Soul Food

Soul Food Videos

Check out some of our Gower Youth talking about Diamond Dots, a fun craft they have been up too!

Reflective Pauses

Lenten Pauses

Spring 2023

Soul Food Posts

April 25, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Pray. Act. Advocate. Witness. Give.

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

We know too well that we are currently in a time of multiple crises; many competing crises can be overwhelming and deeply affect our lives. Many of us have felt helpless and moved to act, to march and protest in solidarity with the people and United Church partners in response and support to the various crises in our world.

Looking forward to Pentecost coming to our Moderator, The Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne shared a letter with pastoral charges reiterating the call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. You can read the letter here.

In the letter, she shares that on April 18th, she would begin a pilgrimage with ecumenical partners in Manhattan, New York, and she would end it by joining church leadership from KAIROS Canada members to walk in Ottawa on May 22-23.  She is calling on us as faithful members of the church to mobilize for a just peace in Palestine and Israel. Canada-wide local pilgrimages will preface a pilgrimage to Parliament Hill on May 22 by national representatives and church leaders, including Moderator The Right Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne.

If you’re not sure what you can do—if you have felt helpless in knowing what to do—this list will help you focus your own efforts, public or not:

1. Pray
2. Act: Join or organize pilgrimages from now until May 13 as a collective expression of solidarity with other congregations across the country. Participants will walk or roll—individually or together—in their home communities for all or part of 41 km—the length of the Gaza strip—by May 13. Pilgrims are invited to share the distance they have moved on KAIROS Canada’s website(opens in a new tab) by May 13. Check the following sites for local opportunities to join peaceful justice-focused protests: KAIROS Canada, Pilgrimage for Gaza

3. Advocate: Write your MP urging the Canadian government to support the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage Calls for:

• An enduring and sustained ceasefire
• An immediate flow of life-saving food, water, aid, fuel, and humanitarian assistance
• The release of all captives
• A halt to further arms exports, alongside export and brokering authorizations, to Israel.
• An end of occupation so a just peace can begin.

4. Witness: Wear white: Invite your congregation to wear white on April 28 or May 5. Take a solemn photo of everyone, preferably outside, with a sign indicating their location and prayer. Share it with others.
5. Donate: Make a donation towards supporting partners to deliver humanitarian aid to people in the conflict zone.
6. Participate in a Week of Action: May 15-22: During this week, pilgrims are encouraged to engage in any of the following actions during or before this week:

• Plant a tree: Encourage others to do so in memory of all the Palestinian and Israeli children who have died in the violence. Some trees were planted on March 30, which marked Land Day (Palestine), but we must remember these children every day.
• May 15 – Nakba Day: Calls for a general strike globally, for those who are able. Join or organize a local strike.
• Hold or attend a vigil or prayer service: In front of the offices of Members of Parliament. Pray for the Calls initiated in the global Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage that support a just peace in the region. Reiterate these calls to MPs and their staff.
• Gather in Ottawa on Parliament Hill on May 22 with national church leaders. The church leaders’ pilgrimage will begin in Ottawa (location to be announced(opens in a new tab)) and end on Parliament Hill, where there will be prayers for a ceasefire and for a just peace for all in Palestine and Israel, speeches by church leaders, a press conference and meetings with MPs and Ministers.
• Wear white to symbolize peace.
• Carry enlarged photos of all the actions across the country leading up to this day.[1]

How each of us responds to this time is unique to the individual, encompassing their knowledge, beliefs, and where and how they feel called to respond. May you remember as you hear calls to action for the crises filling our world that you show up as you desire. Perhaps sometimes that is with prayerful reflection and learning, or perhaps it is standing in protest publicly. All support offered, is valued and important.

Let us pray,

God,

you are our hope, we shall not let go.

You help us seek peace, justice, hope, and dignity for Palestinians and Israelis,

You lead us towards courageous actions.

With United Church partners Middle East Council of Churches, Department of Services to Palestinian Refugees, Defense for Children International—Palestine, Sabeel, and Kairos Palestine,

we faithfully journey to places of unrest, instability, and fear, to

     advocate for the basic human rights of all people,

     support the peace-builders who are actively resisting the dehumanizing forces of violence, and

     better proclaim the gospel of peace for your sake.

Even though there is uncertainty, indifference, and opposition,

     grant us the strength to continually seek

          an end to the occupation,

          so that Israelis and Palestinians can create a better future for themselves.

Even as we dream of a time when Israel/Palestine will be a symbol of hope, peace, and reconciliation,

     help us to be mindfully aware of the volatile present.

Draw close to the multitude of injured and grieving people in the Holy Land;

     gather up the hopeless,

     and abide with the physically and emotionally oppressed;

may your presence and your kin’dom comfort our siblings in their suffering.

God,

prepare tables of dialogue and opportunities for truth-telling around us.

Open the hearts of hurting people so that they may witness small signs of hope.

Surely, with your help, we will continue to seek justice and resist evil,

all the days of our lives,

until all are able to live abundantly.

Amen.[2]

We pray all these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:

And the blessing of God, who made us in love, who made us for companionship, who made us to enhance and strengthen the world, go with us as we leave this time and go into all the places life calls us to be. We do not go alone. We go, loved, and blessed, to be a blessing. Amen.

[1] Gaza Ceasefire: What You Can Do | The United Church of Canada (united-church.ca)

[2] Prayer for Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine | The United Church of Canada (united-church.ca)

April 18, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

 Preparing for Earth Day

 Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

Earth Day is celebrated around the world on April 22 each year. At Gower, we will have an Earth Day Celebration worship on Sunday, April 21^st. In advance of Earth Day this year, I invite you to read and reflect on this story, Protecting the Tree, by Rev. Eric S. Anderson.

 An ‘i‘iwi1 (a Hawaiian bird) overheard some people talking one day about a disease that was harmful and even fatal to ‘ōhi‘a trees. He followed them and listened closely as they took care to clean their shoes and avoid bringing the fungus spores to where healthy trees were. The ‘i‘iwi decided that he would help protect his favourite ‘ōhi‘a tree.

 It wasn’t a very big tree, which was one of the reasons it was his favourite. It had a nice shape and plenty of leaves and it tended to blossom quite freely, which made it a great place to find safety and enjoy a good meal of ‘ōhi‘a nectar. And because it wasn’t very big, it was a size that the bird could guard.

Guard it he did. When other birds came by—‘apapane, ‘amakihi, mejiro, and even the little ‘elepaio’—he drove them off. They squawked and complained, but a determined ‘i‘iwi is difficult to convince, so they all went to other trees.

 The ‘i‘iwi then set out to make sure that the tree was safe from being infected by insects that might carry the dangerous fungus. He flicked bugs off the leaves and branches with his wings, with his toes, and with his long, curved beak. The spiders and insects didn’t try to argue. It’s hard to argue when something many times your size has kicked you off a branch when you’re a long way up in the air. Some tried a second or a third time but found the ‘i‘iwi ready for them, so they headed off as well.

 The ‘i‘iwi found himself pretty much alone in the tree, and quite satisfied, settled down to sleep as night fell, prepared for another day of defending his favourite tree.

 As the wind moved the tree limbs, however, his dreams turned strange. It seemed like the tree was speaking to him. “Why are you doing this?” asked the tree. “Why are you chasing everyone away?”

 In a dream, of course, you can talk to trees, so the ‘i‘wi said, “I’m keeping away everything that might make you sick. I want to keep you well.”

 The tree creaked thoughtfully for a few minutes—trees think long and deeply—before replying.

“That’s good of you,” said the tree. “I appreciate the thought. But has it occurred to you that if no one visits me, my flowers don’t become seeds?”

 That had not, in fact, occurred to the ‘i‘iwi, who hadn’t known it. Most plant blossoms attract creatures like honeybees, who in travelling from flower to flower bring the pollen that enables the blossoms to produce seeds. In the ‘ōhi‘a forest, this gets done by bees, and beetles, and birds such as the ‘apapane and ‘amakihi, and yes, the ‘i‘iwi.

 “If nobody visits other trees, and nobody visits me, there won’t be any seeds,” explained the tree.

 The ‘i‘iwi didn’t know what to do. “If they visit you, you might get sick,” he said, “but if they don’t visit you, there won’t be new ‘ōhi‘a trees.”

 The tree limbs sighed in agreement. “We’ll have to chance it,” said the tree. “But thanks for the effort.”

 “We’ll have to chance it,” said the ‘i‘iwi. “May it all go well.”[1]

 I invite you to reflect today on the following questions:

• In this story, the tree limbs and the i‘iwi have to chance it. What motivates them to take this risk? Why?
• When have we had to “chance it” compelled by love?

Let us pray,

God of Creation, we are thankful for your awesome work in creation. You have weaved all of life together, and it is very good. We are grateful for all that protects and cares for your good works: the sunlight and water that sustains life, the earth that grounds and nourishes life, and the earth-beings that care for and protect life. We ask your blessings on the actions we offer here and on the actions of those across the church and beyond during this coming Earth Day. God of Creation, together we are stronger.

As we care for your creation, provide us with the humility and curiosity needed to continually learn about the marvels of your works, and to deepen our understanding of how our actions, good and bad, affect all of creation. We ask your blessing on the intentions we offer here today and on the intentions of those across the church and beyond during this coming Earth Day. God of Creation, together, we are stronger.

Although the journey is hard, and our hearts might be afraid and filled with doubts, may we continue to act and learn towards climate justice, with the confidence and strength of your presence guiding us. We ask, in your love, to answer the prayers we offer today and the prayers of those across the church and beyond acting together during this coming Earth Day. God of Creation, together, we are stronger.

May we continue to follow in the way that you are leading with hopeful and daring hearts, until we have reached your commonwealth of justice and peace for all. [2]We pray all these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:

Go and act, for the care of creation. Go and learn, for the sake of creation. Go and pray, for the love of creation. And may the care of God enfold you, the passion of the Risen Christ embolden you, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit empower you, now and forever, Amen.

[1] Rev. Eric S. Anderson, July 23, 2023, OrdainedGeek.com. Free to use with attribution. He includes a video recording on his website.

[2] Inspired by Earth Sunday Service: For the Love of Creation April 21, 2024

April 11, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Living into Reconciliation through Action

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, April 11, 2024.

Do you know what a remit is in our United Church Polity?
In case you don’t a remit is like a referendum for the whole church. Some remits only require Regional approval, and some require approval from both Pastoral Charges and Regions. A remit passes if an absolute majority (ie: 51% or more) of Regions and Pastoral Charges vote in favour AND if the upcoming or reconvening of the current General Council ratifies the decision.

At General Council 44 (online, 2022), the National Indigenous Council asked for the removal of any structural barriers preventing the development and sustaining of an autonomous National Indigenous Organization within The United Church of Canada. In response, the General Council approved the creation of Remit 1: Creating an Autonomous National Indigenous Organization. Which required a vote on the proposal from all the Regions and Governing Bodies of Pastoral Charges.

This remit, a testament to our commitment to reconciliation, proposed that the already-existing National Indigenous Organization would become autonomous within The United Church of Canada. This empowering move would enable the Indigenous Church to define its own structure and processes within the United Church.  Presently, the United Church already has separate staff for Indigenous ministries at the national level and a separate Indigenous Office of Vocation. This remit could allow the Indigenous Church to make decisions for the Indigenous Church about its own structure and processes without “asking for permission” from the non-Indigenous church.

Currently, in our structure, the National Indigenous Church functions like a Region within the wider church and is subject to the same governance processes as every other Region. Meaning that the Indigenous Church is constantly seeking approval from the non-Indigenous church to make structural changes. This kind of dynamic reflects continued colonial thinking and practices. The Indigenous peoples who are currently members of the United Church love the Church and want to remain a part of it—they just want to be a part of the Church in ways that make sense to them.

While how the final vision of how this relationship would look is still vague as The Indigenous Church needs time and space to have these conversations in their own ways, and to make these decisions for themselves. The deadline for vote of approval on this remit was March 31^st. News came out from the National Church this week, that the remit had passed the vote part of the process. I share with you now this statement from Lori-Ann Livingston.

Results of the vote on Remit 1 by Lori-Ann Livingston[1]

Remit 1 has passed. 

All 16 regional councils, the National Indigenous Council, and 80% of pastoral charges in The United Church of Canada participated in the vote on Remit 1: Establishing an Autonomous National Indigenous Organization. 

Thank you once again to all everyone who voted in this process.

The voting process engaged many across the church in deep and sometimes challenging conversations about right relations with Indigenous Peoples. Throughout this process, it became particularly clear that there is a need for deeper and ongoing work to address the issues of systemic racism which persist in the church, despite our continued commitment to reconciliation. We will re-engage this important work this year. 

Meanwhile, there is one final phase in the remit process. The 44th General Council Annual Meeting will be asked to enact the remit when it meets on October 19, 2024. This is the same process for all Category 3 remits. 

In anticipation of the General Council enacting the remit in October, the National Indigenous Council, the National Indigenous Elders Council, and the Executive of the General Council will continue to work together to identify and lay out a framework for the autonomous Indigenous organization within the United Church.

I share this information with you today so you know about the positive actions toward change our Church is working to take. While there is still work to be done our church has once again this week chosen to publicly affirm that we want to address the issues in our structure and grow in relationship and reconciliation. May our openness to growth and development be a blessing for our communities and others.

Let us pray,

Creator God,

We give thanks for the traditions and faithfulness of all who have gone before us, that provide good soil for us to grow deep roots.

We give thanks for the creative energy of new ideas and unfamiliar ways, that push us to grow in unexpected (and sometimes uncomfortable!) directions.

As we lean into Deep Spirituality, engaging with new ideas and unleashing our creative spirit, may we not rush to throw out everything old, but have the wisdom to value existing ways that continue to serve us well.

As we step into Bold Discipleship, seeking to follow Jesus’ invitation to go and share the good news, may we do so humbly and with compassion, seeking to be in relationship with—not over—one another and all of creation.

As we strive toward Daring Justice, may those of us with power and privilege have the courage and compassion to not only stand in solidarity with those of us who are oppressed, but to dismantle the systems of oppression in which we participate.

We pray all these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
May God bless and keep you.
May God’s face shine on you and be gracious to you.
May God look on you with kindness and give you peace.

[1] https://generalcouncil44.ca/news/results-vote-remit-1

April 4, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

World Autism Acceptance Week

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, April 4, 2024.

World Autism Acceptance Week is taking place this week; it started on April 2^nd and runs until April 8^th.

The week starts on World Autism Awareness Day, a day for us to come together to raise awareness about autism, a condition that many live with. Autism affects how the brain functions and those on the Autism spectrum have unique strengths and differences in how they communicate, interact with others, and see the world.

In the past few years, due to education and listening to voices from within the Autism Community, a shift of focus from awareness to acceptance has taken place.  Autism Canada says that “Autism acceptance is important for several reasons. It represents a shift in perspective from focusing on “awareness” to embracing and understanding the diversity of individuals on the autism spectrum. Acceptance challenges stereotypes, reduces stigma, and empowers individuals to express themselves confidently.”[1]

This Autism Acceptance Week, I invite you to reflect on this passage from Genesis 1:27, I share this verse from the Inclusive Bible.

Humankind was created as God’s reflection: in the divine image God created them.

 When you hear this, how do you feel?

Doesn’t this passage affirm that all humanity in our unique being is to be valued?

If we believe this, then it seems obvious that every autistic person is a valuable part of society and deserves to be treated with dignity that respects their ability to involve themselves in social and civic life.

As people of faith, we are called to see the image of God in all those around us, so let us remember that this week and month as we celebrate neurodiversity and continue to work towards a society that appreciates everyone’s uniqueness.

If you would like to learn more about Autism, here are some resources:
Autism Canada: https://www.autismcanada.org/
Autism Speaks(www.autismspeaks.ca) has some great video series, the most recent being For The Record – Autism Speaks Canada

Let us pray,

Almighty God, through your Holy Spirit you created unity in the midst of diversity;

We acknowledge that human diversity is an expression of your manifold love for your creation;

We confess that in our brokenness as human beings we turn diversity into a source of alienation, injustice, oppression, and wounding.

Empower us to recognize and celebrate differences as your great gift to the human family.

Enable us to be the architects of understanding, of respect and love;

Through your Spirit, the ground of all unity, we pray.

We pray all these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
May the God who created a world of diversity and vibrancy go with you as you embrace life in all its fullness.
May the Spirit who breaks down our barriers and celebrates community, go with you as you find the courage to create a place of welcome for all.

[1] https://www.autismcanada.org/world-autism-acceptance-day

March 28, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

A Day of Remembering

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, March 21, 2024.

We gather today on Maundy Thursday, a time in our Holy Week to stop, pause, and give thanks. It helps us to remember, celebrate, and focus on Jesus, his purpose, his call, and his love for all. I share with you a reflection by Patricia Raube[1]; while you may be reading this during the day, my hope is that it fills you with the spirit of God surrounding you as you remember the actions of Jesus and the times you gathered for communion.

Let us reflect together:

This is a night on which we remember. We remember something that happened so long ago, none of us can trace our family trees back that far. We remember something that happened so far away, most of us have never been there, and never will be. Nevertheless, we remember.

We remember that on this night, Jesus and his friends were also gathered to remember. They gathered for a Passover meal, which is, exactly, a feast of remembering.

Like us, they were gathered around a table. Like us, they were telling the story of their faith. Like us, they were calling to mind the saving acts of God…

They remembered God being with them, in steadfast love, even as they were treated harshly and enslaved. They remembered God leading their ancestors in faith out of slavery,  and turning their bitter burden into sweet freedom.

And as they dipped the vegetables in salt water, to remind them of their tears, and as they ate the sweet fruit, to remind them of their joys, they were putting it all together.

That’s what “remember” means… to put something back together. We “re-member” something, and what was scattered becomes whole. What was many becomes one.

And so they remembered together, Jesus and his friends, their identity as God’s covenant people. Simon was there (who Jesus had named Peter), and Andrew. John and James, the brothers, sons of Zebedee. Philip. Bartholomew. Thomas and Matthew. Another James, the son of Alphaeus. Thaddeus. Another Simon, the Cananean. And of course, Judas Iscariot.[2] (Also, of course, the women who likely prepared the supper, the ones who are neither named nor mentioned; but who, logic and the fact that, before the end of the story, we will learn their names, tells us, they were surely there.

They were all there to remember God’s great and saving acts. They were there, in a sense, to remember who they were.

And then Jesus did something… inexplicable.

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it, he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”

This was not the first time Jesus had taken bread, and blessed it, and broken it, and given it to people to eat. But those other times, he did it for great crowds. Here, in this large upstairs room somewhere in Jerusalem, Jesus did it for his friends. The people he loved.

He did it for a group of people who, from the beginning of their time together, mostly didn’t understand what he was doing and where they were going.

He did it with some level of confidence that this was, in fact, the last supper he would share with them.

On this night, at this meal, the meaning of the bread was pre-determined. Matzoh, the bread eaten at the Passover Seder, is called the “bread of affliction” or adversity. In Isaiah 30 it says, Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. (Isaiah 30:20)

The matzoh reminds of the suffering of the slaves in Egypt. But on that night, Jesus tells his friends, he is the bread. He will suffer. He will be broken.

Then, scripture tells us, Jesus took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the [new] covenant…”

Again, Jesus has taken this night of remembering, and done something new and electrifying. Inexplicable.

The meaning of the wine at the Passover meal is consistent. The wine is shared as part of a blessing.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine, and who gave us, Lord our God, with love, festivals for happiness, holidays and times for joy, this day of Passover, the time of our freedom.

At the Seder, wine is drunk in blessing and celebration and abundance, and the sharing of it is meant to “show freedom and majesty.”[3]

And then Jesus, after passing around the wine, says, “This is my blood.”

Jesus tells his friends, his life will be poured out, in much the same way as the life of the Passover lamb.

Jesus joins with his friends to remember, to celebrate the Passover… a meal that resonates at the heart of their identity as Jews. At the same time, Jesus interprets the bread and wine of that meal in a way that forms the heart of our identity.

That is what we [do today] remember, re-member. We are putting it back together. In re-membering, what was scattered becomes whole. What was many becomes one.

At [a communion] table, we remember that Jesus spoke of his body being broken, like a piece of bread; and he spoke of his life being poured out, like a cup of wine.

And now, Jesus is not hidden from us any more; our eyes can see our Teacher.

We see: in Jesus, God’s love is poured out, like a never-ending cup of wine.

We see: in Jesus, God’s presence comes to us, our daily bread, bread for the journey.

We see: in Jesus, God acts with love and power, and the goal, again, is joy and freedom.

All these things we see, when we re-member. When what was scattered in our history becomes whole. When what was many—that would be us—becomes one.

Like Jesus and his friends, we gather around a table. and we tell the story of our faith. and we call to mind the saving acts of God.

If you wish to join us for The Sacrament of Holy Communion tonight, in-person or online, for our Maundy Thursday worship at 7:00 p.m.

Let us pray,

Merciful God, on this, the night he was betrayed, your Son Jesus Christ washed his disciples’ feet.
As we commit ourselves to following his example of love and service, teach us humility.
God of grace, hear our prayer.

On this night, Jesus prayed for his disciples to be one. As we grieve for the divisions in the church, unite us.
God of grace, hear our prayer.

On this night, Jesus prayed for those who would come to believe through the disciples’ message.
As we take up the mission of the church, renew our zeal.
God of grace, hear our prayer.

On this night, Jesus commanded his friends to love, but he suffered rejection himself. As we open our hearts to the rejected and the unloved, fill us with your love.
God of grace, hear our prayer.

On this night, Jesus reminded his people that if the world hated them, it had hated him first.
As we face our fears, we pray for those persecuted for their faith; give us your peace.
God of grace, hear our prayer.

On this night, Jesus loved his friends to the very end. As we open our hearts to all who face darkness today, we pray for the sick, those who mourn, and those trapped by violence, addiction, or pain: give healing and hope.
God of grace, hear our prayer.

Faithful God, these are the prayers of your Church. We offer them trusting and hoping in you. Hear and help us, challenge and change

We pray all these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
Holy God, source of all love, on the night of betrayal Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another as he loved them. Give us the will to serve others as he was servant of all.

[1] https://upcendicott.org/sermons/2016/3/24/a-night-for-remembering-a-meditation-for-maundy-thursday

[2] These are the Twelve as named in the Gospel of Mark.

[3] “Haggadah,” in Wikipedia, retrieved on March 24, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggadah.

March 21, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Are you following the crowd or the vision?

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, March 21, 2024.

Today, we gather for prayer on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Did you know the United Nations named 2015 – 2024 the International Decade for People of African Descent?

You can watch an introductory video about the United Church of Christ and the United Church of Canada’s support here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFkQdEQ1BxA.

I don’t know about you, but when I think about the past few years with the rise in discrimination and racism not only in the United States but also in our own country, I am not sure this International Decade for People of African Descent, which was supposed to be about celebration is coming to end positively. The elimination of racial discrimination is not in our world yet, and it may be that we are moving away from this rather than toward it.

This Sunday, we celebrate Palm Sunday in our Church as we enter Holy Week together. We will gather and hear the stories of Jesus’ final earthy days together; we will witness once again how one who challenged the status quo, who dared to speak to justice and equality for all, was put to death.

In John 18: 38 – 40, we hear, “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this, he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now, Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

Jesus was put to death because of pressure from the voices of the crowd to crucify him; it was Jesus’ community who turned against him. Was it their fear of his different approach to community? It looks like it could be that to me.

When you think of our world currently, what do you think is the cause of the divisions? Why are we still working towards the elimination of racism, sexism, ageism, and so many other ways we find division? Is it for us fear or uncertainty, or comfort for those who hold privilege?

As you travel into Holy Week, I invite you to reflect on whether you are a voice following the crowd or if you will follow Jesus’ vision for equality and justice in the community.

Today, I share this prayer the Right Rev. Richard Bott wrote entitled To Root Out Quiet Racism. Let us pray together.

While we give thanks for

the diversity of people—

of cultures and ethnicities,

of histories and life stories,

of skin colour and language and

hearts that love the world;

the best way to give thanks

is to disassemble the systems,

the stories, the mythos,

that privilege one colour over another—

is to root out (and un-root)

the insidious beliefs

of those of us with privilege

(sometimes hidden quietly within,

sometimes disguised,

sometimes trumpeted as manifesto)

that “me and mine” are better than

“you and yours.”

To root out quiet racism—

to root out White Fragility,

and White Supremacy—

so that it withers and dies.

It is time.

It is well past time.

On this International Day

to End

Racial Discrimination.

God of all creation,

bless us all with what we need,

to take on this work,

and live it.

Today.

Every day.

Always.

Until this International Day

is a thing of memory.

In Jesus’ name.

May it be.

We pray all these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
Blessed are you who choose to show up without judgement, with little gifts or small practical help. Your empathy is a precious gift. Blessed are you with the emotional bandwidth to hear hard things without fixing, minimizing, or deflecting. You know the gift of presence. Today, may you hear the divine whispers nudging you, love given and received. Amen.

March 14, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Lenten Practice Together – Week Five

 Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

As an Affirming Congregation within the United Church of Canada, today we celebrate National PIE Day.  You can learn more about it here: https://pieday.ca/. Every day as a community at Gower, we strive to be welcoming, inclusive, and supportive of all.

I invite you to start our time together by reading Ezekiel 37:1–14. I include a copy of the reading from the New Revised Standard Updated Version of the Bible. Feel free to read any translation.

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you and will cause flesh to come upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I had been commanded, and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”

Now, I invite you to share this reflection by the Rev. Dave Jagger.

In Lent Week One, we explored the Lenten practice of saying “No!” It is easier to say “No” to something when you have already said “Yes” to something else. As those who follow Jesus, each of us constantly gets to choose “No” or “Yes.” Will I do this, or will I do that? How will I use the time and resources I have been given? That’s a stewardship question.

In Lent Week Two, we looked into being a blessing. We have been blessed in order to be a blessing to others. We looked deeper into THE stewardship question. As people of faith, it’s up to each of us to decide how we are going to use everything God has given us.

In Lent Week Three, as we considered the stewardship of our time, we explored the Lenten practice of regular and frequent worship.

Last week, as we responded to our congregation’s invitation to be generous, we contemplated the beginning of Psalm 23 and the Lenten practice of contentment.

Now, it is one week before Palm Sunday, and Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time. It is one week before Holy Week and Jesus’ last days before he is handed over to the authorities and crucified. It is one week before the powers of empire and greed seem to win again. It is one week before the beginning of the end; we stand with Ezekiel and stare into a valley filled with dead, dried human bones. What a sight! As far as you can see, nothing but bones. Leg bones. Ankle bones. Arm bones. Shoulder bones. And none are connected. The empty eye sockets of bleached human skulls stare into oblivion. Death reigns in this place. Endings. Sorrow. Grief. This is a valley of futility and hopelessness. It’s a feeling that many people know all too well. Depression. Grief. Hopelessness. You ask yourself, “Why bother?”

They don’t know it yet, but there are some close followers of Jesus who will know this experience all too soon as they watch their messiah, their teacher and friend, their hope, hang on a cross and die. What might God do in this impossible situation? It’s a really good question. It may be the only question that matters. What might God do in this impossible situation?

Thankfully, we know the answer in each of those past situations. In the vision that Ezekiel has, God has Ezekiel do the strangest thing: prophecy to the bones! Yet, when he does, the rattling begins, joining bone to bone, sinew, muscle, organs, skin, and spirit breath. Life! Hope! A future for God’s beloved people.

Then there are the disciples. I know we’re getting a little ahead in the story, but they can’t believe it. They watch as everything they had hoped for unravels around them, and they are powerless to do anything. Jesus seems to embrace it: preparing them during his last meal with them, calling them to prayer in the garden, and commanding them to love, not fight, when he is taken away. How can this be? Seeing his battered and abused body as he comes out of the Roman garrison and is led to the hill of the skull. Watching as Roman soldiers strip him and nail him to the wooden cross, as he dies a public and shameful death. Some disciples have it together enough to at least take possession of his body and bury it as best they can. The rest of his followers scatter and cower.

What might God do in this impossible situation? Resurrection! On the third day, an empty tomb. Vindication. Life! Hope! A future for God’s beloved people. Which, I think, leaves us asking the question differently, for ourselves, in our present situations. Instead of a question of abandonment and surrender (What might God do in this impossible situation—as if the situation is even beyond God’s help?), it becomes a question of faith and hope. What might God do in this impossible situation? I wonder…. Let’s find out. Let’s watch for it and expect it. For God is surely in this place and time. God is surely about God’s mission in our lives and through our lives. What might God do in this impossible situation? Because God will do something and not often what we would expect. But God will do something: that brings new life; something that transforms and heals and renews; something unexpected and unforeseen.

Who’d have thunk it?

When you ask the question, “What might God do in this impossible situation?” You are activating your faith. You are opening yourself to God. You are reaching out and grabbing on to hope, even creating hope for yourself and those around you. As long as you can think of one answer, there is hope.

And that is our last Lenten practice: the practice of hope. It’s a trickier one, but hang in there; it’s worth it.

This week, take that question with you. Wherever you go. Whomever you encounter. Whatever life throws at you. What might God do in this impossible situation?

Maybe turn it into a prayer: “O God, what are you up to in this impossible situation?” Maybe write some creative spiritual fiction. Imagine what God might do and then write the story.

Take that question with you and immerse yourself in it all week. What might God do in this impossible situation? As long as you can think of one answer, there is hope.

Let us pray,

We give you thanks for our ancestors, those of our bodies, and those of our faith— our grandparents who have taught us what it means to be your people. Sarah and Abraham, Miriam and Ezekiel, Mary and Peter… and all those who have shared your stories in the years that followed.

For all that you have given us, your people in the Gower Street Faith Community, The United Church of Canada, our siblings who walk Jesus’ Way, people of faith, all people, and all our relations— for life and life abundant, we give you thanks!

Even as we thank you, we remember that we have not always lived out your call. We have sinned in thought, word, and action by what we have done and by what we have failed to do. We have not loved you with our whole hearts or loved our neighbours as we love ourselves. We have maintained systems that give more power to those who already have it and take away what little some people have. We have turned away when your love would have had us turn toward you. Receive the prayers of our hearts for those parts of our lives that we have damaged. (A time for silent prayer) Forgive us, we pray.

As forgiven and forgiving people, we pray for all those who are in need, wherever they are, whoever they are. We ask, God, that you would help us to be agents of healing and hope to all who are hurting, all who are afraid, all who are hungry, all who are broken. Receive the prayers of our hearts, for the people we know… (A time for silent prayer). Blessed are you, loving God.

In prayer and celebration, we give you thanks— for Jesus, the Christ, for his life among us, for his teachings, for his laughter, for his compassion, for his tears. We pray all of these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all of his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
With bones given flesh, and lives renewed, let us go into God’s world— listening for the Sprit,  loving one another, worshipping our God! And the peace of Christ, that passes all understanding, rests and remains with us ,now and forever. Amen![1]

[1] Called to Be the Church: Congregational Giving Program, 2020, Loving Our Neighbours, Worship for Five Sundays of Lent, © 2020 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence.

March 7, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Lenten Practice Together – Week Four

 Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

I invite you to start our time together by reading Psalm 23. I include a paraphrase here or you can read a translation you have.

God is my shepherd,
everything I need is taken care of:
good food to eat,
sweet water to drink,
safe place to sleep!
When my soul is broken,
God restores it.
When my path gets twisted,
God returns me to the right ways
by the Holy Name!

When I walk in shadowed places,
where death is waiting for me,
I will not be afraid.
I know that you are with me, God.
I am comforted by your guidance,
by your readiness to defend me.
Even in the presence of those who would do me harm,
you make sure that I have enough,
and more than enough!
You mark me as yours.

I am certain that your goodness and your mercy
will always be in my life,
and I will be a part of your household forever.
A part of your household, forever!

Next, I invite you to share this reflection by the Rev. Dave Jagger.

In the first week of Lent, we explored the Lenten practice of saying “No!” It is easier to say “No” to something when you have already said “Yes” to something else. As those who follow Jesus, each of us constantly gets to choose “No” or “Yes.” Will I do this, or will I do that? How will I use the time and resources I have been given? That’s a stewardship question.

In the second week of Lent, we looked into being a blessing. We have been blessed in order to be a blessing to others. We looked deeper into THE stewardship question. As people of faith, it’s up to each of us to decide “How are we going to use everything God has given us?”

Last week, as we thought about the stewardship of our time, we explored the Lenten practice of worship that is regular and often.

This week, hopefully, each of us was intentional about preparing for today’s invitation to generosity.

So here we are, face to face with one of the most popular and well-known pieces of the Bible there is. I wonder how many of us, hearing the words, are taken back to the funeral for a loved one? “The Lord is my shepherd.” It’s a phrase that I expect even many non-church people would recognize.

These words are heard as words of comfort, support, and encouragement. Traditionally we know them as:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23)

But before you jump to all the great and amazing things God does for you and gives you:
rest in green pastures near a clean water source;
spiritual restoration;
leadership;
protection;
comfort and reassurance;
all you can eat and drink (the ultimate all inclusive!)
goodness and mercy;
forever in God’s presence…

Before you jump to all that, just pause for a minute at the very first line: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). Wouldn’t that be great? “I shall not want.” Can you imagine not being in a state of want? For our day and age, it might be the most revolutionary idea in the entire Bible since everything we see and hear and experience demands, over and over, that we consume, buy, accumulate, hoard, succeed, and want. Faster, stronger, smarter. More, more, more! Yet this Bible song starts with the subversive idea that “I shall not want.” Not because I can’t afford it. Not because I have three of them. Not because I already have the best and newest. Not because it’s back ordered on Amazon. “I shall not want” because “The Lord is my shepherd.” “I shall not want” because God provides me with everything I need. “I shall not want” because I trust in God, who came in Jesus the Word made flesh; to reconcile and make new. Jesus clearly taught and lived that we are inter-connected and inter-related; neighbours to one another; to love and serve each other, sharing what we have and who we are for each other’s good.

“I shall not want” because to want is the path to greed and selfishness; which is not Jesus’ Way. To want means never being happy; never being content; always, well…wanting, and always at someone else’s expense.

So what’s the best way to help God steer you into those lovely green pastures of “I shall not want”? Let me suggest that appreciating what you have is a great way to counteract greed and want, and to grow contentment and happiness in their place. So, for our Lenten practice this week, here’s what we’re going to work on: Appreciation and Contentment.

This week, to help you experience and increase your sense of contentment, I want you to do an “Appreciation Inventory.” Look, touch, smell, remember, and immerse yourself in what you have been given. You may choose to physically walk through your home to do this, or you can do it sitting in your favourite spot and using your mind’s eye. Either way, as you encounter or experience your physical stuff (clothes, car, food, money, toys, and so on), your non-physical stuff (job, memory, learning, faith), and your relationships (family, friends, co-workers, people that support you), pause with each one and appreciate what you have. Afterwards, acknowledge to yourself just how much you have been given. Be content. Be grateful. In these will you find the path to generosity.

Then I invite you to share in a journal or through a phone call with a friend the story of how this Lenten practice worked for you and how it helped (or didn’t) open you up to God, as you made space in your life to actively live out the Way of Jesus.

For our prayer today, please cup your hands together and place them close to your mouth.

I’d like you to think about: something in your life that makes you smile; something in your life that makes you happy; something in your life for which you are grateful.

When you’re ready, I’d ask you to whisper, into your hands, what it is or what they are. (Take a moment to think and whisper.)

Now, I’d like to ask you to think about something that’s happened that is causing you pain, right now.

Perhaps it is something you’ve done or something that has been done to you. Whatever it is, I’d like to ask you if you’re ready to give it to God so that the hurt might be healed and whatever is broken might be made whole.

When you’re ready, whisper that into your hands. (Take a moment to think and whisper.)

Now I’d like to ask you to think about someone or something or some place you know of that is in need of God’s particular attention. It might be something quite personal to you, or it might be something far away. Take a moment to whisper into your hands a little about that person or situation. Perhaps you could ask God to help you understand how you might be of help.

When you’re ready, whisper that into your hands. (Take a moment to think and whisper.)

Now comes the time to offer the prayers that are in our hands. Open the cup so that your hands are flat and bring them up to your lips. Take a breath and…blow! (Take a moment to blow your prayers into God’s world.)

We pray all of these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all of his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
Go into the world as people of gratitude. Go into the world as people of hope. Go into the world as people of joyfulness. Go into the world ready to share Christ’s love! And go knowing this: we are never, ever alone. The peace of Jesus holds us, the love of the Creator enfolds us, and the wings of the Holy Spirit carry us, today and always. Amen![1]

[1] Called to Be the Church: Congregational Giving Program, 2020, Loving Our Neighbours, Worship for Five Sundays of Lent, © 2020 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence.

February 29, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Lenten Practice Together – Week Three

 Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

I invite you to start our time together by reading Psalm 95:1–7. I include here the reading from Voices United found on page 814, Part One.

One:      O come, let us sing to God.
All:         Let us shout with joy to the rock of our salvation.
One:      Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving.
All:         Let us joyously shout to God with songs of praise! Come, let us bow down and worship, let us kneel before God our maker.
One:      For you are a great God,
All:         high sovereign above all gods.
One:      In your hand are the depths of the earth;
All:         to you belong the heights of the mountains.
One:      The sea is yours, for you made it;
All:         your hands also formed the dry land.
One:      You are indeed our God;
All:         we are your people, the flock that you shepherd.
One:       Come, let us bow down and worship, let us kneel before God our maker!

Next, I invite you to share in this reflection by the Rev. Dave Jagger.

In Lent Week one we explored the Lenten practice of saying “No!” It is easier to say “No” to something when you have already said “Yes” to something else. As those who follow Jesus, each of us, constantly, gets to choose “No” or “Yes.” Will I do this or will I do that? How will I use the time and resources I have be given? That’s a stewardship question.

Then last week we looked into being a blessing. We have been blessed in order to be a blessing to others. We looked deeper into THE stewardship question. As people of faith, it’s up to each of us to decide: How are we going to use everything God has given us?

Stewardship is really all about caring for, managing, and using something that is not yours, but which you have been given for a time. It’s yours to look after and use on behalf of its rightful owner. A good steward always manages what they have been given as a response to the one who owns it and who has given it to them. And that includes our time, as well as our physical resources.

Now, maybe we should have started with this Lenten practice two weeks ago, but today we’re going to talk about worship—worshipping regularly and often….

One day, two people from the same congregation were having coffee and talking about church stuff: you know, the regular chitter chatter. Finally, one says to the other, “You know, I’ve gone to worship for 30 years now and, in that time, I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think I’m wasting my time, and the ministers are wasting theirs by their giving sermons at all.” Well, the other person thought for a moment and then replied, “You know, I’ve been married for 30 years. In that time, my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this, they all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to worship for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!”

According to N. Graham Standish, a Presbyterian minister in the United States, worship must provide, “a tangible sense that Christ is in their midst,” “an encounter and experience of God.”[1] Worship is not just a show we attend on those Sunday mornings when we have time. Worship is not a spectator sport. Worship is not something that can only occur in this building and this space. Worship does not even require the traditional trappings of minister, organist, and choir; hymn book and bulletin. “In worship, as we sing songs, listen to messages, read through scripture, and pray together, we can experience that precious love of God that is for each of us, and in that love discover a sense of belonging and perhaps even purpose for our own lives…worship takes us into the heart of God.”[2]

Worship, like stewardship, is about our response to God; who God is and what God does. As part of our time together today, we read Psalm 95. It starts with our response: “Let us shout with joy to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving; let us joyously shout to God with songs of praise” (Ps. 95:1‒2,  VU p. 814). Sounds like worship!

Which is our response to, “For you are a great God, high sovereign above all gods. In your hand are the depths of the earth; to you belong the mountains. The sea is yours, for you made it; your hands also formed the dry land” (Ps. 9:3‒5, VU p. 814).

Who is God? God is great! God is the creator. God made it all and owns it all. And God is good. God provides everything for us. All that we have has come from God.

So we thank God by using some of the time God has given us to come together with other followers of Jesus for worship. Regularly and often.

When we worship:
We enter into God’s presence. We start by settling ourselves and centring ourselves. Often that involves silence, prayer, and music.

We listen for what God is saying to us: reading scripture, hearing a sermon or message, watching a video, talking with someone, or practising quiet meditation. Any of these can become vehicles through which we listen for what God is saying to us.

We respond: As a result of our experience of God’s presence and listening for God’s message to us, now what do we have to do? A time of dedication or commitment. Praying both for ourselves and for others. Each of us responds differently depending on what we heard or felt from God.

And we need to do this thing we call worship regularly and often, as the church-goer said about being spiritually nourished. So, here’s what we’re going to work on this week for our Lenten practice: worship regularly and often.

This week, I want you to use some of your time (remember also the stewardship of time) every day to worship. Worship at home with your family. Worship in an arena with friends. Worship wherever is convenient. Just worship, regularly and often.

Use the outline for worship we have talked about (enter into God’s presence, listen, respond). This is a great Lenten practice to do alone or together as a family, or with a good church friend or two.

To start, offer a prayer and a bit of silence to enter into God’s presence and into worship. Maybe sing or listen to a worship song. There are lots online. Then, read the scripture from the lectionary for the week or any passage that speaks to you. Listen to what God, through the Holy Spirit, is saying to  you through them. Consider what will be your response. If you are worshipping as a family or a group, talk about it or journal about it if you are alone. What did you hear God saying? How will you respond to the invitation to generous stewardship? Pray for your family and friends, and pray for your church.

In order to build a habit, I encourage you to choose the same time each day. Pick a time that works for you, but every day this week, use some of your time to worship.

The psalmist said, “O come, let us sing to God; let us shout with joy to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving. Let us joyously shout to God with songs of praise!” So, let’s do all those things as we join together in prayer.

Our hearts beat with thanksgiving, God. They mark every moment that we live in you! For the earth and all its goodness; for the seas and the waves so high; for the air, which surrounds this planet; and for all the creatures with whom we live— we say, thank you, loving God!

For the relationships we share with all creation, with each other; for the love that brings new life— thank you, loving God!

For your presence in and with all things, every heartbeat, every day, for the fact that you are always with us— thank you, loving God!

Even as we celebrate, in praise and thanksgiving, we remember that we have also transgressed in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. There are times we have failed to love you as completely as we could have; times we have failed to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. Forgive us, God. We ask you to forgive us, God. But, even more than that,   we ask that you help us to  make the choices and live the decision to love more completely, tomorrow and the days to come. Hear the prayers of our hearts… (A time for silent prayer)

As a forgiven and forgiving people, we remember others who are in need.
For the world and all that lives in it…
For people and places damaged by war and conflict…
For people whose humanity is diminished by racism, ableism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, and all the other –isms we live….
For all who are afraid, all who are lonely, all who are hurting, in body, mind, or spirit…
For our neighbours— those we know and those we will never meet…
For our families…
For ourselves…

We pray all of these things, sharing the words that Jesus gave to all of his disciples, including us…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:

Creator, touch our minds— that we may worship with understanding.
Jesus, touch our eyes—that we may see each other.
Holy Spirit, touch our voices— that our words would always praise you.
Love Divine, touch our hearts— that your compassion would overflow.
God of all, touch our hands— that all we touch would be blessed, that all we touch would be transformed, that all we touch would be made new, by your love.
As we go into your world, we worship you![3]

[1] Graham N. Standish, Becoming a Blessed Church (Rowman and Littlefield, 2016), p. 73.

[2] Jamie Holtom and Debbie Johnson, Bullseye: Aiming to Follow Jesus (United Church Publishing House, 2015), p. 45.

[3] Called to Be the Church: Congregational Giving Program, 2020, Loving Our Neighbours, Worship for Five Sundays of Lent, © 2020 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence.

February 21, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Lenten Practice Together – Week Two

 Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, February 21, 2024.

I invite you to start our time together by reading Genesis 12:1–4a. I include here the New Revised Standard Updated Edition translation but read the translation you like prefer.

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him.

Next, I invite you to share in this reflection by the Rev. Dave Jagger.
Last week we explored the Lenten practice of saying “No!” It is easier to say “No” to something when you have already said “Yes” to something else. As those who follow Jesus, each of us, constantly, gets to choose “No” or “Yes.” Will I do this or will I do that? How will I use the time and resources I have be given? That’s a stewardship and discipleship question.

Actually, that is THE stewardship and discipleship question. As people of faith, we believe that all we have, from mismatched socks to our very lives, comes from God. God generously shares and gives to us, because God loves us. And not just us, but everyone.

Every living being on the planet and beyond the planet. Okay, and even the planet. That’s how expansive God’s love is.

It’s up to each of us, then, to decide how we are going to use whatever God has given us. Not a bad deal, right? Right.

However, God knows us pretty well. So God has given us some guidelines, assistance, and yes, even some rules, to help us make good decisions about how we are going to use all this that God gave us. It’s not that God doesn’t trust us, but let’s just say our track record for using what God has given us hasn’t been exactly stellar.

There’s an example of this in the Bible reading we read today.

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great.” (Gen. 12:1–2b)

Not a bad deal for Abram. Go where God takes you and you will get it all. You will become a great nation, blessed by God. Money? Yup. Power? Yup. Possessions? Yup. Descendants? Yup. He gets it all!

There’s only one little caveat: “…so that you will be a blessing.” (Gen. 12:2c)

It’s not so much a hitch or a condition, but God gives Abram a guideline as to how to use all of this blessing that God is going to give to Abram: “Use it to bless others.”

As spiritual descendants of Abram, whose name God later changes to Abraham, we, too, have been blessed in order to be a blessing to others. Which brings us to this week’s Lenten practice, the practice of blessing; and because we are also talking stewardship and discipleship, the practice of using what we have been given to be a blessing to someone else. Blessed, to be a blessing.

Now “blessing” is one of those words that often gets used, but doesn’t often get defined. So let’s check. Google defines a blessing as a beneficial thing; people are grateful for blessings.

No surprises there, I hope. Being blessed is a good thing. A blessing can be both physical and non-physical. Think of examples of a time when you were blessed in each way.

Take a moment, now, to bring to mind some time when someone blessed you, either physically or in some other way. (pause) How did it feel to be blessed? What did being blessed make you want to do in return?

Now let’s flip it around. Take another moment to recall a time when you were a blessing to someone else. Maybe you gave them something. Maybe you did something for them. Maybe you said something—something for which they were grateful, even if they didn’t come out and say it. When were you a blessing for someone else? (pause) How did that feel, to be a blessing to someone? What did being a blessing make you want to do? [1]

Being a part of a community of faith gives you many opportunities to be a blessing to others.

We also have the opportunity to be a blessing to people we may never meet through the Mission & Service of the United Church. When you give to Mission & Service, you are a blessing to thousands, maybe millions, of people across Canada, a blessing that in some cases actually saves lives.

When you give to Mission & Service you are also a blessing to thousands (likely millions) of people around the world directly and through 92 global partners in 21 countries which change lives and save lives.

So that’s what we’re going to work on this week for our Lenten practice: using what we have been given, to be a blessing for someone else. We will have some fun this week, so here’s what I want you to try.

Jesus warns us not to be showy and draw attention to ourselves when we are generous and use what we have to bless someone else (Matthew 6:1–4). So, I want you to go into blessing stealth mode. Be creative. At least once a day, this week, use something you have been given, something you have been blessed with, to bless someone else secretly. Don’t let them know it was you. It could be a family member. It could be a co-worker. It could be a total stranger. It doesn’t matter who. At least once a day, this week, use something you have been given, something you have been blessed with, to secretly bless someone else.

Today, for our prayers, we’re going to take some time to offer to God a few things. Before we begin, take a moment to think about the people in your life. Those you may know really well, a little bit, or not at all.

Think about them, and, through them, about all of the people whom you come into contact with in some way. (Pause for a moment)

 Now I’d like to ask you to imagine writing the name of someone or something for which you are grateful— a person, a place, something from your past, something from now. Whatever it is for which you are thankful, imagine naming it, or drawing it, on a piece of paper. (A few moments for reflection)

Now, let that name or image represent all for whom and for which you are thankful in your life. (A moment for reflection)

Take a moment to reflect on the past week.  Was there a time when, for whatever reason, you did something or failed to do something that got in the way of your loving God, or loving your neighbour, or loving yourself? Is there something broken that you want—or need—to tell God about? (A few moments for reflection)

Now, let that image represent all of the broken moments in your life.

Is there someone or some place that you know is in need of an extra measure of your love, and of God’s love? Perhaps it’s someone you know, or something you have heard about on the news. (A few moments for reflection)

Now, let that image represent all the people and places around the world that are in need.

Holding all these images in mind, say aloud:  Blessed and blessing, these are our prayers, God of all.

Let us close our time of prayer with the prayer Jesus taught us,

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
Blessed and blessing, loving and loved, God’s people go from this time. To times of work, to times of play, to times of busyness,  to times away, God’s people go to the world. To speak and to listen, to sing and to pray, to be a blessing each and every day. God’s people go and be stewards of the faith, Jesus’ people on the Way. We go, knowing we are never alone! Carried by the wings of the Holy Spirit, moving forward with Christ’s peace, enfolded in the Creator’s love, we go! Amen.

[1] Called to Be the Church: Congregational Giving Program, 2020, Loving Our Neighbours, Worship for Five Sundays of Lent, © 2020 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence.

February 15, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Lenten Practice – Week One

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, February 15, 2024.

A Lenten practice can be anything you do during Lent that opens us up and brings us closer to God. Perhaps it may be awkward at first and difficult, but afterwards, you feel good, and after doing it for a while, you notice changes and strengths, and it becomes so much a part of your routine that you can’t imagine life without it. Some common and traditional Lenten practices include prayer, fasting, generosity, confession, Bible study, hospitality, working for justice, and meditation.

Over our time together during Lent, I am going to be sharing Lenten discipleship practices that are each tied to the Christian values of generosity, thankfulness, and stewardship. Each week, not only will we learn about a specific Lenten practice, but you will be given ideas about different ways that you can do it.  I invite you to try it; play with it; see how it opens you up to God. By taking this opportunity and trying each practice, you will be making space in your life to live out the Way of Jesus actively.[1]

So today I invite you to start our time together by reading Matthew’s 4:1–11. I include here the New Revised Standard Updated Edition translation, but read the translation you like prefer.
The Testing of Jesus
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”

11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Next, I invite you to share in this reflection by the Rev. Dave Jagger.
I find it funny that one of the first words we learn to speak and use as small children becomes for many of us the hardest word to use as our life progresses. Spend any time around a two-year-old and you will know how often they use the word “no.”

“Please eat your peas.” “No!”

“It’s time for bed.” “No!”

“Did you break the lamp?” “No!”

“Do you want to go for a walk?” “No!”

They are very good at saying, “No!”

For many of us, however, you’d think we’d never heard the word before: “I know you’re already serving communion this morning, reading scripture, ushering, and teaching Sunday school, but we need someone to run the tech equipment. Could you do it?” “Yes.”

“I know you worked all day and have two church meetings tonight, but I need help with my homework…and can I have a dozen cupcakes for school tomorrow?” “Yes.”

Does any of that sound familiar? We have become so good at saying “Yes” and so poor at saying “No” that we are exhausted, overworked, burned-out, and spiritually depleted. How can I hear God speaking to me, and why would I want to, if all it means is more work?

Even this idea of Lenten practices just sounds like more work. Right?

So maybe it’s time to regain the practice of saying “No,” not indiscriminately or selfishly like that two-year-old, but wisely and intentionally like a follower of Jesus. It means not saying “No” just because I don’t want to, or because it’s too hard, or too new, or it scares me, but saying, “No” to this because I have already said “Yes” to that.

We are given a great example of how this works in today’s Bible reading from Matthew’s Gospel (4:1–11). Three times Jesus has to make a choice. Three times he can either say “No” or “Yes.”

“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread!” “No” or “Yes”?

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from the highest point of the Temple.” “No” or “Yes”?

“All these…kingdoms and all their wealth and power I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” “No” or “Yes”?

Each time Jesus says “No!” on account of that to which he has already said, “Yes!”

“Yes, I will trust God to provide what I really need.”

“Yes, I will trust God to care for me.”

“Yes, I will serve and worship God alone.”

Now, probably, hopefully, you’re not going to be asked this week to throw yourself off a roof, or intentionally starve yourself, or turn your back on God or the church, like Jesus was. However, you are going to be faced with choices and temptations of your own.

Every time you pick up your phone—I just want to check social media, or my work e-mail, or level up in that new game—the people around you cease to exist.

Every time you open your wallet—cash? debit? credit?—you spend more because a strong economy is what really matters, and it will make you feel good.

As those who follow Jesus, each of us, constantly, gets to choose “No” or “Yes.” How will I use the time and resources I have be given? That’s a stewardship question.

So here’s our first Lenten practice. This week, maybe tomorrow, I want you to make a list of three things, three Christian values, to which you have said “Yes.” Maybe they are similar to the three that Jesus relies on in the Bible story:

“Yes, I will trust God to provide what I really need.”

“Yes, I will trust God to care for me.”

“Yes, I will serve and worship God alone.”

Maybe they’re broader:

“Yes, I value faithfulness.”

“Yes, I value kindness.”

“Yes, I value generosity.”

Think about it and pray about it and write down three things, three Christian values, to which you have said “Yes.” Carry that list with you as a reminder. Make a copy or two and put it in places where you will keep running into it. Then, through the rest of the week, whenever a choice presents itself, say “No” when it contradicts your list—those Christian values to which you have said “Yes.”

Let us pray,

Loving God, we thank you for the journey of our lives, with its ups and downs, with its questions and challenges, and with its moments of joy. We thank you for the beauty around us, for the hills and the trees, for the water and the weather, for all that reminds us of life, and life made new.

In the quiet of this place, we offer you our own celebrations. (A time for silent prayer)

Even as we say “Thank you,” we realize that there is brokenness in us and in our world. We realize that we have not always lived the love to which you call us. Sometimes by action or by inaction, sometimes by just going along with things, we have broken faith with each other, and with you.

We offer to you, our brokenness, loving God, not only asking that we would be forgiven, but that, by your love, we would be made whole, living in new ways, living out Christ’s love.

Receive the prayers of our hearts, God. (A time for silent prayer)

Knowing that we are forgiven, knowing that we are loved, we turn to the world, to love it into wholeness. We pray for people living in desert-times in their lives, people who are facing famine—of body or spirit, people who are tempted to turn away from what is right and just; and we pray for a world, all creatures, all places, facing destruction.

We pray for healing and wholeness, and we ask that we would be a part of the solution,

loving God, turning our prayer from words to actions.

Bless our journey, we pray, sharing the words that Jesus gave all his disciples…

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
As we travel this Lenten pathway, we journey together, a community of faith. As we travel this Way of Jesus, we journey together, but also alone. Go into God’s world, practicing our faith, living Christ’s call to love God with all that we are, to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.  Go into God’s world knowing we are never alone. Christ’s peace, the Creator’s love, and the breath of the Holy Spirit go with us. Amen!

[1] Called to Be the Church: Congregational Giving Program, 2020, Loving Our Neighbours, Worship for Five Sundays of Lent, © 2020 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence.

February 8, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Lunar New Year – Spiritual Renewal and Restoration

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, February 7, 2024.

This coming Saturday is the Lunar New Year, and 2024 is the Year of the Dragon. The Lunar New Year is the beginning of a new year based on the lunar calendar. Millions worldwide celebrate it, and It is one of the most important holidays in China.

Lunar New Year has sources in Taoism—the ancient Chinese philosophy that values harmony above all else—and Buddhism—a religion focused on achieving enlightenment through meditation techniques and yoga that promotes mindfulness and inner peace.

The lunar calendar resets on the first full moon of the new year, which is believed to be a time for individuals to reflect on the past year and cleanse the mind, body, and spirit. It is also a time for people to grow and develop spiritually.

Spiritual growth is a lifelong process, and it can be an opportunity for individuals to connect with others, the world around them, or themselves.

Some ways of enhancing one’s spirituality include meditation, practicing kindness towards oneself and others, volunteering at a local soup kitchen or shelter, reading inspirational works of literature, seeking out meaningful relationships with friends and family members, reading self-help books on how to live more authentically in the moment, meditating outdoors, or whatever may be your thing.

Overall, the point is that those who celebrate the Lunar New Year engage in spiritual renewal and restoration as they prepare their spirits for the new things to come in the new year. It seemed fitting to explore this celebration today as it takes place just four days before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of our Lenten Journey as Christians. I invite you to reflect today on how you could introduce spiritual renewal practices into your upcoming Lenten Journey. I also hope you will join me in expressing blessings and well wishes to all those in our circles near and far who celebrate the Lunar New Year this Saturday. If you celebrate this weekend, we wish you and your loved ones a year filled with luck, prosperity, and robust health in this Year of the Dragon!

Today, I share an adaption of a Prayer in the Spirit of the Lunar New Year written by Rev Ji Zhang. [1]

Loving God

We give thanks for the changing season,

the spirit of Luna New Year.

We pray for resetting our bodily clock

brushing away the dust of the past

and welcoming a new future.

O gracious God,

send your spirit of renewal to all people.

Living Christ

In your ministry on Earth, you care for the people

by healing people of all ages

in different physical and spiritual conditions.

We pray for your presence now among all people.

Life-changing Spirit,

where you are present, there is life.

Come, O the Spirit

protect the elderly in our aged care facilities,

give relief to the overworked staff,

send peace to the families,

renew the United Church ministry in social service,

restore the fullness of life by strengthening our communities.

May the mercy and grace of God

be upon this Earth.

We pray for the peace throughout the world

open the hearts and inspire generosity.

In the New Year of the Dragon,

we pray for bravery, creativity, and innovation.

We also pray for our resilience

to hope for personal renewal

to care for those seeking safety

to heal those in sadness and illness

to journey with those longing for change

to love those needing kindness and hope.

We pray all these things

in the name of Christ Jesus

and in hope for your coming Kin-dom.

Gathering our prayers together, let us pray the words Jesus gave us.

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
Go forth from this space and seek ways to nurture your spirit, knowing you are always held in love. Amen.

[1] https://uniting.church/a-prayer-in-the-spirit-of-the-lunar-new-year/

February 1, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Starting Black History Month

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, February 1, 2024.

Black History Month is a time to pause for reflection intentionally and learn the story of people of African descent in our midst – a story interwoven with our story and every story. Since 1996 (in Canada), February has been designated a month to honour the contributions and struggles of people of African descent.

As we begin this month, I hope we find time to celebrate, honour and uplift the voices of others in our community. May we also think from the beginning name that those of us who are white need to work to do this year round and not just in this one month. During our pause today, I invite you to read Jonisha Lewinson’s reflection on Black History Month and the diversity of Blackness as we begin this month with awareness.

Read Jonisha Lewinson’s post here

What will you do this month to grow in community and education?

I share for us today a Psalm for Black History Month from Akinyi Owegi-Ndhlovu. Before you read this psalm, I invite you to take three deep breaths. One for centering,  one for calming and one for openness to the messages for you to hear in word and prayer today.

Psalm for Black History Month – Akinyi Owegi-Ndhlovu[1]

From everlasting to everlasting

World without end, You Are!

Wrought in my mother’s womb

And even before then

You knew I would be.

Who I would become―or not…

Where I would dwell―or not…

What skin tone I would have

Especially after the sun had touched me;

All these, you, Creator God, had known.

The language that I would speak

Or how many I would speak, hear, and understand

How I would know to call you

And know that you are still the One

How I would pray, praise, or lament

And hope and trust that you would still hear.

My mother continent is Africa

Vast lands and lakes and rivers created by you.

You were there before many a navigator, an explorer, often a stranger

Created invisible lines, invisible boundaries, unnecessary divisions.

Before I knew to call you God or Dieu,

Languages from across many seas,

I learned to call you in the languages

Of my kin and others, closer, nearer, and dear to me,

Present or gone before me

In the continent of my origin, my birth, my roots.

Nyasaye (Luo)

Mungu (Kiswahili)

Mulungu (Ngoni)

Ngai (Kikuyu)

Enkai (Maasai)

Chukwu (Igbo)

Unkulunkulu (Zulu)

Lesa (Bemba)

Mwari (Shona)

You who sees all, hears all, knows all

You who are many in One,

Present everywhere all at once;

You in whose image I am made,

You whose nature is

Love, Unity, Harmony, Sameness,

It matters not in what land I currently dwell.

To you I pray,

Breathe your nature in me

Breathe courage and wisdom in me

Breathe healing over wounds that may still be open

Breathe over scars that may still be tender

Breathe to soothe the hurt that may still linger

Breathe, so that unforgiveness may not inhabit or overwhelm me

Breathe that I may fully live to

Love and be loved

Understand and be understood

Accept and be accepted

Value and be valued

Listen―and be listened to

That I may not be singled out

Because of mere suspicion or stereotype

That I may not be considered as not belonging

Because a person, a people, a system

Just cannot believe or accept that I do

That I may be viewed neither as a token nor an object of pity

But truly and sincerely be recognized as a worthy and deserving human

In the here and now and beyond now

Pause now and lift up the prayers on your heart and mind for yourself, your community and wider world to God.

Gathering our prayers together, let us pray the words Jesus gave us.

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
Although the road is long and the journey is hard, although the mountains are too high and the valleys are too low, by your grace, give us hope. By your power, give us strength. By your mercy, give us wisdom so that we may continue to go where you lead us, until all your children are safe from harm. May we go with your light shining in us, as we carry justice and equality into the world to bring about change with our voice. Amen.[2]

[1] https://united-church.ca/prayers/psalm-black-history-month

[2] https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Funited-church.ca%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2F2021-02%2F2021_bhm_one-voice_service.docx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

January 25, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Fragility of Freedom

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, January 25, 2024.

As we gather today, the day of remembrance of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau (the largest Nazi concentration and death camp – during the Second World War) is fast approaching. On Saturday, January 27^th, people throughout our world remember the massacre by Nazi Germany of over six million Jewish people as well as innumerable other people of minority groups such as the Roma.

The rising tide of hatred and fighting we have seen in recent months makes it more critical than ever that we take a moment on 27 January to remember the inevitable outcome of indulging hatred and staying silent when others are persecuted for who they are.

At the end of his weekly General Audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, Pope Francis looked ahead to the upcoming Day, saying, “This Saturday, 27 January, is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. May the remembrance and condemnation of that horrific extermination of millions of Jews and people of other faiths, which took place in the first half of the last century, help everyone not to forget that the logic of hatred and violence can never be justified because it denies our very humanity.” He continued his appeal for efforts on behalf of peace, saying, “War itself is a denial of humanity. “[1]

For 2024, the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, based in the UK, uses the theme of the fragility of freedom.[2] This is a fitting theme for the climate of our world as they reflect on the words from Anne Frank: “That is when the trouble started for the Jews. Our freedom was severely restricted by a series of anti-Jewish decrees.”[3] We know that in every genocide that has taken place, those who are targeted for persecution have had their freedom restricted and removed before many of them are murdered.

To learn, visit:

• https://www.unesco.org/en/days/holocaust-remembrance
• https://www.hmd.org.uk/
• https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/hmd-2024-guidance-for-activity-organisers-in-light-of-the-conflict-in-israel-and-gaza/

As we pray together today, let us hold in our prayers and hearts in a unique way to people in the Middle East, of Palestine, Israel, and Ukraine. We pray for the victims and their loved ones of hatred and war, past and present. We appeal to everyone, especially those with political power or voice, to preserve human life by ending violence and hatred.

Prayer for Holocaust Memorial Day

Loving God, we come to you with heavy hearts, remembering the six million Jewish souls murdered during the Holocaust.

In the horrors of that history, when so many groups were targeted because of their identity, and in the genocides which followed, we recognize destructive prejudices that drive people apart.

Forgive us when we give space to fear, negativity and hatred of others simply because they are different from us.

In the light of God, we see everyone as equally precious manifestations of the Divine and can know the courage to face the darkness.

Through our prayers and actions, help us to stand together with those who are suffering so that light may banish all darkness, love will prevail over hate, and good will triumph over evil.

Amen.[4]

Gathering our prayers together, let us pray the words Jesus gave us.

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:

Holy One give us the courage to recognize that each of us has the capacity to hurt another – bless us with that insight and the will to choose love of our neighbours everywhere. Amen.

[1] https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-01/ahead-of-holocaust-remembrance-day-pope-appeals-for-end-to-wars.html

[2] https://www.hmd.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/HMD-2024-Theme-Vision.pdf

[3] Anne Frank, diary entry, Saturday 20 June, 1942 – reflecting back on May 1940 when the Germans arrived in the Netherlands

[4] https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/a-prayer-for-holocaust-memorial-day/

January 18, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, January 18, 2024.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity starts today (January 18^th) and continues for eight days until January 25^th. This is an annual ecumenical celebration during which Christians around the world are invited to pray for the unity of all Christians, reflect on scripture together, participate in jointly organized ecumenical services, and share fellowship.

Over the next eight days, we will be sharing materials for reflection and pause daily on our social media channels developed using resources from the Canadian Council of Churches around the 2024 week of Christian Unity theme.

The 2024 theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, chosen by an ecumenical team from Burkina Faso with the facilitation of the local Chemin Neuf Community, is “You shall love the Lord your God … and your neighbour as yourself”. Based on Luke 10:27, the international theme and materials call Christians to act like Christ in loving like the Good Samaritan, showing mercy and compassion to those in need, regardless of their religious, ethnic, or social identity.[1]

As we begin this week’s reflection, let’s take time to read and ponder our Canadian context in connection to this year’s theme. I have adapted this from the Eight Days of Prayer: Biblical Reflections and Prayers for the Eight Days developed by the Canadian Council of Churches.

When confronted with some of his day’s deepest theological and social issues, Jesus turned to the Scriptures of his people, and when pressed to explain, he often told a story. What is known as ‘the Parable of the Good Samaritan’ arose from one such situation.

We know that all cultures have told stories. Stories are captivating. People relate to stories, remember them, and pass them on, often through many generations. People are deeply moved by good stories and inevitably end up sharing them.

As you go through the next eight days of the reflection,, ask yourselves: What story are you currently telling?

Story is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching. One-on-one and in front of thousands, Jesus used stories to share his message. Matthew 13:34 reminds us that Jesus used stories when he spoke to the people. In fact, he did not tell them anything without using stories.

 As you go through the next eight days of the reflection, ask yourselves: How are you telling your story?

The 2024 WPCU Bible studies focus on one story – what we call the Parable of the Good Samaritan. This story arises from an exchange between Jesus and a lawyer over eternal life and how to claim it. It then turns its focus to answering a basic question: “And who is my neighbour?” Jesus told stories to help people understand big concepts and address big issues. His stories were about people that his listeners could identify with and about how such people respond to the issues of the day.

As you go through the next eight days of the reflection, ask yourselves: What question might you take to Jesus that would have him tell such a story in your context?

 The story Jesus told arises from the issues common at that time and in the context of what people had to face in their particular situations: safety while travelling, lawlessness, responding to need, appropriate response, stereotyping (of the priests or Levites, or Samaritans), nameless victims, hospitality and grace… And a story unfolds that is lamentable and yet grace filled.

How would such a story begin in Canada in 2024? Who would be the oppressed, and who would be the oppressors? Who are the powerful and the powerless in our society? Who has the opportunity and the ability to address current concerns and reach out to societal victims, and who yet do little or nothing? Who are the surprising people who take action and offer help far beyond anything expected?

Canada in 2024 is confronted with issues that have already stretched and will continue to stretch, our understanding of “who is my neighbour.” Discrimination on the basis of race, Indigeneity, immigration status, sexuality, gender identity, and religious affiliation is one of the pressing concerns in the Canadian context.

As you go through the next eight days of the reflection, ask yourselves: Who do you need reminding about that they are your neighbours?

 Neighbour principle and the Golden Rule: Do you know about ‘the neighbour principle’ that is part of the law? Donoghue v. Stevenson stated a general conception of the relations giving rise to a duty of care, which has become known as ‘the neighbour principle’: You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which, as you can reasonably foresee, would likely cause injury to your neighbour.

As you go through the next eight days of the reflection, ask yourselves: How is ‘the neighbour principle’ simply the first step toward the Golden Rule?[2]

I invite you to reflect on this today and join us each day this week online or using the resources yourself to explore the Parable of the Good Samaritan as we journey together towards a world with Christian Unity.

Resources for Day One:
Resources for the next seven days found on here

A lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher”, he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Lk 10:25)

Help us, God, to have a life turned towards you

Additional scripture passages
Romans 14:8-9
Psalm 103:13-18

Reflection
What must I do to inherit eternal life?” This crucial question asked of Jesus by a lawyer challenges every believer in God. It affects the meaning of our life on earth and for eternity. Elsewhere in the Bible, Jesus gives us the ultimate definition of eternal life: “… that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (Jn 17:3). Knowing God means discovering and doing God’s will in our lives. Every person wants a life of fullness and truth, and God desires this for us, too (cf. Jn 10:10). Saint Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.”

The existential realities of life, with divisions, selfishness and suffering, often distance us from the quest for God. Jesus lived the mystery of intimate communion with God who desires to fill all with the fullness of eternal life. Jesus is “the Way” that leads us to God, our ultimate destiny.

Thus, our quest for eternal life brings us closer to Jesus, and in so doing brings us nearer to each other, strengthening our closeness on the path toward Christian unity. Let us be open to friendship and collaboration with Christians of all churches, praying for the day when we can all stand together at the Table of God.

Reflection Question : What kind of “test” do we bring with us to the deep questions of life and spirituality?

Prayer
God of life,
You have created us to have life and life in all its fullness.
May we recognize in our brothers and sisters their desire for eternal life.
As we follow Jesus’ way with determination, may we lead others to you.
We pray in his name. Amen.

Gathering our prayers together, let us pray the words Jesus gave us.

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
Go forth to love God and to love our neighbour as ourselves, united in Christ and enlivened by the Holy Spirit.

[1] https://www.weekofprayer.ca/sites/default/files/1%20International%20Booklet%202024%20WPCU.pdf

[2] https://www.weekofprayer.ca/sites/default/files/8%20Eight%20Days%20of%20Prayer%202024%20WPCU.pdf

January 11, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Slowing Down

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that suits you) on Thursday, January 11, 2024.

I have had a few interactions this past week in which either I or someone I was with expressed how we can’t believe how we are already five, eight or ten days into 2024 or shocked by the fact that Ash Wednesday is on February 14^th, in a month from now we will be on the verge of entering the season of Lent. There is a disconnected feeling as my home is still filled with signs and symbols of Christmas, as my work life has me preparing for Lent already.

This has had me reflecting on this time four years ago; we were hearing the first forecasts for Snowmageddon, and little did we know that our lives would be impacted and changed by the COVID-19 Pandemic. There is something about these events, though they caused us all to slow down, adjust and change routines. I do not wish for lockdowns or a state of emergency again, but I feel 2024 is racing. I cannot say why this may be; perhaps it has to do with many returning to work and school on January 2^nd so quickly after the holiday season.  Whatever the reason, I felt this week the desire to implement space for slowing down into this year that seems to be moving at rocket speed.

I invite you to join me today in the practice of five-finger breathing. This simple but powerful breathing technique induces deep relaxation — and you can do it just about anywhere (though not while driving or operating other heavy machinery, please); it can bring you peace, calm, and even pain relief. Unlike other types of breathwork, five-finger breathing is a multisensory experience where you concentrate on more than just your breath. You also focus on the movement and sensation of one hand touching another slowly and with intentionality.

Here are the steps:

1. Ready your hands: Five-finger breathing requires two hands. One hand will be your base (this hand won’t move), and the other will be used to trace your fingers (this one will move). It doesn’t matter which is which, but you may find it most straightforward to use your dominant hand — the one you write with — for tracing. Hold your base hand in front of you with your fingers spread comfortably apart.
2. Start tracing your thumb: Place the index finger of your tracing hand at the bottom of the thumb of your base hand — right where your thumb meets your wrist — and begin slowly moving your index finger up to the tip of your thumb. As you move your finger up your thumb, take a slow breath, perhaps allowing your eyes to close. When you reach the top of your thumb, do the opposite: Slowly drag your index finger down the other side of your thumb while exhaling.
3. Keep going, focusing on your breath: When you’re done tracing your thumb, move on to tracing your index finger in the same way — then your middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger. As you trace each one, continue to breathe deeply and slowly. Let yourself relax as you breathe gently, becoming more and more deeply relaxed each time you exhale.
4. Change direction: When you’ve traced your whole hand and reached the bottom of your pinky finger, reverse directions and return the way you came, moving toward your thumb. Continue to take slow breaths in and out, focusing on your breath and the sensation of your index finger tracing your skin. Let go a little more with every exhale, and allow yourself to relax as much as possible, with your breath as your guide.
5. Let yourself relax: Continue the practice as long as you like. When you’re ready, you may open your eyes, bringing any relaxation you’ve found. Try not to rush into whatever you do next (unless it involves falling asleep). Give yourself the time to revel in your relaxation and let it wash over you.

Watch this video for a guide to the practice: https://youtu.be/oeeWEtiAseA

I hope you can add this practice into your life to help you find peace and connection to God each day.

Let us pray,

How is it, my God, that you have given me this hectic life and so little time to enjoy your presence. All day, people wait to speak to me, and even during meals, I have to keep talking to people about their concerns and needs. During sleep itself I am still thinking and dreaming about the problems that wait for me tomorrow. I am doing all this for you, not for myself. My way of life is more tormenting than reward, and I only hope that for you, it is a gift of love. I know you are always beside me, yet I become so busy that I forget you and ignore you. If you want me to keep up this pace, please make me think about you and love you, even during the most hectic activity. If you do not want me to be so busy, please release me from it and teach me how others can take over some of my responsibilities.[1]

Gathering our prayers together, let us pray the words Jesus gave us.

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:
Friends, “life is short, and we have little time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us. So be quick to love, make haste to be kind,”[2] hold fast to family and friends, reach out into the world in a positive way, stand up for what is right, be strengthened by the witness and the love of the lives of those who have gone before you. Know that Love will bless you and that Love will always find a way. May it be so for you, this day, and forever. Amen.

[1] Too Much to Do by Teresa of Avila, Spain, 1515-82, taken from Women Prayers

[2] These words belong to Henri Amiel, Swiss philosopher, poet, and critic (1821–1881).

January 4, 2024 – Rev. Rebecca Pike

Epiphany

Pastoral Care invites you to Pause for Prayer at about 4:30 PM (or a time that is better for you) on Thursday, January 4, 2024.

Epiphany comes from the Greek word epiphaneia, meaning “appearance” or “manifestation.” Epiphany is celebrated on January 6^th each year. Many of us also know this date as Old Christmas Day. It is when we hear the story of the Magi’s arrival with gifts to Baby Jesus.

In this story, the magi show us what it means to find Jesus — and where you find him.

• This baby was not with the people you would expect. Not in a palace with another royal figure. Servants and footmen, wealth and power, did not surround him. Christ was discovered in a simple house, where the magi “saw the child with Mary, his mother.” Jesus is discovered among the humble, the overlooked, the meek. Don’t look for him among privilege or power.
• Jesus’ first home was off the beaten path. In a small town that most people wouldn’t think about twice, Bethlehem. In the first days of his earthly life, this most extraordinary of children was found among the most ordinary people in the most ordinary places — so ordinary that you have to “search diligently,” as Herod put it, to find him. This tells us that Jesus could be anywhere. He could be anyone. He could be everyone. You never know where you might encounter him.
• Jesus was discovered where there is light. A star guided the way to where this new king was found. The point is clear: If you want to find him, follow that light. It’s challenging to do that in a world so often overcome by shadows and darkness. But the magi looked up and looked out. They found the son of God in a forgotten corner of the world, among forgotten people, under a star, beneath a pinpoint of light.

This is Epiphany — our great discovery of God for our own time. God is made manifest to seekers in astonishing places, in astonishing ways. After God has been discovered, nothing can ever be quite the same. Our lives change. Our direction shifts. Our perspective and sense of purpose are transformed. The old way will not do. There is a better road to travel.

Each Epiphany celebration invites us to set out on a new journey. The road may be unfamiliar, and the signposts may differ, but it will be worth it.

Let us pray,

God is creating new paths and possibilities,

as we prepare for where we are going.

Christ is freeing us with newfound love and grace,

as we learn from where we have been.

The Spirit is revealing new dreams to guide us,

as we start our journey home on a new path.

We take courage in the assurance that God goes with us;

we affirm our call to go where Christ leads and

we trust the Spirit to guide us through the challenging space between,

where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.

Surely, we are not alone.

Thanks be to God.

(adapted from Prayer for Times of Change, The United Church of Canada)[1]

Gathering our prayers together, let us pray the words Jesus gave us.

The Prayer of Jesus

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

*or Creator

Blessing:

Holy One, as I step over a new threshold, let me be open to new possibilities – surprises even!

May it be so…

[1] At This Threshold | The United Church of Canada. https://united-church.ca/prayers/threshold