Visible Faith

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

This week I saw a man with a dirty face. I did a double take because, other than the smear on his forehead, the man was clean and tidy. Then I realized the mark I saw was the sign of the cross. It was Ash Wednesday. The man displayed his faith on his face.

Wednesday was also Bible Study day at SPPC. When I encountered the man with ashes on his brow, I had been in a discussion about how our works make our faith visible. Remember, we are studying the Book of James. 

We talked of how some will display their faith in their dress, e.g. a clerical collar, a nun's habit, or a Salvation Army uniform. But, for a good Presbyterian, dressing in the garb of our faith isn't an option.

Since we were studying James, we talked about actions that show our faith. But our actions are often done quietly or in secret, as instructed in scripture. We slip an envelope of money into the collection plate, face down. Without fanfare, we fill boxes with food for the Food Bank, we collect medical supplies for the Dominican Republic and for the Ukraine. Often, no one knows about our charity. 

We may serve in a soup kitchen, or a community dinner, but many people do that. They may be motivated by their faith, or they may be there because their company "voluntold" them to show up. 

So, how do we show our faith in actions?

Deeds are the outer reflection of our inner lives. As we grow in our faith and our relationship with Christ, we will lead lives that reflect His teaching. To use a Biblical analogy, we will bear good fruit, and that fruit will be evident to others. 

In another church I attended, the choir would recite the chorister's prayer before rehearsal. Bless, O Lord, us thy servants who minister in thy temple; Grant that what we sing with our lips, we may believe in our hearts, and what we believe in our hearts we may show forth in our lives; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The world may not see our good works the way I saw the ashes on one man's face, but if we believe in Christ, our faith will show forth in our lives, for others to see.

In this season of Lent, let us
resolve to let the light of Christ shine through us like sunlight through a stained glass window.

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Speaking of James, here is a question from this week's Bible Study. "Describe a time in your life when obedience to God was or could have been at great personal cost to you." The Biblical examples given were Abraham and Rahab.

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Next week Rev. Irwin will be on sick leave, so we will pause our Bible Study on the Book of James, and watch a lecture series by R.C. Sproul on "The Holiness of God." Coffee and cookies will be available. If you are interested in this three week study, do come along on Wednesdays, 10:00
am or 7:00 pm.

Grief and Hope

 

The link for this week's live-streamed service is here. Unfortunately, the internet at the church was down on Sunday morning. The service was recorded and will be uploaded when possible. This was transfiguration Sunday and Rev. Irwin preached one of his powerful sermons. Come back later in the week and listen, once the technical gremlins are vanquished.

Sorrow and thanksgiving have mingled in the hearts of the congregation this week. We lost one of our own and me miss her, yet we give thanks to God. We mourn the loss of Ruth, and we rejoice that she is free of pain and home with her Lord.

To outsiders, Christians may seem a strange lot in that we encounter death with tears and rejoicing. We grieve, but our grief is tempered with hope. John 14: 1-3: Let not your heart be troubled . . . is one of my favourite passages for times like these. What glorious reassurance for those who mourn. I go to prepare a place for you. The tears shed are for ourselves, missing the physical presence of a loved one. Our rejoicing is for the departed, called home to her Lord.

Ruth was a stalwart member of the congregation. At one time she helped in the Sunday school, she acted as an usher, and she could be counted on to help with the clean-up after any church event. Most recently she helped to prepare and serve the Sunshine Lunch. In fact, when we were able to meet again after the pandemic, it was Ruth who pushed to get that ministry running again. She loved to serve. She also sat on the Mission and Outreach committee. That work held a special place in her heart.

Her obituary mentions that her name means "friend." At SPPC we would add the word, "helper," for she was always glad to lend a hand, whatever the task.

Outside of the congregation, she worked for twenty-five years in the Foster Parent Office in Victoria. Her regular walks around Sidney brought her into contact with friends and strangers. There, too, she offered a friendly smile and a helpful bit of information if it was needed.

Her memorial service was attended by people from many walks of life, a testament to the number of lives she touched.

A gentle soul, Ruth faced her final illness with a brave smile. On Sunday mornings she assured her well-wishers she was "as well as can be expected," offering her friends as much encouragement as she received. When she entered hospital, she made friends with the nurses, and doctors, and the volunteers in the gift shop.

As we surround Ruth's family with our love and sympathy, may we all remember the old song,

In the Sweet By and By we shall meet on that beautiful shore.

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Assignment from Bible Study, Book of James, Chapter 2: 1-13

"The cross is the ultimate example of mercy triumphing over judgement. How has the mercy you have received there affected the way you interact with others?

Who are some people you avoid? In what ways could you reach out to one such person. Bring these ideas to God and make a commitment about which one you will follow up on.

A World in Need

 

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

In a week where the news is full of tragedy, our impulse is to help. Most of us are not equipped to go to disaster zones and offer physical assistance, but there are ways we can offer support. Here are three examples.

SPPC is a long time supporter of the Compassionate Warehouse. They have sent out a request to fill a new container for the Ukraine. The items listed below may be brought to the church and left in the CW bin under the coat rack to the left of the front doors.

Compassionate Warehouse request
1st aide supplies
braces and supports
physio cushions
assistive devices for those with disabilities- spoons, cups, dishes, etc
child/youth games- no words
child activities- no words- shapes, blocks, puzzles, games, activity centres
colouring books- child, youth, adult
knee crutches, regular crutches, hdc crutches
canes- regular and quad canes
sewing notions- thread, needles, scissors, tape measure, pins, etc
embroidery thread, wool, crochet cotton

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Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic

The last trip to the DR was cancelled at the last minute due to the COVID 19 shut down of everything. Now there is a new team. The team provides physical labour when they are in the DR, and they bring much needed materials with them. Below is a partial list. A complete list is on the bulletin board in the narthex. Joan is happy to answer any questions.

Medical Supplies: antibiotic and anti-fungal cream, pain killers, cold meds, allergy meds, antacids, vitamins, rubber tips for walkers, sterile gauze, test strips for glucose monitor.

 School Supplies: Pencils, pens, erasers, calculators, felt pens, backpacks rulers, 5" scissors folders. 

              

Closer to Home

"Love one another as I have loved you." John 13: 34-35

The health problems that arise from social isolation rarely make the evening news, yet they are very real. In loving friendship, we reach out to those who live alone. 

It's no fun marking Valentine's day by yourself. Thanks to those who cook, organize, drive, and visit, there was a happy celebration at SPPC on Monday. Good food, good friends and good fun. 

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 In Bible Study, we are reading the Letter of James. The scripture is especially apt for this week, as the writer encourages us to act on what we profess. 

I heard of story of a minister newly called to a church who preached a great sermon on his first Sunday. The congregation was pleased and returned the next week. He preached the same sermon. The parishioners were puzzled but gave him the benefit of the doubt. They returned on the third Sunday and again, he preached the same sermon. The elders took him to task, demanding to know why he didn't preach a new sermon. He replied, "You haven't acted on the first one yet."

One of the questions in our study reads, "Why is there a tendency for Christians to listen to and yet not to follow God's word? How can you avoid this tendency?"

Light

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

Have you noticed the days getting longer? In December my outdoor lights came on at "dusk" which could be as early as 3:30 in the afternoon. Now, in February, the skies don't darken until 6:00-ish. The sun, light, is returning to the Northern Hemisphere. Along with light the sun brings warmth and renewal. Flowers bloom, trees come out in leaf. People smile more. Hibernating animals come out of their caves. Playing fields bloom with kids.The earth is reborn.

For the Christian, Christ is the sunlight. In the darkest days of December we celebrate His birth as "the light of the world." At the Transfiguration (Matt.17: 1-5) Jesus is suffused with light, His face shining like the sun, His clothes dazzling.

In our hymnbook topical index there are ten hymns listed for "Christ, the light." There is another segment of twelve hymns devoted to "Holy Spirit, Illuminator." In the section on Holy Scripture the hymns are larded with references to light, "O God of light," "a sanctifying light," "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet," "Let there by light, let there be understanding," "And where the gospel day/ Sheds not its glorious ray,/ Let there be light." (Please add your favourites in the comments section.)

Like the natural world, we bloom and grow when we are in the light of Christ. We probably smile more. We face challenges with resolve, confident that our Saviour is present in all our moments. We embrace our days with joy, knowing Christ walks beside us. Even as the dark clouds of war, and poverty, and evil swirl around us, we know that, like the sun, Christ will come again. His light will brighten our skies. His warmth will melt the frozen corners of our hearts. In His radiance, we will be reborn.

Hymn 111 in our Book of Praise

Christ is the world's true light Her captain of salvation.
The Daystar clear and bright Of every man and nation. 

New life new hope awakes, 

Where're men own His sway 

Freedom her bondage breaks 

And night is turned to day .