Guest Preacher

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

🎵Summertime and the congregation is on holiday.🎵 

Janet, Josh, Steven, Peter and Rev. Irwin all took the same weekend for a bit of vacation. In their place were a pair of rank beginners on the streaming system. Please send your complaints to office@saanichpeninsulapc.org. 

In the pulpit we had a more seasoned substitute, Rev. Ron Benty. Ron and his wife, Gwen, currently live in Shawnigan Lake. Previously they lived in a variety of places around the province, including Creston where Ron pastored a non-denominational congregation. If you want to hear more of his sermons, check out his facebook ministry. SPPC felt very modern when we put in a livestreaming system, but Ron was ahead of us using facebook.

Beautiful Sunday morning this week, not nearly so hot. The first of the plum crop is ready so there were thirty pints of fruit, free for the taking, in the narthex. With Janet away, Barb took responsibility for coffee hour, setting out pretty flowers on the tables and trays of goodies. I heard a rumour that our minister emeritus got his coffee served with a little extra spirit.

Speaking of spirits, the hot, dry weather means folks are drinking more. Since the cancellation of the mission trip to the Dominican Republic in March of 2020, Joan has collected and recycled enough drink containers to add over $1250.00 to the fund for the next trip. At ten cents a bottle, that's a lot of bottles! One couple donated 200 bottles and cans a few weeks ago. We did not ask if they had consumed all the liquid themselves or collected from friends and neighbours. As Rev. Irwin says, "we don't judge." 

So much disaster reported in the news this weekend -- Afghanistan terrorized, Haiti devastated by another earthquake, wildfires in B.C.. . .  There is no end of bad news. We hold all the hurting people in our prayers. As Rev. Ron said in the sermon, we may wrestle with "why" but in the end what matters is that God holds us close, the way a mother comforts a lost child. May all the hurting people of our world feel the loving arms of the Saviour about them.

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

If you prefer your scripture set to music, try this excerpt from Mendelssohn's Elijah. Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord.