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Sunday, May 2, 2010

“No Sweat”

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. “ —1 Peter 2: 9-10 NRSV

I’VE BEEN THINKING…

…about what we do on anniversary’s. Celebrate –of course! On May 1st 1964 this church was launched. 46 years since then –Hurray God! Hurray us!
What else do we do on an anniversary? In our family, we’ll deliberately think, remember, reflect, dream. Spend some time talking about places and events we’ve experienced over the years, and even discuss a little about what might lie ahead.
Doing that makes us realize what a journey of adventure life is. You just can’t foresee the places you’ll go and the things you’ll do. Looking backward one can marvel and be grateful; looking ahead one can be excited and invigorated.
Thinking about this, I’m realizing that Christian communities follow a similar pattern. A congregations’ life is an adventure –with periods of sparkle and shine, and seasons of plodding and perseverance. Long time members of Wellington Square can look back on an invigorating beginning, followed by decades of growth and service, sprinkled with a few times of tension, or great sadness, or mundane routine.
On an anniversary we acknowledge all that. Then, if we carefully scrutinize the path that has been traveled, we see those ‘Footprints’ –you know the ones. Sometimes they led the way forward, sometimes they walked alongside, and sometimes they were the only ones visible – for they carried the people of God over a period of weariness or trauma, until we could walk again. So we walk on, sometimes very tentatively, and more often lately, with a spring and a dance in our steps.
Again, thinking about all this, we could not be blessed with a more appropriate anniversary preacher than my long-time friend, Rev. Dr. Guy Chevreau. (Not sure he likes my nick-name for him but…) “Guyzer” is on a life and ministry of adventure, kind of like all of us. He was a rookie in N.B. with me –serving the Baptist church a block away. He served congregations in Niagara Falls & Oakville, then hit a wall of spiritual exhaustion and burn-out, until God’s Holy Spirit sparked a new fire within him. For the last 15 years he has been teaching and ministering to Jesus’ team all over the world. The country or church doesn’t matter –Guy will minister and serve wherever our Lord leads, from Australia to Africa, – from Anglican to Pentecostal. So Guyzer –we welcome you. The Lord be you, and with us all – along this faith journey.
With love, ORVILLE

Wellington Square United Church

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Sunday, May 2, 2010

“No Sweat”

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