Homily- St. Peter and St. Paul, June 26, 2011
Have you ever made a serious mistake in your life, but someone has given you a second chance, a chance at redemption?
That is what God did in the lives of two men who played a central role in the birth of the Christian Church; He gave them a second chance.
Paul, an educated Jew and Pharisee, made a reputation for himself as a persecutor of followers of Christ.
Yet it was Paul, who after his dramatic conversion on the Road to Damascus became the one who preached the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles, and through missionary efforts extended the church through Turkey and Greece into the very heart of Rome.
He left us his letters to Christian communities in that region, and they have become part of our sacred scripture.
Like Paul, Peter made mistakes. Always brash and headstrong, he was one of the twelve men who followed Jesus throughout his ministry. Yet he denied Jesus three times on the eve of his death.
This denial is echoed in our Gospel reading today with Jesus three times asking Peter if he loved him. Yet Peter still became one of the early leaders of the church, and is regarded as the first Bishop of Rome, the rock on which the Church was built.
Both Peter and Paul were martyred. They gave up their lives for what they believed in, for their faith in Christ.
As we honour their memory, we look for lessons in our own lives.
One lesson is the boundless grace of God, despite our failings. We can do, as the prayer says, “more than we asked or imagined.”
In the parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke’s Gospel, one of the most familiar and loved from scripture, the Father welcomes his youngest son back with a great celebration.
This, despite the young man’s ill considered request and receipt of his inheritance, his loss of his fortune in wasteful and extravagant living, and his return home penniless and in disgrace.
The father in the story doesn’t care about all that. All he knows is his son is back, and he wants to celebrate.
.
The character usually ignored in the story is the elder brother, the one who stayed with his father, didn’t claim his inheritance early, and hasn’t done anything wrong.
But he is resentful because his younger brother has been forgiven and restored to the household. The father even kills the fatted calf for the celebration, something he never did for the elder brother.
What links this parable with Peter and Paul is grace, God’s grace. A second chance. A chance for redemption.
In our life as the Anglican Church in the Diocese of Huron we are at a crossroads. It isn’t just in this parish we have memories of the 50’s and 60’s, when we were stronger and more vital communities. We are all in the same boat, although perhaps some boats are leaking more than others, to carry on that metaphor.
One of the things planned for the fall is a Diocesan wide study of a book called the “Prodigal God” by Timothy Keller, a Presbyterian minister from the United States.
In the book Keller takes a new look at the parable, shifting the emphasis from the younger son, with his wasteful or “prodigal” or extravagant spending of his portion of the inheritance.
Instead Keller sees God in the person of the Father in the story as the Prodigal, or extravagant one. God extends grace to us, no matter what mistakes we make. God yearns for our return to his fold, his household. He yearns for our repentance.
Keller also takes another look at the elder brother in the story, who he sees as being just as wrong as the younger brother—but in a different way---his resentful attitude towards both his Father and his younger brother; his refusal to take part in the feast of welcome back.
Lest we too easily agree Keller, he suggests many Christians have acted too often as elder brothers.
The point of studying a book like this is that we need to become a church with a mission and a ministry, which will address the needs of not only our members but our communities in this 21st century.
Just keeping the doors open and continuing with parish life as it has been won’t work anymore. It isn’t sustainable, either financially or spiritually.
We don’t know what the church will look like in the next 10 to 20 years, but we need to start finding out what the possibilities are.
As well as this book study, we will have Back to Church Sunday this fall. You’ll be hearing a lot more about this as we get closer to the date. The idea is simple. All of us have friends, neighbours, children, grand-children. On one particular Sunday—September 25th, we will be asked to invite them to worship with us.
Ideally, we should pick them up and bring them to worship.
In Dioceses which have already tried this, thousands of people have come out in addition to the regular parishioners, and more important about 20 percent have stayed.
Think of how it felt to be worshipping on the 85th anniversary with people of all ages and almost 150 in the church. That’s the goal for Back to Church Sunday.
Studies have shown that the best way for churches to attract new members is by personal invitation by existing members—not church ads, not signs, not brochures or posters.
As we go into this summer period of refreshment, and the blessings of nature, I would offer a prayer for the coming fall to be an important time for renewal in this parish.
I can also announce Bishop Terry Dance will be here on Sunday October 16 for his first Episcopal visit since I was appointed.
Thursday 30 June 2011
Sunday 19 June 2011
Experiencing God in three ways
Homily, Trinity Sunday, June 19, 2011
Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday, the only Sunday in the church year which celebrates what is generally described as a doctrine. It’s not a Sunday about a saint, or an event in the life of Jesus.
It’s not one of those many Sundays after Pentecost. I guess when I grew up my first awareness of Trinity was that we had so many Sundays after Trinity in the old one year Prayer Book lectionary.
Now we use the Feast of Pentecost, as the beginning of this long season, so the Trinity is limited to this Sunday observance which goes back to the ninth century, and the Monks who helped the church survive the period often called the dark ages.
Our readings are vastly different, from the first of two creation stories in Genesis, to the grace in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, to the great commission, in which Jesus sends his disciples out to preach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing in the name of the father son and holy spirit.
If someone asked you to explain the Trinity, what would you say.
Of course this has been a great matter of debate among Bishops and theologians ever since the fourth century councils of the church.
But perhaps it isn’t important that we have a carefully articulated answer.
Instead we can see the Trinity as the way we encounter the divine—through the grace of Christ, the love of God and communion with the Holy Spirit.
One group of monks who helped us understand the Trinity were called Cappadocians. They described God in terms of three persons, in relationship to each other, inseparable, but in relationship to each other.
So instead of one God, remote and inaccessible, we have God who is creator of all, but who sent his son to be among us, and the holy spirit to care for us.
Through Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine, we have a place in the Divine life, as creatures made in the image of God.
I like this description by one writer of our faith in the Trinitarian God: “I believe in God, the creator and sustainer of all life, in Jesus Christ, in whom we see God at work for the flourishing of life; and in the spirit, who works in us so that we might live from, toward and with God.”
Seen in this light, the Trinity doesn’t have to be viewed as a difficult theological concept.
It’s simply a way to under God, which is unique to Christians. Other faiths have one God, or many Gods, but we believe in God, in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, three persons, but one God.
And the most important thing about that is that the three persons are in relationship not only with each other,within the Godhead, but with us.
Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday, the only Sunday in the church year which celebrates what is generally described as a doctrine. It’s not a Sunday about a saint, or an event in the life of Jesus.
It’s not one of those many Sundays after Pentecost. I guess when I grew up my first awareness of Trinity was that we had so many Sundays after Trinity in the old one year Prayer Book lectionary.
Now we use the Feast of Pentecost, as the beginning of this long season, so the Trinity is limited to this Sunday observance which goes back to the ninth century, and the Monks who helped the church survive the period often called the dark ages.
Our readings are vastly different, from the first of two creation stories in Genesis, to the grace in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, to the great commission, in which Jesus sends his disciples out to preach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing in the name of the father son and holy spirit.
If someone asked you to explain the Trinity, what would you say.
Of course this has been a great matter of debate among Bishops and theologians ever since the fourth century councils of the church.
But perhaps it isn’t important that we have a carefully articulated answer.
Instead we can see the Trinity as the way we encounter the divine—through the grace of Christ, the love of God and communion with the Holy Spirit.
One group of monks who helped us understand the Trinity were called Cappadocians. They described God in terms of three persons, in relationship to each other, inseparable, but in relationship to each other.
So instead of one God, remote and inaccessible, we have God who is creator of all, but who sent his son to be among us, and the holy spirit to care for us.
Through Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine, we have a place in the Divine life, as creatures made in the image of God.
I like this description by one writer of our faith in the Trinitarian God: “I believe in God, the creator and sustainer of all life, in Jesus Christ, in whom we see God at work for the flourishing of life; and in the spirit, who works in us so that we might live from, toward and with God.”
Seen in this light, the Trinity doesn’t have to be viewed as a difficult theological concept.
It’s simply a way to under God, which is unique to Christians. Other faiths have one God, or many Gods, but we believe in God, in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, three persons, but one God.
And the most important thing about that is that the three persons are in relationship not only with each other,within the Godhead, but with us.
Friday 3 June 2011
Canon Davis Turns 85
From an article submitted to the Sarnia Observer for publication June 4, 2011
Kay McPhail first attended Canon Davis Memorial Church when it was founded as a Sunday school mission effort of the Ladies Guild at St. George’s Anglican Church on Vidal in 1926.
Now Mrs. McPhail, who just celebrated her 90th birthday, is one of a number of parishioners with long ties to the parish who will see the church observe its 85th anniversary tomorrow.
The church, located at Russell and Maxwell Street, will hold a special anniversary service, with a guest preacher who grew up in the parish, the Rev’d Scott Forbes, who now works for International Justice Mission, an organization working to help children at risk in third world countries.
The 11am worship, which includes communion, will also include a light luncheon afterwards, cake, balloons and historical exhibits. The parish will welcome the new Anglican Archdeacon for Lambton-Kent, the Venerable Paul Millward, who will attend after his own parish worship at Christ Church, Chatham.
From its humble beginnings meeting as a Sunday school for children in what was then north Sarnia in homes and for a little while in London School, Canon Davis Memorial was set up as a parish, using the old Anglican Church from Oil Springs, moved to the current site.
It was named Canon Davis Memorial to honour the Reverend Canon Thomas Robert Davis, who was rector of St. George’s, Sarnia from 1882-1922. Canon Davis emigrated from Ireland as a boy, and spent most of his ministry in Sarnia.
While Anglican churches are usually named for saints, Canon Davis is one of two in Huron Diocese named after clergy. The other is Bishop Cronyn Memorial in London.
The growth of Canon Davis Memorial in the late 20’s meant the old church wasn’t sufficient for its needs, so plans were made to build a new church. The result is the current building, designed by Chester Woods, to be a Gothic structure in the English parish church style. It opened in 1931, with a mortgage of $17,500 a large sum for a church in the depression era.
The old Oil Springs church was moved a small distance to become a parish hall, until 1957 when a new parish hall was built.
The 30’s were a time of growth for the young parish. On one Sunday in 1932 attendance at Sunday school was reported at 236.
The mortgage for the church building was finally burned in 1949. The next year a new rectory was constructed next to the church, a brick two storey building with four bedrooms, for $17,000.
Families at the church have been very generous in donating memorials, most notably the lovely stained glass windows in the nave of the church.
The current rector at Canon Davis, the Rev’d Bob Bettson, arrived from the South Parkland Parish in the Diocese of Brandon, last September. He is the 11th cleric to serve the parish since 1931.
The last two rectors, the Rev’d Canon Bill Jones (1959-86) and the Venerable Gordon Simmons ((1986-2009) cover a remarkable 50 year span in the parish’s 85 year history.
The parish his issued an open invitation to all friends, former parishioners and members of Canon Davis Memorial to attend both the service tomorrow at 11am and the luncheon. Come and share your memories!
Kay McPhail first attended Canon Davis Memorial Church when it was founded as a Sunday school mission effort of the Ladies Guild at St. George’s Anglican Church on Vidal in 1926.
Now Mrs. McPhail, who just celebrated her 90th birthday, is one of a number of parishioners with long ties to the parish who will see the church observe its 85th anniversary tomorrow.
The church, located at Russell and Maxwell Street, will hold a special anniversary service, with a guest preacher who grew up in the parish, the Rev’d Scott Forbes, who now works for International Justice Mission, an organization working to help children at risk in third world countries.
The 11am worship, which includes communion, will also include a light luncheon afterwards, cake, balloons and historical exhibits. The parish will welcome the new Anglican Archdeacon for Lambton-Kent, the Venerable Paul Millward, who will attend after his own parish worship at Christ Church, Chatham.
From its humble beginnings meeting as a Sunday school for children in what was then north Sarnia in homes and for a little while in London School, Canon Davis Memorial was set up as a parish, using the old Anglican Church from Oil Springs, moved to the current site.
It was named Canon Davis Memorial to honour the Reverend Canon Thomas Robert Davis, who was rector of St. George’s, Sarnia from 1882-1922. Canon Davis emigrated from Ireland as a boy, and spent most of his ministry in Sarnia.
While Anglican churches are usually named for saints, Canon Davis is one of two in Huron Diocese named after clergy. The other is Bishop Cronyn Memorial in London.
The growth of Canon Davis Memorial in the late 20’s meant the old church wasn’t sufficient for its needs, so plans were made to build a new church. The result is the current building, designed by Chester Woods, to be a Gothic structure in the English parish church style. It opened in 1931, with a mortgage of $17,500 a large sum for a church in the depression era.
The old Oil Springs church was moved a small distance to become a parish hall, until 1957 when a new parish hall was built.
The 30’s were a time of growth for the young parish. On one Sunday in 1932 attendance at Sunday school was reported at 236.
The mortgage for the church building was finally burned in 1949. The next year a new rectory was constructed next to the church, a brick two storey building with four bedrooms, for $17,000.
Families at the church have been very generous in donating memorials, most notably the lovely stained glass windows in the nave of the church.
The current rector at Canon Davis, the Rev’d Bob Bettson, arrived from the South Parkland Parish in the Diocese of Brandon, last September. He is the 11th cleric to serve the parish since 1931.
The last two rectors, the Rev’d Canon Bill Jones (1959-86) and the Venerable Gordon Simmons ((1986-2009) cover a remarkable 50 year span in the parish’s 85 year history.
The parish his issued an open invitation to all friends, former parishioners and members of Canon Davis Memorial to attend both the service tomorrow at 11am and the luncheon. Come and share your memories!
What a lawyer we have in Jesus
Homily for The Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 29, 2011
How would like to have Jesus as your lawyer? That may sound slightly irreverent.
But there is truth in this statement, and today’s Gospel passage from John teaches us an aspect of Jesus which is sometimes overlooked.
Jesus tells his disciples that after He is no longer on earth, God will send them an advocate, the spirit of truth, which the world will not understand, only those who have faith.
The Greek word for advocate is paraclete, which literally means an attorney for the defense and a comforter in suffering.
Indeed the whole of the Gospel of John is an exercise in signs, wonders witnesses, testimony and confession. The story of Jesus being arrested, tried and condemned to death has all the elements of a courtroom drama.
If we think of Jesus as a lawyer, an advocate for us, it is surely an empowering thought. After all Jesus stares down all those who challenge him in the Gospel narratives with great wit, wisdom and intellect.
He is the consummate advocate, the one who turns the tables, the one who we would like to represent us if we were on trial.
And that’s the whole point. Other faiths have remote and unapproachable deities, while Jesus is present with us, standing alongside us.
Many Christians have testified to that experience of the Holy Spirit working among us. It isn’t something that ended when the period of the early church came to an end, and the Christian faith became institutionalized.
Jesus is with us, as a comforter, as an advocate, during good times and bad.
Those Athenians Paul was preaching to worshipped an unknown God. Jesus is a known God, and we believe he is part of the Trinity, the triune God, one in three and three in one.
It may seem to some to be a theological construct, which is difficult to understand.
Throughout the ages the idea of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has helped us to grasp the infinite power and wisdom of the almighty, who can be both the creator the universe, and yet stands alongside us in our journey of faith.
I’m happy with the thought that I have Jesus as an advocate, a lawyer. And while lawyer’s fees have gone beyond the ability of the average person to afford, Jesus asks only that we have faith and follow two great commandments—love God and love our neighbour. That’s a pretty good offer.
Now I’d like to shift gears and turn over the rest of this sermon time to Wendy Heasman to report on our Diocesan Synod held May 15-17. It has been the tradition of our parish to have synod delegates report back. I am always available for any questions about the life and work of the Diocese and our Deanery. I plan to write something about the synod for our newsletter as well as the Huron Church News.
How would like to have Jesus as your lawyer? That may sound slightly irreverent.
But there is truth in this statement, and today’s Gospel passage from John teaches us an aspect of Jesus which is sometimes overlooked.
Jesus tells his disciples that after He is no longer on earth, God will send them an advocate, the spirit of truth, which the world will not understand, only those who have faith.
The Greek word for advocate is paraclete, which literally means an attorney for the defense and a comforter in suffering.
Indeed the whole of the Gospel of John is an exercise in signs, wonders witnesses, testimony and confession. The story of Jesus being arrested, tried and condemned to death has all the elements of a courtroom drama.
If we think of Jesus as a lawyer, an advocate for us, it is surely an empowering thought. After all Jesus stares down all those who challenge him in the Gospel narratives with great wit, wisdom and intellect.
He is the consummate advocate, the one who turns the tables, the one who we would like to represent us if we were on trial.
And that’s the whole point. Other faiths have remote and unapproachable deities, while Jesus is present with us, standing alongside us.
Many Christians have testified to that experience of the Holy Spirit working among us. It isn’t something that ended when the period of the early church came to an end, and the Christian faith became institutionalized.
Jesus is with us, as a comforter, as an advocate, during good times and bad.
Those Athenians Paul was preaching to worshipped an unknown God. Jesus is a known God, and we believe he is part of the Trinity, the triune God, one in three and three in one.
It may seem to some to be a theological construct, which is difficult to understand.
Throughout the ages the idea of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has helped us to grasp the infinite power and wisdom of the almighty, who can be both the creator the universe, and yet stands alongside us in our journey of faith.
I’m happy with the thought that I have Jesus as an advocate, a lawyer. And while lawyer’s fees have gone beyond the ability of the average person to afford, Jesus asks only that we have faith and follow two great commandments—love God and love our neighbour. That’s a pretty good offer.
Now I’d like to shift gears and turn over the rest of this sermon time to Wendy Heasman to report on our Diocesan Synod held May 15-17. It has been the tradition of our parish to have synod delegates report back. I am always available for any questions about the life and work of the Diocese and our Deanery. I plan to write something about the synod for our newsletter as well as the Huron Church News.
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