Lection: Revelation 21

December 24, 2023 (evening)

Isaiah 43:15-21
Psalm 96
Revelation 21:1-6
John 1:1-14

“Sing a New Song”

Carol Singing

We don’t have enough services in the Christmas season to fit in all the wonderful carols of our faith that have been written to celebrate Christ’s birth. We’ve already sung several during the season of Advent, and we’ll sing some more next Sunday as the season of Christmas continues. But rather than miss singing some of our traditional favourites, we thought tonight we would do a little extra carol singing.

Our theme in worship throughout Advent has been “Sing a New Song.” Over the last four weeks, we have studied and joined in the Song of Mary as she sang about God bringing down the powerful and lifted up the lowly through the ministry of her son, Jesus, who was soon to be born. We sang the Song of Zechariah who foretold that his son John the Baptist would prepare the way of the Lord.

We rejoiced with the Song of the Angels to the Shepherds, proclaiming good news of great joy to all people. And we found hope in the Song of Simeon who was filled with peace when he recognized God’s promise fulfilled in the child Jesus, who would be the Messiah.

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 »

January 2, 2022

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Revelation 21:1-6a
Matthew 25:31-46

“A Time to Welcome Christ”

As we begin a New Year, the passage from Ecclesiastes seems very appropriate for our reflection on the year past and our looking forward to all that is in store for us in 2022. The author of the Wisdom Book of Ecclesiastes helps us to keep the events of the last year in perspective, remembering that there were good times and challenging times, and that God was with us through them all.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted…” There is a time and a season for each purpose – good news for those of us who often feel like we are always running short on time.

Of course, the poetic listing of those various purposes is familiar to us. Perhaps we’ve encountered the passage in Bible study, or heard it read at a funeral, or maybe we just know the song by Pete Seeger, later covered by the band, “The Byrds”: “To every thing (turn, turn, turn) there is a season (turn, turn, turn) … Read more »

January 1, 2017

Sermon by the Rev. Amanda Currie

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Revelation 21:1-6a
Matthew 25:31-46

“A Time to Welcome Christ”

As we begin a New Year today, the passage from Ecclesiastes seems very appropriate for our reflection on the year past and our looking forward to all that is in store for us in 2017. The author of the Wisdom Book of Ecclesiastes helps us to keep the events of the last year in perspective, remembering that there were good times and challenging times, and that God was with us through them all.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted…” There is a time and a season for each purpose – good news for those of us who often feel like we are always running short on time.

Of course, the poetic listing of those various purposes is familiar to us. Perhaps we’ve encountered the passage in Bible study, or heard it read at a funeral, or maybe we just know the song by Pete Seeger, later covered by the band, “The Byrds”: “To every thing (turn, turn, turn) … Read more »

May 2, 2010

Revelation 21:1-6
Psalm 148
John 13:31-35

Behold! Behold! I make all things new
beginning with you, and starting from today.
Behold! Behold! I make all things new
My promise is true, for I am Christ the way.

I am proud of our choir today for being willing to try something new by singing “Cantate Brasilia” this morning. The Latin words, though ancient, were new and challenging for us. And the complicated rhythms of the piece meant that we had to work hard to get them right and up to speed. But it was worth it, I think, to sing a new song to the Lord, and to share the enthusiasm and spirit of another culture in making music to glorify God.

Behold! Behold! I make all things new
beginning with you, and starting from today.
Behold! Behold! I make all things newMy promise is true,
for I am Christ the way.

It’s strange and new for the minister to be delivering the sermon while sitting in a chair, singing and playing an African djembe drum. I’m not even dressed as usual in an alb and stole, but I’m dressed for worship at camp – in jeans and a bunny hug.

I know that new things can be off-putting. We may not be … Read more »

May 13, 2007

Acts 16:9-15
Psalm 67
Revelation 21:10, 22 — 22:5
John 5:1-9

As we move through the season of Easter and towards Pentecost, the readings continue to prepare us to function as community without the physical leadership of Jesus. We are invited to participate in our own salvation and to continue to struggle towards a more just and faithful expression of community in Christ.

In the Book of Acts, Luke writes about the progress of the early Christian church, and in today’s story he describes the conversion of Lydia, a “faithful woman.” It is the second reading in Acts that features and names a woman. Two weeks ago, we heard about Dorcas, a beloved follower of Jesus who provided clothing for the widows in her community.

Luke is noted for his inclusion of women in his writings, and here he portrays Lydia with remarkable agency as she chooses to convert and then actively supports the fledgling Christian community.

Agency is a lesson that John reaffirms in his portrayal of a man who is cured on the Sabbath. Jesus asks him, “Do you want to be well?” The man accepts Jesus’ invitation and immediately is freed from physical and spiritual paralysis.

Finally, John’s vision in Revelation of a new heaven … Read more »