Overtaken by Events

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

Hard to believe it was only one week ago that we assembled in Cy Hampson Park, looked out at the ocean and shouted "Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed, Hallelujah!"

The sudden death of Pope Francis just a few hours later brought sorrow amid our jubilation. The upcoming election dominated our news cycle, eclipsing even a passing public reference to Easter. Even our church building was used for an all candidates meeting, and today, voting day, it is a polling station.

sanctuary and hall set up for meeting

The out-to-lunch bunch met at the BC legislature dining room for a springtime outing. Tourist season is ramping up.

Pondering the menu

Yet only a week ago we celebrated Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I think the mad dash of events this week serves as a good reminder of the speed with which the final events of Christ's earthly life occurred.  On Palm Sunday the crowds in Jerusalem shouted "Hosanna!" By Friday they shouted "Crucify!" No wonder His followers felt lost and frightened and bewildered. How could such a calamity happen at all, let alone so quickly?

And then -- Christ rose from the dead. He appeared to the women at the tomb. He appeared to the disciples in a locked room. He showed Thomas His wounds. He ate breakfast with Peter and some other disciples on the shore of Lake Gallilee. 

If we feel overtaken by events this week, imagine how Christ's first followers felt. 

They went from excitement and joy to deepest grief and despair, then to exultation and, finally, understanding. 

Sunday's sermon mentioned how much is expected of a winning sports team -- media moments, parades, appearances at charity events -- being a winner is hard work.

For the followers of Jesus, His Resurrection was "winning." They couldn't go back to their old lives, they couldn't just go fishing. Now they had to preach and teach, travel and suffer. They had to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. It was hard and dangerous work. Yet they did it with love and glad hearts, for Jesus, our Lord, is risen.

As the events of this coming week fill our calendars -- I hope you all vote -- let us remember to meet our tasks with a glad heart and the joy of the risen Christ.

Easter 2025

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here

Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed, Hallelujah!

We began our early morning service at Cy Hampson park with that rousing declaration. There was a forecast of rain and the day began in cloud, then the sun broke through. 

The little bird came to sing to us again, although from a different tree this time. 

There is something special about that outdoor service at the beginning of Easter Sunday -- an uplift of the spirit as we stand beside the ocean, surrounded by the beauty and wonder of God's creation; a sense of rejoicing as we imagine the followers of Jesus running with the news that the tomb was empty and Christ had risen from the dead. 

Before heading back to the church and breakfast, I took our usual Easter photograph. There are two posted here. Try if you can spot the difference. 

On thing you may notice is that some of the "usuals" are missing, Jim among them. As explanation, he sent along this post with his greetings.

🕂🕂🕂🕂🕂

Easter is a special time for me. Not only is it the anniversary of Christ dying on the cross but Easter eggs. Growing up in England prior to coming to Canada at 10 years old in November 1958, there was always an Easter egg hunt at home. Then it was off to church at St. Jude's. In September 2023, I returned to St. Jude's church for a service and had the opportunity to tell the congregation how my Grandfather had helped save the church after it was firebombed in January 1941 by the Germans.

My own children, Robert and Kirsten, growing up in Brampton also enjoyed the Easter egg hunt. Some Easters we took a road trip. One particular Easter when they were small, we stayed in Baltimore and my wife Lorna hid Easter goodies all around the hotel room.

On another trip in Virginia, tragedy was averted on Good Friday. We were on our way to Washington, DC from a picnic in the mountains of Virginia, when the brakes failed on our brand new Pontiac SUV. I was able to bring the car to a stop. We were in Charlottesville, Virgina and, on Good Friday, all businesses are closed from noon until 3 PM. Just around 3 PM we got the car to a Chev dealer who got us to the Pontiac dealer by putting brake fluid into a broken part. Here they gave us the bad news. They had to get a new part from the GM plant in Baltimore - next week. Then kindness stepped in. The owner of the dealership had a mechanic take the part off a new car and use it to replace the faulty one on ours. They closed at 6 PM but stayed a little longer and we were off to Washington, DC for another Easter egg hunt there.

My wife Lorna and myself spent our first Easter at Saanich Presbyterian Church on April 9, 2023. We came to Sidney from Halton Hills where we attended Boston Presbyterian which is over 200 years old.

Of course we went to the sunrise service at Cy Hampson park. It was a treat to sing the hyms accompanied by our minister, Irwin Cunningham, on his guitar. Great talent. We returned to the church for breakfast and the 10 am service. We repeated this last Easter but this year we are away, off on another adventure taking the train to San Francisco and Seattle. We'll meet up with my old friend Nick and his wife from Portsmouth, England. He and I went to St. Jude's School and church together 70 years ago.

We wish you all a HAPPY EASTER. Jim and Lorna

April "Showers"

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

Rev. G. Grant Wilson - pulpit supply on Palm Sunday

On the theme of "it never rains but it pours" April has turned into a very busy month at SPPC.

Of course, it is the month of Easter, so we have special services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Not to mention Bible Study and Choir Practice, and the Jesus is Lord Congregation's usage.

In addition, Canada is in the midst of an election. Our building is being used as a voting place. That means extra meetings hosted by North Saanich Council and the North Saanich Residents Association. Then, Monday, April 28 the building is used by Elections Canada from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. No excuse not to vote!

Not only that, SPPC is going to the movies. A film crew have been in most of last week using the Molloy Hall. Illness interupted their schedule so they'll be back later. More excitement!

The month kicked off with a Sunshine Lunch. 

Thanks, Joan, for sharing your pictures, and for putting on the lunch. The Sunshine Lunch may be an unsung hero at SPPC but it is a ray of light and love to the people it serves.

*************

Holy Week Services:

          

Maundy Thursday, 6:00 pm, Communion in the Upper Room
 
Good Friday, 10:00 am Devotional Service with readings and string quartet playing "Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross" by Haydn
                                    
Easter Sunday, 8:00 am, Cy Hampson Park, "sunrise" service
                           9:00 am, Breakfast in the hall
                          10:00 am, Morning worship - Christ is Risen

Seize the Day

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here

Today's post was written by our clerk of session. 

Sieze the day!
Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
Make the best of it.
Inspired!
What title shall I give this blog? I had no idea but started writing anyway.
This really was written on the spur of the moment while sitting on the waterfront in Sidney.
It was Tuesday morning and I was out  enjoying a lovely walk, so how is this important? It’s not really but for some reason, something in my head said, write a post for the SPPC blog.

I was enjoying the warmth of the sun, the seagulls squawking and gliding over the sparkling ocean, the blossoms in the gardens and on the trees even the sound of a number of lawn mowers, all busily tidying up the grounds. It was just beautiful.

 I actually had 3 appointments booked for that morning but had caught a cold and was feeling pretty awful, achy, snuffly, runny nose and runny eyes and just felt blah and of course I was infectious too and so I cancelled all my appointments!
Any how, I still had to go out and so off I went to drop off a package and then I decided to go via Tim’s on the way home for a London Fog to take home and enjoy.

Instead, after getting my drink, I went and sat on the waterfront, did my daily puzzles and soaked up the sun. How warm it was, in fact too warm sitting in the car and so I went for a walk, what a beautiful experience it was.
At times like these, hymns come to mind and today was no different, the one that came to me on this occasion was:

  

I sing the mighty pow’r of God, that made the mountains rise,            That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies               I sing the wisdom that ordained  the sun to rule the day.                      The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

 I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.   

There’s not a plant or flow’r below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;                     And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God, art present there.

 

Maybe that, something that came into my head, was God talking to me and inspiring me to share this experience with you. Praise God for His awesome creation. 

I came home almost 3 hours later feeling considerably refreshed in many ways and was actually breathing better. God is so good!

Ed. Note: Thank you, Janet, for sharing your soul-lifting experience. "Whatsoever things are lovely"