Page 43 - Presbyterian Connection

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WINTER 2021
Connection
PRESBYTERIAN
43
DEATH NOTICES
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PULPIT VACANCIES
To see all pulpit vacancies, visit presbyterian.ca/vacancies
Drusilla “Druse” Watt Bryan
Montreal, Que.
Deceased August 4, 2021
John Gerald Robert Sutherland
Kingston, Ont.
Deceased August 6, 2021
Margaret Mackay
Toronto, Ont.
Deceased August 21, 2021
Robert Earl Robertson
Ottawa, Ont.
Deceased August 27, 2021
Ward Schade
Kitchener, Ont.
Deceased August 30, 2021
Olive Ryckman
Scarborough, Ont.
Deceased September 3, 2021
Mary Elizabeth McInnis
Essex, Ont.
Deceased September 4, 2021
Continued from page 42
Scrolls that tell of different groups of people who were convinced that they were living in apocalyptic times. They were sure that Judgement Day—the “End of Days”—was im- minent, and so, they were driven by a hope that better times would follow, for which they sought to pre- pare themselves.
Third, turning now to the books of the New Testament, written in first- century Greek, there are three English words in use therein which are of interest to this issue: heaven, Ha- des, and hell. But those who read or heard the actual three words used in Greek understood the term heaven to mean the home of the gods on Mt. Olympus, Hades to refer to the Un- derworld, where the souls of the dead go for eternity, and the Hebrew word Gehenna (hell), which was a small valley just outside Jerusalem. Some scholars suggest that this valley was the garbage dump for Jerusalem and thus was continually on fire. But, that is just one guess among others. Ob- viously, the people of the day under- stood the reference to Gehenna, but they did not connect it to our modern idea of hell, which would be Tartarus in Greek. By using these words, of which the readers and hearers were familiar, the gospels and letter writers had the task of explaining the mean- ing of the words in Christian terms. There is a reference to “furnace of fire” in Matt 13: 42 that is worth looking at. As well, there is a play on words here. Take the h out of Ge- henna to get a New Testament Greek word meaning “hell-fire,” which is
Sarah Mansfield Hoag
Toronto, Ont.
Deceased September 15, 2021
The Rev. Marian Elizabeth Raynard Lucknow, Ont.
Deceased October 7, 2021
Carol Anne Issac
Truro, N.S.
Deceased October 9, 2021
The Rev. William Welsh
Halliday Baird Peterborough, Ont. Deceased October 10, 2021
Edith Anne Gear
Toronto, Ont.
Deceased October 15, 2021
The Rev. Dr. Lorna Gayle Hillian
Peterborough, Ont. Deceased October 16, 2021
never found in classical Greek. Fourth, the Apostle Paul, the most prolific and ardent writer of letters in the New Testament, never used the word hell, and wrote the word heaven about two dozen times, and even then only in the local idiom. Other letter writers rarely used those
two words at all.
The writers of the New Testament
were very concerned with our calling to daily tend to the building of the Kingdom of God and healing indi- viduals in body, mind and spirit, with God’s help.
Touching on the topic of God’s Kingdom, Paul, more than any other Apostle, declares to all humankind, worldwide, a unique and full-of-hope explanation of the “End of Days.” He asserts that all persons left on earth throughout the world following the Judgement, will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” to be healed of humanity’s fatal flaw, which has bedevilled every single body since Creation. These new beings, new creatures, will know the peace of God, and will end inequality, hunger, pover ty and homelessness; thanks be to God.
We usually think of salvation as having come to save humankind, but we often neglect in our thinking that all of creation needs God’s renewal of salvation. In this regard, many Indigenous people around the world have a deep and sacred care for the gifts of the Creator. Let us listen to and be guided by the wisdom of the elders.
Something to think about.
Edmonton, Dayspring (full-time minister) – Alberta & the Northwest
Fredericton, St. Andrew’s (full-time minister) – Atlantic Provinces
Duncan, St. Andrew’s (full-time minister) – British Columbia
Prince George, St. Giles (full-time minister) – British Columbia
Ajax, St. Andrew’s (full-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Amherstview, Trinity (60%-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Bradford West Gwillimbury, St. John’s (full-time Associate Minister for Children and Families) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Elmira, Gale (full-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Elmvale, Elmvale and Knox Flos
(full-time minister, 2-point charge) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Lakefield, St. Andrew’s, Knox
(60%-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Orillia, St. Andrew’s (full-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Parry Sound, St. Andrew’s (full-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Port Credit, St. Andrew’s (full-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Toronto, Formosan (full-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Toronto, Knox (full-time senior minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Toronto, Mimico (75%-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Toronto, Rosedale (full-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Toronto, York Memorial (half-time minister) – Central, Northeastern Ontario & Bermuda
Kenora, First (full-time minister) – Manitoba & Northwestern Ontario
Thunder Bay, Lakeview (full- time minister) – Manitoba & Northwestern Ontario
Arnprior, St. Andrew’s (full-time minister) – Quebec & Eastern Ontario
Montreal, Snowdon Korean (full- time minister) – Quebec & Eastern Ontario
Montreal, Taiwanese Robert Campbell (full-time minister) – Quebec & Eastern Ontario
Dundas, West Flamboro (80%-time minister) – Southwestern Ontario
Fonthill, Kirk on the Hill (full-time minister) – Southwestern Ontario
Innerkip (full-time minister) – Southwestern Ontario
London, Oakridge (full-time minister) – Southwestern Ontario
London, Trinity (half-time stated supply) – Southwestern Ontario
Mitchell, Knox (full-time minister) – Southwestern Ontario
Thornbury, St. Paul’s (full-time minister) – Southwestern Ontario
Walkerton, Knox (full-time minister) – Southwestern Ontario
REFLECTIONS
JUST WONDERING...
Submit your questions to connection@presbyterian.ca
Now that the General Assembly has approved a new definition of marriage that includes two options, who decides which one our congregation will adopt?
Answered by the Rev. Don Muir, Deputy Clerk, General Assembly Office
In 2021, the General Assembly adopted two parallel defi- nitions of marriage, recognizing that faithful, Holy Spirit filled, Christ centered, God honouring people can under- stand marriage as a covenant relationship between a man and a woman or as a covenant relationship between two adult persons. That congregations, Sessions, ruling and teaching elders be granted liberty of conscience and ac- tion on marriage (A&P 2021 p. 27).
Since it is the Session that is responsible for all policy and procedures with respect to the use of church build- ings and property, subject to the oversight of presby- tery (Book of Forms 109.2), the question of whether the church will host same-sex weddings rests with the Session and not the congregation. While the Session will want to be pastorally sensitive to the expectations of the congregation, it would not be necessary (and possibly
not appropriate) for the congregation to vote on the sub- ject. Like all Session decisions, this is one that can be reconsidered if there is a will to do so at some time.
If the Session (minister and ruling elders) accepts mar- riage as a covenant relationship between two adult per- sons, then it would make decisions about weddings held at the church based on that principle.
If the Session agrees that marriage is a covenant re- lationship between a man and a woman, then it would make decisions about weddings held at the church based on that principle. In this instance, it would be pastorally respectful for the minister to kindly refer a couple seeking a same-sex marriage to another minister who is prepared to consider conducting the wedding.
You can find more information about the definitions of marriage, guidance for Session decisions about mar- riage, and a sample wedding policy that would express those decisions at presbyterian.ca/session-decisions- marriage.