Sermon: Pentecost 11

Once again I offer today's sermon given in St. Barnabas, Greenfield at 11:00 am.
SermonPr18A.wav

Today's Readings: Gen 32:22-31; Ps 17:1-7, 16; Rom 9:1-5, Matt 14:13-21

Priests need Priests

Today, as has been my "tradition" these past three weeks, I have met with my clerical neighbour The Rev'd Chris Hayes each Wednesday morning. Our time together has been to share a cup, or three, of coffee and support each others ministry. Encouragement and listening has been the hallmark of our relationship and these mornings.

Often we might think that our priests function in a vacuum, kind of like local sheriffs in the old west with total control and total independence. In fact we are quite the opposite. We uphold our fellow clerics, as we do all people in our prayers, in order to build up the body of Christ. Community is the key word and intent of every Anglican priest. I know that while on the Coast it was the aspect of my ministry I most missed and needed. I needed a confessor and a guide. I needed someone who knew the vocation and could hear resonances with his or her own ministry. This relationship with Christ, and I am sure others, feeds my spirit and helps me to continue to grow and learn. What a blessing it is to be open to Christ through relationships such as this.

Today we were not in our usual meeting place but the home of a famous clown... and movie ("Supersize Me"). I hope and pray my doctor doesn't see my tray :-)

Sermon: Pentecost 10

This is a new media for us here on the blog: a WAV. The file is 3 megs (which should take a dialup user 20 min).

This sermon was given in St. James, Centreville, this past Sunday at 9:15 am. The readings for the day were; Genesis 29:15-28, Ps 128, Romans 8:26-39, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52. Please excuse the slurring nature of the recording, it was made with my Palm T3 and that is just the way it records.

Many Blessings

You Know You've Made It When...

... your poor situation makes it to the diocesan site :-) Enjoy: "Summer takes its toll on some church bells"

High Speed Problems

For you on the coast, don't cry over not having High Speed, it's been nothing but a pain in the backside this past month. I spent near two weeks without it after being struck by lightning... and that only two days after getting it. Last week Allison didn't have it (two houses away) and after our last thunderstorm, mine went out for the weekend! So when you don't hear from me fro more than two days it's either that I am incredibly busy or, more likely, my internet is out! HUMPH!!!

Ministry Matters: A Victim of Our Times

Ministry Matters is a Canadian Anglican publication that comes out three times a year to priests and lay leaders. It is award winning and includes articles that connect with the emerging church in the 21st century. The funding has been cut and the fall issue has been cancelled: read the full report here.

What bothers me most is that the $13,000 it costs is nominal when compared to the information it holds for the leaders of our beloved church. Now it seems it will appear online. Fine by me as I am web-savvy, but what about those who wish to keep up with current issues of the day and leadership education and do not have that techno-wise ability?

The church is in deep trouble. Recent issues surrounding same sex blessings and the ramifications around it have caused a financial backlash from givers upset by the uncertainty of our position in the Anglican Communion. Dwindling congregations and an aged population have also deeply contributed to this crisis as well. Ministry Matters has fallen victim with a plethora of other ministries in this recent cut back. When $400,000 cut back that is a big issue.

We need to pray, and give to support the ministry that supports our clerics and their spiritual and educational development. What is clear is that nothing has effected daily worship, or has been decided at the General Synod level. Our church stands on tradition, reason, and of course Scripture; it is for us then to support that church which we love, and which God loves.

Old Friend CBC Comes Calling

Once again I found myself today in front of the camera as a CBC reporter, via a cell phone, interviewed me in regards to the recent lightning strike. At least this time it wasn't hundreds of people out of work and ignored by governmental leaders and agencies. Our little lightning strike harmed no one and the church remains unlike a small Roman Catholic comunity up river who lost their church a few weeks ago. We were very blest and lucky not to have lost everything!

Tonight at 6:00 pm Atlantic time, I should be seen on CBC Fredericton Newswatch; I'm unsure if Halifax will take on the feed.

Who said the life of a parish priest is boring?

Kids Update

It's quite difficult to follow such excitement as we have seen in the past few days so I thought you may like to have an update on the children.

ANDREW: He is as tall as Sherry and is quite the ladies man. All his friends are girls and all just one year younger. Every day a gaggle of teen girls, always at least two many times three or four, come to the door asking for him. What do they do... swim.

CAMERON: He is as fun as ever with jokes and hot temperament galour. Last week, as he said, we "forced" him to go to bible camp at Brookwood. He said the most fun was swimming. He is a PS2 junkie and keeps in contact with his old friends on MSN. Last night one of Andrew's Girls suggested, unbeknownst to them I can read their MSN, that Cam "go out" with one. YIPES!!!!

LIAM: is a busy boy and getting into daily trouble. He enjoys such things as threats, lying and throwing rocks in public pools. It's been a week! He has been taking swimming lessons and enjoys that time greatly.

PIPPA: is just fun with constant screatching. Busy is not the word for her. She's like a lightning bolt, fast, bright and destructive! She also hates the car seat. Driving with Pippa is an exercise of wills, and she has quite a will.

Sherry and I: frazzled. Heat is bad for anyone but we are just melting in this heat... I thought my body may have adjusted from the coast... it hasn't. Maybe this is why Liam and Pippa are a bit off their usual selves.

What Manner of Message is This?

So there I was, on the couch, talking to my mom, just getting over the excitement of such a providential day (as explained below) when a storm arose; bolts of lightning followed by the usual thunderous blast. I mentioned that it looked to be over when yet another blast occurred, I jumped and said, "gheze that was close." went on chatting when the call waiting went off. I ordinarily ignore it finding it rude for the current party, but this time I indulged the caller.

It was Kevin, my other warden, with some news, "Douglas you might want to come to your church: the steeple's gone."




I was intrigued, and slightly horrified, so went out in a rush. The above picture (courtesy of Mida Dunn-Flanagan) shows me staring up in amazement and great pain. Pain? Oh yes, in my daze, I wandered into the graveyard and stepped, full force, on a nail embedded shard from the lightning stuck steeple. The rusty nail almost went through, I toughed it out until later when I got the dreaded tetanus shot.

So how odd was that Eve of St. Swithin's day? Well in the context of ordinary events it's not every day that lightning strikes one's church, especially one where I've only been rector for two weeks to the day! It's also not ordinary to have the man who physically dug the church basement out with his own bear hands, 65 years ago, show up on your doorstep and take the last picture of the original steeple.

If you read this blog regularly you'll know I am a firm believer in signs from our Lord as answers to prayer. Call it what you will, providence or Godincidence, either way God's hand was in this (insurance companies love to defer this incident to a legal term: "Act of God"). Add up the events of the last day combined with prayers for a "sign" for a direction to take with the use of the buildings (either maintain the current four or build a new "central" church) and service times, and one gets a picture that God said something. What seems to have put the icing on the cake, and solidified my assumption that this is the Lord, was the blessing of his covenant sign over the church later that evening: a rainbow.




Now how amazing is that? God has spoken and this is what I firmly believe. We can no longer stall on a direction we need to take one of the forks in the road. We now have a choice, it's up to us to be good stewards of his Church and his churches. Stay tuned as our churches continue to forge their way ahead... with God's help of course. Funny how this week is now a joint service at Centreville at 11 pm. God has a way of bringing us together... is this our path?

Those who know me from the coast know that it's never boring while I'm around. I just hope lightning doesn't strike twice ;-)

A Blessed Visit

Life is full of surprises. God is full of intention, and doesn't the Lord have a great sense of timing.

Yesterday the morning began with Mattins in the rectory followed by a Sunday Lectionary discussion. Nora, Marjory, Jean and Allison were over and usually I would have asked Allison to read the second reading, but I refrained from my usual practice and asked for another. Funny how this Godincidence (providence) was to play out.

I went about my day, visiting, and was home at an odd time to receive a call from the motel indicating that a former rector of the parish was in town and would like to meet me. "Surely," I thought, after speaking with this fellow, "he can't have been the rector before '65." Well he proved to be as advertised, the rector of Wicklow, Wilmot and Peel, sixty five years ago!

Behold Archdeacon Robert Dann arrived at our doorstep in the church with a spring in his heart, if no longer his step. What a joyful man. At 88 years I wondered whom he may know; and being here only two weeks I simply couldn't have known. He even said himself that many of his generation have passed from this life to the next. Indeed one of my beloved parishioners whom I have got to know very well these past few weeks was a young girl when he was rector in 1940-41: Jean Kinney. She recalled sledding with him on his back and his wonderful coat; later to be given to a Bishop in the far north (and not Edmundston) who needed it more than he.

Allison an avid walker was not expected for Evensong, but low and behold he came through the door; he later told me that he felt all sweaty and tired and wouldn't ordinarily come in that state but felt called to come out to church. What providence!

After introductions Allison declared, " I think you baptized me." A chill passed down my back as I could see a shy humility and surprise come across the face of this retired man; Bob+ seemed to be equally surprised and impressed by this occasion. What a look on Al's face as Bob+ recalled Al's father and what a good man was.




Here is Jean, Archdeacon Bob and Allison just after the service.

So here I was yesterday afternoon, praying the office with a previous Rector, his wife and friend, along with Jean and Al, noting the significance of it all. Using the Daily Office Lectionary the Psalm was 37 part 2 and remarkably the phrase came up, "I have been young, and now am old...." All of us thought of Bob and his life in ministry.

So there I was with Bob next to me and the babe he once brought into the Body of Christ 65 years ago, next to him. Well who was to read the Gospel: Allison my Warden , Lay Reader, friend, and frequent visitor to this very blog!

I was great to have Bob+ give us the Lord's blessing; a man of God, young in Spirit and convicted to serve, his presence was a blessing in itself.

The picture below is not just significant as this former rector stands in front of the church he once built a basement under.... Wait 'til you hear what happened next! Stay tuned!

What's Next?

Just you stay tuned for tomorrow's blog and the day I've just had.

The prayer tonight is, What are you telling us Lord? and Why me, Why just after 2 weeks?

Keep looking here on the site for you'll want to know... and see.

The Downtrodden: Thinking Aloud

I have recently found it extremely difficult to evaluate "need." Unlike my experience on the coast, here in Florenceville there are a number of transients and those in financial crisis who turn to the church for help. In Montreal this was par for the course but I didn't expect the same volume here in rural New Brunswick.

Last week I had 4 requests; 1 for aid in paying their trailer park lot fee and three for substantial bus fare (one even suggesting I pick them up and put them up for a night). I guess the hard issue is how far does the church go in it's assistance and what is really helping them to get out of the mire of an "assisted" existence. Many are not what they appear and thus cynicism rears up and hurts those in legitimate need. But if we help all who pass by then we become financially burdened as a small church and gain a reputation as suckers... which I believe has happened in this place. Good intentions and faithful alms giving is appropriate, and is our call, but not at the loss of reason. Helping the downtrodden may be spending time to help them see the cycle of their lives and a destructive pattern.

I have found it difficult to say no. One always fears what the consequence will be. In the case of a Christian responce "no" may not be way of Christ. A well thought out reason for "no" must be articulated. I find this difficult because I would love to assist all who knock. The reality that is that that is not going to happen for fiscal as well as spiritual reasons.

The problem with reason is this, the government is letting people fall through the crevice knowing the churches and religious organizations must help. While they get the poor addicted to their scratch cards and video lottery machines we as the Church pick up the cost of getting their food and providing shelter. When the preachers say the world is messed up and sinful, don't roll your eyes at the church, recall that this is a perfect evidence of the sin in the world... poverty and abuse is not the way we were created. People abuse people and we are left trying to help get people back on their feet. I guess this rant is how far do we go to right the wrongs of society? How far do we go to right the brokenness of this "fleshly" world?

just thinking out loud!

I Must Have Been Busy

Indeed! It's been a while since my Sunday blog. I guess I have been busy. What a wonderful parish. Each day I have had at least two people out for Morning and Evening Prayer at 9am and 4pm respectively, and Wednesday I had 6 people out in Centreville. The Daily Office is a wonderful way to meet people as well as worship the Lord in the traditional way of the life of a parish. Each time after scripture there has been a connection with what has been discussed or is important to highlight. Since that statement is cryptic I will give you two examples:

Both came before my evening services. The first was a conversation about the church building which led to a memory about Good Friday and a special cross which is annually carried by the youth. What was our reading for the evening? The Crucifixion!

The second example was a conversation about a man whom I visited and helped, who had $3 a month for food. YES that is correct and verified by his social worker... $3 a month for food! That being of course after all his expenses such as Hydro, phone, lot rent etc. The parishioners and I spoke of poverty and of the harsh reality that the government doesn't seem to know what to do and lacks the compassion for people like this gentleman. What was the reading? Psalm 10! I encourage you to turn to the psalm and hear the words of the psalmist who convicts Satan and the principalities and powers that wear on the poor. Yet the psalm also speaks of the faith of the poor and that was evidenced in the actions of the park supervisor, who after this man was evicted, took him in to his already crowded home and treated him as he would a brother. This is the mark of Christ this is the Good News in action. Seriously read Psalm 10!

As you can see my week has been filled with visions of God's work in action and his confirmation of his presence in the coincidences which I have already named as "his doings". Godincidences are really us looking for Christ in our lives. My job is not just to pray and lead worship, visit at the bedsides or in the homes, but to bring people to an awareness of God in their lives and to confirm his presence in small coincidences such as the ones above. Are they earth shaking? No. They are just the quiet reassurances that God is ever present; Christ making himself known.

Blessings

Shall We Dance?

Well that fateful day came as we gathered in the Church of the Good Shepherd, all 94 of us, to meet and greet the new Priest & Rector and his family, and to worship our Lord and Saviour.

"Shall We Dance" was the title of the sermon this morning related to the Gospel; Matthew 11:16ff where Christ marks the lack of spirit from the Jewish leadership with the analogy of children playing the flute and no one danced. As change is ever present, and as I am new, it was fitting to elaborate on this theme found in the Gospel but also in the screenplay "The King and I." The King was worried about "dance" and it was a change, a dramatic change, from the security of his culture. The same was true of the religious in Jesus' time and so 2000 years later we continue to be tentative about the so called "dance."

Here I am receiving a much needed lozenge from a faithful choir member before I began to sing the Good News a' la the King and I. Yes I sang "Shall We Dance... boom boom boom... "




It was a great day and filled with blessed parishioners, wonderful food and the presence of the Holy Spirit. God's glory has been seen over the history of this parish in the ministries of all the people and clergy, and it will continue in my leadership and those to come after. Christ is our cornerstone, he is the Lord. To put it in context he is the Lord of the dance and we shall let him lead as he has done from the day of our creation. Let us trust in Christ Jesus.

Canada Day: My First Day

Today marks not only Canada Day but my first day in the parish as Priest and Rector. I went over to the church and had Morning Prayer, reading about Jonathan and his military exploits and craftiness and the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus.

After messing around with files and searching out the lay of the church I returned home to get over to the Canada Day Kids Parade.


It's difficult to say but I imagine that there must have been 500 people around and more over time. The mayor, David Morgan, said to me that over 3000 people would be in and out celebrating this day with us here in Florenceville. It was particularly special for Sherry and I too see so many different cultural backgrounds represented. McCain Foods has quite a datacenter where many East Asians work.