Kimberley United Church

With assurance that the risen Christ is in our midst, we pray…

God of Easter surprise and wonder,

on this joyous day we feel as if anything is possible.

In the mystery and power of faith

you encourage us to join with you

in transforming our world with love and compassion.

On this day the power of hope springs eternal

and your love emboldens us to face the challenges

and opportunities which we face day by day.

In the name of the risen Christ,

with faith and hope we pray.

Amen

The resurrection story from the Gospel of John that we heard this morning is my favourite telling of the Easter story. All four of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John include a story of Jesus’ resurrection but John’s version is the longest and most detailed account. It is also the most dramatic telling of the story. John includes all the flair and detail of a good story. There is suspense and foreboding, heightened anxiety and emotion, confusion, action, drama, and a surprise ending. In John’s version a single person, a woman (Mary Magdalene), approaches Jesus’ tomb early in the morning while it is still dark. These two details are very important.  Continue reading Reflection : April 8 : Easter

There is a wisdom story about a pilgrim who set out on a long journey in search of peace, joy and love. The pilgrim walked for many weary miles, and time passed.

Gradually, the young, lively steps became slower and more laboured. The pilgrim’s journey passed through landscapes that were not always happy ones. Through war. Through sickness. Through quarrels and rejections and separations. …

But one morning, the pilgrim came to a little cottage at the wayside. Something about this little cottage attracted the pilgrim. It was as if it were lit up from the inside. Full of curiosity, the pilgrim went inside. And inside the cottage was a little shop, and behind the counter stood a shopkeeper. It was hard to judge the age – hard to even say for sure whether it was a man or a woman. There was an air of timelessness about the place. Continue reading Reflection: March 25

We begin this time of reflection with words, written by Ruth Duck, that proclaim some of the challenges and promise of the Lenten season: 

Lent calls us to journey along the edge,

to anticipate that final trip to Jerusalem.

Lent calls us to the cutting edge,

when wheat falls to the ground 

and new life comes forth; 

the cutting of a new covenant.

Lent calls us not only to give up something,

but also to take upon ourselves as community

the intention of true participation

in the mystery of God-with-us.

Lent calls us to corporate penitence, accountability, and preparation.

Lent calls us to concentrate upon our baptismal vocation

to be a sign of the New Earth.

Lent calls us to face the darkness

without holding a flashlight.

         (Ruth Duck, Flames of the Spirit, p. 29, 1985)

Lent is the season in the church calendar that is most associated with an intentional time of reflection and introspection. It is a time when symbolism and symbolic language abound. Continue reading Reflection: Feb 26

Have any of you ever seen a television program called, The Voice?

I am a very selective TV viewer (watching almost exclusively programs from Knowledge Network, PBS and the History Channel) so it was only by accident I saw this program last year when I was visiting my younger daughter, Heather. The basic premise of the show is that there are four judges who are professional singers, who try to find unique and special singers and to work with them. What they are looking for is the essence of a person’s gift for singing and the potential to develop that gift into a great singer. Continue reading Reflection: Feb 12

With thanksgiving for God’s Spirit which is always present, whether we know it or not, let us begin this time of reflection with heartfelt prayer:

We have come to see to you, O God,

to experience your presence 

surrounding us in this community of faith.

We hope to feel the warmth of your love

in the smiles of children, in the sweetness of song,

revealed in sacred story and in the earnestness of prayer.

We come desiring to know you, 

not only with our minds, but with our whole self.

Open us that we might understand your wisdom

and guide us in your ways of love and understanding.

In Jesus’ name we gather and offer ourselves 

in your service.  Amen 

This morning’s scripture stories contain many wonderful themes to reflect upon. The stories from 1 Samuel and John are “Call Stories” which are rich with detail and metaphor. In 1 Samuel, a young boy, Samuel, experiences a call from God which he does not understand at first but with the help of his mentor, Eli, he recognizes God’s call and he responds. In the gospel passage, Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael. Philip heeds the call quickly but Nathanael is skeptical. Philip invites Nathanael to meet Jesus and Nathanael experiences Jesus as knowing him in a profound and mystical way.  Continue reading Reflection: January 15