Archives: Sermons

Devotional:

One of the many things I miss as we continue to live in the shadow of a pandemic is singing together. Don’t get me wrong I still belt out songs on the regular whether I know the words or tune or not. But it has been awhile since I sang with others. My Mom has sung in choirs for most of her life and on this Mother’s day I think of all the songs she has sung in churches as I grew up. I always like trying to pick out her voice from all the others during an anthem.  I’m so thankful that with the choir program we are using to record our hymns that I get to sing with her. I am sure that many of you who sing in choirs know what I mean when I say I miss singing together.  One of the songs that I often sang with others was the hymn Abide with Me  by Henry Francis Lyte. It’s one of those fairly well known classic hymns that carries with it both a hint of melancholy and assurance. I mean truly, the words are filled with sadness and pain but also the knowledge that through our deepest darkness God abides with us. I would argue that one of the reasons why this is a classic hymn is because it mimics some of those heartfelt laments found in the Psalms. “Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.” The author and Anglican minister, Rev. Lyte, suffered poor health most of his life and at age 54 he developed tuberculosis and died. But for 27 years prior to his death he would often read or sing Abide With Me to parishioners who were enduring hardship or death. It was a sort of personal prayer that he would share. It was sung publicly for the first time at Rev. Lyte’s funeral. The hymn is loosely based on Luke 24:29 when Jesus appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and they ask Jesus to stay with them or abide with them. But I could not help hearing that song as I encountered the gospel passage for this morning.

This is a continuation of last week’s passage and part of a greater piece called Jesus’ Farewell discourse. It is a large section in John that takes place on the night of the last supper. In our text Jesus transitions from the image of the vine that we heard last week and is expanding the meaning of love and abiding that he hinted at earlier in the passage. Jesus says, “If you keep my commandments. You will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” Last week we compared grafting with abiding but this week we look at what “to abide” really means.

Truthfully, the word abide is perhaps one of those slightly archaic church words that most of us don’t use in common speech. It’s like the words bestow or exalt or liturgy- we all have a vague understanding of what the word means because we’ve grown up with them but if you’re new to the church the words seem old fashioned or strange or completely unknown. To me, abide is one of those words.

Eugene Peterson in his paraphrase of the passage doesn’t use the word “abide” but instead says, “make yourself at home in my love.” And that’s not a bad understanding of the word abide but is that all that the word means? To make yourself at home. I mean, when I “make myself at home” it usually means that I dismiss any formal social etiquette. It means I take my shoes off and put my feet up and relax. To abide certainly means to get comfortable and cozy in God’s love but it doesn’t mean get lazy or complacent. What does it mean to abide in love?

The Greek word for abide is meno and it means “to remain” or “to stay”. For example, much earlier in John when Jesus is just starting to gather the disciples, two of them ask Jesus “where are you staying?” and the word they use is meno. To abide, to remain or to stay; or it can mean to reside or to occupy or to live. Imagine instead of abide Jesus said, “as the Father has loved me, so I have love you; occupy in my love.” It draws on some of that radical language of the Occupy Movement.

If we understand the word abide in that way then we need to move on to the question what does it mean to abide in Christ’s love? Theologian Emily Askew points out that, “Love in this passage is not a psychological state, nor is it anywhere described as an internal quality. Love is an action—a really difficult action. The definition of love here is a radical willingness to die—not for your child or spouse, but for a fellow follower of Christ.” To occupy Jesus’ love is not for the faint of heart, its not even for the romantic heart.  To live Jesus’ love is not for the passive heart, despite the fact that the heart is an involuntary muscle. To reside in Jesus’ love is a continuous process in which those branches we referred to last week bear fruit. Here Jesus ties his previous statement of being the vine and we the branches with this image of abiding in love.

Abide also means to remain stable or in a fixed state much like an interwoven vine of grapes. I think this is why Jesus attaches this abiding imagery to the vine and branches metaphor because to abide is a calling. A calling that keeps us connected and dependent on one another. Or more precisely we are connected to God through Christ but in order for this connection to have meaning, it must be reciprocal and that is manifested through our dependence upon each other. Jesus explains this by redefining his relationship with his disciples as his friends. If we are going to abide, or occupy, or reside, or live in Christ’s love it must be displayed through friendship.

Jesus unpacks this language of abiding by saying, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” The disciples are no longer servants or even students of Jesus’ teaching but friends with Jesus. This of course pulled me into another well known classic hymn, “What a Friend we Have in Jesus” which was written by Joseph Scriven who also suffered much in his life including the death of his fiance the day before they were to be married, estrangement from his family over religious difference, and his own severe illness. He wrote the poem while he was living in Bewdley, Ontario near Port Hope after he received word that his mother was ill. He wrote it in a letter to her to try and bring her comfort despite their fractured relationship. “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.”

The Gospel passage finishes with Jesus stating, “I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last…I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” To abide in Jesus’ love means friendship. I know this is oversimplifying a very complicated theology, I know I am running the risk of sentimentalizing something very deep, but just think, if every person you encountered, you encountered as a friend, not a stranger, what that would do to the world. I know some of you well enough to know that some of you can strike up a conversation with anyone and in that brief moment a friendship develops even if you never end up knowing their name. I know some of you well enough to know that you are more like me, you keep your guard up and don’t want to engage in conversations. So, I know that for some of us this idea of seeing everyone as your friend is a lot harder to do! But to abide, to occupy, to live in Jesus’ love means a manifested friendship. Because no matter how fast the eventide falls, no matter how deep the darkness gets, no matter how helpless we become, God abides- occupies, resides, lives- with us. Amen

I recently visited one of our local wineries, under the guise that I was doing research for this sermon. As I walked among the just budding vines I noticed something interesting; about half way up the trunk there was a change in the plant structure, as if it had been fused together. When I enquired if the plant was okay. The vintner explained that they prefer to graft their grapevines to a different rootstock. The roots have evolved to resist certain diseases and fungi that are very common in this growing climate but because they want a variety of grapes they graft different varietals to the heartier roots. And as I listened with intent I thought to myself, A-HA! I’ve got my meditation introduction!  It wasn’t until 1864 when grapevines in France began to decline sharply due to a pest that had been introduced from North America that vintners began to graft grapes. Now almost all wines grown in France are grafted to a North American rootstock that is resistant to this pest. Grafting technology is not a new invention within farming. An ancient Chinese farming manual from 6th century CE talks about how to graft pear plants to crab apple stock to increase harvest. But it is actually Paul in his letter to the Romans who writes one of the earliest evidence of grafting practices. In Romans 11: 17 he says, “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches.” In this passage he is speaking directly to Gentiles and explaining how they have been grafted into God’s kingdom.

Last week we heard how Jesus called himself the good shepherd and how he listens not only to his own flock but to the lost sheep outside the fold, hinting at a broader depth to his role as God’s son. This week we hear another “I am” statement. Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.” So, here we have another “I am” metaphor that Jesus builds upon verse by verse. And I’m going to be honest, unlike the shepherd metaphor, I totally identify with this image….I think. But again, just like Jesus qualified his comment about being the good shepherd, so Jesus says “I am the true vine”. This is essentially implying that there are many false vines. Jesus might be referring to the corrupt religious leadership of the day that was distorting the law. Jesus might be referring to false messiahs, all claiming to have a special connection to God. But I tend to believe that Jesus is stating that there is a lot in this world that can give us a superficial sense of worth. Sources of energy that can give us comfort but inevitability do not provide us with the life that Jesus can offer. Distractions that can take us off course under the pretence of being something worthy. Therefore Jesus is the true vine.

And if that’s the case, then God is the vinegrower. God knows the plants, studies their development, provides the right growing conditions and removes and prunes as necessary. However, it is the next line about abiding that made me think of grafting. We will dive much deeper into what this word “abide” means next week but we get a sampler of it today. Jesus appears to abruptly switch gears and talks of abiding in him as he abides in us but he explains that this is because the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, it must abide in the vine. Now, I know, vines and branches are not the same as roots but essentially on a grapevine the branches and vine are one. They must be grafted to something of strength in order to grow. The root must run deep and be resistant to the many dangers that face a plant, particularly in an ever changing climate. I like to think of the root as the Trinity- all that God is, is found in one strong core. It is the foundation upon which we grow. And Jesus explains that there is part of his person that is the vine, reaching out, in teaching and healing, so that the branches can bear fruit. All of which provides the right growing conditions for a fruit bearing vine.

But in this analogy what is the role of the Holy Spirit in all this? Now, bear with me because I’m about to develop this vine metaphor even more. I can remember my elementary teacher Mme. Peltier teaching us about photosynthesis. This incredible  process by which a plant converts light energy into chemical energy which transforms into oxygen and sugars. The sugar helps the plant grow and the oxygen, helps us live. While it is all easily scientifically proven I think that there is still mystery to such an involved process, especially when it is for something as basic as plants. But if I were to develop and deepen this fruit bearing metaphor a little more I would include photosynthesis- an unseen process that gives life and strength. That’s the holy spirit in my books. Without it we can not grow.

So where do we go from here? Jesus says, I am the vine, you are the branches and God is the vinegrower and I have built on this to include the process by which the plant flourishes to reflect the holy spirit, and the trinity upon which this is all grafted is the root.       But what is it to bear fruit? A healthy plant does not have one spindly branch but many branches. This draws on the idea that fruit bearing is not a completely individual practice. It requires the community. Director of the Styberg Preaching Institute, Gennifer Benjamin Brooks says, “bearing fruit means engaging for ourselves as individuals and as the church in those activities and tasks that recognize and invest in the goodness of God’s love by spreading that love to the neighbour whom we are called to love. The specifics of bearing fruit are left to the community as a whole and to each individual who receives the nurture that both Christ and the community provide…Yes we are individuals, but as Christians the individualism so admired by the world must take a back seat to the reality that all that we are and have are a result of the abiding grace of God.”

Community has taken on a new meaning as we all individually participate in this service some watch or listen live, some at a time that works best for them. But many comment on how we can see how many views a service has. Originally I thought it was part of our YouTube culture- we want to see if this is going to “go viral” but I actually think it is because it creates a sense of community. We know that there are others who have seen this service.  We are participating in this together. It is a way for us to feel connected but also a way for us to branch out. Always rooted to the trinity. Growing through the unseen mystery of the Holy Spirit. And in this way we abide in Christ, and Christ in us, and we together as disciples. Cheers! Amen

Not having much, actually any, experience as a shepherd I have always struggled with the metaphor of being a shepherd, which may explain why I don’t use the word pastor all that often. However, I recently encountered a metaphor that does appeal to me. Minister and author Craig Barnes wrote in his latest book, Diary of a Pastor’s Soul that he has always been uneasy with thinking of himself as the shepherd of the congregation. That role belongs to Jesus Christ. He writes, “It’s far more helpful to think of myself as a sheepdog that nudges sheep toward the only Saviour of the flock…like all sheepdogs I have to be more attentive to the Good Shepherd than to many other agendas in a congregation. Jesus doesn’t call us to take on every need that comes our way.” While sheepdogs are various breeds like Border Collies or Shelties all sheepdogs are smart, have a loud bark and shed a lot. So yeah with my great intelligence, loud voice and often shedding hair, I definitely identify more with sheepdogs than shepherds. In this morning’s gospel lesson Jesus really builds on the shepherd metaphor which, if you’re like me with very limited shepherding experience, can be troublesome.  The relief comes in the fact that Jesus clearly points to himself as the shepherd not us. 

Jesus also does something strange with the image by calling himself the “good” shepherd. I’ve often wondered why he felt the need to qualify that. The thing is that shepherds were viewed with contempt in 1st century Palestine, so it is a very strange thing to compare oneself to a shepherd. They were poor, smelly, and had a reputation for inappropriate behaviour. While shepherding people was a metaphor for leadership, particularly religious leadership, for much of Israel’s history, it too was often used in a derogatory way.  In fact, the prophet Ezekiel, in chapter 34 of his book really digs into the people who are supposed to be leading Israel and calls them false shepherds. Those who were supposed to be looking after the flock of Israel have done nothing but look out for themselves- thus leading the sheep into exile. I’m not going to preach on Ezekial 34 but I would commend it to you for reading at another time because  when read through the lens of filthy leadership or a leadership that cares only about themselves and not the poor, I find it uncomfortably too close to our own reality. 

And, before we think that Jesus came up with this shepherd metaphor all on his own we have to look at the long use of the analogy through out the Old Testament. I already mentioned Ezekiel, which was written around the 8th century BCE but as early as Genesis when Jacob bestows his last words to his sons, he declares that his son Joseph will be blessed by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel. And of course, there is the familiar and comforting shepherding language found throughout the psalms, particularly Psalm 23. 

The reasons that Jesus has to declare himself as the good shepherd is twofold. One, he wants to make the comparison between himself and the one prophesied about in Ezekiel and two, because people didn’t expect shepherds to be good.  In the original Greek the term “good” can also be translated as noble or beautiful. This nobility of the shepherd is certainly reflected in the second line of our gospel text in which it says that the good shepherd or noble shepherd is willing to die for the sheep. 

We tend to sentimentalize this image of a shepherd and there is a danger to this too. Sure, it’s very bucolic, the idea of a shepherd in a lovely field surrounded by fluffy docile sheep but that’s not what shepherding is about. It is a costly job that often places the shepherd in danger.  Shepherds were expected to fight off any predators. Unlike a hired hand who will run away at the first threat a shepherd steps in to protect their sheep. And it’s hard work, being outdoors in all kinds of weather at all times of the day or night- this is likely one of the many reasons that I don’t like to call myself a shepherd- I love the outdoors but don’t have the stamina to do it 24hrs a day in all-weather conditions. Jesus is stating that not only is he good but he is the right one for the job. He is the one who will be able to contend with all the challenges that his helpless sheep find themselves in. 

Then there is another key point that is made by Jesus about what kind of shepherd he will be. Not only will he be good, or noble and will lay his life down, not only is he the right one for the job with the courage, strength, and endurance to face the challenges. But will he know his sheep. He will know every cry, he will know every bleat and baaaah. We are known better by Jesus then we know ourselves. And on top of that he will keep an ear out for those bleats he doesn’t recognize. This shepherd won’t just look out for his own flock but for any lost sheep that come his way. Jesus says, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.” Here we get an inkling of the depth of God’s not only redemptive but universal love. 

Craig Barnes goes on to say, “Our delight has to come from helping others gather around the Good Shepherd. Thinking of myself as a sheepdog saves me from the illusion that the pastor is necessary. I am cherished and called by the Shepherd to serve the flock. But I can save no one. Getting off that hook is the best way I know to handle the inevitable failures in ministry and still enjoy a long tenure of service to a congregation.” And guess what, you’re all in this with me. You’re sheepdogs too. Our job, is to be the sheepdogs, the constant companions to the shepherd. Training our ears to the commands and yapping our way in the follow through. So, bark bark, let’s hear what the Good shepherd is calling us to do. Amen. 

One of my favourite camp songs was “Peace Like A River.” It had some great
actions and went something like this, “I’ve got peace like a river, I got peace like a river,I’ve got peace like a river in my soul (in my soul). I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river,I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.” The song goes on to sing, “I’ve got joy like a fountain and love like an ocean.” With increasingly more difficult actions. The song gets its lyrics from a mish-mash of Biblical verses. It was Isaiah who often referred to
peace being like a river. Joy like a fountain likely also stems from Isaiah but there is a great passage in Romans that says, my God, the fountain of hope, fill you with overwhelming joy (Romans 15:13) and love like an ocean may come from the Psalms Here’s the thing, it only recently dawned on me that rivers aren’t always peaceful. A walk to Nymph Falls will tell you that rivers can rage! As Spring sets in and big melts take place we know that floods can happen and can wreak havoc on communities. I love swimming
in the Quinsam River but you wouldn’t catch me dabbling in the Campbell River just on the other side of the highway. What does it mean to have peace like a river?
I actually think that the Scripture lesson for this morning can help answer that question. We celebrated Easter two weeks ago- and so many of us have moved on from the resurrection story. But in our lesson this morning we are actually still on the day of resurrection. Jesus has already shown himself to two disciples while they were walking to Emmaus. These two have rushed back to Jerusalem to tell their friends and as they are discussing what this could all mean, Jesus appears and declares, “Peace be with you.”
When Jesus begins this conversation and says, “Peace, be with you” we can argue that this was simply a common greeting of the time, and so we shouldn’t read anything into it. But in Greek the word means security, safety and prosperity as well as tranquility. It’s likely that Jesus said, “Shalom”, often a greeting shared between Jews but again it’s meaning
goes deeper to include contentment or wholeness, even harmony. I think it is important for us to think of peace in this way. That it can mean security and safety even when the world is in chaos but it can also mean harmony with the chaos. Jesus is assuring his disciples that even though they have just experienced the most tumultuous few days that all is well
with the world. That if the waters of a wild river are raging around them they can be assured of God’s presence around them.
So Jesus greets them with, “Peace be with you” but instead of peace, the disciples are startled and terrified and they think they are seeing a ghost. If you grew up with Saturday morning cartoons, like I did, then you might even imagine a scene from Scooby Doo- with Scooby jumping into the arms of Shaggy who declares, “a ggggghooost!” Here Jesus is offering peace but their fear, their doubts, their bewilderment, their confusion, all
those unknowns, are swirling around them, like a whirl pool in a river.

Then Jesus does everything he can to prove to them that he is really there-
completely present with them. He tells them to look at his hands and feet. Tells them to touch him so that they can feel his flesh and bones, to feel his body heat radiating off him.
To feel his human-ness. But still the disciples can’t believe their eyes or sense of touch, they are still disbelieving and wondering- so Jesus does the most human thing he can think of, he eats in their presence. Its been so long since we have had a meal physically together, and so it’s possible that we forget what it is like to gather among friends for dinner- how
human that action can be, the wonderful combination of laughter or conversation, and nourishment. Jesus provides peace amongst their turmoil by returning to what they did best- talking and eating together. It is in this moment that their doubt and unbelieving is transformed.
The disciples are transformed from frightened followers to wondering witnesses.
Jesus, opens up their minds to understand the scripture in such a powerful way that less than two months later Peter will transform from a fumbling fisherman to a prophetic preacher. And they are witnesses of these things. They are witnesses to the life, death, and now resurrection of Jesus. As witnesses they are now not only part of the story of God and God’s people but are now tasked with providing this peace. And they will provide it by
proclaiming repentance and forgiveness to all nations. They are to be indiscriminate with how they dispense this peace, a peace that doesn’t not really mean calm from the raging waters but rather calm within the raging waters.
Mike has a t-shirt from the Saugeen river society in Ontario that says, “Advice from a river; Go with the flow, immerse yourself in nature, be thoughtful of those downstream, stay current, the beauty is in the journey.” Perhaps this is what the term peace like a river means. I honestly think that this is good advie for Jesus’ disciples too- because if they thought that this was the wildest day of their life- a day that started with the women
telling them about two men dressed in dazzling white by Jesus’ tomb, and then had two of their friends, who were supposed to be in Emmaus running back to declare that they had seen Jesus- to this moment when Jesus talked through the night with them about the Scriptures-if they think that this is the wildest day then they are about to embark on a wild ride as they preach and proclaim, as they witness to the life, death and resurrection of
Jesus.
Their going to need the Holy Spirit’s help as they try to “go with the flow” and have peace like a river and thankfully that’s on the horizon for them too. But now, it’s up to us- we’re the witnesses, we’re the ones who are to proclaim repentance and forgiveness, we’re the ones who are to offer peace. We have experienced some pretty wild turmoil the last year and a bit. And it may not be calming down any time soon but the world is in need of peace, the peace that Jesus’ presence provides. We too need to go with the flow,
immerse ourselves in God’s creation, be thoughtful of those downstream, stay current and find the beauty in the journey- even when we have our doubts or chaos is around us. But that’s what having peace like a river means to me. Peace be with you. Amen

Message- Written by Andrea Perrett, convener of the PWS&D Committee

It is a fair statement to say that 2020 was a difficult year and we know that the
challenges continue. We are not in the midst of a 100-yard-dash, rather we find ourselves
in the middle of a marathon. Covid-19 has impacted us all personally; perhaps your work
has changed, your children are at home with you, or you have been personally affected by
the virus. The coronavirus has also impacted communities; businesses are closing, and our
recreation programs and group activities are no longer available.
And the pandemic has definitely impacted congregations; whether you are able to
worship in person, or are staying online, for the first time in our memory our churches
have shuttered their doors and our worship services have been altered for the foreseeable
future, with the familiar singing, passing of the peace and coffee hours being reimagined.
The impact of COVID-19 goes beyond the borders of our country, too. As a
global pandemic, there isn’t a nation that has not had its health or economic situation
affected: sadly, many countries were already running the marathon against food insecurity
or poverty long before Covid-19 became a reality.
While the Covid-19 pandemic is extraordinary, it’s safe to say that we have all
had things we struggle with throughout our lives. When the pandemic is a distant memory,
we will still have sorrows, regrets and losses to contended with in all the important aspects
of our lives.
The Bible is a source of comfort and strength for me, especially over the past
months. And as I have spoken with others, I have been encouraged by the variety and

depth of the scriptures that they have been sustained by during this time.
One of the PWS&D Champions read Psalm 91 earlier in this service. This
scripture says, “You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of
the Almighty, will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I
trust.’” I have found myself particularly drawn to this Psalm as a reminder of where I can
find my shelter and strength. It is comforting to know that for thousands of years, great
clouds of witnesses—including Christ—have also been seeking comfort and strength in
these words.
Empathy is another thing I have been turning towards and grounding myself in
these days. Life is difficult – I know that I am in need of empathy from others, and I am
trying hard to use a hardy dose of empathy with others – simply acknowledging and
understanding another’s suffering. Empathy is one of the foundational values that underlay
our Christian witnessing. Ruth shows us empathy while journeying with Naomi and Jesus
embodies empathy in action when feeding the five thousand. Paul reminds us to be
empathetic with others, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep”
(Romans 12:15), and the second half of the Great Commandment, love your neighbour as
yourself, encourages us to take a posture of empathy. For me, drawing close to God in
Scripture and practising empathy go hand in hand.
We take on a posture of empathy because we first experienced empathy from God
being empathetic with us. Through the incarnation of Jesus, God joined in with our human
story and experienced the depths of life. Simply put, Jesus understands us. He felt the joy
of friendship, the pain of rejection, and died a human death. We know what empathy is
because we have experienced it from God. As we grow more into the likeness and image
of Christ, we begin to take on a deeper posture of empathy—and we act on it. Today, on
PWS&D Sunday, we are reminded that our work of supporting PWS&D – of responding
and lifting up other people and communities around the world—is a witness to God’s
empathy, care and compassion for people.
During these extraordinary times, PWS&D’s partners around the world remain
deeply committed to their work, no matter what is going on related to the pandemic. While
need was great prior to the pandemic, meeting ever increasing need has become even more
challenging. One of our partners from Malawi commented, “Since the beginning
of the outbreak, we have never stopped working.” Our partners are so conscious of the
vital difference the programs are making at the community level, that they continue despite
the difficulties and personal risks. In many areas the pandemic has amplified the needs
that were already present. For example, in Somalia a profound lack of resources and rising
food prices due to COVID-19 have meant that many simply cannot access what is needed
to sustain their own health and that of their children.
Single mother Fatuma lives in a camp with her two-year-old daughter Hawa. A few
months ago Hawa was very sick as she was malnourished and severely underweight.
Fatuma brought her daughter to a nearby clinic supported by PWS&D, which she had
heard about from others in the camp. “I was worried Hawa would die,” recounts Fatuma.
“She spent 12 days in the stabilization centre where she was given medicine, nutritional
feeding and received a transfusion. I was also given meals while she was admitted.”
Now, Fatuma can hold her daughter close, knowing Hawa has made a full recovery.
Through Canadian Foodgrains Bank, in countries like Somalia and Afghanistan, PWS&D
is responding to increased food needs due to COVID-19 by ensuring that families and children have the food they need to survive.

In a number of countries, PWS&D has supported local partners as they repurpose program funds to provide COVID-19 support. Even as we work to carry on with our long-
term sustainable development work, families have received food kits, as well as hygiene and sanitation items, including hand soap and disinfectant wipes. Lester, a recipient of
these items commented, “I’m so thankful for your support, for the masks, for these small
expressions of love. We’re so thankful. Honestly, we didn’t have access to buy these
things since we’re so far out. But now, thanks to you, we have masks, and won’t have to
use our little bit of money to buy them. Thankfully you are here supporting us with these.
We’re so thankful.”
Part of finding our shelter with God is taking steps to extend that shelter to others
around us. As a denomination, our support of programs like this, driven by our empathy,
help to provide comfort and refuge to others around the world. When we see people
seeking the comfort and refuge of God, we are called to use empathy to invite them into
God’s embrace.
This has been a difficult time for us as individuals, as congregations and as
nations around the world. And it seems like the coming months will continue to be
difficult. Yet, as we turn towards God to sustain us during these hard times, we find that
God’s care, comfort and empathy is not limited or finite. As we draw close and find refuge
in God’s shadow during these uncertain times, let us work together to reflect this care to
others and invite them into God’s care as well.
God sides with the vulnerable. Right now, it might seem like we are all vulnerable
– but God is big enough to shelter each of us and to come along side us in our hurt and
suffering. There is plenty of room in the shadow of the Almighty, where we can all find
comfort and refuge.

If you have ever taken a writing course you may know that the general theory is
there are only five ways to properly end a story. You can have a resolved ending where the
hero accomplishes what they set out to do. You can have an unresolved ending in which

the hero does not accomplish what they set out to do. You can have a twist in the ending
where the hero does not accomplish what they set out to do but accomplishes something
else. You can have an implied ending where we don’t know if the hero accomplished it but
it was really about the journey in the first place or finally, you can have the “it was all just
a dream” ending, which isn’t satisfying for anyone. Endings are a funny thing and it
appears that Mark had some trouble ending his gospel, or rather, the monks who were
transcribing his Gospel didn’t like how it ended and needed to provide something more
complete.
If you have a Bible in front of you, you may notice that there are multiple endings
to Mark’s gospel. In the version I have in front of me right after verse 8 in all caps it says
THE SHORTER ENDING OF MARK and verse 8 is briefly extended. Then, again in all
caps, it says THE LONGER ENDING OF MARK, and it includes 11 further verses as
well as a short detail regarding the ascension. In fact, in various ancient manuscripts there
are five different endings to the Gospel of Mark. It is, however, generally believed that
the original manuscript ended at verse 8. We heard the NRSV version but I like the New
International Version which states, “The women fled from the tomb, trembling and
bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.” Happy
Easter? No wonder scribes felt that there needed to be a bit more because this ending is
worse than “it all being a dream”, worse than an unresolved ending, I get that the gospels
were really all about the journey not the final destination, but that ending leaves no
closure. Since January we have touched on how Mark likes to use the word immediately or
suddenly, well suddenly his gospel ends. But perhaps there is purpose to this open ended
conclusion.
However, before we look at the ending let’s look at the beginning of the passage.
On the Saturday evening, after their sabbath meal, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of

James and Salome (sah-LUH-mei) go out to purchase burial spices. This was a pre-
planned trip. Then very early the next day, at dawn, they head to the tomb. Notice how it

is a double reference, the writer could have just as easily written “they left at dawn” but it
says “very early on the first day of the week” (reference one to the time of day), “when the
sun had risen” (the second reference) and this is to point out that the women left as soon as
they could, as soon as the darkness of night had lifted they left for the tomb. Mark is still
demonstrating that there is an urgency to the women’s need to dress Jesus’ body with
spices. This is also a well known practice in 1st century Palestine.

As they approach the tomb they mutter to themselves, who will roll away the
stone. It’s funny to me that they had the foresight and planning to go out the night before to
pick up the spices but they neglected to ask someone of strength to come with them to help

roll away the stone. Grief sometimes makes us a little illogical. We fixate on one aspect
and completely ignore another. But then, they see that the stone has been rolled away.
They enter the tomb and there is a young man dressed in white sitting to the right. In
Judaism, angels were described as young men, so we should also probably take this man to
be a heavenly being. Understandably the women are alarmed. This is not what the
expected to find. And they hear the words, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus
of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here.” And for further proof
he points to the place where Jesus’ body should be. The angel tells them to tell the
disciples and Peter that Jesus will meet up with the disciples later on. But as we know the
women are seized by terror and appear to say nothing to anyone.
Let’s assume that Mark ended his gospel at verse 8. What that tells us is that the
experience of the resurrection is an initially overwhelming experience and the first
response is shock and silence. But we know from the other gospels, and by the pure fact
that we are here today celebrating the resurrection, that the women do not remain silent.
They do indeed go on to tell the disciples. But this open ending, allows us as readers to
contemplate these unusual events and respond in our own time. The resurrection
is unbelievable. Despite the fact that Jesus told them this was how it was going to happen,
no one was prepared to find an empty tomb. They are caught off guard. Have you ever
been caught off guard by God?

In trying to understand why the gospel ends this way, theologian and blog writer,
David Lose, writes, “Maybe [Mark] knew that no story about death and resurrection could
possibly have a neat and tidy ending…Maybe he believed that this story isn’t over yet, and
he writes an open ending to his gospel in order to invite us to jump in and take up our part
in continuing it.” And I tend to agree. The story isn’t over yet. And now that we have
celebrated our second Easter during this pandemic we need to think about how this story
isn’t over. The story of the resurrection should cause us to be a little stunned, even afraid,
maybe even uncomfortable, because it demonstrates just how powerful God truly is, and
that’s something to fear. But it also reminds as that we are enveloped into this story of
incredible, unbelievable grace, and salvation. We need to understand that the words, “He is
not here” is only the beginning of what God has in store for us! Happy Easter! Amen

Psalm 95 is part of a group of psalms called “enthronement psalms” from Psalm 90-106. They were likely sung during the Jewish New Year celebrations that celebrate the enthronement of God. But they also deal with the difficult crisis of the Babylonian exile. These psalms not only sing of God’s reign but also painfully related doubts about Israel’s core beliefs in the face of upheaval. You know, it has now been over a year when the Session made the unprecedented decision to close the building- a mere five days before we were then required to close our building. Our AGM this afternoon will reflect some of those changes- we don’t have the usual group or committee reports- our budget demonstrates both hope and challenge. But one thing holds true or has remained true- and Psalm 95 reminds us of it, that God, our rock of salvation, the creator of the depths of the earth, and the heights of the mountains has remained with us, in fact, has inspired us to be creative during our time of upheaval.

Paired with Psalm 95 is Psalm 121, which is classified as a psalm of ascent, likely meant to reflect the journey pilgrims would take up to Jerusalem. Living where we do, surrounded by sea and mountains, we often forget how wondrous they really are. Although, perhaps this year, as many of you spend time outside, going for walks at Point Holmes, Goose Spit, Kye Bay, Bevan Trail, or Paradise Meadows, there are moments when we stop, take a deep breath and say, wow.  When we drive along dyke road we see the Beaufort mountain range, and are sometimes struck by their beauty- as we look to those mountains, and sometimes remember to look to God for help. And, just like God, the mountains are also something to be feared- and I don’t mean to be afraid of- rather to be held with awe. This is something Al Wedel did often- whether he was skiing on Mount Washington or hiking Mount Albert Edward. The volunteers who serve as the Mount Washington Ski Patrol know this too. Today it is my privilege to welcome Margaret Symon who is a member of the Board for the Mount Washington Ski Patrol. This is the second community organization that we are supporting this year through our Lenten Project. The Mount Washington Ski Patrol was an organization close to Al Wedel’s heart and so we want to honour his memory by supporting them.

 

Today’s Gospel lesson includes one of the best known, most loved verses of the New Testament. If you ever wanted a “sound bite” that stated what most Christians believed this would be it. It is a straightforward expression of God’s love for the world and promise of eternal life. But in isolating just John 3:16 from this passage,  we tend to forget the bigger picture- the context from which this passage comes. First, this whole conversation takes place because a Pharisee named Nicodemus wants to hash out some ideas with Jesus. The conversation takes place because Nicodemus wants to learn more about Jesus and thus, more about the self-giving love of God for us. The conversation will then goes on to talk about deeds- and this is because when we hear of that famous line, “For God so love the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life” it is meant to be a challenge- for God so loved the world- and now it’s your turn. How do we respond to this declaration? In some ways this is how we can look at our lenten project, a time of year when we not only reflect and repent and pray but this congregation reaches out to help in love.  And that not only includes directing funds but having conversations. It has been my privilege to have conversations with members of the two organizations we are supporting through our lenten project this year.

Today it is my pleasure to welcome Lindsay Jamieson-Powell, Program Director from the Comox Valley Head Injury Society. This is one of two community organizations that we are supporting this year as part of our Lenten project. This is in part because a former member, Gordon Johnson, was heavily involved in this society and had a deep passion for the people that were served through it. We wanted to honour Gordon’s memory by supporting them.

I’m not entirely familiar with high end fashion. Sure, I know certain brand names and understand them to be out of my price range but for the most part I couldn’t recognize or discern a difference between a Klein or a Gucci. I could however, recognize the beige, black and red tartan looking pattern of Burberry. This luxury fashion company was started in 1856 and gained popularity for it’s trench coats during World War I. But in the 1970s English gangs began to use a very similar patter of beige, black and red for their own gang wear and quickly the Burberry brand began to gain a bad reputation. People were in fact banned from wearing it in pubs in parts of England.  The company hired a re-brander and although the pattern wasn’t changed, the reputation did. Through new leadership, overhauling the products to even include swimwear, and perhaps most importantly through celebrity endorsements the brand was lifted back up to luxury class. It is one of the most famous re-branding success stories within the world of business, certainly within the world of fashion. The thing with re-branding is that it takes courage, change and there’s a good chance you will alienate a few people along the way. Our friend Jason Byassee says, people don’t fear change they fear loss. You see we don’t mind change if it benefits us, but if we feel like through the process of change we’re going to loose something, then we tend to resist it. Both re-branding and change are a big part of what is happening in our Gospel reading this morning.

The story of Jesus cleansing the Temple is somewhat unique in that it is found in all four gospels. We tend to call that “multiple attestations”. What that means is that because it appears in all four Gospels, then it likely happened much in the way it is described. The one major difference between John’s version and the synoptic Gospel versions is that John places it near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. I think that this variation reflects more about the Gospel writer than the story. By the time the author wrote the Gospel the believers in Jesus, yet to be named Christians, had been cut off from the synagogue. They have begun to understand themselves as different from the Jewish community. They are beginning to realize a major change in their life as a community. We might call that re-branding.  Within this change they are challenged to find their identity and define themselves in a different way.

Jesus also makes a pretty heavy statement, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up!” Understandably most listeners hear this comment and believe Jesus is referring to Herod’s Temple. They are incredulous that a building constructed over a period of forty-six years could be rebuilt in three days. It is a ridiculous notion. Jesus does not correct their misconception, but an aside in the text alerts us as readers that Jesus is alluding not to Herod’s temple but rather his body. That it is his body that will be destroyed in the crucifixion and will be built up in three days by the resurrection. The temple, the building itself,  symbolized the location and presence of God for the Jewish people. Jesus is essentially saying to the Jewish leaders that he is the presence of God. Where one looks for God, expects to find God, imagines God to be, are all at stake for this Gospel. Given that the actual temple in Jerusalem had been lying in ruins for about twenty years before the Gospel of John was written, this passage would have been especially poignant for its original audience. Imagine both how difficult and drastic that change must have been for them.

The marketplace in the Temple is also a reminder of how easy it is for a sacred ritual to take on a life of its own. We have all said at some point in our church life, “This is the way we must do it because this is the way we have always done it.” By Jesus’ day many rituals had grown to the point that there was more attention paid to precision than intention. Within the temple itself there was more attention paid to the procuring of money and animals than there was to the meaning of the sacrifices themselves. This story is a reminder that it is very easy for the trappings of success by secular standards, to spill into our Christian communities. Our idea of sacred space has drastically changed over this year. I definitely could not have ever imagined that we could feel like church without actually being IN a church- and there have been huge learning curves along the way but we’re doing it. We have re-branded how we do church. It certainly feels like the way we were doing things has been upended.  The sacrament of communion is one of our rituals. There are things that are normally said and done as part of this sacred meal. But we are learning that it is not the ritual but the intent of the practice that matters .

I hate to say it, but it means change is inevitable. It was change that put Jesus on the cross, it was the love on that cross that changed everything. Change is hard, we have lived and are living that right now. But I think God is pushing us to re-brand together, we can work at recognizing what pieces of our heritage and identity are timeless and what changes will make us a vibrant community in the future. Thanks to God’s everlasting faithfulness we’re not alone in these changes. In Jesus, God is right here, among and ever present with us even as we celebrate this sacrament from the comfort of our own homes. Amen

When one is faced with a milestone in life…say a milestone birthday, it is common to become rather reflective, even nostalgic about how they got to where they are today.

Did you know that nostalgia comes from two Greek words, algia meaning pain, like fibromyalgia and nostos which means homecoming. So nostalgia literally means homecoming pain. It used to be believed that nostalgia was a symptom of depression. But recent studies have actually shown that there are benefits to nostalgia. In Seniors nostalgia is a way of knowing that the life lived has had meaning. And fascinatingly if you are cold nostalgic feelings actually make you feel warmer. I also think in milestone moments we begin to think about our origin stories, maybe even get nostalgic about our origins. Most of us don’t have prequel movie-esque plots but we can look back and see how our  origin stories made us who we are. Today- we essentially hear the origin story of the entire Judeo-Christian faith. And you know, this story makes me nostalgic for my former Sunday school teacher, Mr. Millar, because I can remember him telling and unfolding this very story, a story about a promise, much like last week’s, but also a story about lineage, new beginnings and origins.

To be fair, this isn’t really the origin story of Abram. The story of Abram has dominated Genesis since chapter 12. Last week we talked about how Noah’s story involves a bit of controversy. Well, let me tell you, Abram’s does too. Like the time he pretended Sarai was his sister so that she could become part of Pharaoh’s harem and Pharaoh would treat Abram well as a result, which causes Pharaoh’s house to become afflicted and they send Abram and Sarai on their way.   Also,  Abram is 99 years old at this point in the story, not exactly a spring chicken. Although,  I will point out that at this stage in Genesis we are dealing with people who live very very long lives. Abram’s father Terah lived until his was 205. So in that context, at 99, Abram is middle aged.  It’s not even the origin story of the covenant God makes with Abram. God has already declared that a covenant will be made with Abram back in chapter 15. However, in our reading we hear the terms of this covenant. That Abram shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations and that from this point forward Abram will be named Abraham. So, this is the origin story of Abraham.

I began to wonder what the significance was- why was it important that Abram get this ever so slight name change?  You know, it’s strange, for all the years I have heard this story I never once questioned the name change. It seemed like a natural step- like changing one’s name marks the beginning of a new chapter in their life. Makes sense to me. But there is actual significance to the meaning of the names. In Hebrew, Abram means exalted father. Abram is vital to the story of God and God’s people. The name Abraham means father of a multitude. As an aside, Sarai means princess while Sarah is the arabic word for joy or delight. These name changes hit at the root of who Abraham and Sarah will become in history. Their name changes foreshadow what is about to happen for the rest of their lives.

Covenants are also part of these origin stories. According to John Gibson’s commentary on Genesis, the word covenant appears 396 times in the Bible. And most often it does refer to promises given and received between God and individuals. These individuals often serve as representatives for others. In every single case of covenant making, God is the one who makes the first move. It is always God who initiates it. Reminds me of grace, that it is unwarranted- it is not because of our own doing but entirely based on God’s doing. In fact, with regards to this covenant between Abraham and God, Abraham was ready to pack it in and abandon his faith since he had no “legitimate” heir. God intervenes and makes this covenant. Now, last week, we heard the story of the very first covenant that God made- that never again would all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood- and it was marked with a rainbow. This covenant with Abraham, promises that this is the beginning of an incredible history for Abraham’s descendants and it is marked by this name change. There are numerous other covenants predominantly throughout Old Testament, as the people of Israel establish their identity as God’s people. The last covenant, is given to us by Jesus, when he says, “This cup is the new covenant poured out for you for the forgiveness of sin.” Here both the act of covenant making and grace are intertwined. This is the origin story of the church- of how we fit into this story of God and God’s people.

Later on in Genesis, in chapter 22 the covenant with Abraham will be expanded, following Abraham’s sign of deep devotion when he almost sacrifices his own son. At that moment God says, “I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven…and by your offspring shall all nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves.” Here we get a hint, that this story isn’t just about one group of people but all people. God’s blessing and grace is not limited to one nation let alone one family.

It might be prudent to suggest that we all think about our own origin stories. How is it that we have ended up, here at this time and this place. There is a slight chance that the origin story of how you ended up watching this on YouTube is because the algorithm put it in your playlist…wouldn’t that be providential.  Where does your story of a life with God begin? And then the follow up question is, how might you help someone begin their life with God? I know, it sounds a little evangelical for our Presbyterian bones but I have indeed become very reflective, even nostalgic, these last few days and in that reflecting time people who have been integral to my origin story have come to mind. People who left their mark, some did it through action and teaching while others may not even know the impact they had. But this is part of this covenant living, actively engaging with the world as one who has been blessed with grace. Amen