Something happened this Sunday morning that made us think of Abass Hassan Mohammed. James met Abass in a refugee camp in Kenya in 2004. Abass had fled Somalia with his family in 1992 and had survived in one of the poorest and most violent refugee camps in Africa for more than a decade. But Abass had accomplished something even more remarkable: his final high school exam results ranked him first in his province and eighth in Kenya. With the help and encouragement of strangers and friends, he won a scholarship to study at Princeton University.
Abass’s incredible journey was made possible, in large part, by light. Recognizing the importance of education, his parents spent what little money they had on kerosene, so that Abass could study after sunset. Providing light for their son was a significant sacrifice for them to make in a camp where refugees barely receive enough food to survive.
How often do we take light for granted?
Light was the central theme of Reformation Sunday at St. Andrew’s this morning. In our reading of Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus tells us that we are “the light of the world.” In the message from the Rev. Dr. Emidio Campi, we learned that a central image of the early Reformation was uncovering the light, which is the word of God. We were challenged to let this light be free and to shine in the world through our actions. As we sang in the children’s hymn:
Jesus bids us shine, then for all around;
Many kinds of darkness in this world abound:
Sin and want and sorrow; so we must shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
We heard of one opportunity to let our light shine at the start of the service when we learned more about the decision by St. Andrew’s to sponsor the S* family for resettlement to Canada. The S* are an Iraqi Christian family. They have lived as refugees in Syria for many years due to the violence and persecution of Christians in their homeland.
When introducing us to this ministry of our congregation, Peter L. reminded us of Matthew 25:31-46, where we hear that God calls us to feed the hungry, refresh the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick and show solidarity with the imprisoned.
This call for action is as important today as it was 500 years ago at the start of the Reformation. Indeed, a central message of this morning’s sermon was what God did through Reformation. “We don’t remember Reformation to celebrate tradition but to celebrate God’s action,” said Rev. Dr. Campi. “The Reformers were illuminated by God’s living word.”
If God accomplished all this through the Reformers so long ago, what can God accomplish through us today if we let our light shine?
– Laurie Mackenzie and James Milner
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, October 24
Thou Shalt Share: Honouring God, Respecting Others
The focus of today’s service was justice and forming a just society.
The lesson for the children really resounded with us. Andrew talked about an ice cream factory that made his favourite flavour: mint chocolate chip. He explained to the children that, to make this delicious ice cream, you need a large vat of milk, a bucket of sugar, a small bowl of chocolate chips, an even smaller dish of green food colouring, and, lastly, a very tiny container of mint flavouring.
One day, however, the ice cream factory made the ice cream but forgot to include that tiny container of mint flavouring. Nobody liked the taste of the ice cream, and nobody wanted it. They learned that, in this case, the smallest ingredient was the most important – the one that completed the recipe and gave the ice cream its distinctive and appealing flavour.
Andrew asked us to think about how this story might apply to society. He asked us to think about people in our city and in our lives: those who are poor, those who struggle with school, those who are old, those who are ill. Jesus said that it is, in fact, these people who are the most important. If we can’t take care of them, if we can’t love them, then nothing in the world is right. In other words, we’ll be missing an essential ingredient, just like the mint in the ice-cream.
Andrew also encouraged us to look at the commandment “Thou shalt not steal” in a new light. He put forth the idea that, instead of thinking only of the prohibition contained in these three words, we might want to consider them as a positive exhortation, something more like, “Thou shalt share.”
Stephen Allen, Associate Secretary, Justice Ministries of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, expanded on this idea in his sermon, called “Signposts to Freedom.” Drawing on the experiences of diverse groups of people who struggled – and still struggle – for justice and freedom, he suggested that we think about the commandments not just as rules that tell us what not to do, but as constructive starting points that could help frame the way we live.
Quoting Leviticus 25, Stephen spoke about the year of jubilee: Every 7 years, fields are to lie fallow; every 50 years, land is to be returned to its owner and debts are to be cancelled. He spoke of how this concept applies today, a time in which many people – the Global South in particular – struggle with crippling debt. Stephen also mentioned the active role St. Andrew’s played in working to cancel these debts during the Ecumenical Jubilee Campaign (1999-2001), reminding us not to underestimate the role that the church can play in public life and how it can contribute as a forum for moral deliberation.
What we took from this morning’s service: In a world plagued by suffering, injustice and inequality, we should think more about those in need and find new ways to act on the lesson of sharing behind the four words “Thou shalt not steal.”
After all, we all need a little mint in our ice cream.
-Katherine and Jeremy Boyes
UPDATE: Listen to Rev. Johnston's children's story here. (8minutes, 7.8MB)
The focus of today’s service was justice and forming a just society.
The lesson for the children really resounded with us. Andrew talked about an ice cream factory that made his favourite flavour: mint chocolate chip. He explained to the children that, to make this delicious ice cream, you need a large vat of milk, a bucket of sugar, a small bowl of chocolate chips, an even smaller dish of green food colouring, and, lastly, a very tiny container of mint flavouring.
One day, however, the ice cream factory made the ice cream but forgot to include that tiny container of mint flavouring. Nobody liked the taste of the ice cream, and nobody wanted it. They learned that, in this case, the smallest ingredient was the most important – the one that completed the recipe and gave the ice cream its distinctive and appealing flavour.
Andrew asked us to think about how this story might apply to society. He asked us to think about people in our city and in our lives: those who are poor, those who struggle with school, those who are old, those who are ill. Jesus said that it is, in fact, these people who are the most important. If we can’t take care of them, if we can’t love them, then nothing in the world is right. In other words, we’ll be missing an essential ingredient, just like the mint in the ice-cream.
Andrew also encouraged us to look at the commandment “Thou shalt not steal” in a new light. He put forth the idea that, instead of thinking only of the prohibition contained in these three words, we might want to consider them as a positive exhortation, something more like, “Thou shalt share.”
Stephen Allen, Associate Secretary, Justice Ministries of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, expanded on this idea in his sermon, called “Signposts to Freedom.” Drawing on the experiences of diverse groups of people who struggled – and still struggle – for justice and freedom, he suggested that we think about the commandments not just as rules that tell us what not to do, but as constructive starting points that could help frame the way we live.
Quoting Leviticus 25, Stephen spoke about the year of jubilee: Every 7 years, fields are to lie fallow; every 50 years, land is to be returned to its owner and debts are to be cancelled. He spoke of how this concept applies today, a time in which many people – the Global South in particular – struggle with crippling debt. Stephen also mentioned the active role St. Andrew’s played in working to cancel these debts during the Ecumenical Jubilee Campaign (1999-2001), reminding us not to underestimate the role that the church can play in public life and how it can contribute as a forum for moral deliberation.
What we took from this morning’s service: In a world plagued by suffering, injustice and inequality, we should think more about those in need and find new ways to act on the lesson of sharing behind the four words “Thou shalt not steal.”
After all, we all need a little mint in our ice cream.
-Katherine and Jeremy Boyes
UPDATE: Listen to Rev. Johnston's children's story here. (8minutes, 7.8MB)
Sunday, October 17, 2010
October 17, 2010 - Honour thy Father and Mother
Rebecca thought it was especially apt on a personal level that today was the day we explored the fifth commandment - honour thy father and mother - it's her mother's birthday!
We found it very helpful that Andrew was careful to distinguish between honouring one's parents and, as an adult, obeying them. Sometimes it is a dishonour to someone to obey them blindly if we don't agree with them, and it is important, especially as people live longer and longer, to consider how parents and children can live together as adults.
The discussion of health care Andrew offered - universal health care being a necessary incident of honouring one's elders writ large - was especially salient for both of us - for Matt of course, as a physician and also for both of us having lived recently in the United States in the midst of health care debates. We have often wondered how people can think, claim, shout, that they are following in the ways of Christ and at the same time contend that they don't want their tax dollars to pay for health care for others.
This week, as Andrew mentioned, we are all no doubt riveted to the images of Chilean miners raised from the depths of 69 days in a dark mine shaft a kilometre below the ground. Two kinds of stories coming out of the coverage about this wonderful rescue are of particular relevance to today's sermon. First, the stories of faith and community coming from the miners - about how they stayed organized in a social structure despite harrowing conditions, and how they kept faith and hope. Second, analogies of their experience to birth and rebirth have been interesting. In this sense, the rescuers become the metaphorical parents and caregivers to the men, who gestate in the earth's womb and are reborn into the world. The singular devotion of Chilean authorities, and especially their President, to the rescue of these men, is a truly inspiring story and a telling allegory for how God is with us, how a community of human beings can care for one another and how we can honour each other.
Matt and Rebecca Bromwich
We found it very helpful that Andrew was careful to distinguish between honouring one's parents and, as an adult, obeying them. Sometimes it is a dishonour to someone to obey them blindly if we don't agree with them, and it is important, especially as people live longer and longer, to consider how parents and children can live together as adults.
The discussion of health care Andrew offered - universal health care being a necessary incident of honouring one's elders writ large - was especially salient for both of us - for Matt of course, as a physician and also for both of us having lived recently in the United States in the midst of health care debates. We have often wondered how people can think, claim, shout, that they are following in the ways of Christ and at the same time contend that they don't want their tax dollars to pay for health care for others.
This week, as Andrew mentioned, we are all no doubt riveted to the images of Chilean miners raised from the depths of 69 days in a dark mine shaft a kilometre below the ground. Two kinds of stories coming out of the coverage about this wonderful rescue are of particular relevance to today's sermon. First, the stories of faith and community coming from the miners - about how they stayed organized in a social structure despite harrowing conditions, and how they kept faith and hope. Second, analogies of their experience to birth and rebirth have been interesting. In this sense, the rescuers become the metaphorical parents and caregivers to the men, who gestate in the earth's womb and are reborn into the world. The singular devotion of Chilean authorities, and especially their President, to the rescue of these men, is a truly inspiring story and a telling allegory for how God is with us, how a community of human beings can care for one another and how we can honour each other.
Matt and Rebecca Bromwich
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Sunday, October 10
Give thanks! Share your thoughts after this Sunday's time in worship by leaving a comment below.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Sunday, October 3
"O Blessed are they that hope and trust in the Lord"
The theme in the anthem, and such a wonderful promise/reality for all Christians. The Lord's Supper is such a blessed reminder of God's great love for his children, the Shepherd with the crook/staff to rescue his sheep/children from the thicket along the pathway. As I watched the pews fill up this morning, I was thinking how interesting it would be to know the different kind of motivations that spurred each one to attend today's worship. For some it is the thing to do on a regular basis, for some they may have been passing through town and were with us for a one time visit, for some, seeking support during a difficult time, and maybe for others to partake in the Lord`s supper. Whatever the reason, we were all there by the aid of the Great Shepherd.
I was very intrigued with Andrew's message today, very to the point and such a wonderful explanation of a, shall we say, challenge which faces so many of us on a daily basis.
Busy>>>>>>burning of the heart, indeed!
I found the concept of the Sabbath being the pinnacle of our work, so interesting. I can now ponder it from a different view. I look upon the Sabbath as a day of rest for the store of energy for the coming week. What is your perspective?
I do agree that we are very very vulnerable to wearing out our mind ,body and soul on work, on whatever, and are left with no energy for God, for our fellow human kind and ourselves.
Why do we allow this to be? Why do I ? Why do you? Why does our Church?
I pray that our message today will bring to the fore front for each of us, the simple things like, "the wine and the bread".
Your thoughts please,
Regards, Grant
UPDATE: A short summary of the sermon is available here: The Sabbath.mp3
The theme in the anthem, and such a wonderful promise/reality for all Christians. The Lord's Supper is such a blessed reminder of God's great love for his children, the Shepherd with the crook/staff to rescue his sheep/children from the thicket along the pathway. As I watched the pews fill up this morning, I was thinking how interesting it would be to know the different kind of motivations that spurred each one to attend today's worship. For some it is the thing to do on a regular basis, for some they may have been passing through town and were with us for a one time visit, for some, seeking support during a difficult time, and maybe for others to partake in the Lord`s supper. Whatever the reason, we were all there by the aid of the Great Shepherd.
I was very intrigued with Andrew's message today, very to the point and such a wonderful explanation of a, shall we say, challenge which faces so many of us on a daily basis.
Busy>>>>>>burning of the heart, indeed!
I found the concept of the Sabbath being the pinnacle of our work, so interesting. I can now ponder it from a different view. I look upon the Sabbath as a day of rest for the store of energy for the coming week. What is your perspective?
I do agree that we are very very vulnerable to wearing out our mind ,body and soul on work, on whatever, and are left with no energy for God, for our fellow human kind and ourselves.
Why do we allow this to be? Why do I ? Why do you? Why does our Church?
I pray that our message today will bring to the fore front for each of us, the simple things like, "the wine and the bread".
Your thoughts please,
Regards, Grant
UPDATE: A short summary of the sermon is available here: The Sabbath.mp3
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