Psalms of Childhood

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

One of my favourite Youtube channels is The Salisbury Organist. I stumbled upon it by accident when watching something else and the sidebar listed "The most beautiful hymn tune ever written." Of course, I had to click the link. Now I'm a total fan of Ben Maton, the Salisbury Organist.

Recently, he posted a video featuring some hymns from his school days. He remarked that, upon leaving school, we soon forget many of the facts that allowed us to pass an exam, yet "the hymns, the tunes, the words, the melodies which we sang so joyfully at school remain in our hearts and in our minds forever." 

Listen to him rock "This Little Light of Mine" near the end of the video and you'll hear that joy.

Given Rev. Irwin's summer sermon series on the Psalms of Ascent, Ben's assertion resonated with me. Rev. Irwin explained that these fifteen songs (Psalms 120-134) were meant to be memorized. Ack! Most of us have a hard enough time memorizing one psalm, let alone fifteen -- and these are not the most popular ones in our readings. 

But, if I were a Jewish child at the time of King David, I would have learned these songs, with their words and melodies as part of my "school days." So, perhaps memorization isn't so impossible.

I had a look at the hymnbook my church used during my childhood. It has a whole section of hymns "For Little Children." I took a walk down memory lane and discovered that I did recall those words and tunes effortlessly, and the exercise did evoke feelings of joy. 

The hymns I learned way back then followed a few themes as listed below:

Praise and Thanksgiving.

• All things bright and beautiful                                       
• Birds are singing, woods are ringing -- We, Thy children, join the chorus, Merrily, Cheerily, gladly praise Thee, 
• Praise him, praise Him, all ye little children. He is love, He is love. 
• This is my Father's world. . . He speaks to me everywhere.

God's Care and Providence

• God sees the little sparrow fall, . . . Because He loves the little things, I know He loves me too.
• God who made the earth . . .careth for me.
•  Jesus loves me

Christian Life

• The wise may bring their learning . . .We'll bring Him hearts that love Him. . . We'll try our best to please Him, at home, at school at play.
• Father lead me day by day . . .show me what I ought to do!
• Can a little child like me thank the Father fittingly . . be good and true, faithful, kind in all you do.
• Jesus bids us shine. . . for Him . . for all around.

Life of Jesus --Christian History

• Tell me the stories of Jesus,  
• When mothers of Salem
• Children of Jerusalem Sang the praises of Jesus' Name. Children too of modern days Join to sing the Saviour's praise. Hark, hark, hark, while infant voices sing.  Loud hosannas to our King.     [I remember how much fun it was to sing hark, hark, hark! 😇]

The themes from my hymns of childhood can be found throughout the Book of Psalms, even if not so plainly in the Psalms of Ascent. Still, those messages of God's grace, His providence, His faithfulness, and the joy of gathered worship are there in my old Sunday School songs.

One of my favourite passages of Scripture is Philippians 4:8, but I have a heck of a time memorizing it. I keep mixing up the order. Does "just" come before "pure" or is "virtue" first? I wish someone would set that to music -- I'm sure I could memorize it then!

Lately, Rev. Irwin has included "homework" in the bulletin, based on the sermon. When you've finished that, I challenge you to create a playlist of your favourite Sunday School songs. You can drop your list in the comments section below.

What’s happening with C.M.L.?

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

Thanks to Pam Day for this week's post.

For those who are new to our community let me first explain a little bit about C.M.L.

The Centre for Missional Leadership was formed in 2015 under the umbrella of St. Andrews Hall at U.B.C. as a teaching initiative, to equip Pastors and Lay Leaders for the task of nurturing flourishing churches in a “Post Christian, largely secular” world. (more info at the cml.ca/web page.)

This is done in small church groups, by participating in seminars, coaching, sharing of ideas and practical applications during a nine month period. Our group members, Rev. Irwin, Norma, Joan, Darlene, Linda & myself met via Zoom with participants from all parts of Canada, and of many different denominations and church situations. There was much to learn from this format.

You may recall that we did a survey earlier this year to assess our strengths, gifts and assets as a church, as recognised by members of the congregation. It was an uplifting event that provided us all with a clearer picture of who we are as church family, and what we, and our building, may offer in the future, and where there might be opportunities for growth.

Since then we have been considering how we could utilize all those assets, both within the church and greater community.

As we are encouraged to find meaningful ways to share and extend those gifts to “the neighbours beyond our walls” in a sincere and sustainable way.

Of course, one of the challenges for ministry that we kept bumping into was our very location itself!

Most other church’s programs are located within easy walking or bus access, and for all we have a great mobility and accessible building design, and large level parking lot, it’s location limits our possibilities to minister unless one has a car!

Back to the drawing board!  We know that Jesus calls us to love our neighbours as ourselves, and to share the Good News of His love to all people, so there has to be a way.

And of course there is. After much prayerful discussion and brainstorming we came to the conclusion that God has “sent” many “neighbours” to our church already, in the form of the Groups who utilize and rent our space on a regular basis.  Now to the question of “how” we demonstrate the love of Christ to them in a way that is acceptable and meaningful to them, and possible and sustainable to us, given that we are an aging congregation.

God be praised, in doing what this church does best, hospitality!

And so the birth of this idea, to thank our rental groups for supporting us, by providing them with a simple cookie, coffee and a warm welcome.  This is something that God has enabled us to do.

The first of these was the Parkinson’s Society support group, they meet every month except July, so Darlene contacted and arranged for us to host a thanks and welcome for their wrap up meeting in June.  It was a surprise to the participants, and was very warmly received by all.

The second time was for the AGM of the Summergate Community Association, where we served Tea, Coffee and water along with the cookies.  There again it was received warmly, and offered many opportunities to have conversations with our “neighbours” before their meeting began.

Coffee and Cookies for Summergate meeting

We intend to continue to show our appreciation in this way to several other groups who meet here.

However, the mission is not just to the neighbours beyond our walls, but to our own church family also, and how we all may participate more fully in our worship time.

Give the preacher a different platform?

To that end it was decided to do a little experiment with a slightly different style of worship from time to time; and to that end, when there are 5 Sundays in a month (about 4 per year) that 5^th Sunday may be a little different from what we normally do. Perhaps incorporating your own prayers (so others may pray with you) if you would like to share them, as part of “the Prayers of the People”. Doing some different styles of music and praise, maybe you have a favourite that you would like to share with us too. Just let us know beforehand so these changes might be arranged within the form of service. And do give feedback, we learn and grow when we do new things, but we need to evaluate also.

Come and give it a try, after all there are many styles and ways to worship, as one finds out when travelling and visiting different churches.

The next 5^th Sunday is August 30^th  and we are considering doing a B.B.Q. lunch following service. Instead of our usual fellowship time.   Lets celebrate the end of Summer holidays together!

Big Celebrations

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

The biggest celebration at SPPC this week was for Bill and Nancy on the occasion of their 65th wedding anniversary. What a milestone! Congratulations, Bill and Nancy.

I suppose we could treat this happy event as ho-hum, since we have celebrated another 65th anniversary and a 70th in the congregation over the past twelve months, but I think we should take every opportunity to celebrate good news. Besides, we got cake!

Last Sunday marked the end of our summer drive for the food bank. So there was a draw for a beautiful floral basket. Joan brought the flowers. Grace did the drawing, and Carol won the prize. Thanks to all who gave so generously and congratulations Carol. May you enjoy the flowers.

Of course, just because we ended our special drive does not mean we ended our support for the Food Bank. There are donation bins in the narthex and contributions are welcomed throughout the year. Summer has only just begun and kids out of school need snacks and meals more than ever. How else will they grow strong and healthy?

 Grace and Joan                                                                 Carol and Joan

And while we are in the mood for celebration, we welcome Rev. Irwin home. His vacation included a lot of hiking so I don't know if he is refreshed and rested, but he has certainly had a change of scenery.

And, just to make this a special Sunday, Larry provided music with his cello. What a treat. 

The take home assignment from the sermon this week was to write down a sentence beginning with "If the Lord had not been on my side. . ." and then finish the sentence naming a time when God brought you through a crisis. You are encouraged to share your completed sentence with another person before next Sunday. 

 "Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow."

Little Deeds of Kindness

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

This Sunday we welcomed Pastor George Hodgson to the pulpit -- again. Pastor George has shared his time, his wisdom, and his humour with SPPC so often we think of him more as a favourite uncle than as a visiting pastor. 

His sermon on Sunday focussed on the little errors we make through life -- and the excuses we use to justify them -- that lead us away from God. An unkind word, a rude joke, a turning away from someone in need--little by little these actions separate us from God and from our neighbours. Little by little they erode the Kingdom of God on earth.

We can all relate to Pastor George's theme. 

But what if we turn it around and look at little deeds of kindness?

Twice last week strangers invited me to step ahead in the check out line as I had only one item and they had a basketful. I promise I had not made the suggestion or even looked meaningfully at their piled high grocery carts and the single package in my hands. 

As a result of those small kindnesses, we all shared a smile and a laugh. I felt connected to my community and I was inspired to give another driver a break and let them nose into traffic ahead of me. Kindness begets kindness.

I had two visits with friends over the week. With one I talked books, with another sewing. Nothing profound. Nothing to change the world, but a tiny effort that cemented and enhanced existing relationships, and brought joy into my life.

At Butchart Garden's I listened to a concert and learned that one of the instrumentalists runs a mentorship program for young musicians. What a gift she has bestowed on those youngsters -- a gift they will carry for the rest of their lives. By building up others, she creates a community of good will.

Also, at Butchart's I watched a toddler's delight as he danced with his father on the beautiful lawn. What a privileged to witness such joy -- a refreshing change from the anger so often manifested on social media. Praise God for fathers who dance with their children.

Most surprisingly, at the same concert, I chatted with a stranger, extolling the delights of gardens in Victoria, only to learn that his mother and my husband had sailed on the same immigrant ship seventy-odd years ago. Who is my neighbour? 

In the parable of the Good Samaritan as related in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus asks that question of a teacher of the Law. The answer is "the one who showed mercy." Luke 10:37 I checked various translations and found "compassion" and "kindness" as well as "mercy." But, the important line is what Jesus says next - "Go and do likewise."

Thank you Pastor George of reminding us of the awful consequences of little errors. On the other side of the coin, small acts of harmony and mercy - point the way to the awesome Kingdom. 

Little Drops of Water  

        by Julia Carney

Little drops of water,

Little grains of sand,

Make the mighty ocean

And the beauteous land.

                                                So the little moments,                                                       Humble though they be,

    Make the mighty ages,

Of eternity.

So our little errors

Lead the soul away

From the paths of virtue,

Far in sin to stray.

Little seeds of mercy

Sown by youthful hands

Grow to bless the needy

Here, and in all lands.

Little deeds of kindness

Little words of love,

Make our earth an Eden,

Like the heaven above.

Celebrations

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

Thanks to Pam Day for this week's post.

O Canada, what a week of celebrations!

 

Canada’s Soccer Team gained a victory over South Africa on Sunday, with much rejoicing and renewed hope for their next game against Morocco. [Not a win, but still an achievement.]

And of course we all celebrated Canada’s Birthday on the 1^st July.

But, for me, the most enjoyable celebration happened between those very public events, it was Elizabeth Small's 94^th  birthday.

Now Elizabeth only recently moved into Resthaven Lodge after living in the home her late husband built, so you can imagine that it has been a real struggle for her and her family to deal with the changes this brings, the dislocation and deep sadness that comes with the feeling that her “normal” life is over.

But thanks be to God, Elizabeth is a blessed child of a loving God and she has a strong faith, a wonderful supportive family, her best friend Joan, and many others too.

This 94^th birthday gave us all a golden opportunity to make it a memorable one and cement some “happy times” into her strange new life, and Joan and I set about doing just that. Feeling the love!

It started off with a 1 hour ride in a Triobike Taxi around the streets of Sidney with her best friend Joan. They had a blast! Doing the “Royal Wave” to passers-by and chatting to Jon their driver. Elizabeth thought that was just fine, but it was only the beginning! 

Birthday ride

A surprise party was set up with her Cousin Jennifer, and friends Sally, Josephine, Hilda, Carol, Norma, Joan and myself and later Janet M and Darlene  stopped by.

The party was complete with party hats, tooters, balloons and of course a wonderful cake thanks to Darlene.  Once the delicious cake had been consumed there were cards and gifts to open, and much to Elizabeth’s delight, lots of chocolate!

It was a truly festive day, but even good things
must come to an end. I was amazed at Elizabeth’s stamina – but Joan tells me that she crashed after the party ended, not surprising it had been a long and exciting day for sure.

Let’s hope this gave a new perspective to Elizabeth, and opened up the possibilities for a good life at Resthaven with more happier days to follow. And if the only thing that Elizabeth remembers tomorrow is the warm happy feeling of being loved by many, that will be just fine too.

Ah! Summer

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

We hit the summer solstice last week and have arrived at the lazy days of summer. At least, we hope they will be lazy. Gardeners, farmers, travel agents, camp counsellors, life guards and park rangers will be extra busy over the next two months, but for most of us, the rhythm of life slows once school is out.

At SPPC we held our last study session on Wednesday, finishing off the Book of Ephesians as presented by Tim Mackie on the Bible Project. This was a very intensive study, spanning 35 episodes to cover just six pages of scripture. We delved deep! Class dismissed until the fall.

You may have noticed that the choir has dispensed with our heavy gowns during the month of June. That was a signal. We have now sung our last anthem until September. Over the summer this small group of dedicated servants gets a rest -- sort of. Our organist will still lead the music every

Sunday and individual members of the choir will offer their gifts. But, for two months, no choir practice on Thursday nights.

To celebrate, the choir and guests treated themselves to dinner out at the Waddling Dog following our last practice on Thursday night. 

Our special drive for the Sidney Food Bank continues until July 12. We collect for the Food Bank all year long but twice a year we make it the focus of our mission work. As well as food and cash, the Food Bank has made a special request for personal hygiene products and school snacks, including peanut butter. 😀 Donations can be dropped off at the church. There are collection bins in the narthex.

Hanging basket prize in food bank draw

The sermon on Sunday reflected on Psalm 122, which contains these lines: 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces. 

 

There is a very grand setting to these words by Hubert Parry and sung at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. You can listen to it here. It was also used at the thanksgiving services for her Golden and Platinum jubilees, and again at the coronation of King Charles III. For a simpler version with guitar try this one. It riffs on the play on words of "Shalom" (peace) and Jerusalem (Hebrew includes word shalom in the name of the city.)

However you sing it or say it, a prayer for peace is a fitting kick-off to summer. 

now that's lazy!

Happy Father's Day

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

Sunday was Father's Day so SPPC celebrated with cake. That's cake two weeks in a row. The coffee hour was well attended. 

Every year we ask a "dad" to cut the cake. This year's choice was Wayne. He did a mighty fine job. There were no complaints about "my piece is smaller than yours."  Thanks Wayne for serving the congregation.

                               ***********

The twenty-first was also a Communion Sunday, a fitting reminder that no sacrifice is too great for our Heavenly Father. How blessed are we that His love is offered so freely to His children.

 Some families use Sunday as a day to call home and talk to dad. We can call "home" any time, anywhere and Our Father will answer, but there is something special about calling on Sunday morning. It is a bit like being on a party line (remember those?) -- we can all listen in to the many conversations, and experience the love of God and the fellowship of family together.

*******

Rev. Irwin has started a series of sermons for the summer season, based on the Psalms of Ascent, (Psalms 120-134) In ancient times, every Jewish male was required to attend the temple in Jerusalem three times a year for major religious festivals. These psalms (songs) were used by the travellers to accompany their journey, a reminder that they were a pilgrim people walking with God. They weren't exactly marching songs, but I expect the singing helped to encourage and cheer the pilgrims on their way.

On Sunday, Psalm 121 (Unto the Hills) informed the sermon. This well-loved passage has been set to music in many forms. On Sunday we used the hymn version found in our Book of Praise, set to the tune Sandon, a plain 4/4 melody with a range of less than an octave, eminently singable by a congregation.

The poetry of the psalm is so powerful it has been used by many composers, from chant to choral anthems, to folksy hymns and jazz renditions, to name a few.

A much more elaborate setting for some verses can be found in Felix Mendelssohn's great oratorio, Elijah. A trio of treble voices begins the passage with "Lift Thine Eyes," followed by a full chorus of "He watching over Israel,"  Not arranged for congregational singing.😀

Whatever the musical style, the psalm brings comfort and assurance to the listener. Dr. Cecil Kirk, late of this congregation wrote:

. . . As Christians we remember how God watches over us on our pilgrimage through time, journeying on our way to the eternal city. . . God guards the soul, the inner citadel of each of us which is the seat of human happiness or misery. . .God has promised that He will see us right through to the end of the journey. He will be there when night falls and we go into the darkness: He will be there to meet us when morning breaks and the shadows flee away. "the Lord shall keep thee, henceforth, yea, for evermore."

We've been promised a series of summer sermons on fifteen psalms, but, if you're looking for a summer reading list, there are one hundred and fifty of them in your Bible.  Certainly more familiar reading than last summer's series on the Book of Revelation!

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Don't forget the food bank. For the rest of this month and into July, we are making an extra effort to stock the food bank shelves. Summer is a time of plenty for those of us with gardens, but it is a time of stress for the food bank, as regular donors go on holiday and school children need more lunches at home. Bring your offerings of food or cash and place them in the bins in the narthex.