The Church of the Epiphany
The Little Church that cares
Monthly Archives: April 2024
Service for April 28, 2024
Spring wildflowers John E. Pearce, Evan Holt
The flowers in the Church today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of our Parents & Grandparents, John & Doreen Cresswell and Winnifred and Willis Lonsdale with love from Mike and Joan Cresswell and Family.
The flowers in the Church today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Edna and George Garrett , George and Vida Fredin given by Brian Garrett.
*Our food cupboard. Butch 519-615-9106.
*Come for lunch. The sign up sheet is available. Paper plates.
*Penny Social May 3 6:30 for 7:30. Set up at 1:00 p.m. Baking donations needed &Items. Drinks and chips.
*Masonic Visit. Sunday May 5. Lunch.
*Welcome Sunday. May 19. Lunch.
*Jazz Vespers. St. James. May 26. Afternoon.
*Craft Club. Third Saturday at 10 a.m. All welcome.
*Dinner. June 8. 5:30. 10$ Tickets. Meat or Veggie pies. Buns. Fresh Salad. Ice Cream and Strawberry topping. Silent Auction-baking, business doantions sought. Invite friends and family.
*Jeremy Smith. Sun. July 28. Afternoon.
*Meat and Veggie Pies. 5$ for a great meal.
*Mint smoothies Sandra $3
*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson.
*Rinsed empty drink containers Dan Davies
*Apportionment. 2024 $19,571.00
*Sept. 22. Bishop Todd visits. Change!
*Slate Sisters by Adam C- H. Kydra R. Acting. Thank you to everyone who supported this project of our young people.
*There are three ways to support our church. Volunteering at events. Generosity. Prayer. Our church is a team
*If you wish, our regular weekly donations or special donations may be sent to our Envelope Secretary:
Barb Smallman
4860 Whiteoak Road
London, Ontario
N6E 3Y8
519-680-0649
Bible Readings for April 28
Audio Service for April 28
Opening:
Living God,
long ago, faithful women
proclaimed the good news
of Jesus’ resurrection,
and the world was changed forever.
Teach us to keep faith with them,
that our witness may be as bold,
our love as deep,
and our faith as true. Amen.
Reading 1 John 4:7-21
4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.
4:9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.
4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
4:11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.
4:12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
4:13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world.
4:15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God.
4:16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.
4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.
4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.
4:19 We love because he first loved us.
4:20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.
4:21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
Sermon
1 John 4:7-21
In the movie about the life of Mahatma Gandhi, when he lies almost dead from a hunger strike to stop the killings among the Muslims and Hindus, he shares, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and LOVE has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they can seem invincible–but in the end they always fall. ALWAYS!”
You and I know the reason that the Christian faith is difficult is that we are called to love not only our family and friends, which is a great challenge in itself, but our enemies as well.
“The measure of our love is to love without measure.”
FIRST, THE MODEL FOR LOVING WITHOUT MEASURE COMES FROM GOD, NOT THE HUMAN FAMILY.
It is easy to hate. We are really good at hating people because of skin color, ethnic origins, language, and religious orientation. It is simply unnatural to love.
Will Durant was correct that if Jesus could teach and empower the members of the human race to love each other then it would make a great impact in the human drama.
For me personally, it is truly amazing that God loves us,. As the writer in I John makes perfectly clear, God took the initiative in declaring His love for us. It is not that we first loved God but that God first loved us–that God sought us, not that we sought him.
I shall never forget an incident that happened in Chester, Pa., about nine years ago. Our son, John, had ridden his tricycle from East 18th St. around the corner to Providence Avenue, which is really Route 320 in Delaware County. Being a concerned father, when John did not come back around the corner, I went looking for him. John had somehow gotten turned around and was unsure of his surroundings. When I turned the corner, there was John getting ready to let out a big cry. As I came upon the scene, John burst out in a big smile, and said, “Dad, I knew you would come looking for me.” That is exactly what the writer of I John is declaring in this lesson. The miracle is not that we love God–the miracle is that God loves us. God comes searching for us around the corners of our lives even when we are fleeing from His Holy presence.
Nowhere in the Bible do I find a verse which declares that God said, “Be good,” and I will love you. Rather, I John declares: Because I love you, you can become loving. I have provided the example and power.
SECOND, TO LOVE WITHOUT MEASURE IN OUR JOURNEY REQUIRES US TO REMAIN CONNECTED TO THE SOURCE OF THAT LOVE.
From the beautiful campus of Drew University comes a powerful story that I want to share with you. It seems that a winter storm hit the campus. The forceful gusts of wind knocked many limbs from the thousands of trees located on the Drew Campus known as the “Forest”. Because there were so many limbs to pick-up, some of the limbs were pushed off the walkways to be picked up in the spring. All winter long the students passed by these dead branches and limbs. However, in the first week of April, a strange phenomena happened to these branches. New buds and leaves began to sprout on these dead limbs. For about two weeks this happened. It seemed that there was enough energy left in the branches to allow the leaves to come forth. However, after two weeks the leaves began to fade, wither, and eventually die. Without sustained ties to the One who loves us, our love also fades, withers and dies. (1)
LOVE that connects you with the loving, living God of the universe will provide you with the source to love for the long term. To love, people need more than good intentions and sincerity. They need the Lord.
In a writing titled the ECHO OF HATE, there is the story about a little boy who was touring the Rockies with his mother. He had been naughty and she corrected him. He ran to the edge of a cliff and shouted, “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”
Back came an echo, “Hate you! Hate you! Hate you!”
The boy was frightened. He ran to his mother and sobbed, “There is a man over there who hates me.” The mother took her son by the hand and led him back to the edge of the cliff. Now, she said, “Call out, I love you! I love you!” The boy did. And sweet and clear, the words came back, “Love you! Love you!” “I hope,” said the wise mother, “that you have learned what you give, you get back.” (2)
I realize like the wee child it is easier to say hate you than it is to say love you, but the cross does point us to a more excellent way. If we are connected to the One who loves us, than we can respond in God”s love.
While the Bible drama clearly reveals that love can be crucified, it can never be defeated–thus, it is God”s desire for us to live out the reality of love. Love does return to us if we are willing to love without instant measurability. Remember what Gandhi said, that history has taught us that truth and love always win.
LASTLY, TO LOVE WITHOUT MEASURE REQUIRES COMMITMENT AND SACRIFICE.
This affirms what the writer declares in our scripture lesson: “If anyone says I LOVE GOD (the lips) but hates his brother, he is a liar (the heart), for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
The measure of our love is to love without measure.
May God Inspire us to do so
Hymn: They Will Know We are Christians
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
We are one int he Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored.
Chorus: And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.
We Will work with each other, we will work side by side;
We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride.
All praise to the Father, from whom all things come;
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son.
And all praise to the Spirit who makes us one.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers:
O God, your Son remained with his disciples after his resurrection,
teaching them to love all people as neighbors.
As his disciples in this age,
we offer our prayers on behalf of the universe
in which we are privileged to live
and our neighbors with whom we share it.
Prayers: Linda (Deb Mc.); Christine A.; Bob H.; Dori; Garfield; Eunice S.; Connie C.; (Church)Suzanne (Ron and Jan); Gloria A. (Carol); Belinda,; Ross B., Francis & Bill W.; Jeff G. (Dori); Kenny; Jim T.; Norma A,;Dave F.; Peter T.; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane); Gord T.; Amy W. ; Yvonne; Maryanne; Gus; Jay P.;; Rick W.;.; Sharon; Anne F.; Marcel D.; Jeff B.; (Sandra); Mike J.; Scott H.; Lisa (Keeling), Wendy; Eric P,; Sarah-Jane P.; Linda H.; Sharon D.; Philip D; Jacquie and Cam .; Janice & Darrin R; Roland; .(Suzie D.)
Open our hearts to your power moving
around us and between us and within us,
until your glory is revealed in our love of both friend and enemy,
in communities transformed by justice and compassion,
and in the healing of all that is broken. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer based on Scripture:
God,
you sent your Son into the world
that we might live through him.
May we abide in his risen life
so that we may bear the fruit of love for one another
and know the fullness of joy. Amen.
Blessing from the Book of Common Prayer:
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Our Parting Blessing Song:
May God’s blessing surround you each day
As you trust Him and walk in His way
May His presence within guard and keep you from sin,
Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.
Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.
Service for April 21, 2024
The flowers in the Sanctuary today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of very dear grandparents Stewart and Molly Tack and a dear father Cliff Varey given by Heather and Gordon Jamieson
* Our food cupboard. Butch 519-615-9106.
*Earth Mass. Apr. 22, 2024 7:30 Antler River Band. St. James.
*Penny Social May 3 6:30 for 7:30. Set up at 1:00 p.m. Baking donations needed &Items. Drinks and chips.
*Masonic Visit. Sunday May 5. Lunch.
*Welcome Sunday. May 19. Lunch.
*Jazz Vespers. St. James. May 26. Afternoon.
*Craft Club. Third Saturday at 10 a.m. All welcome.
*Dinner. June 8. 5:30. 10$ Tickets. Meat or Veggie pies. Buns. Fresh Salad. Ice Cream and Strawberry topping. Silent Auction-baking, business doantions sought. Invite friends and family.
*Jeremy Smith. Sun. July 28. Afternoon.
*Meat and Veggie Pies. 5$ for a great meal.
*Mint smoothies Sandra $3
*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson.
*Rinsed empty drink containers Dan Davies
*Apportionment. 2024 $19,571.00
*Sept. 22. Bishop Todd visits. Change!
*Slate Sisters by Adam C- H. Kydra R. Acting. April 18 – 29. For tickets call 519-615-2210.
*There are three ways to support our church. Volunteering at events. Generosity. Prayer. Our church is a team
*If you wish, our regular weekly donations or special donations may be sent to our Envelope Secretary:
Barb Smallman
4860 Whiteoak Road
London, Ontario
N6E 3Y8
519-680-0649
Bible Readings for April 21
Audio Service for April 21
Opening:
Creator of the universe,
you made the world in beauty,
and restore all things in glory
through the victory of Jesus Christ.
We pray that, wherever your image is still disfigured
by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed,
the new creation in Jesus Christ may appear in justice, love, and peace,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Reading John 10:11-18
10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
10:12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away–and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
10:13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.
10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.
10:16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
10:17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
Sermon
The Good Shepherd 1870
John 10:1-21
Now here is the question for this morning.
What is an oxymoron?
An oxymoron is a combination of contradictory terms, seemingly canceling each other out.
For example: bittersweet, jumbo-shrimp,
Let me give you another. Good shepherd.
Certainly to the modern ear there is nothing contradictory about that, until we learn that in the ancient world shepherding was really not considered the romantic, humble occupation that we think of it today.
Shepherds were looked down upon.
They were thought dirty, thieves.
So despised were shepherds that under Jewish law, a shepherd could not be a witness in a trial.
They were said to be notorious liars.
=
Then, Jesus throws us for a loop and uses the term good shepherd. Like the term the good theif.
So what is a Good Shepherd.
First, The Good Shepherd knows his sheep. Someone tells of being in the Holy Land many years ago. They saw several different flocks of sheep all huddled together at a watering hole. They all looked alike to him. It was simply a mass of white wool. He wondered how the shepherds would ever separate them out. At the appropriate time, however, each shepherd gave his own unique call, and in orderly fashion the sheep divided. Perhaps that is what the Good Shepherd meant when he said: I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
Second, by Good Shepherd, It is that we have a shepherd that is a genuine shepherd. He says, “I will never forget when I got my wife’s engagement ring. But after I had bought the ring, I said to the jeweler–now, be honest with me. The deal is made. I can’t back out of it. Can you really tell the difference between a real one carrot ring and some phony thing that I can buy off the shopper’s channel on TV?
He said: come around here and look at this, I want to show you something. He put the light on two rings–the one I had just bought and a phony diamond. Then he gave me his jeweler’s eyeglass. He said look at this cheap imitation and look at what you just bought and when I did I was amazed. My ring sparkled. The counterfeit was dull and had no luster.
Jesus said: now here are two shepherds. Outwardly there seems to be no difference. The skin of both has been bronzed by the sun and weathered by the wind. They both carry a fleece to keep them warm at night. Both carry a shepherd’s crook. But one is a genuine shepherd and the other is a counterfeit. One is a shepherd in his heart; the other is a shepherd for hire.
On an ordinary day you could never tell them apart. But let trouble come. Let a pack of wolves appear and then the difference comes out. The counterfeit runs, because it is only money to him. He has no ownership. But the real shepherd stays. Jesus said in our text: I lay down my life for my sheep. That is the difference between the real shepherd and the counterfeit.
Here is the good news. No matter how much trouble comes your way; the good shepherd will never leave your side. He will not desert you in times of trial. That is news that will let you get through the night; that is news that will enable you to keep your sanity.
===
My explanation:
Sheep think Shepherd can do it all, open gates etc.
Because they can do a lot.
But the shepherd knows somethings they can not stop.
But they wont leave the sheep.
In our troubles, we are given a picture, the shepherd carrying the lamb on shoulders. God preaches in pithy sayings, or pictures that we can keep and carry with us. When we are unwell, we feel ourselves being carried. Like the footsteps poem.
==
Jesus said: My sheep know me. The question is: are we attuned to God’s special whisper. I suppose all of us have seen the painting done in the 1930’s of a dog, looking with a cocked head, at an old RCA phonograph. The name of the painting is the Master’s voice. I know that in my life I have not always recognized my master’s voice. I have been too busy, too preoccupied, too self-centered. Sometimes, frankly, I am afraid to hear his voice; for I know that he will say what I may not want to hear. But I know that it is important for me to hear once again the words of the Good Shepherd: I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.
==
Every place we look, the biblical writers find comfort in the fact that God is our shepherd, and we shall not lack anything. Every need is met and every danger taken care of. There were plenty of dangers for shepherds in ancient Palestine. In that world, the shepherd was absolutely responsible for the lives of the sheep. Fighting off bears and wolves, along with thieves, was part of the job description. If an animal were eaten by a wolf or bear, the shepherd had to bring in part of the sheep’s body to prove that the animal had eaten it.
The shepherd’s staff mentioned in Psalm 23 is a weapon for such battles. The rod used there is the shepherd’s crook, used to rescue lost lambs and guide the others over rocky hills.
The shepherd can’t lead the sheep anywhere, really, can’t cajole them, yell at them, or expect them to follow. There is no planning ahead with sheep. The shepherd only gets anything done by being with the sheep — in the middle of the flock. In this, we understand something about our God. God insists on being in the middle of us, mixed into our lives, right in the midst of our choices, our confusion, our tendency to wander off where we shouldn’t be and our constant need to be called back.
=
Jesus says that “the sheep will recognize my voice.” But we are always looking for his word and guidance in my life… . It is hard to distinguish what he is telling us from everything else we hear.
There are plenty of dangers for us, too.
Our preoccupations with work, our screens, shopping, lead us away from Jesus. We’re constantly getting off the path and needing to be called back.
Conclusion:
Ultimately it is the picture Jesus gave us. Jesus preaches in short stories, pithy statements, or best pictures. When we have need, he carries us. You will this.
Hymn: The Lord is My Shepherd
The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want
He makes me lie in pastures greenHe leads me by the still, still watersHis goodness restores my soul
And I will trust in You aloneAnd I will trust in You aloneFor Your endless mercy follows meYour goodness will lead me home
He guides my ways in righteousnessAnd He anoints my head with oilAnd my cup, it overflows with joyI feast on His pure delights
And I will trust in You aloneAnd I will trust in You aloneFor Your endless mercy follows meYour goodness will lead me home
And though I walk the darkest pathI will not fear the evil oneFor You are with me, and Your rod and staffAre the comfort I need to know
And I will trust in You aloneAnd I will trust in You aloneFor Your endless mercy follows meYour goodness will lead me home (I will trust)
And I will trust in You aloneAnd I will trust in You aloneFor Your endless mercy follows meYour goodness will lead me home (for Your endless mercy)
For Your endless mercy follows meYour goodness will lead me home (for Your endless mercy)For Your endless mercy follows meYour goodness will lead me home
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers:
Sisters and brothers in Christ,
God invites us to bring our doubts and fears,
our joys and concerns, our petitions and praise,
and offer them for the earth and all its creatures.
Prayers: Linda (Deb Mc.); Christine A.; Bob H.; Dori; Garfield; Eunice S.; Connie C.; (Church)Suzanne (Ron and Jan); Gloria A. (Carol); Belinda,; Ross B., Francis & Bill W.; Jeff G. (Dori); Kenny; Jim T.; Norma A,;Dave F.; Peter T.; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane); Gord T.; Amy W. ; Yvonne; Maryanne; Gus; Jay P.;; Rick W.;.; Sharon; Anne F.; Marcel D.; Jeff B.; (Sandra); Mike J.; Scott H.; Lisa (Keeling), Wendy; Eric P,; Sarah-Jane P.; Linda H.; Sharon D.; Philip D; Jacquie and Cam .; Janice & Darrin R; Roland; .(Suzie D.)
Receive these prayers, O God,
and transform us through them,
that we may have eyes to see and hearts to understand
not only what you do on our behalf,
but what you call us to do
so that your realm will come to fruition in glory. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer based on Scripture:
Shepherd of all,
by laying down your life for your flock
you reveal your love for all.
Lead us from the place of death
to the place of abundant life,
that guided by your care for us,
we may rightly offer our lives
in love for you and our neighbors. Amen.
Blessing from the Book of Common Prayer:
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Our Parting Blessing Song:
May God’s blessing surround you each day
As you trust Him and walk in His way
May His presence within guard and keep you from sin,
Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.
Service for April 14, 2024
The flowers in the sanctuary today are to the honour and Glory of God and in loving memory of the Black and Whittington families given by Doris Black.
*Garage Bake 1420.00 Thank You!
*Craft Club. Third Saturday at 10 a.m. All welcome. Apr. 20
*Our food cupboard. Butch 519-615-9106.
*Earth Mass. Apr. 22, 2024 7:30 Antler River Band. St. James.
*Penny Social May 3 6:30 for 7:30. Set up at 1:00 p.m. Baking donations needed &Items. Drinks and chips available.
*Masonic Visit. Sunday May 5. Lunch.
*Welcome Sunday. May 19. Lunch.
*Jazz Vespers. St. James. May 26. Afternoon. Stephen
*Dinner. June 8. 5:30. 10$ Tickets. Meat or Veggie pies. Buns. Fresh Salad. Ice Cream and Strawberry topping. Silent Auction-baking, business doantions sought. Invite friends and family.
*Jeremy Smith. Sun. July 28. Afternoon.
*Meat and Veggie Pies. 5$ for a great meal.
*Mint smoothies Sandra $3
*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson.
*Rinsed empty drink containers Dan Davies
*Apportionment. 2024 $19,571.00
*Sept. 22. Bishop Todd visits. Change!
*Slate Sisters by Adam C- H. Kydra R. Acting. April 18 – 29. For tickets call 519-615-2210.
*There are three ways to support our church. Volunteering at events. Generosity. Prayer. Our church is a team*If you wish, our regular weekly donations or special donations may be sent to our Envelope Secretary:
Barb Smallman
4860 Whiteoak Road
London, Ontario
N6E 3Y8
519-680-0649
Bible Readings for April 14
Audio Service for April 14
Opening:
Mighty God,
in whom we know the power of redemption,
you stand among us in the shadows of our time.
As we move through every sorrow and trial of this life,
uphold us with knowledge of the final morning
when, in the glorious presence of your risen Son,
we will share in his resurrection,
redeemed and restored to the fullness of life
and forever freed to be your people. Amen.
Reading Luke 24:36b-48
24:36b While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
24:37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
24:38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
24:39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
24:40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.
24:41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
24:42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
24:43 and he took it and ate in their presence.
24:44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you–that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.”
24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,
24:46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day,
24:47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
24:48 You are witnesses of these things.
Sermon
The Risen Christ, On Repeat Luke 24:36b-48
Repetition is the key to success.
Whether it’s learning a new soccer move,
or a tennis swing,
memorizing a poem,
or learning a new language,
we have to do it over and over again.
We have to get the golf swing
or the yoga move into our muscle memory.
We have to learn just the right touch
for sanding wood
or kneading bread dough.
We have to remember how to edit a video
or play a song.
It works with music,
manners and art.
Repetition is part of growing faith, too.
In the Bible,
one sighting of the resurrected Jesus isn’t enough.
One conversation between him
and the disciples won’t suffice.
He kept showing up and showing up
so the disciples could show up where needed—
He keeps showing up
so we can really understand this new reality.
It takes a while for this amazing important fact of
Jesus walking with us
to sink in.
Luke’s gospel story finds us
on Sunday evening,
the day of resurrection,
with Jesus busy continuing to make appearances
to the people he loves.
All four gospels have appearances
outside the now- empty tomb,
then Jesus moved out into the wider world.
Matthew and Mark
remember these appearances
happening in the Galilee,
where the story began,
But Luke’s Gospel leaves
the disciples in Jerusalem.
He left them fearful, hiding, and locked in,
but still where it all happened.
—
If you think about it
Our faith is all about the visible, the real,
Our faith is from what we can see and hold onto.
These tangible experiences at the base of our faith
come from Jesus himself,
the giver of bread and cup,
the hands-on healer,
the foot washer.
Jesus went to a lot of trouble to show up in person,
after his resurrection.
He wanted his friends to know,
without a doubt that he was real
alive in a kind of physical body.
The stories go out of their way to tell us
that this was not a ghost
or a hallucination.
The risen Christ is central to the stories —
to Thomas believing when he touched Jesus,
to the others who needed to feel and see him,
even Jesus eating to show us how real he was.
That particular body of Christ is gone,
but there is a body of Christ
still in the world.
We — the church,
A community of faith,
the people gathered now in Jesus’ name —
are the enduring body of Christ.
These stories have something to tell us,
the church, the living body of Christ,
about our life of faith.
The risen Christ is persistent.
Jesus kept showing up
to show his friends this new truth.
One appearance wouldn’t do it.
This is the second story set on Easter night in Luke,
and the other gospels have other stories.
Until the job is done and the good news revealed,
the living body of Christ keeps showing up.
Still does.
The risen Christ meets needs.
The people who need
to see Jesus to make it all real
get that.
A young minister shared,
Once when I served as a hospice chaplain,
a young man was extremely distraught
about the upcoming passing of his mother.
Wanting to find something to hold onto,
he asked me if he would see his mother again.
He wondered if
she would come to him in a dream
or if he would feel her presence.
I was stumped for a minute.
I couldn’t guarantee anything to him,
Yet I didn’t want to leave him with nothing.
Running over past experiences in my mind,
it struck me that there was a pattern.
In my experience, I said,
each of us gets what we need.
Whatever assurances people need
will come to them, somehow.
If you need that, I told him,
you’ll receive it.
The same happened when Jesus showed up
People got what they needed.
The people who needed
a reminder about the scriptures,
got that.
The people who need
a second chance got that.
The people who needed
to touch him get that.
===
Or
How many times,
in the gospel of John,
did the risen Jesus tell Peter
to feed his sheep?
Three,
as if to redeem each denial.
Peter needed healing,
To know he was forgiven for denying his friend
and he got that.
The risen Christ points outside itself.
Jesus came with work
for his friends to do
He sent them out with a task.
They were not meant
to sit around reminiscing,
but to go out
and share what they experienced.
This is still true of us today
we have tasks to do for God.
Even if sometimes
we don’t know what they are,
Even if sometimes
we don’t even know
when we have accomplished them.
The risen Christ resists locked doors.
Like those disciples,
we, too, can lock ourselves away.
We close up part of our lives,
forget to take chances,
see people with suspicion,
We think nothing better is possible.
If we can just seal things up tightly enough,
We don’t take risks.
As a congregation,
we can lock our spiritual doors too,
If our vision is too small…
If we draw our circle of concern too small
If our prayers too limited…
If our dreams are too tiny.
We forget that Jesus is the one who opens doors.
Just like some people can’t resist a challenge,
Jesus can’t resist a closed-up place,
someone walled off,
or a locked door.
That’s the place where he loves to come in
and ask us
what he asked those first disciples:
“Why are you so afraid?”
In that way, the risen Christ
is an remedy to fear.
When we feel afraid,
anxious, worried,
out of strength,
the risen Christ is medicine for that.
“Be not afraid,”
Jesus says over and over in his life,
and the risen Christ says it again here.
“Peace be with you,”
is not just a greeting,
it’s a remedy for fear.
Ultimately our Lord has it all in hand,
Everything is restored,
Life goes on…
This is soul school
“Peace be with you,”
we say,
we can catch
encouragement, hope
strength from each other
for this work
of being the followers of Christ
in the world.
The risen Christ gives us strength
For being the workers for Christ in this world.
What we can’t do alone,
we can do together —
as a body of faith.
As long as
we all show up willing to help…
When we decide we don’t need to show up
The strength of everyone
is diminished, lessened.
We have been touched by the risen Christ,
now it’s our turn
to be that living body in the world.
We are the only body of Christ
there is in this world,
our Hands and feet are his feet and hands.
God has work for us to do.
Lets turn out.
Hymn: Amazing Grace
-
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
-
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
-
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
-
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
-
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
-
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
-
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers:
O God, your Son remained with his disciples after his resurrection,
teaching them to love all people as neighbors.
As his disciples in this age,
we offer our prayers on behalf of the universe
in which we are privileged to live
and our neighbors with whom we share it.
Prayers: Linda (Deb Mc.); Christine A.; Bob H.; Dori; Garfield; Eunice S.; Connie C.; (Church)Suzanne (Ron and Jan); Gloria A. (Carol); Belinda,; Ross B., Francis & Bill W.; Jeff G. (Dori); Kenny; Jim T.; Norma A,;Dave F.; Peter T.; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane); Gord T.; Amy W. ; Yvonne; Maryanne; Gus; Jay P.;; Rick W.;.; Sharon; Anne F.; Marcel D.; Jeff B.; (Sandra); Mike J.; Scott H.; Lisa (Keeling), Wendy; Eric P,; Sarah-Jane P.; Linda H.; Sharon D.; Philip D; Jacquie and Cam .; Janice & Darrin R; Roland; .(Suzie D.)
Open our hearts to your power moving
around us and between us and within us,
until your glory is revealed in our love of both friend and enemy,
in communities transformed by justice and compassion,
and in the healing of all that is broken. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer based on Scripture:
Holy and righteous God,
you raised Christ from the dead
and glorified him at your right hand.
Let the words of scripture,
fulfilled in Jesus your Son,
burn within our hearts
and open our minds to recognize him
in the breaking of bread. Amen.
Blessing from the Book of Common Prayer:
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Our Parting Blessing Song:
May God’s blessing surround you each day
As you trust Him and walk in His way
May His presence within guard and keep you from sin,
Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.
Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.
Service for April 07, 2024
The flowers in the Sanctuary today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of “Kath”, given by “Glore”.
*Garage Bake Hot Dog Sale. Thank you! Donors, Shoppers, Volunteers, Bakers, Hot Dog Makers.
*Our food cupboard. Butch 519-615-9106.
*Penny Social May 3 6:30 for 7:30.
*Masonic Visit. Sunday May 5.
*Welcome Sunday. May 19. Lunch.
*Jazz Vespers. St. James. May 26. Afternoon. Stephen
*Fundraiser Dinner. Epiphany. June 8. Silent Auction.
*Jeremy Smith. Sun. July 28. Afternoon.
*Meat and Veggie Pies. 5$ for a great meal.
*Mint smoothies Sandra $3
*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson.
*Rinsed empty drink containers Dan Davies
*Apportionment. 2024 $19,571.00
*Sept. 22. Bishop Todd visits. Change!
*Slate Sisters by Adam C- H. Kydra R. Acting. April 18 – 29. For tickets call 519-615-2210.
*There are three ways to support our church. Volunteering at events. Generosity. Prayer. Our church is a team
*If you wish, our regular weekly donations or special donations may be sent to our Envelope Secretary:
Barb Smallman
4860 Whiteoak Road
London, Ontario
N6E 3Y8
519-680-0649
Bible Readings for April 07
Audio Service for April 07
Opening:
Mighty God,
in whom we know the power of redemption,
you stand among us in the shadows of our time.
As we move through every sorrow and trial of this life,
uphold us with knowledge of the final morning
when, in the glorious presence of your risen Son,
we will share in his resurrection,
redeemed and restored to the fullness of life
and forever freed to be your people. Amen.
Reading John 20:19-31
20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
20:20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
20:21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
20:22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
20:24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
20:25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
20:26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
20:27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.”
20:28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
20:29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.
20:31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Sermon
John 20:24-29
A lot of us will remember the old TV show Dragnet?
The main character, Sergeant Joe Friday used to tell the folks,
“Just the facts, please, just the facts?”
It seems Thomas was a little like Joe Friday.
Thomas needed the facts and needed to see the “signs” and wonders of Jesus with their own eyes.
For centuries Thomas has been labeled a doubter
but likely Thomas doesn’t get fair treatment.
Thomas was a practical person.
If he couldn’t see it, touch it or feel it,
he had a hard time believing it.
But there was more to Thomas than just doubt.
Thomas was a man of courage, commitment; and faith.
And there’s a little bit of Thomas in all of us.
-
Two Kinds of Doubt
We all have a little doubt in us.
But there are two kinds of doubt.
There is a difference between doubt and unbelief.
Doubt asks questions
while unbelief won’t even listen to answers.
==
Some of you may remember Dave Dravecky,
former pitcher for the San Francisco Giants.
At the peak of his career in 1991
he lost his pitching arm to cancer.
It is bad enough to have cancer,
let alone face the amputation of an arm,
but then on top of that,
to lose a promising career as a major league baseball player.
Naturally Dave was devastated.
But His Lord was close, carrying him through somehow….
During his struggles,
letters of encouragement poured in from all over the country.
Most were letters of encouragement.
They had seen him keep his faith,
and they wanted to know how he had done it.
But one day he received this letter:
“Dear Mr. Dravecky, I
f there is a God who cares so much about you,
why did he allow you to have this trouble in the first place?
I have lived 41 years in this old world
and have yet to see any piece of genuine evidence
that there is anything real
about any of those religious beliefs you talk about.
A pretty cruel letter, isn’t it?
How would you have responded to it?
Dave Dravecky sent a letter to the man
He said that he had faced his own doubts
and that faith was not always easy.
He wrote, “I am convinced that there is a God.
That no matter what happens to us,
there is a purpose for it
and behind that purpose stands a loving, caring God
helping us through.”
Dravecky had come to know the same Lord
who came back for Thomas.
The same Resurrected Jesus
who stood before all the disciples and said,
“Peace be with you, Thomas.
Put your finger here; see my hands.
Reach out your hand and put it into my side.
Stop doubting and believe.”
We all have doubts:
Thomas, Dravecky, the letter writer.
No one is exempt.
What Jesus says is:
You will be blessed if in the midst of those doubts you believe.
This kind of doubt leads to a deeper faith.
A more meaningful life of service.
===
You see, when push came to shove,
Thomas’ faith helped him believe,
because Thomas was a man of faith.
Scripture doesn’t say where Thomas was
when the risen Christ first appeared,
it just says that he wasn’t there.
Then he found himself back with the disciples
with their incredible story.
Being a pragmatist,
he wanted physical proof.
A week later he got it.
Scripture doesn’t tell us whether or not
Thomas actually touched Jesus.
It does say that Jesus invited him to.
But maybe he did not touch.
He likely did not he need to.
Jesus’ voice
the look in his eyes,
and forgiveness was enough for Thomas,
he believed.
That was when Jesus said:
“Have you believed because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen
yet have come to believe.”
====
We need the faith Thomas had,
the faith to believe in God
even when the going gets not just rough.
Like the hymn says:
“You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart!”
Not only that,
but we see the signs of the Risen Christ’s presence
with us in everyday life.
====
Thomas had faith, he also had courage and commitment.
It was his love for Jesus that filled him with courage.
When Jesus started back to Judea
to raise Lazarus from the dead,
the other disciples warned Jesus
that the Jews there would just try to kill him again.
Thomas says,
“Then let’s go die with him.”
Thomas was brave.
Loyal.
===
Thomas was committed.
He was ready to follow Jesus anywhere,
even if it meant his own death.
Thomas was always there.
He was the person you can count on.
=
Tommy tried and tried to go to church with his wife.
Sophia was the one who’d been brought up in the church.
Her parents had been very devout Christian people.
With Tommy’s parents it was completely different.
Tommy had promised he’d give church a try.
And he did.
But there was just too much there that was unbelievable!
Tommy tried talking to Sophia about it one Sunday after they had been to church.
“Can’t we find some kind of compromise on this religion thing?” Tommy asked.
“You promised,” she said to Tommy. “You said you would give it a try.”
“But I have tried,” Tommy replied. “How long do I have to go on with this anyway?
I’ve been to church with you just about every Sunday for this whole first year of our marriage.
. There’s just too much about church and all that I just can’t believe.”
“Well, what can you believe about it all?” Sophia asked.
“Jesus,” Tommy blurted out after a few moments of silence.
“I like Jesus. He makes a lot of sense to me.
There’s some very good advice about life in his teachings.
But to buy into Jesus I’ve got to buy into too much other stuff
that isn’t helpful at all.
In fact, it just confuses the issue.
I don’t need all this miracle business.
At the end of their discussion, however, Tommy agreed to keep his promise and go with her on Sundays for a few more months.
One Sunday the gospel reading caught Tommy up short.
It was about Thomas.
That was his name.
Thomas had doubts.
So did he.
He liked what Thomas had to say
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands,
and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side,
I will not believe.”
Tommy couldn’t have put it better himself.
“If only I could see his body,”
Tommy thought to himself.
“If only I could touch his body.
That’s the way we Thomas people are.”
That’s what he was thinking about when he and Sophia
went up for communion.
“If only I could see his body.
If I only could touch his body.”
And then Tommy’s musing was interrupted
by the ministerr’s words,
words that jolted his consciousness, simple words,
“This is the body of Christ given for you.”
It was his sign,
His miracle,
His God was a God who answered questions….miraculously.
With that one personal only for him miracle
He believed.
===
There is a bit of Thomas the doubter in each of us.
==
Jesus said Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have come to believe.”
That through believing
you may have meaningful life in his name.
Hymn: Thine is the Glory
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry Thou o’er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where Thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry Thou o’er death hast won.
Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb.
Lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
let His church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
for the Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting.
No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of life!!
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry Thou o’er death hast won.
Life is nought without Thee; aid us in our strife;
make us more than conquerors,
through Thy deathless love;
bring us safe through Jordan
to Thy home above.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry Thou o’er death hast won.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers:
O God, your Son remained with his disciples after his resurrection,
teaching them to love all people as neighbors.
As his disciples in this age,
we offer our prayers on behalf of the universe
in which we are privileged to live
and our neighbors with whom we share it.
Prayers: Linda (Deb Mc.); Christine A.; Bob H.; Dori; Garfield; Eunice S.; Connie C.; (Church)Suzanne (Ron and Jan); Gloria A. (Carol); Belinda,; Ross B., Francis & Bill W.; Jeff G. (Dori); Kenny; Jim T.; Norma A,;Dave F.; Peter T.; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane); Gord T.; Amy W. ; Yvonne; Maryanne; Gus; Jay P.;; Rick W.;.; Sharon; Anne F.; Marcel D.; Jeff B.; (Sandra); Mike J.; Scott H.; Lisa (Keeling), Wendy; Eric P,; Sarah-Jane P.; Linda H.; Sharon D.; Philip D; Jacquie and Cam .; Janice & Darrin R; Roland; .(Suzie D.)