Post Thanksgiving

    The fine china is back in the cupboard, the linens laundered and today we finished the last of the turkey leftovers.  But my season of thanksgiving is not ended.  Today I give thanks for the good things I've found at Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church.

    First on the list is the Living Flame Choir.  They sang on Sunday, in case you missed it, and they were terrific.  I'm grateful to this group of children/youth for their willingness to tackle a challenge, their creative solutions to problems and their enduring friendship.  I've been directing a junior choir at SPPC for nearly fifteen years.  I've had the privilege of watching my most junior singers learn and grow, develop their skills and share their talents, and move from novice to leader.  They've included me in their circle of adult friends, extending an invitation to school events and other extra-curricular activities.  I always offer them cookies when extra practices take place at my house.  Last week I was the visitor and a choir member offered me a cookie.  When I was first asked to take on the role of developing and leading a junior choir I agreed, with conditions.  I had no idea what joy this ministry would bring to me and to the congregation.  I've dropped all the conditions of my participation.  I whole-heartedly give thanks for the Living Flame Choir.

     Another area of thanksgiving is Bible Study.  We're doing John Stott's study of The Sermon on the Mount, you remember, all those "blessed are. . ." verses that seem totally contradictory.  "Blessed are the poor in spirit.. . .  Blessed are they that mourn . . .Blessed are they who hunger and thirst . . ."

Scholars consider this chapter of Matthew one of the most important in Scripture, but it can sure be confusing.  But . . . every Wednesday morning we meet, break into small groups and talk about the passage, following the questions in Stott's study guide.  Then we meet together to share our thoughts while Irwin leads us through the finer points of the verses.  It is a wonderful time of fellowship and teaching.  No question is considered too trivial, no comment is dismissed as "wrong."  In fact, Irwin is an expert at making us all seem brilliant.  Death has claimed some stalwarts from the Bible study group and we miss them dearly, but newcomers have come to fill the empty seats and are most welcome.  Feel free to join the study on Wednesdays at 9:30 am.  You don't have to attend every session.  You can join any time.  Coffee and goodies are freely shared, as is the laughter and the stories.

    The Shepherd's Way, our church newsletter is another item on my gratitude list.  There was a new issue in time for Thanksgiving.  You've got to read Ruth's item about "huggitis" as she caught it at SPPC and as she spreads it among her neighbours and friends.  At an age when she could rightly say, "I've done my turn," Blanche keeps on keeping on, putting out the newsletter and filling our mailboxes with stories and quotes and chuckles and information.  Bill draws the pictures, making each issue a work of art.  I was thinking the Sunday School children could colour those drawings as part of a lesson sometime.

   This list is far from complete, but three is supposed to be the ideal number of points in an essay. I've found many more blessings  in this congregation, a.  I invite you to add your own items, either in the comments section below or in a blog post.  I'm always happy to feature other members of the congregation on this page.  In fact, those who write for the blog are very high on my gratitude list.

Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving day -- turkey's roasting in the oven, pies are cooling on the shelf, autumn leaves provide a colourful background and friends are gathered together.  It's easy to give thanks.  

But I am reminded of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  She strove to give thanks, even when life wasn't perfect.  She listed squabbling children in her journal, thankful that they were healthy and independent and hers to teach.  She gave thanks for a jumble of shoes in the hallway, the sign of a happy, busy household.
   She also points out in her devotional of the same name that a list of easy gratitudes may not lead to real thanksgiving.  Unless we dig deep in the less pleasant moments of life to find true blessing, we haven't really achieved Paul's admonition to "give thanks in all things."  Discontent is part of human nature.  We will never rid ourselves of discontent by trying to root it out.  That leaves a vacuum and discontent comes racing back. But if we replace discontent with gratitude, one small moment at a time, then we can experience true grace.  All those little moments add up until they overwhelm greed and envy and worry and our lives are transformed.
   I was reminded of her words when I listened to The Vinyl Cafe on CBC radio.  This thanksgiving weekend, Stuart McLean, storyteller and creator of The Vinyl Cafe gave out the Arthur Awards, a recognition of small acts of humanity that have enriched the lives of family and neighbourhoods.  The awards are small, a copy of McLean's latest book, or maybe tickets to a show, the acts are small, like phone calls or snow shovelling, but they have tremendous effect on their corner of the world.  
     This year there was a nomination for a voice -- the letter-writer didn't know who owned the voice, but every morning she heard it shout, "Wah-hoo," and it brightened her day.  The voice has gone silent and she misses it.  Another time the Arthur was awarded to a man who had made it his business to string Christmas lights on a lonely stretch of highway, to cheer strangers passing by. 
    I'd love to nominate McLean himself for an award.  His tales, filled with humour, gentleness and just plain goodness, are a welcome antidote to the steady stream of tragedy and disaster and evil that dominate our airways.  However, people who work on the show aren't eligible to receive an Arthur so my nomination remains unsent.  
    I'm grateful to the Apostle Paul for his witness and his instruction.  I'm grateful to Ann Voskamp for her writings on thanksgiving.  And I'm grateful to Stuart McLean for his stories of the small things that add up to a grand thanksgiving.
   Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I hope your table groans under the spread of food, that you run out of chairs for your many guests and that you find a small moment in the day to be grateful for all things.

Church Around the World

 

 Often people confuse church with church buildings, or with particular congregations or even particular denominations.  Not so. As the hymn says, "the church is wherever God's people are gathered."  God's people.  Not God's steeples.  (Actually, I like steeples and bells and stained glass windows, but that's another story.)  The church, as Christ envisioned it and Paul and Peter established it, was a group of people who followed Jesus' teachings and sought to be like Him.  Many turned their lives upside down.  Matthew gave up his lucrative post as a tax collector.  Saul/Paul turned from persecutor to persecuted.  Lydia, a seller of purple, had her whole household baptized.  Roman soldiers mixed with Jews, masters mixed with slaves.  Care for each other was paramount. There wasn't a steeple in sight.
   On Sept. 20, World Peace Day, we saw an example of that borderless church.  About 200 people gathered at the band shell at Beacon Park in Sidney.  There were speakers from many faiths, flags, puppets, balloons, music and a Peace Pole.  The weather was perfect, the mood was joyous and the message of peace was carried from the sanctuary to the street.  The event was organized by Faithlink.
    This Sunday was another example of people of the worldwide church coming together for World Communion Sunday.  On this day Christians around the world and in many denominations come to the Lord's table in solidarity with one another.  Whether we choose steeples and prayer books or gymnasiums and slideshows, we are all one family, all followers of Christ, all believers in one God.  As we celebrate the Lord's Supper as "one church, one faith, one Lord," we fulfil our calling as one body in Christ.  
    It is easy to confuse "church" with building or with "congregation."  But that view is too narrow, too parochial and not faithful to the Bible.  While we may love our own buildings and our own congregations we rejoice in the love of our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world. World Communion is more than just a date on the calendar.  World Communion is true "church."
    

Hospital Song Book

      Over the past few months a committee has been hard at work creating a song book for us to use when we conduct the service at Saanich Peninsula Hospital.  That is, SPPC has made a song book for SPH!  
The book is now completed and was dedicated during the service on Sunday morning.   Copies were passed among the congregation and we sang "Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me," an old-time favourite not available in our "Book of Praise."
     On Sunday afternoon, we took the Songbook to the hospital and used it for the first time at the service there. Those of us who worked on the book, we were sure the singing was more robust than before.  Rev. Irwin invited the residents to choose their own hymns and there were many requests.
     The book contains many of the old gospel songs familiar to residents at the hospital, along with a smattering of great hymns of the ages, like "O God Our Help In Ages Past" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah."
     Since music is a large part of our ministry at Saanich Peninsula Hospital, it seemed appropriate that we should have a song book dedicated to that purpose.  The print is large.  There is one song per page and it's all in alphabetical order.  All in an effort to make words easy to read, easy to find and easy to follow. 

    The books will be kept at the church.  With reorganization at the hospital, we're never sure their books will be available on a Sunday afternoon, so bringing along a supply of our own ensures we'll be able to share music with the residents.

All in all, we had a good day with lots of music at church and at the hospital.  I love the old hymns so it was a treat for me as well.

Auction Fever

   

 There's something about an auction that brings out the competitive spirit.  Last week, there were only a few bids on the items displayed about the Molloy Hall.  Today, the sheets filled up.  There was a puzzle maven in our midst who raised the bidding to new heights. 

  Despite his best efforts, I did manage to secure a couple of puzzles for myself.  I also had the winning bid on a pair of exquisitely cross-stitched hand towels.  They'll look very elegant in my guest bathroom.

  This hand-sewn quilt was a prize worth having.  The lady with the winning bid asked me to be sure to take its picture.

 I featured it last week but it's worth a second look.  Truly lovely.

   The excitement around the auction nearly eclipsed the treasures on the pot luck table -- nearly but not quite.  This congregation does enjoy breaking bread together.
   For those with enquiring minds, these mouth-watering brownies were made with zucchini!  Don't tell the children, they hate vegetables.

  There was food enough to go around.  

But it seems we ran out of table space.   Benjamin, all alone at the "kids" table.

Not to forget the purpose of the exercise, which was to raise funds to replace/repair the dishwasher.  Hence our faithful Felicity in the kitchen.

 Preliminary reports say the event earned approximately seven hundred dollars.  Well done everyone.
  Now, I'm off to work on a puzzle.

  

Back to Work

  If the change in the weather wasn't enough to signal the end of summer, the list of activities at SPPC should.  It's clear that we're all in back-to-work mode.  On Sunday morning the choir was gowned up and in its place.  They presented an anthem and an offertory, so that means they were at work on Thursday as well.

   Speaking of Thursday, I dropped by the church early and found a good turn out at the Thursday coffee fellowship meeting.  Thanks to Brian and Vivian for carrying on with that ministry when the previous hosts retired.  

   During the Sunday morning service, we commissioned our Sunday School teachers for the new year.  Classes began right away.  We are so fortunate to have faithful leaders who give up their own worship time in order to teach youth classes.  We wish the whole Sunday School a happy, productive and blessed year.  By the way, adult Bible Study classes begin toward the end of this month.

   


The silent auction began Sunday as well.  During the coffee hour we were able to study the items on offer and write down a bid.  (I bid on several items, but you can come in during the week and outbid me.   Isn't this fun?)

 The auction continues all week and will end next Sunday with a pot luck lunch after service.  I noticed Felicity in the kitchen doing dishes.  I'm sure she'll be very relieved when the dishwasher is either replaced or repaired.

  

  Finally, also on Sunday, we were treated to a concert by Larry's string quartet, the Die Mahler String Quartet.  

   Whew!  As I said, we're back at work.

Washing Dishes

Working together for a common goal.

by Janet Smith

    This year, SPPC is celebrating the 25^th Anniversary of the church building. After 25 years things are beginning to wear out and that’s what is happening to our dishwasher having washed thousands of dishes for our many times of fellowship and breaking bread together as families do.  At home, all the relatives are expected to pitch in and help wash the dishes.  At church we can do that, but for convenience and health reasons we need to have a commercial dishwasher in the kitchen. These cost upwards of $5,000.00.

    So far we have held two small fundraising events, a “Junk from your Trunk Sale” and a “Hotdog Lunch” and to date we have only raised $450.00 and so we have a long way to go!

    Therefore, the Fellowship Committee is planning to hold a Silent Auction from Sunday 13 September through to Sunday 20 September. It will run for the week so that if you are at the church for any other meeting during that week you can take some time to look and consider your bids.

Do you want to stay behind and do dishes?

  To enable this to happen, we need your help and so we are asking for donations.  New or used items in good condition, along with your reserve bid attached, need to be at the church by  10^th September.

     Alternatively, you may offer a service that someone may like to bid on, such as cooking, baking, sewing, gardening, shopping and so on, even computer help!

     We would like all donations or services to be offered to be at the church by Thursday 10 September, Bin-Sie and Janet will be at the church between 10:00 and noon on that day to receive your donations.

     The best part of it all, and being good Presbyterians, we will close the auction with a Pot Luck lunch on Sunday 20^th September following the morning service at which time the highest bidders will receive their purchases.  Hopefully, on that day the dishwasher will continue to work!

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:1 Peter 4:10 ESV

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. Ecclesiastes 4:9 ESV

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, Colossians 3:23ESV