The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.
There has been sadness at SPPC this week following the passing of two valued friends. As usual, death brings grief to the survivors, even as we rejoice that our loved ones are "going home" with Christ. The company of friends helps to ease the sorrow. We hosted a small tea on Thursday morning, to comfort our church secretary who has lost her beloved husband.
She and I talked about hymns when she was arranging the service for him. Music speaks to the heart in such a powerful way. Within our hymn book are poems set to music to bring peace to the soul, to uplift the heart, or to challenge the believer to greater service.
One of my favourites for a funeral service is an evening hymn, "The Day Thou Gavest Lord is Ended." The tune, St. Clement, is gentle and melodic. The words remind us that sunset in one realm is sunrise in another.
The hymn held meaning for our former minister, Dr. Cecil Kirk, as well. He wrote this:
This particular hymn was sung at the Diamond Jubilee service for Queen Victoria in 1897.. . . It is a wonderful feeling to realize that we are part of a great fellowship of believers that circles the whole globe; while we come to the end of a day, another part of the Church is waking to praise our common God and so the "Church unsleeping" keeps watch over the souls of men and women everywhere and "rests not now by day or night." Here is a picture of the Church universal, a recognition that there are Christian believers to be found in every land. . . . The Church is a worshipping community. This is fundamental to the Christian life for it glorifies God and it lifts our hearts and minds above our own concerns and helps us to focus on the things that are eternal. In this way we prepare ourselves for the world to come where all is praise. The final stanza paints a picture of the rise and fall of earthly empires. They pass away, but God's throne "shall never, never pass away." . . . Jesus taught that His kingdom is spiritual, not physical. It does not recognize any racial or national boundaries, for the Church is open to all people of whatever nation. But it does recognize the sovereignty of Almighty God and it looks forward to the day when "all Thy creatures own Thy sway." Until then we work for the spread of that Kingdom and we pray that is will grow and increase as people everywhere pledge their allegiance to its King."
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Parking is free. Admission is by donation with a portion of the proceeds going to the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation. Concerts start at 7:00 pm.
Congratulations to Rev. Irwin and Diane as they celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary anniversary on Tuesday.
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