DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE “E” WORD
I want to tell you something about myself. Some of you may realize it; others perhaps not. But here it is. I am an evangelist. My sermons, most of them, have an evangelistic element to them. In the congregational survey about a new minister, the minister as evangelist…
GOD GIVES THE GROWTH
A favourite topic of conversation is growth. Naturally we hope that an infant is growing well, and we are pleased when it is. And when the child doesn’t seem to be growing as it should, concerned parents seek medical advice. In the spring and summer farmers scan their fields and gardeners watch their gardens for signs of growth.…
KNOW YOUR HISTORY
Guest Speaker Amy Crawford Amy Crawford is the Team Leader for Faith Formation and Mission with the General Council of the United Church of Canada, and has program responsibilities for children, youth, and young adults and United Church Women. Since 2003 she has worked in various capacities in the General Council Office. Amy is also deeply involved with Godly Play, a…
THE TOUCH THAT TAKES AWAY OUR FEARS
We read of an event which Matthew, Mark and Luke all include in their gospels. It is called the Transfiguration of Jesus. It was an unusual event, but truthful and factual. Peter writes in his 2nd letter, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but had been eyewitness of his majesty.…
OUR HELPER IN THE TIME OF TESTING
Suffering is a difficult topic but preachers can’t ignore it. For suffering, whether it’s ours or the suffering of the world, very much tests our faith. Many people say, “How can I believe in a God who allows the suffering we see in the world?” Or when we are suffering from some affliction in body, mind and spirit we wonder why…
TRUE RELIGION
Many people say about themselves, “I’m spiritual but not religious.” That’s quite popular these days and there is a good side to it. By saying that, people are acknowledging that they are more than just physical beings. They are acknowledging the instinct that God has placed within us – that this universe and life itself cannot be explained without reference to a…
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN HERE, NOW
We are told that timing in life is very important. For example, timing is important in the real estate market or in the stock market. Buy low, sell high, if you can, but it’s not always clear when the time is right. The timing of so many events is out of our control. They just seem to happen. Often we say, “Oh, I should have done that earlier, or I wish…
BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL
In Yellow Stone National Park in the U.S. there are over two hundred geysers. But one geyser is more popular than all others and not because it reaches the greatest height. It is popular because it is dependable. Once every sixty-five minutes it shoots a stream of boiling water over 170 ft. into the air. You can set your watch by it.…
PEOPLE WHO RESEMBLE JESUS
Here is God’s goal for people who believe in his Son – that we would come to resemble Jesus. God’s Spirit is making us like Jesus. A few years ago I, along with a fellow clergyman, the Rev. Dale Skinner, stood in the Jordan River, near where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Now no one knows whether that…
GRACE UPON GRACE
The new year always seems like a gift of grace. It’s like we turn the page and start again with a blank slate. That’s why we make New Years’ Resolutions. Of course, resolutions are hard to keep. One man has words of comfort for those who make resolutions: “Don’t worry about keeping those 2020 New Year’s resolutions, you only have to deal with them until…