alston, the minister. Melita is located near the Souris River that flows into the Assiniboine.  So far the dikes are holding the rising waters at bay; but if there is a breach, the sewage treatment plant, which is located on lower ground, would have to be shut down and the local hospital and nursing homes evacuated.  The biggest issue is for farmers in the area who are unable to seed their crops and may be unable to plant any crops this year.   The Presbytery of Brandon is planning to hold its May meeting at Melita Church this coming week, provided the roads are open.

The Assiniboine is expected to crest sometime this coming week, and it will take weeks for the waters to recede to more normal levels. I would ask Presbyterians around the country to remember the people of Manitoba in our prayers.  And let us all take comfort from the words of the prophet Isaiah, words that seem especially meaningful in the face of the threat of rising flood waters:

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jocob,

He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear,  for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you…

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour…

You are precious in my sight, and honoured and I love you.”  (Isaiah 43:1-4)   

This year, Good Friday and Earth Day fall on the same day, April 22nd. At first glance that coincidence seems unfortunate. How can you celebrate Earth Day while reflecting on the death of Christ? Yet upon further reflection, I think it is a “fortunate coincidence,” for it provides preachers and worship leaders the opportunity to see Christ’s death and saving activity through new eyes. We tend to have a strictly anthropocentric view of Christ’s redemptive activity; and, of course, there is good reason for this. After all, we are human beings; and the good news of the gospel is that God loves us so much that God became a human being in Jesus Christ, and Christ died a very human death on the cross to save us from our sins. As 1st Timothy declares in words I have used often as an Assurance of Pardon: “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1st Timothy 1:15). Yet, if we focus the gospel message strictly on what Christ does for “me” or even for “us,” we lose sight of the larger view, a view that includes all creation.

In Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication for the temple, King Solomon linked the sins of the people with famines, plagues, blights, mildew, locusts and caterpillars (c.f. 2nd Chronicles 6:26-31). The Hebrew prophets also reminded the people again and again that there was a clear link between their sin and unfaithfulness and the natural disasters such as famine they experienced (c.f. Isaiah 5:5-7; Amos 4:7). Such ancient texts take on new meaning in our modern age in which we have discovered the many ways human activity has contributed to the planet’s climate change and to the rapid destruction of thousands of the earth’s species of plants and animals.

The Apostle Paul links human redemption with the redemption of the entire planet in his letter to the Romans:

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself would be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved.” (Romans 8:19-23)

Furthermore, we know that Christian hope is not simply hoping that someday we will leave this world of sin and death for our heavenly home. No, the Christian hope is much larger than that and much more down to earth than that. As Christians, we hope for a whole “new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1) in which the tragic results of human sin are finally removed from God’s good creation. And, of course, the most familiar passage in all of scripture would also be a suitable text for a Good Friday mediation that happens to fall on Earth Day: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” (John 3:16).

I won’t be preaching on this Good Friday. But if I were, I would try to combine the themes of Good Friday and Earth Day. I would attempt to pull together some of these thoughts and some of the above texts to help enlarge our vision of what Christ’s death and resurrection means both for us and for the world God loves. If there are any preachers out there who do combine the two, I would like to know and so would Justice Ministries, the denominational office that promotes Earth Day and other ecological issues.

In the meantime, I pray that the Good Friday/Easter story will take on new meaning for you this year. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…”

The Moderator's wife Shirley Gale wearing a prayer shawl from the members of First Presbyterian Church, Brandon

It was 8:00 o’clock in the morning. I was staying with The Rev. Glenn and Lorna Ball in Brandon, Manitoba. Glenn is the regional staff person in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario and had helped organize my trip to visit congregations and presbyteries in Manitoba. Glenn and I were just getting ready to head out the door for a tour of the Brandon area and then travel to Winnipeg for the Presbytery of Winnipeg’s meeting at St. James’ Church in Winnipeg. Suddenly the doorbell rang. “Who could be at the door this early in the morning?” I wondered. To my surprise it was Arlene Robertson from First Church in Brandon. In her hand was a gift bag, which she promptly placed in my hands. “This is for your wife, Shirley,” she said with a smile. “My guess is that she often gets lonely with your being on the road so much. Maybe this will keep her warm when you’re away from home.” Inside the bag was a hand knit shawl along with a note:

Dear Shirley (Mrs. Moderator),

As this shawl was being knit, its lightness became very apparent. Thinking about its lightness, we recall Jesus’ words from Matthew’s gospel:

“Come to me, all you that are weary
and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me;
for I am gentle and humble of heart,
and you will find rest for your soul.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It is our prayer that as you wear this shawl, you will sense the warmth of God’s loving arms around you, giving you strength for each day and that as you wear it, you will feel its lightness and be reminded of Jesus’ words.

May God bless you and keep you always.

Sincerely,

Mary Edgar and Arlene Robertson

On behalf of the Prayer Shawl ministry of First Presbyterian Church, Brandon, MB

Our shawls are knit with ‘prayers in every stitch’.

What a wonderful gift of love and support so early in the morning! In the Roundtable discussion I had with representatives from congregations in the Brandon Presbytery the previous day, Arlene and other representatives from First Church in Brandon had shared the story of their Prayer Shawl Ministry and the 300+ shawls they had distributed to shut-ins, the grieving, people in hospital, etc. over the past six years. Arlene’s gift was actually the second prayer shawl I had received during my travels as moderator. The first prayer shawl was a gift for me from the knitting group in Kildonan Community Church in Winnipeg. Now, with the gift from First Church, Brandon, both Shirley and I (a.k.a. “Mr. and Mrs. Moderator”) have prayer shawls of our own.

By the way, the Prayer Shawl Ministry has an interesting history. The idea for the ministry originated in 1998 with Janet Bristow and Victoria Galo, two graduates of the 1997 Women’s Leadership Institute at The Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut, under the direction of Sister Miriam Therese Winter, who is a member of the Medical Mission Sisters and a singer/songwriter and teacher (two of her hymns are in our own Book of Praise). Janet and Victoria wanted to figure out a way to combine the spiritual discipline of prayer with a practical expression of love and compassion, and so the idea for the Prayer Shawl Ministry was born and has spread to individuals and congregations of every denomination around the world.

I share this story, not only as a story of generosity, but also as a special invitation to Presbyterian congregations across Canada who have an active Prayer Shawl Ministry. I am inviting you to share your love and prayers and hand knit prayer shawls with the residents of the Boarding Homes Ministry. Boarding Homes Ministry is the recipient of this year’s E. H. Johnson award that will be presented to The Rev. Rodger Hunter, a Presbyterian minister and the founder and the director/chaplain of the ministry, at the 137th General Assembly in London, Ontario. Since its founding in the fall of 1996, the number of boarding homes served by the Boarding Homes Ministry has grown to thirteen, serving 359 residents. The residents of the boarding homes often feel left out and abandoned – thus the genuine need for the kind of support provided by the volunteers who visit regularly with the residents through the ministry. What better way to let the residents know that they haven’t been forgotten than by each of them receiving a prayer shawl, “knit with ‘prayers in every stitch,” from Presbyterians across Canada?

In my travels across Canada, I have discovered many congregations actively engaged in the Prayer Shawl Ministry. So to all of those involved in the Prayer Shawl Ministry, I invite you to share your love and prayers with the residents of the Boarding Homes Ministry by sending a prayer shawl (or two or three or four) to this year’s General Assembly. The volunteers in the Boarding Homes Ministry will then distribute the prayer shawls to the residents during their visits. My hope is that we will have a prayer shawl for each of the 359 residents in time for presentation at the Assembly. I can’t think of a better way to culminate my focus on growing the generosity of the church than through a flood of prayer shawls arriving in time to be presented at General Assembly.

I also hope that this will provide an opportunity to learn which congregations across Canada have an active Prayer Shawl Ministry and to link that vital ministry with the vital Boarding Homes Ministry. There may also be individual knitters across Canada who are not part of a Prayer Shawl Ministry in their congregation but who would like to knit a prayer shawl for a resident in the Boarding Homes Ministry. This could be your opportunity to combine your prayers with your knitting skills to provide a tangible expression of support for one of the boarding home residents. If you are interested in participating, please contact:

Sheryl Sutton, Planned Giving Program Coordinator
ssutton@presbyterian.ca
1-800-619-7301, ext. 265

Sheryl has volunteered to keep track of the congregations who will be participating in the great Prayer Shawl give-away for the residents of the Boarding Homes Ministry. You may either send your prayer shawls to Sheryl’s attention at:

The Presbyterian Church in Canada
50 Wynford Drive, Toronto, ON M3C1J7

Or you may send them directly to General Assembly with a commissioner from your presbytery. Whatever way you choose to get the shawls to Assembly, please let Sheryl Sutton know of your intentions, so that we can have a record of donors. Be sure to attach a note to each prayer shawl indicating the congregation from which it comes and offering your prayers for the recipient. And God bless you in advance for your generosity!

In keeping with the spirit of the season, many Christians often adopt spiritual disciplines such as fasting during their Lenten journey. When we normally think of a Lenten discipline, we usually think of giving up something, for example giving up meat for Lent or giving up desserts.   The idea is to give up something we value or enjoy to help us appreciate them more deeply and to grow closer to One who graciously gives them.   This is what lies behind the ancient tradition of fasting during Lent. 

While there is certainly a great deal of merit in such acts of self denial, I have found in my own life that when I have practiced such disciplines I often become more preoccupied with myself rather than less so, which seems a bit counterproductive.  That is why I have decided to do an alternative sort of spiritual discipline this Lent.  Rather than give up something during Lent, I have decided to give something each day during Lent.  That is, I have decided to be more intentional about practicing generosity during this Lenten season.  Each day during Lent, I will do some sort of intentional act of self giving. I’m not sure what those acts will be – I’m planning on figuring it out as I go along – but each day I resolve to do some act of grace (i.e. an unexpected, undeserved, and unconditional gift of love) that I wouldn’t normally do and see what happens as a result.  An example of such an act that I still remember with fondness was a road trip I took with some classmates during my university days.  While we were driving along a toll road, we decided to pay twice as much at each toll booth as was required, telling the toll booth attendant that the extra money was to pay for the toll of the car behind us.  That one simple act transformed the paying of tolls from something we all resented into a kind of happy game that I have never forgotten. 

The acts I choose may be large or small, open or hidden, for someone I know or for a complete stranger.  Who knows, I may end up doing more than one act on any given day – after all, God offers us any number of possibilities to practice generosity in any given day, and I’ve discovered from my own experience that giving is often fun.  So why limit myself to just one act of generosity a day?  But I am going to commit myself to one act a day, and I am going to keep a journal of my Lenten journey into generosity so that I can have a record of what I learn along the way.   I can’t think of a better way to follow in the path of him whose entire life was one continuous act of self-giving love and who didn’t say, “It is finished,” until he had finally given himself completely away as he was offering his life on the cross.  

By the way, my first act of generosity is to make this pledge and share it with you.  I invite anyone who would like to join me in my Lenten discipline to do so. I would like to call our group the Kenosis Fellowship.  Kenosis is the Greek word for “emptying” – a key theological term used to describe Christ’s way of self-giving love.  In Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, Paul gives this advice:

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.  Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God as something to be exploited (or grasped), but emptied himself taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:4-8)

So I invite you on this first day of Lent to become part of the Kenosis Fellowship and pledge yourself to doing at least one act of generosity that you would normally not do each day during Lent.  Be creative and have fun.   I would also invite you to keep a daily journal of your experiences, and if you feel so moved to share some of your experiences on this website.  And maybe as an act of generosity you can invite someone else to join the fellowship.  Oh, by the way, don’t feel it’s too late to become part of the Kenosis Fellowship if you decide to join half way through Lent, or even during Holy Week.  It will just mean you will have a little less time to enjoy the journey!

Just moments after Mubarak’s resignation, we received the following email at Church Offices from Rev. Sameh Hanna, who is serving Kasr El Dobara Evangelical Church in Cairo.  Rev. Hanna was ordained in The Presbyterian Church in Canada in 2007; but after serving the Arabic Outreach Mission in Toronto, he felt called to return to his native Egypt with his wife, Nevine, and their two daughters. Little could he have imagined what God had in store for him and his family.  His church is located just off Tahrir Square, the heart of the protests and the epicentre of the liberation movement.

This is Rev. Hanna’s email:

Dear prayer warriors,

Thank-you for the many e-mails/calls we’ve received asking about us in Egypt. We are a blessed family to know that you are praying for us and our people. As many of you know, our church is located in Tahrir Square (where the demonstrations have been taking place) in the downtown. We are safe, but there is still a curfew in the evening hours. The food supply is good: it is easily available but it is getting very expensive. Please continue to pray that the Lord will intervene, and that a peaceful resolution will be implemented.

I would like to share with you encouraging news. Last Sunday I led a worship in Tahrir Square with our worship team. We sang a few songs asking God to bless Egypt, some read scripture and others prayed in public. It was received very well by Muslims and their leaders (see attached photos).

We meet daily for three hours in different homes in Cairo to pray for our country and for the Egyptian people. We cannot open the church because of its location;  however, everyone is encouraged that we are together. After praying and sharing, we started to think of how we can minister during this crisis and we did the following:

• Two groups of our young people went to clean and collect the garbage from streets; each group had about 110 people.
• Some people visited the police stations to tell the police officers “Welcome back!” and that we appreciated their services. We gave them flowers as an expression of the love of Christ, and their response has been very positive.
• Another group has been distributing food in several poor areas of town.

Even so, the current situation is very dangerous and unpredictable. We have been encouraged to see our sovereign Lord help us through this and we are confident it will turn out for the greater progress of the gospel.

So as you watch the TV news reports and witness the turmoil in Egypt, let it stir us to pray for the advance of the gospel. Let it also move us to say to God, “Here we are. Send us into the chaos and pain. Use us to make disciples of all nations.”

Praise God for His goodness and sovereignty!

Please pray for our beloved Egypt and God’s intervention; for our church in Cairo that is encouraging members of its congregations to volunteer at hospitals in need of nurses and to help elderly people; and for peace in the minds and hearts of the Egyptians, as the future is uncertain.

Pray also that God will provide some financial support for those in need. We are collecting funds to attend to the needs of those who didn’t receive their paychecks — banks have been closed for a long time and are now open only for a few hours a day.

As I am finishing this email, President Mubarak is submitting his resignation.

Blessings,

Sameh Hanna

I would invite the church in Canada to continue to pray for the people of Egypt as they seek to build a more democratic nation and to pray for people such as Sameh Hanna and the members of his congregation who are seeking to minister in Christ’s name in the midst of the chaos around them.  And as we watch our TV and computer screens in the days ahead, know that God’s people are on the ground in the midst of the turmoil.  And know this, too: we are not just passive spectators as we watch what is happening in Egypt.  We are partners in prayer – “Prayer Warriors,” Rev. Hanna calls us.  So let us add our voices to those of our Egyptian brothers and sisters in Egypt as we call on our God to exercise his sovereign power – a power God uses, not to lord it over us, but to set all people free to use their gifts for the common good.

The scene is the food court of a mall in Welland, Ontario, near Niagara Falls, this past November 13th. The video has gone viral (over 16,600,000 hits in less than a month). If you haven’t seen it, please check it out. It is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit!

The other musical offering is the new Christmas CD from The Rev. Glen Soderholm, an ordained minister in The Presbyterian Church in Canada, an accomplished singer/songwriter, and a personal friend. Glen now shares his musical talents with the church full time, having begun what he calls Movable Feast Resources. Glen travels across Canada sharing his musical gifts as well as doing consulting and teaching work with congregations to help them discover new ways to enhance their worship experiences. Glen’s latest CD is a Christmas CD entitled, Do Not Be Afraid. The CD is a compilation of traditional Christmas carols as well as contemporary Christmas songs, some written by Glen. One of my favourite songs on the album is Glen’s rendition of Brian McLaren’s song, “God Bless the Poor.” The lyrics of the song are especially powerful and fit in perfectly with my theme of growing the generosity of the church. I share the lyrics below:

God Bless the Poor by Brian McLaren

With Glen’s permission, I also share a sample of the song and album. Glen is doing a tour promoting his new album. If you would like to check out his itinerary go to his website. Both his album and the concerts would make wonderful Christmas gifts.