June 4, 2023

Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a

“An Inclusive God”

Trinity Sunday is an unusual celebration within the Church Year. It’s different from other special Sundays like Christmas, Easter, or Pentecost because it doesn’t mark an event in the life of Jesus or the experience of the Early Church. Rather, it’s focused on a particular doctrine of the church. Trinity Sunday is a day to ponder what we believe about God, and the particular idea formulated by the Church in the 4th Century that God is three persons in One God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

A lot of Trinity Sunday sermons attempt to explain the Doctrine of the Trinity. They might begin with what our Presbyterian Church in Canada says about the Trinity in Living Faith:
“With the one church universal,
we believe in one God,
eternal Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
three in one, one in three, equal in power and glory.
God is the Father to whom we come,
the Son through whom we come,
the Spirit by whom we come.”

And then, perhaps, the preacher could suggest some helpful (though usually inadequate) analogies to explain this mysterious reality. The Trinity is like a triangle, with three sides, but a single form. The Trinity is like a shamrock with … Read more »

May 21, 2023

Acts 1:6-11
Ephesians 1:15-23

“Called to Hope and Action”

Today we are celebrating Ascension Sunday. We read one of the stories about the final moments that Jesus spent with his disciples, heard the final words he shared with them, and then the description of how he was lifted up into the sky where a cloud took him out of their sight.

It’s a strange thing to imagine happening, and particularly odd because we don’t really think of heaven as “up”. We’ve travelled up in that sky among the clouds, and even sent rockets holding people well beyond it. The theological meaning of the story is not really about “where” Jesus went physically, but that the Resurrected Lord was not raised from death in order to die again. The author of Luke and Acts wants to convey the fact that the early Christians came to believe that Jesus did in fact live forever, and that he was with God.

The Apostle Paul proclaimed that belief to the Church at Ephesus when he wrote to them about God’s great power. He said, “God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly … Read more »

May 7, 2023

Acts 7:55-60
John 14:1-14

“Stay on the Path”

Over the last several months, I’ve been thinking a lot about pilgrimage – journeys that are undertaken towards sacred or holy places. Some of you have been participating in the “Presbyterians Read” book study on Jim Forest’s book, The Road to Emmaus: Pilgrimage as a Way of Life. And since I’ve been leading two discussion groups each week, as well as engaging with Presbyterians online about the book, pilgrimage has been on my mind.

I’ve been on a couple of walking pilgrimages – spending almost a week each time walking paths in Nova Scotia with a group of other pilgrims. And perhaps one day I’ll take the time to walk the 800 km Camino de Santiago in Spain. I’d like to do that, not so much for the destination of the shrine of the Apostle St. James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, but because of the journey itself – the walking, the challenge of making that journey, the beauty of the countryside, and the people I might meet along the way.

With pilgrimage on my mind, I couldn’t help but notice the journey theme in the Gospel reading for this morning. Perhaps that’s not what … Read more »

April 30, 2023

Matthew 25:31-46

“Little Ones”

Thanks to the SPY participants for helping me to bring that Parable of Jesus to life. It has been one of our theme passages this weekend, so it made sense to me that we share it with you in worship this morning. Most of you are probably quite familiar with this well-known parable, but it’s definitely one of the stranger stories that Jesus told.

It may be helpful to note that it’s not a story about something that happened, and it’s not even a story about something that WILL happen, as if Jesus is predicting the future. But it’s a parable – a symbolic story with a deeper meaning and an important message.

It’s a message that Jesus believed his followers should hear, a message that the author of Matthew thought his community of late-first century Jewish Christians should hear, and a message that I believe is super relevant for us today.

It’s a parable about the end of time or the final judgement day. And Jesus, referring to himself as the “Son of Man” or the “Son of Humanity” is also depicted as a king.

At the time that Jesus told this story, it was likely towards the end of his … Read more »

April 23, 2023

Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a
Psalm 8
Romans 8:18-27

“Creation Groans!”

Mardi Tindal, a former Moderator of the United Church of Canada, was a vocal member of the World Council of Churches’ delegation to the UN Climate talks in 2009 and 2011. She wrote this about her experience in worship in Copenhagen.

“I gasped as worship began. It was December 13th, 2009 and I stood in Copenhagen Lutheran Cathedral, alongside other church leaders from every region of the planet. Exposed glacier stones from Greenland, dried up maize from Africa, and bleached coral from the Pacific Ocean captured my attention as they called us – dramatically – into worship. As these three ‘members’ of the procession found their way slowly through the packed congregation, my eyes brimmed with tears. I wasn’t alone. These silent three – symbols of global climate change – spoke loudly. They led us into soul-deep lament over what we are doing, into high praise of our Creator, and into a wide hope that we might be revealed as Children of God.

“The Secretary General of the National Council of Churches in Denmark read the epistle, Romans 8:19-25: ‘For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God… in hope … Read more »

April 9, 2023

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

“You Have Put on Christ”

“O death, where is your victory? O grave, where is your sting?…

“Come, let me tell you a mystery, for we shall be changed triumphantly…”

When we started to practice the choir anthem that Chloe selected for this Easter Sunday Service, I immediately recognized the wonderful and powerful Scripture text from 1 Corinthians 15, and I thought, “That would be a great text to read on Easter!”

After all, Paul’s first letter to the Church at Corinth is one of my favourite books of the Bible. One of the things I like about 1 Corinthians is that it’s a realistic depiction of a church community. They’re enthusiastic about their faith, and they’re trying hard to live according to the way and teachings of Jesus, but they’re struggling with differences between them, conflicts, and issues that require some guidance and correction by their leader.

They have cliques, with some saying “I belong to Paul” or “I belong to Apollos.” Some think they’re better than others because they have special spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues. And they’re not very good at sharing – when they get together to celebrate a holy meal, some get well fed, and others go … Read more »

April 7, 2023

Matthew 26:14 – 27:66

“Why Do We Call it Good?”

On Good Friday, I don’t always preach a sermon. Sometimes we just let the scriptures speak for themselves. We tell the story of Jesus’ last day. We journey with him through the agony of his passion. And we pause at the foot of the cross to mourn for a while, because Jesus our Lord is crucified.

But this year, I wanted to preach. I wanted to spend some time with the event that we are remembering today, and to consider why it is such an important part of our Christian faith — why Good Friday, in many churches, is the most highly attended service of the year.

During Holy Week, I often remember a theme activity that I did with our Kids’ Club program back when I was serving in Saskatoon. We spent some time with the Easter story as a whole. The kids got lots of practice looking up Bible verses as they had to look up 14 different verses that traced out of events of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection. And then they had to put the events in the correct order. Once they had completed the activity, we reviewed the … Read more »

April 2, 2023

Philippians 2:5-11

“Poured Out”

There are a number of choices for Scripture readings on this Sunday that we call Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday – one week before Easter. But very often I find myself most drawn towards this text from Philippians chapter two. Side-by-side with the narrative account of what Jesus did during his final week in the world, and what was done to him, this passage from Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi gives us a poetic rendering of the events of Holy Week.

The verses Marianne read for us today are universally accepted as taking the form of a hymn. We don’t know if it was a hymn that Paul composed himself, or whether he was using a hymn already known to the Christians at Philippi to strengthen his message to them. But either way, a hymn was a good way to communicate and remember a message, as well as to express key aspects of early Christian theology.

The key aspects of theology expressed in this hymn have to do with the nature of Christ – that he was divine, having equality with God. And although he was God, he chose to humble himself to the form of a human … Read more »

March 26, 2023

Ezekiel 37:1-14
John 11:1-45

“Grief and Hope”

Ezekiel was a prophet to the People of Judah and Jerusalem when they were in Exile in Babylon in the 6th century BCE. He experienced many visions from God, and preached to the people in dramatic ways with signs and symbols. He preached God’s judgement, calling the people to change their ways and return to God. And he preached grace, proclaiming God’s desire to save and restore God’s beloved people and to return them to the land of promise.

This morning’s vision from Ezekiel is one of the good ones – a message of hope and restoration that will be accomplished through God’s power and love. But it begins with a vision of destruction, death, and despair.

Ezekiel explains that the hand of the Lord came upon him, and God brought him out and set him down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. God led Ezekiel all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.

What he sees is the site of a long-ago battle. Thousands of soldiers, or perhaps just regular people, have become caught up in some conflict and they have fought one another to … Read more »

March 19, 2023

John 9:1-41

“What I Missed Seeing”

Back when I was in seminary twenty years ago, the students in my class had the opportunity to do the Myers Briggs Personality Inventory. Some of you may have done it yourself at some point, or you may know that it’s one of those psychological tests that identifies some of your personality traits and tendencies, helping you to understand yourself a little better.

I remember that we learned that almost everyone in my class of ministers-to-be was an introvert, and we marvelled that all of us introverts would soon be preaching publicly every Sunday and interacting with all kinds of people every day!

Another thing I learned about myself is that I don’t pay much attention to my physical surroundings. At one point, the workshop leader asked us all to close our eyes, and then she asked us questions about the room where we were gathered. What colour were the chairs? Were there curtains or blinds on the windows? Describe the plant on the table in the corner.

And I couldn’t answer any of the questions! It was the same classroom I’d been sitting in three times a week all year, but I had no idea what colour the … Read more »

March 5, 2023

Genesis 12:1-4a
John 3:1-17

“Out of the Womb”

Abram and Nicodemus provide an interesting contrast in our readings today. First we have Abram, a model of faith, courage, and obedience to God. Today’s brief story is the first time that we hear about Abram in the Bible. God tells him to “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” And Abram goes. He does what God has told him to do.

He goes. And we know that he becomes the father of many nations, and the father of the three major religions of the world. After Abram, so many others come to believe in the One God. They worship God, and listen for God, and do their best to follow God and God’s ways.

Abram is a wonderful example of faith. Nicodemus? Not so much. Or at least, not yet. John’s Gospel tells us that Nicodemus is a religious person. He’s a Pharisee and a leader in the religious community. And just like Abram must have been hearing God’s voice in a new way, telling him to leave everything and start fresh in a new place, I think Nicodemus must have been hearing God’s … Read more »

February 26, 2023

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Matthew 4:1-11

“Tempted Not to Trust”

The obvious theme in the lectionary readings for this First Sunday in the Season of Lent is temptation. Adam and Eve are tempted by the “crafty” serpent in the Garden of Eden, and they succumb to that temptation and do the one thing God asked them not to do.

In contrast, Jesus is tempted by the devil during his forty days in the wilderness, and he resists. He quotes Scripture, stands firm, and stays faithful. And I am tempted to preach: Be like Jesus, resist temptation. Don’t be like Adam and Eve.

After all, it’s Lent. And if you decided to give up chocolate, or cookies, or alcohol, or Facebook for Lent, you may already be experiencing some temptation to break that promise you made to yourself and to God. Or if you decided to get up early each morning to pray, or to make time in your day for reading and reflection, perhaps you’ve already been tempted to skip a day and catch up tomorrow.

We may think of Jesus as the “super human” who is able to do the things that we struggle to do. He has that spiritual and emotional strength that we wish … Read more »

February 19, 2023

Exodus 24:12-18
Matthew 17:1-9

“Thin Places”

After Easter this year, our denomination will be offering a new study resource under the program “Presbyterians Read.” Folks from First Church have participated in these book studies in the past, often during the seasons of Advent and Lent. But this upcoming study could be done at any time because it’s on the theme of Pilgrimage as a Way of Life.

As the author of the study, I enjoyed reading Jim Forest’s book, “The Road to Emmaus” and putting together a program that involves reading the book, engaging in pilgrimage practices, and having group discussions over five weeks. I hope that some of you will be interested in participating when I offer the study this Spring.

The reason I’m telling you about it now is that the chapter on “Thin Places” connects very strongly with our Scripture readings for this Transfiguration Sunday. I wonder if you’ve heard about “thin places” before, or if perhaps you’ve experienced one yourself.

Jim Forest tells us that “thin places have a way of slowing us down, even stopping us in our tracks.” Thin places are locations “where ordinary matter seems charged with God’s presence.” He explains that many Christians receive inspiration and encouragement when … Read more »

February 12, 2023

Matthew 5:21-37

“The Spirit of the Law Means More”

Whenever this date in the Revised Common Lectionary comes up (The 6th Sunday after the Epiphany in Year A) I always think of one of the Church Music Directors that I worked with in Saskatoon. Like all of the Music Directors I’ve been privileged to work with over the years, Adam was diligent about looking ahead at the Scripture readings for upcoming Sundays and considering the themes the minister planned to preach on when selecting music for choir anthems and solos.

Well, the first time that this 6th Sunday after the Epiphany in Year A came up for Adam, he came to me looking quite worried and serious. He told me that he had searched high and low among his musical sources and he could not find a single piece that would fit with today’s Gospel reading. But then he brightened and said, “But don’t worry, Amanda, I have a solution. I’ve been working on a composition of my own.” And he started to sing.

I don’t remember the tune now, but it went something like, “If your eye makes you sin, dig it out, dig it out! If your hand makes you sin, cut … Read more »

February 5, 2023

Isaiah 58:1-12
Matthew 5:13-20

“Good Works Shine!”

That last sentence of today’s Gospel reading always sounds very harsh to me. Jesus tells his followers that “unless [their] righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, [they] will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

It doesn’t sound like the grace and mercy that we usually associate with Jesus, does it? Normally when people do wrong things (the opposite of righteousness) Jesus is the one who loves them anyway, who gives them another chance, who forgives them and welcomes them into the family of God.

But this morning we hear him preaching about strict adherence to the commandments, and making it clear that it’s not acceptable to ignore some of the rules or the finer points of God’s law. Not if you want to go to heaven, anyway.

In the first century, the scribes and Pharisees were two largely distinct groups. Scribes were professionals who had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents like contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, or sale of land. Every village had at least one scribe, and Jesus interacted with a number of them during his ministry.

Pharisees were not typically professional scribes, but they were also well-known as legal experts. They … Read more »

January 29, 2023

Micah 6:1-8
Matthew 5:1-12

“First Comes Love”

What does the Lord require of you? That’s an important question that comes up in the Scriptures frequently, and it was likely a priority concern for ancient people.

Most, if not all of them, would have believed in God or in a variety of gods, and they needed to know how to keep the gods happy with them so that they would be blessed. How should they worship and honour the gods? What offerings must they bring to satisfy and please the deities?

The success of their lives depended on these gods – whether their crops would grow, whether their families would grow, whether they would have good health and happiness, and stay safe from other tribes that sought to do them harm.

The prophet Micah addresses this question as he instructs the People of Israel: What does the Lord require of you? The situation there is that the people are really NOT pleasing God at the time. It’s not that they have failed to worship properly or to bring enough gifts and offerings. Rather, God is displeased with them because of their behaviour towards one another.

Micah was living in a time of major socio-economic change in Judah, including … Read more »

January 22, 2023

1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Psalm 27:1, 4-9
Matthew 4:12-23

“Called into Community”

There’s a beautiful line in this morning’s psalm that religious people often like. It says, “One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”

It sounds like a wonderful escape from all the troubles and trials of living in the world every day. We come to the place of worship and we enjoy the experience of singing and praying and drawing close to God, and receiving God’s love and protection. The Psalmist explains that God “will hide [him] in a shelter in the day of trouble; [God] will conceal [him] under the cover of his tent.” The house of the Lord is a place of safety where the Psalmist is “lifted up above [his] enemies all around.”

I wonder if that’s what it felt like for the earliest disciples when they responded to Jesus’ call to follow him. After all, God had come to be with them in the world in the person of Jesus Christ. And these fishermen not only had the opportunity to … Read more »

January 15, 2023

Isaiah 49:1-7
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42

“Pointing to Jesus”

I don’t follow Junior Hockey or sports generally, but it was hard to miss the news about Canada’s gold medal in the World Junior Championships a couple of weeks ago. And living here in Regina, I noticed lots of talk about the star-player, Connor Bedard, who was on loan from the Regina Pats.

Apparently, 17-year old Connor Bedard established several statistical benchmarks before Canada registered a 3-2 overtime victory over Czechia in the gold-medal game in Halifax. But individual accomplishments and accolades were the last thing on Connor’s mind as the players rejoiced on the ice following the game.

“I don’t want to talk about myself right now,” Bedard, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, told TSN. “We’re not talking about me. We just won the biggest tournament in the world and, man, I love this team, this country.”

Asked by reporters later about the reluctance to talk about himself, Bedard replied: “No one’s going to remember that from our group in 20 years. We’re going to look at our gold medal. We’re not going to look at stats or anything. We’re going to appreciate what we did together. That’s what matters.”

The story of Connor’s … Read more »

January 8, 2023

Isaiah 60:1-6
Matthew 2:1-12

“Shining Forth”

Almost every year during the Christmas season, I find myself in conversations about why we celebrate Christmas when we do. I remember one person commenting, “Every day is Christmas for me. We don’t know what time of year Jesus was born, do we? So I can celebrate his birth all through the year.” I certainly couldn’t dispute that! We really have no idea when Jesus was born, either what date or season, or even exactly what year.

What the Christian Church has done is to choose a birthday for Jesus. We have chosen a time of year to celebrate and give thanks for the birth of Christ, for God’s incarnation among us. The probable reason for the selection of December 25th was to coincide with pagan festivals that were being held around the time of the Winter Solstice. I can imagine the Christian leaders speculating… Perhaps if we celebrate a mass for Christ at that time, Christians will be less inclined to get caught up in those other pagan celebrations. There’s good sense in that reasoning.

And yet, there are other good reasons for celebrating the incarnation at the end of December. As John’s Gospel proclaims, Jesus is the … Read more »

January 1, 2023

Ecclesiastes 3:1-3
Revelation 21:1-6a
Matthew 25:31-46

“When Was It? ”

A few weeks ago, Nick and I got together for dinner with a friend that we haven’t had a chance to visit with for quite a while. Early in the conversation he acknowledged that it had been way too long, and he asked, “What have you two been up to over the last year?” So I actually paused for a moment and thought about that question. What have we been up to over the last year?

In my personal life, I thought of singing in the RSO Choir, trips to Winnipeg when Nick’s Dad was in palliative care and then to Vancouver in the summer for his interment. And of course there was our amazing trip to Germany in August.

In terms of ministry, I thought of helping to initiate the Saturday lunch program at First Baptist, lots of church activities finally getting back to normal this Fall, and the arrival of one of our refugee families. I confirmed for my friend that I no longer have any responsibilities at all as a former Moderator, but this was the year that in-person meetings really began to resume so I had several trips to Ontario for Canadian … Read more »