Blue Monday?

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

Have you got the January blahs? Did Blue Monday hit you like a ten ton truck? Don't despair. SPPC can help.

Last Thursday about thirty people gathered at the church for Friendship Coffee. One of the best ways to beat the blues is to get out and about and to engage with other people. Here is a sample of the non-blue folks at coffee. 

One of the best ways to beat the blahs is to do something for someone else. I've heard that the folks at Friendship Coffee raised $449.00 for PWS&D during 2024. 

Coming up on Wednesday, Jan. 29, our Bible Study returns. A bit of mental challenge may be just the thing to lift your spirits. We're doing a "Drive Thru' History" and the discussions take many twists and turns. Everything from "Did the Romans shoe their horses?" to "just who were the wise men?" are questions thrown out following the video. Learning, fellowship, coffee and goodies. Who can stay blue with all that on offer.

And don't forget Sunday morning, 10:00 am. Brighten your day with worship. Sing praises to God, listen to the Word read aloud. Pray for each other and the world. Listen to a challenging sermon. Experience the joy of corporate worship.

Speaking of sermons, when I was without a voice my friend came to visit. Since we couldn't chat, we listened to Rev. Irwin's sermon when he filled in at the pulpit at St. Andrew's Presbyterian in Nanaimo. On hearing of our visit, our book club members rolled their eyes and remarked that only my friend and I would listen to a sermon for fun. And it was fun, and stimulating, and thoughtful, and worth hearing. You can check it out here. The sermon starts about 37 minutes into the video.

So, there you have it -- how SPPC helps you beat the January Blahs.

Voice

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

I have had a most unusual week. I lost my voice -- not just my singing voice -- my whole voice. On Sunday afternoon I began getting hoarse and by Sunday evening I could not make a sound. Dr. Google explained that I had aphonia. 

In the spirit of "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone," I've brooded on my voiceless status.

As we've just finished the Christmas season, my predicament brought to mind Zachariah. He was struck dumb because he did not believe the angel, sent to him by the Lord. In my case, the affliction was more likely the result of a viral infection than Divine judgement, but the consequences could be viewed as similar.

• Being mute is dangerous. I could not call out a warning. I had to bang something, or throw something or make physical contact with my audience to get attention. If I had seen a truck bearing down on an unsuspecting pedestrian, disaster would have overtaken us before I could sound the alarm. Similarly, I could not call out for help if I were in dire circumstances.
• It is isolating. I could not take part in conversation except by nodding and shrugging and pointing. Not a very effective way to communicate complicated thoughts. I missed book club for that reason.
• It damages relationships. My brother phoned from Ontario -- Christmas mail had finally gotten through-- but I could not talk to him. I could listen, but someone else had to relay my gesticulated responses.
• Being unable to speak is frightening. Again, Dr. Google suggested two to three weeks of silence. I have many plans for the next three weeks that include visiting with friends and family from away. What if I couldn't speak when we met? 
• My sense of identity suffered. Voice conveys so much more than mere words. We speak of an "author's voice" that indefinable something that marks their work as unique to that writer. All the colour, nuance, inflection, tone, rhythm of speech -- or singing--mean as much or more than our words. Without a voice, all those communication tools are lost. 

Apart from Zachariah, the Bible has many references to those who do not speak. Sometimes they are struck dumb as a punishment from God. Sometimes they are possessed by demons. Sometimes it is through ignorance. Sometimes it is by choice .
I have read and heard these passages many times but "mute" didn't carry a lot of weight in my mind, certainly not as awful has having your mouth burned with a live coal!

Given my silent week, my understanding has changed dramatically.

Fortunately, I did not suffer the full three weeks suggested in Google. After three days of playing charades -- only fun at a party -- my voice began to return. The first sentence I spoke without effort brought such joy. Only three or four small words, but I was released from my prison of silence. I know that sounds a bit "over the top," for a bout of laryngitis, but it is true.  

I've always loved the scripture of Isaiah 35, especially the part about "then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing."

My voice is coming back, although I am still careful not to put strain on the vocal cords. 

My friend says every trial contains a lesson. In this case the lesson was to increase my empathy for those with no voice, both literally and figuratively. 

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For those who can talk, a reminder that Friendship Coffee takes place this Thurs. Jan, 23, at 10:00 at the church. Come along to visit with your church family, bring a friend, enjoy your voice.

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Ann is celebrating a special birthday this week. She got cake on Sunday -- at least the congregation enjoyed cake on her behalf. Happy Birthday, Ann. 

All creatures of our God and King,                                                           Lift up your voice and with us sing,                                                Alleluia, Alleluia!

Minister's Challenge

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

This week SPPC participated in a game of musical pulpits. Rev. Irwin was at St. Andrew's in Nanaimo, their minister was at Trinity in Vancouver and Byron Knight took over the pulpit at SPPC. Many in the congregation know Byron as a leader of the Dominican Republic mission trips, pie auctioneer extraorinaire, and master chef at Camp Imadene. He also likes to share the gospel from the pulpit. Welcome Byron.

Having a guest preacher is a bit of a wake-up for the congregation. We tend to be so comfortable with our usual routine, we may not even notice its strengths or eaknesses.  

Retailers are encouraged to look at their premises through the eyes of a customer every now and then. They walk down the street and look in the front window. Does it sparkle? Is the display fresh and engaging? Or has familiar clutter built up in the corners and gone unnoticed? We can use the occasion of a guest preacher for a similar review. Are the prayers different? Is the sermon long or short? Who reads the announcements? There are any number of little differences that may catch our attention. And that is a good thing.

On Thursday night, choir practice was cancelled and 3/4 of the choir went to a concert at UVIC. Elizabeth Clarke and Lindsey Hurle both attended SPPC a few years ago and shared their musical talents with us. I especially remember Elizabeth as she filled in at the piano for the Living Flame Choir on occasion. So, when we learned that the two musicians were back in town to give a concert, we had to attend. Elizabeth's skill on the keyboard is remarkable and she had the audience enthralled. 

It was also a bit of an old home week for Fort MacMurray ex-pats. The Cunninghams were there in force, plus we met several people in the parking lot all coming to hear their "home town girls." A testament to friendship.

Stump the Preacher

Just a reminder, we have one week left to meet Rev. Irwin's

challenge of reading the whole Gospel of Luke. He invited us to mark the passages we found difficult and to present them to him. He has promised to preach on the problem passages remarked by the congregation. This is your chance to stump the preacher. Don't miss out. 

New Year 2025

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

This Monday, January 6, marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas. Time to take down the Christmas tree, extinguish the outdoor decorations and blow out the candles. Feels like a gloomy start to what is still a dark time of year!

Now that we are sated with turkey and plum pudding, we turn on the news again and see hunger in so many places. 

We have sung carols about the Prince of Peace and now images of war intrude from our screens.

Disaster after disaster pushes the twinkling lights away from our conscience. 

Maybe we should return to a time when Christians kept Christmas until Candlemass on Feb. 2.

If I've managed to make you feel depressed -- fear not! There is still Light in the world without our glittering trees and houses. If you don't believe me, listen to Rev. Irwin's sermon from Christmas Eve-- the link is here-- reminding us that we each have the Light of Christ within us. In twos and threes, or in a multitude, that light can brighten every dark corner.

Last week, former president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, died and the world mourned the loss of this "good" man. Even those who considered his term as president a failure, were moved by the man who taught Sunday School and swung a hammer building homes for the homeless. 

Unlike a former US president, most of us are not newsworthy, but we still carry the Light of the World. If you want a New Year's resolution, you could do worse than "this little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine."

Happy New Year!

Christ is the World's True Light.