Family Time

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

I went away for a few days last weekend for a family event in Ontario. As the picture at left shows, the snow was deep and soft and beautiful. Fortunately, it was not falling on our travel days so we only experienced the gorgeous landscape not the frustrating, dangerous slipping and sliding and heart-in-your mouth driving.

I had a wonderful time catching up with three generations of family and even some old high school buddies. Mostly we gathered around a table, whether for dinner, brunch, coffee or snacks. It seems food draws family together.

When I returned to N. Saanich, I found several sets of photos in my e-mail. Apparently SPPC had been using food to draw the church family together.

Thanks to Joan, I have these photos of the sunshine lunch, with its Valentine theme.

Janet sent me these pictures of the out-to-lunch bunch at Good Fortune restaurant. It was quite a bunch, eighteen to be exact.

Then one more photo from Friday's Friendship Coffee. This time there were 25 present, a high turnout, even for this popular program.

Building family memories together is a boon to the heart. It would seem the same holds true of our church relationships.

Despite the beauty of the snowy woods of Ontario, I couldn't refrain from sending back this photo of blooming Victoria in the month of February.

The Expanding Table

Link to this week's live-streamed service is here

  

A celebration of life service I attended featured a slide show featuring the many family gatherings that had marked the life of the deceased. Image after image showed family dinners through the years. 

The early photos showed the newly weds celebrating their first Christmas together at a small table. Then there were photos of babies and children added to that group. The table expanded.

Then the children brought home their own partners and another table was added to accommodate them all. Soon grandchildren and great-grandchildren joined the group. Just like the grandmother's heart, her table kept expanding. 

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This week, our congregation has hosted a visitation from presbytery. It's been a very long time since the last visit, so just to refresh your memory, here is a statement from the Presbyterian Church in Canada about the relationship between congregations and presbytery.

• God calls us to be one body in Christ. The emphasis on relationships is evident in the New Testament. Throughout His ministry, Jesus sought to create a community of followers. Paul’s letters frequently addressed the behaviour of members of the early churches, particularly with directives about relating to “one another;   “live in harmony with one another” (Romans 12:16 • “pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding” (Romans 14:19) • “bear one another’s burdens” (Galations 6:2) • “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32) • “look to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4) • “teach and admonish one another” (Colossians 3:16) • “pray for one another” (James 5:16)

 In the Presbyterian Church in Canada covenantal relationships exist between presbyteries, congregations and ministers. They are rooted in our relationship with God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — and in our understanding of who and whose we are. The congregation calls a minister, and the congregation and minister covenant to work together in ministry. The presbytery is responsible to care for the wellbeing of congregations and ministers within its bounds, by providing support and a means for accountability. Presbyteries, congregations and ministers must strive continuously to live out these covenants faithfully. 

We often think of our congregation as our "church family." It's a great metaphor but, just like the family in those pictures I mentioned, we are connected to others. The presbytery visitation is a reminder that SPPC does not exist alone. We are part of the Vancouver Island Presbytery, the Synod of British Columbia, the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and, ultimately, the world wide church, founded on Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

The word "visitation" conjures the word "inspection."  We might be better to think of it as a visit from a beloved relative or wise mentor. One who has come to see how we are doing, to offer encouragement and advice. One who shares the wisdom of experience and wishes only the best for our congregation. 

Following worship on Sunday morning,  SPPC expanded the table once more as congregants and presbyters sat down together for lunch. We shared our worries and our hopes. We sought guidance. We compared notes. It was a good time for family.

MORE OF THE FAMILY

 

Last week I posted about the youth in our congregation and their various doings.  This week I thought it would be interesting to look at the other end of the spectrum.  
    At 90 +, Beulah is a faithful member of the Bible Study group, the prayer group, and the prayer chain and was also an active member of the Canadian Bible Society.  Although the local chapter of the Society has dissolved, Beulah is still a passionate believer in the power of the Bible and the need to translate and distribute scriptures into every language and every corner of the world.

    Jean, also in the 90+ club, helps out with the Chaplaincy at Saanich Peninsula Hospital, attends Bible Study, is a member of the prayer chain and regularly spends time in the schools helping children learn to read.  She also attends the sing-songs at Sidney Intermediate Care.  
     Until arthritis took away her mobility, Beryl volunteered at the airport and at the hospital.  She still manages to do some visiting and checks in on shut-ins by telephone.
     Of course, we have a whole army of people in the 80-90 age range who volunteer at the hospital, bake cookies for the Blue Bus, serve in the kitchen, serve on committees and visit the "elderly."  

Some of our hard workers enjoying the sunshine lunch

    I knew a woman many years ago who had been very active in church and other service organizations.  She developed severe arthritis and had to give up all of her usual activities.  Even attending worship service became impossible.  So, she looked around her and said "what can I do?"  The answer lay in the telephone.  She could call people and visit with them that way.  Even confined to a chair, she found a way to help others.
    The Bible Study we are doing right now is "A dare to live fully right where you are."  Isn't it wonderful that God can use us, right where we are, regardless of age, skill, power or wealth? How blessed we are at SPPC to have people of all ages, willing to share whatever they can and help to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth.

     




    

MOTHER'S DAY

   

On Sunday, we celebrated Mother's Day, or Family Sunday, as it's known in the church.  Some cynics claim that Mother's Day was invented by the greeting card companies as a way to sell more cards but there have been festivals celebrating mothers as far back as 250 B.C.  Whatever its origins, the second Sunday of May is a time to say thank you to all the mothers amongst us and to celebrate the love of family, in all its shapes and forms.
     At SPPC we are a particular kind of family and I thought you might like to know what "our kids" have been up to.

      Rebekah and Megan have been to a band festival in Whistler.  This was a big adventure for them, travelling with a school group of about 40 musicians, playing before an adjudicator and then taking part in a master class.  

They report the weather was great, the trip was fun, the master class was super and we'll all forget about the adjudicator.

Apparently the food was good too!

       

This is a bear, not the adjudicator

      Peter has taken up baseball this term.  He had a big hit at a recent game, knocked in run, and his team went on to win the game.  Great for Peter and even better that his brother was so excited for him.  That's what families do.  We cheer each other on, sharing our joy and lightening our disappointments.
        Max has been in several rowing regattas but the big one was at Mill Bay a few weeks go.

 His four-man squad won the junior varsity event with 22 seconds to spare (That's huge in rowing terms).  Not only that, given their time, they would have placed second if they'd been competing in the varsity race.  Way to go, Max!
     

     Elizabeth, our resident guest pianist, won the piano concerto contest at U Vic.  The prize gives her bragging rights but no cash.  On the other hand, she does get to play a concerto with the U Vic symphony next year.  I love Elizabeth's playing and really look forward to attending that concert.

   

Felicity spent a lot of time in the kitchen and produced this beautiful cake in honour of all the mothers in our

congregation.  Not only did the cake look wonderful, it tasted great too.  (I heard a rumour that the youth class might be holding a bake sale -- if that is true, I'll buy one of Felicity's cakes!)
   

      But while we are celebrating with cards and flowers and special dinners, let us remember the mothers and daughters around the world who suffer, especially those in Nigeria, where violent men seek to enslave girls in ignorance and poverty, just because they are girls.  Evil abounds in this world in many guises but the kidnapping of school girls is particularly egregious.

   For the joy of human love,
  Brother, sister, parent, child,
  Friends on earth, and friends above,
  For all gentle thoughts and mild,
  Lord of all, to Thee we raise




  This our sacrifice of praise.