Church Life

This blog is always looking for new topics to discuss, new programs to present, new people to interview.  But "new" is not really necessary.  At SPPC, we're a community and stuff happens in a community.  So here's a glimpse of life at SPPC over the last week.

Barb and John celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.  They shared the occasion with the congregation.  The cake was not only beautiful, it was delicious. 

 Also on Sunday, we led worship at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital.  That's another event that comes around regularly, but each time is different, because the people are different.  This time we sang lots of naval hymns because there was a retired submariner in the congregation.  "Will Your Anchor Hold" was a hit.

  On Thursday night the Parking Lot Club began its weekly schedule.  There was a threat of rain, but it didn't dampen the spirit of the hockey players. 

  Our woods seem like magic to two little girls. 

There was also pizza.  Good thing, since some of us stayed for Choir practice at 7:00 pm.  Barely time to clear up the parking lot, let alone go home for supper and get back again. 

Speaking of Choir practice, it is every Thursday from 7:00 - 8:00 pm.  Larry would love to have more singers join us.  Even if you can't read music but love the sound of choral voices, come talk to him.  Come on a Thursday and give it a try.  We don't bite.

Yesterday we celebrated World Wide Communion.  Bombs and injured children are so far from our peaceful corner of the world, but on World Wide Communion, we celebrate the Lord's Supper with Christians everywhere.  Some will be affluent and safe, like us, others will live in fear, yet we are one in spirit.  We claim "One Faith, One Hope, One Lord."

So, there is a glimpse of a week in the life of Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church.  Perhaps there's something there for you.  We're open every Sunday.

Parking Lot Extras

There was some unexpected use of our parking lot on Saturday afternoon when the neighbourhood turned out to try and catch a glimpse of Prince William and his family at the roundabout.

He truly is a prince because just as his car passed us, he rolled down the tinted window.  I actually got a picture. 

    On Thursday, Sept. 29, the parking lot will have a different purpose -- the Parking Lot Club will meet there from 4:30pm - 6:00 pm.  From our last experience, I expect there will be lots of ball hockey played.  We also have facilities to play volleyball, badminton, do crafts, walk in the woods or watch a movie.

Again, based on the number from last time, we're expecting over a dozen kids.  Rain or shine we'll be there. If it's raining we'll set up inside. 

    We're asking for prayers from the congregation as well as  baking (mainly cookies) from week to week.   There won't be hot food every time, but as a special treat, and because we found a sale,  this week, September 29, we're having pizza.

   Come and play, come and enjoy, bring a friend, have fun.

    

Food Bank Sunday

You may have received a plastic bag at your door this week, asking you to donate to the Food Banks of B.C.  If you missed getting your bag of food to the curb on Saturday, don't despair, you can bring it to the church on Sunday, Sept. 25.  In fact, you can bring it to the church any Sunday. It will be picked up and delivered to the Sidney food bank on the Monday after the last Sunday of the month.
Right now, in the season of harvest, many gardeners are overwhelmed with produce.  Don't despair. You can take that to the Food Bank too.  They will accept tomatoes and squash and apples and pears and similar fresh produce during the first three weeks of the month.  They are closed for distribution on the last week of the month and can't store fresh produce that long, so check the calendar. When I've missed getting fresh produce to the Food Bank at the right time, I've taken it to the Community Thrift Store on Third Street.  So long as the food can last a few hours without refrigeration, you can leave it there for customers to help themselves.
The Food Bank is just one example of SPPC working in co-operation with other groups such as Faith Link, Our Place, Saanich Peninsula Hospital and the Compassionate Warehouse for the benefit of our community and our world.  So, clean out your store room, clean out your garden, clean out your closet -- the church was in the recycling business long before the blue box!

10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

Luke 3:10-11King James Version (KJV)

Parking Lot Club

The Parking Lot Club got off to a rousing start on Saturday afternoon.  There was a very enthusiastic ball hockey game -- Tore has a bruise to prove it --

there was a combination volleyball/badminton game and I understand some little girls went exploring in our woods, apparently looking for fairies.

   There was lots of good food, junk food, and cookies (not junk food!)  

There was loud music.(We thought it only fair to include the neighbours even if they couldn't attend in person.)

   We collected names and phone numbers and lots of "Let us know when you're doing it again."  Over the next couple of weeks the organisers will determine the time that suits the most people the best and we'll make the parking lot club a weekly event.

    Wonderful to see our space put to good use.  I heard something I'd never experienced before -- a child wanting to stay longer at church when his parents said it was time to go home.
   Watch this space, read the bulletin, or call the church(250 656-2241) for more information.  Hope to see you at the next parking lot event.

Endings and Beginnings

   

This weekend marks the end of summer vacation for most people.  Kids go back to school. Cottagers close up the camp.  Gardeners look out on bedraggled beds.  Along with the scent of ripe apples, there is a touch of melancholy in the air.  We've come to an ending.
     The best antidote for an ending, I've found, is a beginning.  While we may grieve summer, we're starting into the exciting new season of autumn.  The cooler temperatures quicken our steps.  Activities, dormant over the summer months, revive.   

• Choir practice starts again this week, 4:00 pm on Thursday.  New voices gladly received!  
• Sunday School reconvenes Sept. 11 
• Worship committee meets on Tuesday
• We have a BBQ on Saturday at 5:00 pm to welcome any wishing to be involved in our parking lot club

And that's only week one of the new season.

   With our church life returning to a regular routine, this might be a good time to remind members to wear their name-tags.  We welcome visitors and newcomers nearly every Sunday.  It really helps if people can read your name tag when introduced.  Even for those who have been around for a long time, it's helpful if you wear a name tag.  I may be having a memory lapse when I see you in the coffee room.  Or I may know your face, where you sit and what you take in your coffee, but never have heard your name!  That tag smooths the way for us all. If you don't have a name tag, there is a sign up form in the narthex.

   I confess, I do not practice what I preach.  I've a dozen excuses, the most common being that a choir gown doesn't play well with a name tag.  However, that is just an excuse and I resolve to do better. My way of greeting the new season.

   

Parking lot mission

SPPC is taking a new approach to mission this Fall.  Beginning in September, we're inviting local youth to use the parking lot for ball hockey.  The congregation and session is very excited about this undertaking.  In previous years we've focused our mission efforts on foreign fields (Malawi for example) or on Victoria (socks for Our Place.)  The Saanich Peninsula was not seen as a mission field.
Now, with the encouragement of Presbytery, we're looking to make a difference in our own back yard.

The project will be run as an after school activity for children/youth aged 6-12 living in our neighbourhood.  Initial plans include parking lot activities such as basketball, ball hockey, tether-ball, badminton and various races/games.  If it rains, or freezes, or snows, we'll move indoors for a movie and popcorn, or other inside activities.  Cookies will be included at all events.

To begin, we're having an activity/info session for all interested children and parents at the church starting at 4:00 pm on Saturday, September 10, 2016.  At that time we'll discuss with all interested parties the best weekly time for the majority of participants.  At this initial event there will be BBQ as well as cookies, sports, games and more information.

Please join us at 9296 E. Saanich Rd. N. Saanich (near airport traffic circle) at 4:00 pm on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016.  Play games, hang out, eat cookies and enjoy the company of your neighbours.  For more information call 250 656-2241.

Time

We celebrated another birthday at SPPC last Sunday.  Max has turned 18.  We had cake and sang for him.  He was embarrassed.
We do the same when people turn 80 or more.  They are rarely embarrassed.  Funny thing, I've never seen anyone in the congregation celebrate a 39th birthday or a 44th or any of those other middle-aged numbers. 

Humanity seems obsessed with the measurement of time. We invented calendars to mark the days, weeks and years, hourglasses to measure the hours, sundials, water clocks, candle clocks and mechanical clocks to measure minutes and seconds. We wanted more precision so we invented quartz oscillators and atomic clocks and the high-tech timekeeping devices used at the Olympics that can measure 100ths of a second. (There was still a tie for the gold medal in women's 100 metre free-style swim.)

To counteract all this preoccupation with how small a moment we can measure, the Long Now Foundation, is building a 10000 year clock. It will tick once a year, bong once in a century and the cuckoo will come out every millennium.   According to this Foundation, modern technology has so encouraged us to expect instant information, instant response, that we've forgotten how to think deeply. News media don't think past the next deadline, politicians don't think past the next election, and students don't think past the next exam.  The 10000 year clock is intended to encourage people to think in long terms, longer even than our own lifetimes. 

The Bible has something to say about time, too.  Perhaps the most well-known verse is Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."  But there are others.  Consider "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Is. 40:3. Psalm 31:15 reminds us "my times are in Your hand . . ."

Whatever the season of your life, youth, old age, or those middle years,  may you live it to the fullest, with trust in God's good timing.