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Sermon: Lowering Our Risk August 9, 2020 |
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A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean November 18th - Good News in the Midst of Bad News
Jesus traveled through the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And He healed every kind of disease and illness. (Matthew 4:23)
As we progress deeper into this second wave of COVID-19 it seems like the news is getting worse: - Hearing reports on the high number of cases each day, - Listening to the number of deaths, - Stating that the health care system is at a tipping point, - Modeling data projecting infection rates could rise to 6,000 daily by mid-December if restrictions are not put into place, - Receiving updates that some areas of our province are moving into the red category and experiencing further restrictions, - Medical experts wanting the province to go back into a complete lockdown like we saw in March and April, - Restaurants and other businesses saying they will not survive another shut down, - Situations worsening in other provinces and the United States and Europe, - More outbreaks in our Long-Term Care facilities putting the most vulnerable at risk, - The Government of Canada having to put more money into COVID-19 recovery plans increasing our level of debts.
With a pandemic like this comes a steady stream of reports that are filled with bad news. The more bad news we are exposed to, the more depressed and discouraged we can become. In the midst of it we have to find some good news to lift our spirits. I found my good news this morning. Read more A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean November 11th - The One Who Has the Answer to Our Questions
Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
We lost a true icon this weekend with the passing of Alex Trebek. For over 3 decades Alex was a daily presence in many homes as people tuned in to watch JEOPARDY. Tributes have come in from so many people since news of his passing. Monday morning, I had the opportunity to read tributes from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Toronto Mayor John Tory and actor Ryan Reynolds. The one tribute I found the most interesting was from Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings who many of us who have watched the show have come to know. Ken Jennings said: Alex was not just the best ever at what he did. He was also a lovely and deeply decent man and I am grateful for every minute I got to spend with him.
When I learned of his death I thought back to a day in August 2018 when we actually visited the set of Jeopardy at Sony studio. They were not filming Jeopardy that day which allowed us to tour the set. Right next-door, Wheel of Fortune with Pat and Vanna was being filmed. I had my picture taken behind the Jeopardy desk with a cardboard cut out of Alex. Many of his awards were displayed there as well. Read more A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean November 4th - Covered in White
Yet There are some in the church in Sardis, who have not soiled their clothes with evil and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4)
For much of the month of October my backyard has been covered in leaves. I am not one of these ministers who procrastinates when it comes to raking leaves. I rake several times a week when the weather permits, bagging up each pile. After I finish, my backyard returns to being covered by green grass, weeds and a few bare patches. Within a day, my backyard will be covered once again by leaves.
This has been my reality every October since we moved into our home in August 2009. On November 1 this year I looked out and saw that my backyard was covered in snow. It was a shock to see and I know many people hate to see the first snow, but it reminded me of some benefits too: - Since the snow covered my leaves that had fallen in the high winds the day earlier, I did not have to worry about raking on Monday, - When I took Daisy out at 6:15 a.m. to do her business in the backyard, the snow on the ground made it far easier to see in the dark, - Daisy got so excited by the snow that she ran around in circles on her leash and played some more by putting her nose in the snow, - The snow allowed me to see what animals had been roaming through the backyard that night as their tracks were quite visible. As hard as it was to see snow so early, the sight of my backyard being covered in white provided me with some blessings too.
As I thought about these blessings it got me thinking about how Christ desires to see us covered in white. Read more A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean October 28th - Count First on Him
Turning to Philip, He asked, Where can we buy bread to feed all these people? He was testing Philip for He already knew what He was going to do. (John 6: 5-6)
When he became Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford never imagined what he would be counting in 2020. After he was elected, he probably imagined he would spend time each day counting: - The increase or decrease in the unemployment rate, - The increase or decrease in the provincial deficit, - The ways he could reduce costs and create more efficiency in government services, - Or the ways he could reduce the wait times for surgeries or overcrowding in emergency rooms. This year, COVID-19 has caused the premier to focus his attention on counting the number of cases each day. He shared at a news conference this week that each morning he spends time counting: - The new cases by region, - The number of people in intensive care, - The number of people needing ventilators, - The number of deaths, - And the number of outbreaks in long-term care facilities. It must be hard some days for the premier to focus his time and energy counting these numbers. Read more 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
Music by Chris Vandertuin
More: Mid-Week Messages More: Musical Moments by Amy |
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Sermon: When We Think of One Another August 2, 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: The Key to Remaining Thankful October 11, 2020 |
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Sermon: A Cup for Me and a Cup for Him October 3, 2020 |
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Sermon: He Has Opened a Way for Us October 18, 2020 |
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Sermon: Last Words to Live By October 25, 2020 |
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Sermon: The Path Between Prayers November 1, 2020 |
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Sermon: The Best Way to Become Unstuck November 15, 2020 |
