The Week that Was

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

Friendship Coffee in the Rose Garden

 We've had a very social week at SPPC. Whether it's the good weather, the approach of summer holidays, or the phase of the moon, for whatever reason, folk at Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church have been in a visiting frame of mind.

On Thursday morning, Friendship Coffee was held in the rose garden beside the Sidney library. Covid prompted the use of that outdoor space when we couldn't meet

indoors. There are no longer restrictions on gatherings but so many people enjoyed the rose garden that Friendship Coffee gatherings are now held there by choice rather than necessity, when the weather is good.

And then . . .

On Thursday afternoon, the "out to lunch" bunch met at Zanzibar restaurant in Brentwood Bay to share some delicious food and lots of conversation. 

The special was a chicken and brie wrap that proved very popular.

Finally, on Saturday evening, the DieMahler Ensemble, with our own Larry, played a concert at SPPC. The weather was perfect, not too hot and not too cold. The music included some familiar favourites. The audience of around 30 enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere- no numbered seats, no usher

checking tickets. A share of the proceeds went to the church resulting in over $200.00 being donated to our Food Bank Drive. 

Speaking of the Food Bank Drive, don't forget the draw next week for the flower baskets. You still have time to make a donation (cash or food items) and get your name in the hat.

On Wednesday we continue our study of The Apostles' Creed. We confess this statement to our faith at every Lord's Supper. Considering and studying what "I believe," is time well spent. All are welcome, even if you haven't been there before.

Breaking Bread Together

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

An exciting morning at church on Sunday. Paul and Sharyn Branson, and their children, of House Upon the Rock Ministry, were guests with us. Paul delivered the sermon using faith in action as a theme.

Since our own mission team has only recently returned from their trip to the Dominican Republic, it was a bit of an "old home" weekend for them and the Bransons. 

As SPPC is a keen supporter of  The House Upon the Rock, and has sent mission teams three times to help with their work, you can browse through this blog to find previous posts on various aspects of their ministry, including the medical clinic and sponsorship opportunities.  

Of course, being SPPC, we marked the occasion with lunch after the service. It seems to me I'm writing about shared food week after week on this blog, so I wondered, 

why do we, as a congregation
spend so much time eating together?

• Perhaps it is because we are hungry after a sermon. 
• Perhaps it is because we don't feel like cooking. 
• Perhaps it is because the food is really good.

Or perhaps we are following the practice of the early church, Acts 2:46-47, meeting and eating together.

We are in good company with other congregations. Particularly in rural communities, church suppers are synonymous with fund raising The whole neighbourhood, church member or not, comes to talk and eat and laugh and learn together. Communities are strengthened and the church coffers get a boost.

The scientific world has taken notice of communal dining, especially a research team from Oxford University in England. They found " that the more often people eat with others, the more likely they are to feel happy and satisfied with their lives. ... communal eating increases social bonding and feelings of wellbeing, and enhances one’s sense of contentedness and embedding within the community."

In another study the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) collected from nearly three quarters of the world countries. One of the conclusions of that study was that the truancy rate for fifteen year olds was about 15% throughout the world, but rose to 30% when pupils reported they did not eat meals with their families. 

If we need further proof that the early church got it right when eating together, a Cornell University study of 50 firehouses across a 15-month period found that firefighters who eat together, network and build social relationships around the shared table that greatly bolstered workplace morale and satisfaction. As a result, those who ate together had a vastly superior workplace performance outcome than those who dined alone.

Even without the scientist's research, we know from our pandemic experience that eating alone was among the most forlorn consequences of lock-down.

Breaking bread together has physical and mental benefits for people of all ages. Over a shared meal we tell our stories, build relationships, try new foods, learn from each other, and create bonds of friendship that contribute to our overall quality of life.

On Sunday, we shared a meal together to offer hospitality to Paul and Sharyn. Other times we celebrate a birthday or mark a holiday. Whatever the reason, we thank God for the privilege of sharing wisdom and laughter over a cup of coffee or while sharing a feast.

Give thanks my soul, for harvest, 

For store of fruit and grain;

But know the owner giveth

That we may share again;

Where men are lone and hungry,

Or little children cry,

With gifts from god's rich bounty

May thankfulness reply.

Food Bank Drive

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

The mission committee has launched a special drive for the food bank over the next six weeks. Of course, our congregation gives to the food bank on an on-going basis, but for the next few weeks we'll have some fun with it. 

We're having a draw. For every item you place in the collection boxes, either food or cash, you get a ticket to enter. The draw will take place on June 19 with two lucky winners. One will take home a planter. the other wins a  hanging basket.

You can also support the Food Bank by coming to a concert.

 Our organist, Larry Skaggs, belongs to a string quartet, the DieMahler Quartet. They are presenting a concert at SPPC on Saturday May 27, at 7:00 pm. Admission is by donation, and a portion of the proceeds will go to our food bank drive.

As they say on television, Not One but Two Great Chances to Win!

Speaking of television, did you see our own Gladys strumming her ukulele on Chek Upside?  Scroll down the list until you reach May 4 with Stacy to watch the broadcast.

Her segment is about 53 minutes into the broadcast so use the fast forward arrows and enjoy. Way to go, Gladys.

Sunday was Mother's Day so, as you would expect, SPPC celebrated with cake. Two beautiful cakes that were very well enjoyed by mothers and others.

Thanks to those who made it 

possible.

One Down, More to Go

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

We had great excitement on Sunday morning as our mission team reported on their trip to the Dominican Republic and their work with House Upon the Rock. 

They served us a typical DR mission lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches plus lots and lots of tropical fruit, some sweets we'd never seen before and bags of snacks beloved of teenagers. Not the usual SPPC after church lunch.

A slide show followed, some of which I've included here. 

The medical clinic is a major part of the mission. Those full shelves on the bottom of this photo show the meds our team brought with them, especially vitamins and pain killers. Living in our rich country, it is hard to imagine the amount of malnutrition in Pedregal, but it is endemic, so all those bottles of vitamins are much needed.

Oddly, the team, this time, was made up of family groups -- mother and son, grandmother and grandson, father and daughter . . . That turned out to be an unexpected blessing as it drew family members closer together. 

One of the benefits of returning to the same place over a number of years is the opportunity to see the results of your work. Our group got to see the completed houses that they had begun in 2013. They got to meet the grown up children they had played with 10 years ago. They got to see changed lives, as folk who had shunned the church now came to Christ because of the interaction with our mission team and others.

This house for Anthony and Rosa is a case in point. You can see in 2015 that they were living in a leaky shed. the picture at right shows Rosa standing by the door of their clean, dry, cement block house.

The mission team on this trip was made up of 14 members from two different churches, SPPC and Saanichton Bible Fellowship. These two congregations are not alike, yet the Holy Spirit moved within them. They came together as one with a single purpose, built relationships in the DR and at home, and felt God's blessing upon them. 

They also brought home grateful hearts for the congregations that had supported them with prayer and donations. 

Those congregations are  grateful to the missionaries for sharing their excitement, their joy, and their stories of life and work in the mission field with House Upon the Rock.

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

Even as one mission ends, needs around the world remain. One place of desperate need is the Ukraine. As the war drags on, the number of those who have lost everything grows. The Compassionate Resource Warehouse, is one of the organizations that we support in filling those needs. They have sent out a new request.

 If you can help with any of the items listed here, please bring them to the church for drop off.  If you are coming mid-week, check with the office, 250 656-2241, before you arrive to be sure the doors are unlocked. Once we have collected a load, it will be delivered to the CRW.

    COMPASSIONATE RESOURCE WAREHOUSE UPDATE

CRW is working on loads for MOLDOVA, POLAND & UKRAINE

CRW will be loading out 2 container loads in the next while for MOLDOVA, POLAND & UKRAINE

These loads are targeted at children who are living in orphanages, group homes, safe homes, and families who are experiencing difficulty in providing for their families.

There are homes for children with special needs; children who have experienced trauma; children who have been trafficked, children who are internally displaced and or refugees.

We are especially in need of

1. hygiene: toothbrush/paste, wrapped soap, lotions, hair combs and brushes, etc

2. art supplies: paints/brushes, art paper, glue sticks, scissors, beads, colouring books, etc

3. non-word games- checkers, matching, dominoes, etc

4. 1st aid supplies

5. outdoor play- balls, skipping ropes, Frisbees, etc

6. child clothing and shoes

7. infant and child dishes, cups, bowls, plates, bottles etc

8. child re-useable diapers

9. 1st aid supplies

10. coloured face cloths and towels

We are looking to load out one in mid-May and one in later May/early June.

Thank you in advance for partnering with us in sending much needed supplies and a box full of "care, concern, and hope" to those who will receive our gifts.

Thank you to all who have given to the Compassionate Warehouse before and who continue to support this vital work. Christ called upon His followers to "feed my lambs." 

At his coronation this weekend, the new king, Charles III, took the gospel message for his pledge to his realm, "I come not to be served, but to serve."

Each of us, to the best of our own abilities, can serve in God's kingdom here on earth, and feed His lambs.

Life at SPPC

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

After looking at the church calendar for May, a friend remarked, "what a busy church." 

At a memorial service on Saturday, one of our stalwart kitchen helpers showed up in running shoes. 😲

So, I took a look at the calendar and discovered they were right. We have been and will be very busy at SPPC over several weeks.

First, we have our regular SPPC events: 

• Service on Sunday mornings including choir and streaming
• Session on the first Wednesday of the month and Bible Study, morning and evening, on the other three (4 in May) 
• 
  Choir practice every Thursday evening
• Worship Committee on Friday morning

Then we have all the congregational extras

• Sunshine lunch on the first Monday of May--our running shoe lady is key to this event
• A presentation from the team that went to the Dominican Republic on Sunday, May 7. There will be a lunch too.
• Mother's Day Cake
• Visit from the leaders of "House Upon the Rock" and lunch
• Food Bank Sunday 
• Memorial services --two in the past three weeks
• Presbytery visit --hours of preparation and two days of meetings
• Friendship Coffee at least once a month
• Bottle collections ongoing with money going to missions
• Volunteer cleaning and grounds-keeping weekly or more
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Other Users -- our facilities are used by other 

                          organizations

• Stratas - Eagle Ridge and Summergate regularly hold meetings in our building. While not a church event, volunteers from the congregation are needed to set up tables, chairs, water jugs, and microphones. Someone has to run the sound system and be on site to answer questions and troubleshoot, then take down the tables, chairs, etc. and lock up the building. 
  
  
  
• Genealogy group meets once a month in the lounge
• Parkinson's support group meets once a month in the whole building
• Jesus is Lord congregation meets every Friday evening and Sunday afternoon in our sanctuary and uses the kitchen. Next Saturday, a special training session will use the building for the whole day. 

I may have missed some events, but I've listed enough to illustrate that our congregation is a-doing, even if we don't all wear running shoes. 

After COVID-19 restricted our communal life, it is a sign of hope that the place is hopping with activity again. 

To conclude this post I considered the hymn "Work for the Night is Coming," but on second thought decided this one was a better choice.   "Many Gifts, One Spirit."