Cake!

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

Last Sunday was Mother's Day, so SPPC celebrated with -- what else-- cake. It has been a while since we had cake after service so I was glad to get a piece. It was a white cake and very tasty.

Then, this Sunday, we celebrated Brian's birthday with a chocolate cake. 

It too, was very tasty. The chocolate in the icing was just right. Thank you, Brian, for sharing your cake.

Happy Birthday, Brian. 

 We won't have to wait long for another treat. Next Sunday, May 25 the mission team, who went to the Dominican Republic in March, will make a presentation to the congregation following the service. There will also be food.

On May 29, Friendship Coffee meets at 10:00 in the morning. There are always goodies to go with the coffee. This is a great time to bring a friend and enjoy some fellowship time.

Then, on June the 7th we'll enjoy a catered lunch to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the church building. For those who can't make it out on Saturday, there will be cake following the service on June 8.

Regular readers of this blog may think I obsess about cake, and maybe I do, but we have such beautiful cakes. The two featured at the top of this page are works of art, but look at this one.

 or this one.

Gorgeous!

Not only are out cakes beautiful and flavourful, they are a sign of hospitality. The early Christians made eating together part of their worship. 

At SPPC we invite all to share in the breaking of bread. Friend or stranger, all are welcome to come for a cup of coffe, a slice of cake, and a good conversation. Please come.

HOSPITALITY

I just reviewed the last few blog posts and it seems I'm on a food kick.  Must be something to do with the amount of produce in my garden.  This week I'm still looking at food, although not from my garden this time.  I make no apology.  Food is essential to life, a gift from God.  He sent manna to the Isrealites.  Christ likened his body to bread.   Hospitality is a gift of the Holy Spirit and the sharing of food marked the fellowship of the early church.  It is small wonder that food plays such an important role in our life as a congregation.

    At SPPC we partake of the Lord's Supper with dignity and reverence in our worship service,  four times per year, but we practice hospitality and the sharing of food nearly every Sunday, and it is nearly always cake; beautiful, generous, lovingly-wrought cake.  I overheard a newcomer to our congregation remark, "I've been to this church three times and there's been cake every time!" 
    When Marie Antoinette famously dismissed the masses with "let them eat cake," it wasn't these beautiful creations she had in mind.

  We know that the early church was made up of slave and free, Jew and Gentile, men and women, old and young and a sprinkling of Roman soldiers.  Such a diverse group needed to find ways to strengthen their unity.  A shared meal was one choice. Acts 2:46

  Romans 12 talks of many gifts, one spirit.  While the list doesn't include baking cakes specifically, I believe they could fall under the category of giving and serving and cheerfulness.

  In 1 Cor. 11: 2-22 Paul rebukes the members of that congregation for their lack of hospitality, some taking more than their share while others go hungry.  I don't think I've ever seen us run out of cake.

   So, to all those generous, hospitable, talented people who share their gifts so freely, I say thank you. You brighten our fellowship, fill us with good things, inspire us with thankfulness, and no one is sent away hungry.  

      The Saanich Fair is coming up this weekend.  There will be lots of cakes to look at but they'll all sport "don't touch" notices.  How wonderful that we can see and touch and taste.

   O taste and see how gracious the Lord is.  Psalm 34