The Year that Was

 Link for our live-streamed service is here.

On the world stage, 2025 was a tumultuous year--wars, tariffs, natural disasters, an election, a new pope . . . Is it any wonder that at SPPC we turned to the comforts of food and fellowship?

We ended the year with a sunshine lunch, the fifth such gathering of the year. Joan kindly sent along a few pictures.

Friendship coffee met eight times in the church building. Congregants and community members enjoyed a cuppa and goodies, but mostly they enjoyed each other's company, setting the world to rights around a table and sharing a laugh.

We also broke bread together to raise funds for the new heat pump. It had a hiccup in the beginning, but all seems to be in order now. We were cool on the hottest days of summer and warm now that winter has arrived.

Our church building turned 35 this year. So, we celebrated that anniversary with lunch. The mission team to the DR reported back over lunch, and in September we had a potluck lunch to celebrate the return to "school" and to hear about Diane and Rev. Irwin's trip to S. Africa.

In December we had a carol-singalong, but boosted the occasion with the first ever Great Peninsula Shortbread Bakeoff -- with hot chocolate and cookies.

All this in addition to our usual fellowship time following service on Sunday morning! I didn't count the number of Sundays where we had a cake to celebrate a special occasion, but on the last Sunday of 2025 we had a 90th birthday cake for Syd. 

Mission

I mentioned that we celebrated the return of our mission team with lunch (peanut butter sandwiches) but we also give thanks for the work they did in the Dominican Republic. Joan, Diane and Jerusha are old hands at this but it was the first year that Rev. Irwin made the journey. They all came back glowing with joy, and nursing callouses -- hard, physical labour in Christ's name bears its own rewards.

Certificate for Missional Leadership- several people from both session and the congregation have signed on to a church renewal project sponsored by Vancouver School of Theology. We expect to hear an update from them in January. Of course, lunch will be served.

We support the Peninsula Food Bank all through the year, but in 2025 we ran two "drives" to bring extra goods and cash. 

Our cozy toes project supported the Mustard Seed Street Church with warm socks and other articles of clothing for the unhoused.

Study

Our Wednesday Study tackled several topics in 2025. We did "Drive Thru' History," a video series with Dave Stotts in the lead up to Easter. Doing a virtual walk with him through the Holy land and Jesus' journey to the cross brought many insights. 

While Rev. Irwin was mixing cement in the DR we watched a couple of movies, "God is not Dead," "Luther" and "Bonhoeffer."  All of these told the story of people who had stood firm on the Gospel in the face of ridicule, persecution and death. A reminder that the church has survived turmoil for centuries. 

Currently, the group is taking a crash course in Biblical understanding through semantics via video with Tim Mackie of the Bible Project.

Pulpit Supply

This was also a year of guest preachers. Rev. Irwin took leave to do mission work in the Dominican Republic, to wash dishes at Camp Imodene, and for medical issues. He also had study leave and his own vacation time. In his absence we enjoyed a parade of substitute teachers on Sunday mornings. George Hodgson, Rick Wismer (Blue Bus), Harold McNabb, and Arnie Alksne are old friends of the congregation. We were also blessed with visits from Byron Knight, Grant Wilson, Ray Sanford, Wes Dyer, and Mitch Coggin. We are grateful for these fresh voices from the pulpit. Praise God for His many servants.

Worship

The items listed above stand out because they are out of the ordinary. Worship, on the other hand, is what we do, week in and week out. It is at the heart of our reality. The mission work, the fellowship, the fun stuff, they are all grounded in our faith, nurtured by worship and preaching. Sunday morning binds us together with "saints above and saints below."

There are also special times of worship at Easter-- a Good Friday service, a Maundy Thursday communion, and Sunrise service in the park. 

Our Christmas Eve, with candles and carols is always a highlight of the season. 2025 was no different. 

2026?

At this time of year the pundits are invited to make predictions for the coming months. I wouldn't dare. After all, we sing "my life is in your hands, O Lord." But, I expect that SPPC will continue to worship, eat cake, make music, and enjoy our fellowship, rejoicing in Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

Annual Congregational Meeting 2025

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

Nothing like Canada winning a hockey game over the USA to lift the mood of the country and the mood of the congregation. We approached our 2025 annual congregational meeting with light hearts. 

Actually, the dates are confusing. We held the meeting in 2025 but we were discussing the life of the congregation in 2024.😕

So, in 2024 our fellowship lost three members through death but we added three members through transfer. In addition, we had one infant baptism -- a cause for much celebration -- so we ended the year at +1.

The year had some significant costs on the property side. We replaced our old (32 years) heat pump with a new one. We also did roof repairs and demossing. The money that had been sitting in the property account met its "rainy day." The congregation has been fund-raising to meet those extraordinary costs. 

On the mission and outreach file, SPPC worked hard to support the House Upon the Rock ministry in the Dominican Republic. In a couple of weeks four of our members (including Rev. Irwin) will join a mission team heading to the DR for two weeks of hard work. 

We've also continued to contribute to the Mustard Seed church with our "cozy toes" project. The Blue Bus ministry receives assistance and volunteers from SPPC. We held two food drives for the Sidney/Lions Food bank, in addition to our regular donations to them. Now that the Compassionate Resource Warehouse is open again, we collect useful items for their overseas mission.

Throughout the year, I've reported the many occasions our congregation finds to have a meal together. Not suprisingly, the report from the Fellowship Committee included a long list of parties, meals, cakes, hot dogs, outings and coffee times. And that doesn't include the choir party, or the Sunshine lunch events or the Friendship Coffee meetings. Obviously, we eat well, laugh often, and hold each other close in times of celebration and in times of sorrow.

The annual report highights the "weekday" events of our church life, but Sunday morning worship gets only a brief paragraph. That is a skewed view of our church life. Sunday morning is the centrepiece of our week. We come together to worship because we love the Lord and because He first loved us. Everything else flows from that central truth.

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Psalm 29:2

 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20

Blue Monday

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

Last week started badly for me. I was nearly knocked off my bicycle by another cyclist travelling in the wrong direction. When I called out that he was on the wrong side of the road he replied, "I don't care."

I picked up the mail and saw the lead story in Maclean's was about neighbours feuding with each other over the size of multi-million dollar "cottages."

My e-mail held a note from a distant friend fuming because she came home from vacation to find their neighbour had knocked down the line fence and re-sited it entirely on my friend's property.

The television news presented endless images of the ultimate self-centred event of our time, Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"I don't care" seemed to epitomize the world. Self-interest and greed trampled on sharing and the common good. All in all, it was a blue Monday. 

Then I got a call about the bottle drive at SPPC and took heart. I am surrounded by people who do care, who offer time, treasure and talent for the betterment of all.

Our church is known as a warm and friendly place. This is not just an accident of "nice" people coming together. Our welcoming, caring church community is a faithful response to the commands of the Lord.

The first chapter of Haggai exhorts the people to build up the house of the Lord. At SPPC we have a dedicated band of volunteers who build up the "house" with cleaning, grounds-keeping, gardening, running the sound system, reading the scriptures, dealing with rentals and keeping the fridge stocked, to mention just a few. These are people who care.

Titus 3: 1-2  Encourages Christians to be good citizens, . . . always ready to do what is good." As good citizens we obey the laws of the road, respect the rights of others, perform our civic responsibilities and offer a helping hand to friend and stranger -- and as a witness to our faith.

1 Peter 4:10 admonishes us to use our gifts to serve others. At SPPC we have folk who serve on committees, sing in the choir, make pastoral visits, and offer fellowship, among other thingss. Our congregation is generous in the support of missions world-wide. We have a particular interest in the Dominican Republic -- hence the bottle drive. These are people who care.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up."  At church we encourage each other with birthday wishes or coffee dates, with smiles and a warm handshake, or a gentle hug or a sympathetic tear.  We rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who mourn. People care.

Galatians 6:2 says, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ."   In a structured way, our church  provides support for shut-ins, or the bereaved. In a less formal manner, we offer a sympathetic ear, when a brother or    sister-in-Christ pours out the troubles that beset them. A casserole left on the doorstep, a phone call on a dark day, all around are people who care for each other.

James 5:16 says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." Every Sunday there are prayers from the pulpit for the health and well-being of our congregation, our neighbours and our world. There is also a prayer chain for those who request prayer privately. They know their requests will be carried to God by a community that cares.

I feel sorry for the lad on the bike who doesn't care. He doesn't know the satisfaction of sharing or the exhilaration of helping. A life governed by "self" is narrow and drab and barren. A life lived in obedience to God's commands and in the service of others is one of joy and fulfilment and all the colours of Creation. 

So, farewell to blue Monday, and hello to gratitude Sunday.

Isolation Soup Sale

The link for this week's video service is https://youtu.be/Z15ZC0xNHRA 

                                                                       When the country went into lockdown, the mission team from SPPC was on the brink of heading down to the Dominican Republic. They were taking supplies and money to build a new house for a woman who had left an abusive relationship. 

Then COVID-19 struck and the trip was cancelled.

The good news is that we could still send money and the house is currently under construction.
The bad news is, we sent the money so now must replenish our coffers for the time when the team is allowed to travel.
The good news is, the congregation loves homemade soup and cottage pie.

Last week Darlene, Diane and Rebekah used got busy in the kitchen. The used--

• 18 pounds of ground beef
• 30 pounds of potatoes
• 2 pounds of butter
• 12 pounds of carrots

to produce 

• 69 cartons of carrot soup
• 74 cottage pies
• 56 cartons of chicken soup

Word went out and 26 orders were placed from the congregation.

Joan took a list, then provided curbside pickup.B

Barb offered delivery service to those who couldn't come to the church.

Rev. Irwin got to conduct some parking lot visits, 

and our special mission fund got some new funds.  

Everyone needs chocolate brownies. 

We're all learning to adapt to new ways, but, one way or another, the work and mission of the church carries on. 

Well done everyone!

A friendly supervisor

Ed. note:  Thanks to Diane for sharing her pictures and thinking of the blog!

   Speaking of pictures, I only have three of congregants wearing Pentecostal red. Please send in your photos for next week's post. avaldal@shaw.ca or office@saanichpeninsulapc.org 

previous mission trip

Last week I mentioned that the congregation at SPPC has a heart for mission. This week, as though to prove the point, there was a good news about our mission trip to the Dominican Republic.

The financial cost of our team members, i.e. accommodation, and airfare has been covered!    

popular soup sales support missions

A huge Thank You to everyone for supporting our fundraising endeavours! The ongoing soup sales have been a blessing to all of us. The bottle drive has moved us forward. The Silent Auction fundraiser raised over $1200 - thank you for your donations and for attending. Many have made financial donations directly to the team. 

What this means is that any further funds raised can go directly to the purchase of school and medical supplies. 

If you'd like to contribute "in kind," we could use some ‘one way’ suitcases that we will fill with supplies, then leave behind in the Dominican.

Clothing and shoes that are in good repair can also be sent with the mission team.

If you do not attend SPPC but would still like to help out, donations can be dropped off at the church this week. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. If you need a tax receipt, please include your name and address and telephone number with the donation.

This will be the third time SPPC has participated in a mission trip to the DR. We feel very fortunate for this opportunity to serve.Commissioning of the team members will take place on Sunday, March 8.

Year of Mission

 

Watermelon sculpture

Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church has always supported mission work in one form or other.  Our annual budget includes a line dedicated to PWS&D.  Our Sunday School supports a foster child, we sponsor the warm toes project for Our Place and members of the congregation have donated hundreds and hundreds of items to the Compassionate Warehouse, just to name a few of our outreach endeavours.
  While all of those projects have continued quietly in the background, this year specific mission projects have been in the forefront of our collective conscience.  Just last month we had Rev. Joey Cho from Cedar Tree ministry speak to us about his work among First Nations in Cowichan.   Earlier in June, Rick Wismer brought us an update on the Blue Bus ministry.  But our biggest event this year has been the mission trip to the Dominican Republic.  
     Many individuals donated personally to this undertaking, but as a congregation we started fund-raising with a strawberry social last July.  We collected bottles all fall and winter, held a concert, gave a dinner and participated in an auction in support of our DR team.            We prayed for them, held a commissioning service for them and welcomed them back with grateful hearts on their return.  On Friday, June 26 there was a DR night with pot luck dinner and a final presentation from our team.  
    Max presented a slide show of the highlights of his trip.

   Then invited us all to sample the Dominican Republic dishes prepared for us.  Although our team ate a lot of white bread and peanut butter sandwiches while they were away, the dinner they laid on for us was much more interesting -- plantain casserole, potato salad made with beets and lots of fruit. 

    According the Max, the rule on the mission was to try everything so we all tried the exotic foods and found them very tasty.

 Linda Cliff gave an excellent presentation on how to sponsor a student in the DR.  It can be done, collectively or individually, there is tax receipt, and you choose the student you wish to support.  The amount of sponsorships varies from about $20.00/ month to over $100.00 depending on the student, the school they attend and their grade level.  See next week's blog for complete details. 

   The experience of being missionaries certainly had a profound effect on the individuals who went.  But what has it meant for us as a church?  How has this "year of mission" changed us?  

   I believe the massive effort put into fund-raising for a hands-on mission has drawn members of the congregation closer together. Common cause tends to bring focus.

   I believe the success of the mission has given our congregation courage.  The financial hurdles looked immense when we began, but they were met and surpassed ahead of schedule.  Next time we're handed a challenge we'll feel more confident in our ability to meet it.

  I believe our youth have shown themselves to be capable, responsible and committed to God's work in a way we've not witnessed before.  

  I believe the DR mission has opened us to new possibilities, encouraged us to think big and joined us in a unique way with other mission-minded Christians on the Peninsula and in the greater world.

   What about you?  Has the year of mission affected the way you think about SPPC?
  

Cedar Tree Ministries

The first Sunday of May, we had a special guest in our service. Rev. Joey Cho of Cedar Tree Ministries shared with us his call to ministry and his journey to the Cowichan Valley.
    After giving his life to Christ as a youth in Korea, Joey felt drawn to mission work.  His acquaintance with Canadian missionaries made him want to come to Canada.  Unfortunately, his church told him "No.  Canada is not a mission field."  But Joey believed that God was calling him to work with First Nations in Canada.  He prayed about the situation for twenty days and the call was still strong.  So, Joey set out for Canada without the backing of his home church.
    He went first to Vancouver but there seemed to be no place there to start a congregation.  Then he moved to Duncan, where he found seven tribal units with about 4500 First Nations people.  He believed he had found the place where God wanted him to be.
    The work was not easy.  Many of Rev. Cho's congregants are survivors of the Residential School system.  Some are angry, some are addicted to drugs and alcohol, some hate the name of Jesus because they associate it with the pain of residential school.  Despite this baggage, in 2007 he began Grace Cowichan Church with one First Nations family.  Later, with the permission of the band, the church moved into a building on reserve land.
   Even then, there were trials.  Because of the hatred felt by so many, the cross was continually stolen from the church or damaged.  In the end, a Native artist created a sign that incorporated First Nations art with the cross of Christ.  That sign has not been vandalized.
    The church now holds regular Sunday services, Bible Study class, hosts a women's group and a Kids Bible Club.  There are regular sharing days when people offer what they have to those in need.  There are weddings and baptisms and funerals.  There is pain and there is healing.
    But, as his ministry progressed, Joey felt isolated.  At times he wanted to give up.  But each time he thought he could not go on, he received a sign, a token of encouragement that told him God wanted him to continue.  Eventually, Rev. Cho joined the Presbyterian Church in Canada and was ordained by that denomination.  Now he is part of the Presbytery of Vancouver Island and surrounded by loving, supportive peers in ministry and by prayer partners in other congregations.
    Still driven by the need to be a missionary, Joey, with the blessing of Presbytery formed Cedar Tree Ministries, an outreach program focussed on First Nations.  There is now a First Nations Victory Chapel in Nanaimo and a new congregation in Mill Bay, begun at the request of three families on the reserve there.
   Cedar Tree Ministries is living its mission of Reconciliation, Restoration and Renewal.
    Rev. Joey's story speaks to God's mysterious ways.  Who would have thought someone from Korea, brought to Christ by a North American missionary, would then travel from Korea to do mission work in North America?  But God's ways are better than ours.  Because Rev. Cho is not Caucasian, he is better able to minister to a people who suffered at the hands of their white neighbours.  While his church in Korea was right in saying Canada is not a mission field, they were wrong in terms of First Nations reserves in Canada.  Those areas are crying out for the Gospel.  Thank God for people like Rev. Joey Cho who bring the Good News to hurting people. 
   One compelling feature I took from Sunday's message was Rev. Cho's reliance on prayer.  At every step of his journey, he spent days praying, seeking guidance.   When his Korean church said no, he prayed.  When he is discouraged in his ministry, he prays. When he felt lonely and isolated, he prayed then found a home within the Presbytery of Vancouver Island, and at the end of his presentation, he did not pass around the collection plate.  Instead, he asked for prayers.
   The Bible is full of examples of servants of God who pray earnestly and with open hearts and minds.  Sunday I met such a man in person.


For more on Cedar Tree Ministries, visit their website here/

Bottle Drive

     

We expect the church to be busy on Sunday, but Saturday? Check your expectations.  This Saturday, we had a very active parking lot.

    The bottle drive was another fund-raiser for the mission trip to Dominican Republic.

 Young and old pitched in to help.  Some drove a truck.  Some sorted cans and bottles.

 Some made coffee and cookies for the volunteers.

    By the end of the afternoon, we'd collected a respectable outcome for our efforts, and then the bounty overflowed.  Just after closing time a truck, with a trailer full of bottles and cans made a drop off, and our "respectable" showing, became a "wow" showing.  Enough that the recycle depot waived their pick up fee.

 

     The final tally is not yet in, but we've raised over $600.00 through the bottle drive.  The good news is that it's not over yet.  As Rev. Irwin explained during the children't time on Sunday morning,

the church will continue to receive recyclable bottles up until the time of the mission trip, so if you have a few empties still sitting in the basement, bring them in.  If you see some empties in your neighbour's garage, offer to bring them in too.

 As Diane remarked, the big truck and trailer was a wonderful sight, but it is truly amazing how "a little" times "a lot" adds up to a big offering.  

   Our thanks to all the volunteers from the congregation for their contributions.  We also had help from a neighbouring congregation and personal friends, so thanks to them too.

    A few weeks ago, I mentioned "Faithlink" on this blog.  One of the goals of that group was to make our churches more visible in the community.  As well as raising funds for mission, the bottle drive made us visible to those outside our congregation.  Thanks be to God. 

WINTER BLAHS

   Went to my favourite eatery the other day and discovered it nearly empty.  The menu hadn't changed, the chef hadn't changed and the wait staff hadn't changed.  Usually we have to stand in line for a table at this place.  "Where is everyone?" I asked.  "Gone to the sun," came the answer.
     Even though our weather is balmy compared to the rest of Canada, and despite the water board's grumbling about low levels in the reservoir, we must admit that Victoria can get a bit dreary in the wintertime.  Grey skies, a week of all encompassing fog, rain in torrents or rain in drizzle, it's still rain.  A perfect formula for the winter blahs.
   

 So, it's a good time to change things up a bit.  We did that last Sunday in church with a guest trumpeter to add a bright tone to the music.  We like our organ, but there's nothing like a bit of brass to make it shine.  Thanks to John for sharing his talent with us.
      Greeters at the door and ushers taking up collection weren't the usual suspects either.  Members of the Sunday school handed out bulletins, welcomed visitors and took up the collection.  Nice to see them starting young.  I went to a funeral this week of a man who had served as head usher in his church for sixty-five years.   He was the face of welcome in that congregation, knew everyone by name, knew who needed a large print bulletin, who needed a hearing assist, and who needed help to stand.  Maybe one of our youthful ushers from last Sunday will follow the example of my friend.

     We also heard from Max and Felicity on their trip to Vancouver to explore opportunities for mission.  They returned home fired with zeal and a long list of possibilities. Stay tuned to this blog for more on that.
    
   If you've got the winter blahs but a trip to a sunny clime is not in the cards, try going to church.  Whatever the weather, the Son shines here.

Mission: At home and Away

There are several mission projects to report on this month at SPPC.  The first is our "warm toes" program.  This is the time when we buy warm socks, stuff them with necessities like toothpaste and shampoo and bring them to the church where they are dedicated to God's work on earth.  We then donate them to Our Place in Victoria for distribution.  With winter coming on, the need for warm toes among the clients of Our Place is great.

Another mission that SPPC supports is the Refuge Bus, often referred to as The Blue Bus.  One Sunday morning this month, we heard from Rick Wismer, who runs the program.  The bus ministry focusses on outreach to First Nations communities on lower Vancouver Island.  Two communities Pauquachin and Tseycum are close to SPPC.  Rick reported on some success stories and some needs.  The most pressing need is a new bus.  The old double decker has reached the end of the road, so to speak, and he has his eyes on a new coach-style bus that would better suit the needs for this ministry.  He also took the opportunity to thank SPPC for the volunteers who come on board the bus and especially for the cookies.  Thousands and thousands of cookies are produced every year by members of SPPC and donated to the Refuge Bus for snacks.  

Finally, one of our members is embarked on a mission of her own.  Linda Cliff is in Nepal as part of a hospice team.  They will be there for six weeks, to teach staff at a hospice in rural Nepal.  I had a letter from her shortly after she'd arrived in Kathmandu.  "We arrived safe and sound with excellent flights on Korean Air.   Everything was on time, the service was excellent and the flights did not seem as long as expected. The first leg to Incheon , Korea was 12 hours and the second to Kathmandu was 8 hours.  The stopover in Korea made the trip doable.

The ride from the airport to our hotel was overwheming!  Dogs,cows, people, cars, motorbikes, horns blaring, all on the road at the same time, all seeming to go in different directions and us in a sketchy van traveling right down the middle of the road.  Our driver took us the back way so we saw much poverty and the road is what we would have called a trail.  It was a relief to arrive at the hotel which is an oasis of calm in a very busy, noisy and wonderful city.

So far we have explored the Thamel district where the hotel is.  Lots of shopping and amazing sites.  Feel safe and as long as you realize that when a car or motorbike sounds the horn you better step out of the way it is easy to get around.   Yesterday we went on a tour with a driver and a guide.  We went to Bhartapur and saw this ancient temple town and the real third world life style.  It is just the end of harvest so they are drying their rice in the town squares, so everywhere are these great mounds of rice they are getting ready to store.  We also drove into the country and saw the people preparing their fields for the next crop which is potatoes.  Terraced lands, worked by hand, makes me embarassed to say I work in my garden.  I play: they work.

Today we are off to Hospice Nepal and to wander around.  Have loved the food, many places to eat, both western and ethnic food.  We go to bed early and get up with the sun.  It is wonderful."

 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 ESV