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A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean October 21st -What Our World Needs From Us Right Now
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world you are My disciples (John 13: 34-35).
I was in the grocery store last week and when it came time to check out, I was in the line of a cashier I had not seen in the past several months. As I unloaded my groceries onto the conveyer, I said to her I have not seen you in such a long time. She told me that she had been off work during Covid-19 and this was her first day back.
She then proceeded to tell me the reason why she took time off was not because she was afraid of catching COVID-19, but rather she did not want to deal with the angry customers all the time. She explained how, on the day she had enough, it seemed like every customer that came through her cash register was angry. It was not just her register, as all the cashiers were experiencing the same anger from customers. One customer was so upset that they actually threw their money at her. That was the tipping point that resulted in her taking several months off work.
After hearing her story, I welcomed her back and told her I was sorry she had to go through that and finished by saying, At least you have had one kind customer to start off your first day back. She smiled and thanked me for taking the time to listen and care. Read more
A Musical Moment By Amy October 21st - Oh, I Want to Know You More
My 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan still runs on gasoline. It runs especially well when there is fuel in the tank, so I headed out to my favourite gas bar south of Brantford to fill up. This station has recently added a number of gas pumps so there is rarely a line-up. I am of the mindset that if I pull up to the front pump and go just a bit past the lip of the pavement, then I will be able to get more gas for my money, because the tank is on a slant. So, that is what I did.
The service attendant came out of the kiosk and went to the truck behind me. He started pumping gas in that tank and then disappeared. I was not in a rush and presumed the young man had to look after someone else first. However, a couple of minutes went by and then there was a voice, Miss? Have you been started yet? I thanked him and said, No, I have not. Could you please fill the tank with regular gas?
And then I started to laugh. Have you been started yet? Here I am. At a gas station. There is no hose going from their gas pump to my fuel tank. Had I already received gas, I would have started the engine and been on my way. Read more
A Musical Moment By Amy October 16th - Music for Anniversary Sunday
October usually brings change. Change of leaves from green to golden yellow and rusty red. Change from shorts to sweaters. Change from sunny days to darker nights. October reminds us that there is a definite seasonal change. I think of our church family in October.
You see, June Adlam invited my dad to sing for the Anniversary service almost 20 years ago now. What changes have we seen in those 20 years!? New ministers; new organists/pianists; new members; births; deaths. What has remained constant?
Well, the heritage of our church has certainly been steadfast in the Village of Mt. Pleasant. Our Scottish ancestors will be remembered as the Chancel Committee decorates the sanctuary with the multitude of tartans. (With the pandemic, we will miss the scones, homemade jams and jellies usually served after.) Music has filled the sanctuary for years performed by many people, yourselves reading included. We will hear The Tartans and Bless This House this weekend. The Word preached from the platform has been God's Word. God's Word, laid upon the hearts of dozens of His ministers including Rev. Dean, will continue this tradition this weekend. Read more
A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean October 14th - Our Calendars are Out-of-Whack
Remember to observe the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. You have six days from each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath Day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God (Exodus 20: 8-10).
When it comes to professional sports right now, their calendars are out-of-whack. Take for instance Thanksgiving Monday. Normally on this day the Canadian Football League would have its usual Thanksgiving rivalries: the Toronto Argonauts playing in Hamilton against the Tiger Cats and the Calgary Stampeders playing against Edmonton. There was no CFL football being played this past Monday due to COVID-19.
Normally a new NHL season starts in early October, but this year is different. The Tampa Bay Lightning just won the Stanley Cup a few weeks ago and a new season is not expected to start until January 2021. The same is true for the NBA. A new NBA season starts in October as well, but its season ended this past weekend with Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers winning the title. Tennis has been experiencing the same. The French Open, which is usually played in June, happened over the past two weeks instead. Golf has done the same with some of its events. The Masters, usually played in April, will be played this year in November. Although some professional sports calendars are still normal like the National Football League, many other sports calendars are out-of-whack.
Our calendars are usually filled with things like work, school, medical appointments, activities for kids, meetings, church, Bible studies, get-togethers, and social outings. This pandemic has certainly caused many of our calendars to become out-of-whack. Many things that filled up our calendars have either been cancelled due to COVID-19 or postponed to a later time. Some people have enjoyed their calendars being freed up and less busy, while others have struggled with this change. Read more
A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean October 7th - God Blesses
May the Lord bless and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favour and give you His peace (Numbers 6:24-26).
The first page of the Toronto Sun told the story of a father and grandfather from Alabama who left a bucket of baseballs that he used to pitch to his son and grandson. His son and grandson are both adults now, so he no longer needs this bucket of balls. He decided to take this bucket of balls to a nearby batting cage to leave for anybody there who could use them. Before leaving the bucket of balls behind, this man left the following note attached to the bucket:
FREE
HOPE SOMEONE CAN USE THESE BASEBALLS IN THE BATTING CAGES. I FOUND THEM CLEANING OUT MY GARAGE. I PITCHED THEM TO MY SON AND GRANDSON FOR COUNTLESS ROUNDS. MY SON IS NOW 46 AND MY GRANDSON IS NOW 23. I AM 72 AND WHAT I WILL NOT GIVE TO PITCH A COUPLE OF BUCKETS TO THEM. THEY HAVE BOTH MOVED AWAY. IF YOU ARE A FATHER, CHERISH THESE TIMES. YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE HOW QUICKLY THEY WILL BE GONE. GOD BLESS
P.S. GIVE THEM A HUG AND TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM EVERY CHANCE YOU GET! Read more
A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean September 30th - Seek and Find
Keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)
On Sunday nights Coral has a two-hour basketball practice at the University of Guelph. Due to COVID-19 only players and coaches can be inside the gym. In other years I would be inside the gym sitting in the bleachers with a coffee in hand watching Coral practice. Without being let inside this year I usually go to a nearby McDonalds and do some work while having a coffee.
Last week I was done my work fairly quickly and I still had another hour to wait for Coral to finish her practice. I decided to return to the university and go for a walk around the campus. As I was walking, I was praying asking God to help Coral learn and develop her skills that night. I also started sharing with God how much I missed seeing Coral play and practice and how I wished I could see her work out with this new team.
Shortly after praying that part of the prayer, I found myself nearing the Athletic Centre where the team was practicing. I felt a nudge from God to just keep walking so I did. I turned the corner around the Athletic Centre and found a set of stairs I did not know existed. I climbed the set of stairs and at the top was a set of windows looking down over the gym in which Coral was practicing. For the next 45 minutes I was able to watch Coral practice, just like old times. Read more
A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean September 23rd - Overcoming Fatigue
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
We have been hearing a lot in the news recently about people gathering in large numbers whether it be at outdoor BBQs and parties or at indoor events. Many of the people attending these events are not wearing masks or maintaining proper social distancing and as a result the number of cases of COVID-19 is on the rise in Ontario. The reason being given for why people are choosing to participate in these gatherings is they are fatigued and tired from the restrictions put upon them by the province.
When we think in terms of fatigue, our focus tends to go first toward the physical. While we may not have been as active as we normally were due to COVID-19, the fatigue it is causing so many people to experience is emotional. This pandemic has been hard on us emotionally because of: - Being isolated from others in the beginning, - Staying in a social circles of just 10, - Missing out on gathering with family and friends at school, work, church, coffee shops, and in other ways.
People want this pandemic to be over. They want their lives to feel the same again. Read more
A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean September 16th - Look and Consider
Look at the birds, they do not plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your Heavenly Father feeds them. And are not you far more valuable to Him than they are? -Matthew 6: 26
The number of cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in Ontario. A few weeks ago, we had days where the number of cases were under 100. As of September 15, 2020, the number of cases has risen to 315. The Premier of Ontario is worried about the rising numbers. The hospitals are not being overrun with the rise in new cases. The majority of these cases are in people 39 years of age and younger. A lot of these cases among this age group are a result of them attending large gatherings and not social distancing. If this rise in case numbers continues, the Premier of Ontario is worried it will be the start of the second wave of the virus that has occurred in other countries. The first wave of this pandemic brought enough concerns for all of us. The possibility of a second wave occurring keeps these concerns lingering.
It has been hard living with these on-going worries. Jesus knew worries would be a part of our lives. While He did not address the worries associated with a pandemic, His advice during His teaching in the Sermon on The Mount are very helpful as we continue through this season of worries in our lives. Read more
A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean September 9th - The Need to Learn
Moses called all the people of Israel together and said, listen carefully, Israel, hear the decrees and regulations I am giving you today so you may learn from them and obey them! (Deuteronomy 5:1)
My daughter Coral starts high school this week. She is attending BCI just like both of her parents did. Even though it was 42 years ago (yes, that number is correct) I still remember my first day of high school. My first class was typing, and I asked my home room teacher where to find it. Nerves and butterflies must have been interfering with my listening abilities because instead of going up one flight of stairs to the typing room I went all the way across the school and ended up in and art class with Doug Hughes (I did not see any typewriters there). Thankfully, Doug took pity on this Grade 9 student, who would one day be his minister, and gave me the right directions to eventually find my first class.
So much has changed in the 42 years since I started Grade 9 at BCI: Read more
A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean September 2nd - Trust the One Who Does Know
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29: 11)
September 2, 1988. Thirty-two years ago, to the day that you might be reading this message. Thirty-two years ago, the lights were on at our church. The reason why I know this is because Nadine and I were there to say our vows and to enter our life of marriage with each other. There were some things I did know as I stood at the front of the church waiting for Nadine to come down the aisle:
- I knew we were running late, - I knew I was in love, - I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Nadine, - I knew I was blessed and fortunate she wanted to marry a guy like me, - I knew the next day we would be leaving for a short honeymoon.
But there was so much more that I did not know at that time: Read more
Music by Chris Vandertuin
More: Mid-Week Messages More: Musical Moments by Amy |
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Sermon: What Makes It Great! June 28, 2020 |
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Sermon: He Is Still There July 5, 2020 |
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Sermon: It Was By Faith July 12, 2020 |
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Sermon: Keep Moving Forward July 19, 2020 |
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Sermon: Science is not Perfect, But God Is July 26, 2020 |
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Sermon: When We Think of One Another August 2, 2020 |
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Sermon: Lowering Our Risk August 9, 2020 |
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Sermon: Coming Out of This More Humble August 16, 2020 |
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Sermon: Do Not Let This Relationship Change August 23, 2020 |
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Sermon: Being in the Presence of Our Enemy August 30, 2020 |
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Sermon: When Change Does Not Happen... September 6, 2020 |
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Sermon: Changing the Way We Are Speaking September 13, 2020 |
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Sermon: Events That Have Changed Our World September 20, 2020 |
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Sermon: Prepare for the Second Coming September 27, 2020 |
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Sermon: A Cup for Me and a Cup for Him October 3, 2020 |
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Sermon: The Key to Remaining Thankful October 11, 2020 |
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Sermon: He Has Opened a Way for Us October 18, 2020 |
