Sunday, July 25

It happens all the time whenever I get to church service late, the feeling of getting up close and personal with ushers/greeters at the door. It happened again this morning – I was greeted by a familiar face at the door, who handed me a service program, and, then, I joined the congregation in the Lord’s Prayer while standing at the foyer before taking up a seat in the sanctuary.

This got me thinking about volunteerism at church.

Having been asked to do ushering a few times, I realize that it takes a certain amount of efforts and dedication of a person, or people, behind the scene well before a Sunday service, who looks after the logistics of having ushers at the door each and every service, and, not to mention those who make themselves available for the tasks. And this is only one of many aspects of church life or community where we all benefit from because people share their time and other resources. To this, I am grateful and proud to be part of that community.

Jonathan.

Sunday, July 18

Today we were reminded that salvation is not as simple of applying a dab of Polysporin to a burn or a wound, but that it is to be worked out, worked at, worked through. And, thankfully, that we are not alone in this work – God is at work in us.

In our continuing examination of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Paul sounds a confident note of surest hope that his flock, and by extension us, will work on salvation in concert with God, by doing His will and eventually “shine like stars in the world”. This, I think, explains the former reference to “fear and shuddering”. It seems an awesome responsibility to be a star. Do I feel worthy of this – definitely no. I appreciate the challenge inherent in this though. Often Christianity can seem a comfort, but the sense of work and rising up within myself is a difficult task.

Reverend Johnston helped us normalise the wonder of the question “what’s the meaning of life?” all the while insisting that the Christian response to the despondency and despair that such a question can engender is the resounding faith in salvation. This process, of course is given us by the grace of God, and as such, salvation begins with God, with God’s working within us.

Our minister referred to Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit (Huis Clos) as one imagination of what Hell might be – not just the absence of God, but in the play, no mirrors either. No community to reflect back to us our thoughts and deeds, and no self-perception either. This is what our congregation provides to me at least – a place for reflection in both senses of that word: a space to pause and indulge in introspection that is lacking in the rest of my life, and within a community with similar yearnings.

Do you feel the same sense of responsibility in taking up Paul’s challenge to be a star? What are your challenges to accepting God’s work within you to achieve salvation?


- Geoffrey

Sunday, July 11

This morning's service made me wonder about worship. I admit, I felt a bit like the hymn we sang, How does the creature say Praise? I didn't have (and still don't have now) the words to express what I was feeling, but I knew it felt worshipful. The music was inspired. Even though Debussy may not have written his pieces specifically for worship, the beauty of the work was incredibly worshipful. Ruth's flowers on the communion table; their simple beauty made me worshipful. Sitting in the sanctuary, built by men over a hundred and thirty years ago, amidst the strong columns and the stained glass windows, that made me feel worshipful.

And then Andrew reminded us that we make sense of our world by remembering to worship God. That we worship God because of his complete love shown through Jesus Christ coming to earth. And that if we begin with Christ and allow him to be our focus, if we become like Christ, God will shine through us like the beautiful light through the stained glass windows.

Beauty, bringing us to a place of worship, which then makes us beautiful through God's light. What brings you to a place of worship? Were there aspects of this morning's service that made you feel a little closer in your walk with God?

Have you thought of contributing to the blog? Comments on any post are most welcome! And if you'd like to write a post, leave a comment or email the church at contact@standrewsottawa.ca and we'll set you up.

Sunday, July 4

My husband, Jon, and I have spent a lot of time discussing citizenship in the past week or so.  The events on the streets of Toronto surrounding the site of the G20 summit have provided a great deal of fodder for thought and conversation, both about what it means to be a citizen, what rights are due citizens, what responsibilities are held by citizens, and how we as citizens should respond to occurrences such as those seen last weekend.  

While I would like to say that my faith is constantly informing my political thoughts and deeds, I must admit that I often fail to first think as a Christian, and only second as a Canadian.  It wasn't until this morning's sermon, however, that I had ever really thought of myself as a Citizen of Christ.  A Christian citizen, certainly, but that is a very different thing.  And what a compelling idea: that we are not only followers of Christ, sheep to His shepherd, students to the rabbi, but participants in His kingdom.

 In Paul's letter to the people of Philippi, he writes at 1:27, "live as citizens in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" and at 3:20, "But our citizenship is in heaven".  We have certain rights as members of the kingdom, such as access to His Grace, His Justification and Salvation, but also we have responsibilities.  What are our responsibilities as Citizens of Christ?  What are our duties to the Commonwealth of Heaven?  It's something I'll be thinking about this week.  I'll be thinking about how my citizenship in heaven can inform my citizenship in Canada, too, and how through meditating on the one, I might better fulfill the other.

Darlene