Pastor's Message
I've been thinking about the scandal of residential schools.
How did people who claimed to follow the God who is love and our Lord Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace, end up practicing so much deceit, abuse, and violence? Somehow, they thought these means would help accomplish the goal of advancing Christ's Kingdom.
In my readings in Christian history, the church has often fallen prey to the misuse of power. For laudable goals, we deploy objectional means. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah, "A bruised reed he will not break." (42:3) The wounded will not be taken advantage of or mistreated. They will receive tender care from our Lord. So, must we as Christ's people be. It is the task of all of us to call out those who say they are Christians but exploit others. Together we need to be a healing presence in our world. As Paul puts it, "Let your gentleness be evident to all." (Philippians 4:5)
Sunday, July 18: This Sunday will be our official Sunday to honour Pastor Axel during the service. At the end of the service, we will stay together (no breakout rooms) and have a time of fellowship with Pastor Axel.
Donating: Thank you to those who have set up their own giving account on Tithe.ly. Access is through our website, clicking DONATE, and then Give Online now. If you have not set up an account, don’t worry. We will transfer your information from our current provider to the new one. You may receive an email or phone call for more information from either Toni Pankratz or Judy Thompson.
Mid-Week Communion: Pastor Axel will offer one more session on July 21 at 1pm. All are welcome.
Boundaries is a 9-week course on Zoom that will ask questions such as:
- can I set limits and still be a loving person?
- how do I answer someone who wants all of my time, love, energy, and money?
- why do I feel guilty when I consider setting boundaries?
The course will run Saturdays, 9:00 -10:45am, starting August 7 through October 2, 2021. You can register on the church website where you’ll find further details. For more information, contact Ken Davis.
Small Groups: We look forward to welcoming back our groups. Please contact your group leader to see when your group is resuming at the church. Please visit our Website for our new small group protocols.
Prayer and Praise: Returning Friday, July 30 at 7:00pm. The Prayer and Praise group will be meeting on the last Friday of each month in the Sanctuary. Come and enjoy an evening of Prayer and Praise, all are welcome!
Larry Schram: On August 1, Larry Schram, our CBWC Regional Minister, will be our guest speaker. We look forward to welcoming Larry back.