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Pastor's Message FROM PASTOR DAVID’S DESK

March 2023

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.

(Psalm 51:10)

Our Lenten journey began on Ash Wednesday, February 22 nd . Many of us were able to attend the
11:00 a.m. Ash Wednesday service. Sadly, some of you missed out because of the cancellation of
the evening service due to the ice storm. The Ash Wednesday service is particularly meaningful because of the inclusion of the imposition of ashes. This ritual uses ashes to remind us of two central truths of the human condition. The first is that we are mortal. Each year I say, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” as I mark your forehead with the cross of Christ made of ashes. The second truth is that we are all sinners, and as the Hebrew tradition ritualized this, we repent in dust and ashes.

This month we continue our Lenten journey. The entire month of March is included in the forty days of Lent, excluding Sundays, for Sunday is always a celebration of the resurrection. During this special time of preparation for Easter some people give up things such as certain foods, forms of entertainment, or other things they enjoy. Other people choose to do additional things such as spending more time reading their Bible and in prayer, reaching out to their neighbours in a meaningful way, or donating extra money to worthy causes. It is important to remember that these,
or any other Lenten ritual, are not necessary to win God’s approval. Whatever we choose to not do,
or to do, is a way to remind ourselves of the renewal of life that baptism brings.

At St. Ansgar we have scheduled midweek services and are providing Lenten daily devotional guides as
opportunities to enrich your Lenten experience. Our midweek services will be less structured than our Ash Wednesday service, and the morning services are followed by a soup lunch and fellowship. The first soup lunch was well attended and the fellowship especially enjoyable. There is a time to make your Lenten journey alone, and there is a time to make your Lenten journey supported by community. The journey is always easier when shared in community. Please feel free to invite a friend or neighbour. All are welcome!

The traditional prayer after communion for Lent summarizes the meaning of the Lenten season. Compassionate God, you have fed us with the bread of heaven. Sustain us in our Lenten pilgrimage: may our fasting be hunger for justice; our alms, a making of peace; and our prayer, the song of grateful hearts, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. AMEN

We join together, pilgrims through Lent on our way to Easter. I pray God’s blessing on your Lenten journey. May this year’s pilgrimage to Easter be especially meaningful and renewing.

Shalom,

Pastor David

Feb 2023

Jesus emptied himself, taking the form of a
slave, being born in human likeness, and being
found in human form, he humbled himself and
became obedient to the point of death – even
death on a cross.
(Philippians 2:7-8)

February 22 is Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of our Lenten journey toward Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Historically, the Lenten season was a penitential time, more focused on Jesus’ suffering and death and on human sinfulness as the cause of Jesus’ suffering and death on a cross. In more recent times, the church has tried to achieve a balance by lifting up the baptismal emphasis that resonates with Luther’s concept of ongoing baptismal renewal, of daily dying and rising with Jesus.

Normally, no one looks forward to the Lenten season. It is not a time of celebration like Christmas and Easter. But this year I am excited about the plans we have made for the Lenten services at St. Ansgar. Our mid-week Wednesday Lenten services will be done differently than they have been done in previous years. First, instead of a soup supper before the evening worship service, we will be
having a soup luncheon after an earlier worship service. We are offering a “relaxed” worship service at 11:00 a.m., followed by a soup lunch and fellowship.

The lunch will be soup, a good bread, and something sweet to end the meal. The idea behind this is to give people who cannot come to the evening service the opportunity to gather in community, to worship, and for fellowship. An evening service will also be offered for members who cannot come
during the day, beginning at 7:30 p.m. No meal will be offered at the evening service.

Our theme for the five services during Lent is, “Living Our Baptism.....Five gifts of discipleship.” When you were confirmed, you were asked if you intended to continue in the covenant God made with you in Holy baptism:
to live among God’s faithful people,
to hear the word of God and share the Lord’s supper,
to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.
Your response was: We do, and ask God to help and guide us.

The goal of our time together at these mid-week services is to rediscover and claim the God-given gifts of discipleship. These gifts overlap and are intertwined as one gift flowing into another and into faithful living. We will be using the four chapters that form the letter of Paul to the Philippians. Each week we will look at one of these five gifts of discipleship. Based on our readings, a discussion will follow, and questions will be asked. It is my sincere hope that everyone will be inspired to take part. As a community we can learn and grow together.

I look forward to worshipping with you in a “relaxed” worship service, sharing a simple noontime meal with those who are able to attend the first service, and casual conversation with you in Christian fellowship each Wednesday during Lent.

Praying God’s Shalom for you always,

Pastor David

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Jan 2023

And let us consider how to provoke
one another to love and good deeds,
not neglecting to meet together, as is
the habit of some, but encouraging
one another, and all the more as you
see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:24-25)

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As we enter a new year, we are looking for a fresh start, a new beginning. Some of us are looking for a return to normal in the new year, whatever that is. We have survived covid with all the restrictions and adjustments to our way of life that came with it. Yet, covid is still with us and continues to threaten our return to normal. We are tired and growing accustomed to living a more isolated life. Community life has become a virtual experience rather than real in-person
interaction.

Church attendance has been slowly increasing since our return to in-person worship, but it is not what it used to be. Many have become comfortable watching a worship service on the internet or on television. While these two options have been helpful and served us well during the lockdowns, and during severe weather, they were never intended to become the new normal.

Communities are people. A community is a group of people who share something in common. St. Ansgar is a church community. We are people who share a rich heritage and common faith, who are alike in some way, and who feel some sense of belonging and interpersonal connection. We don’t just belong to some organization. But like so many other church communities, our church community is in danger.

The key to a successful church community is coming together, in person, to worship together, to informally share time together, to do God’s work together. We find a peace in worship surrounded by members of our church family that is not possible in front of a screen. We are all on a pilgrimage, and we can only support each other on that journey through personal interaction. Only by coming together can a church community recognize that those who have gathered for worship make up the body of Christ.

Private devotions in the sanctuary of one’s own home provides serenity. The stillness of reflecting on God in the solitude of the woods or walking on the beach is inspiring. But these experiences, as important and meaningful as they are, still leave us with a need to participate in a worshipping community, for in the worshipping community we are empowered by the blessings of the Holy Spirit, and the blessings of each other.

I am truly grateful for those who have returned for regular worship and fellowship. It is my sincere hope that more of the St. Ansgar Church community will return for regular Sunday worship and fellowship in the near future. The Church Council has taken every precaution to ensure a safe place for all those who enter our building. It is safer in the church than in the grocery store where you shop, or the restaurant where you dine. We miss you and want to see you back among us as we make our
pilgrimage through life together. You are an important piece of the body of Christ. I look forward to seeing you in worship with us in 2023.

Praying God’s Shalom for you in the coming year.

Pastor David

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December 2022

But an angel said to them, “Do not be
afraid; for see – I am bringing you
good news of great joy for all the
people: to you is born this day in the
city of David a Saviour, who is the
Messiah, the Lord.
(Luke 2:10-11)

Advent is the season of preparation, giving us time to prepare in many ways to receive the gift
of the Christ child on Christmas morning. We have four weeks of Advent to ready ourselves to
receive the greatest gift we will ever receive in our lifetime. In four weeks can we possibly understand the magnitude of the gift we are about to receive? On Christmas morning we receive the gift of the Christ child who guarantees our salvation. There is no greater gift than this!

On that first Easter morning, thirty plus years into the future from that first Christmas, the fulfillment of the Christmas gift happens with the resurrection of the crucified Jesus Christ. Through the death and resurrection of the Christ child born on Christmas morning we receive forgiveness of our sins and the promise of eternal life.

In addition to this ultimate gift, we receive yet another gift, and that is the gift of the church. Based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, this gift takes many forms. It is not our place to judge these other forms of faith, but to work with them doing God’s work in God’s world. As members of a church, we are called to be the body of Christ on earth. This comes with a lot of responsibility and is not always an easy or convenient vocation.

Just as we do with Christmas, we often take the church for granted. Christmas happens once every year, and church happens every Sunday. Both soon become routine. The gift of church is more than vocation or duty. With the church comes the gift of community, something we also take for granted. With COVID came the loss of community, and the realization of how important community, not just on Sunday morning for worship, but any time we come together, is to our own wellbeing. Isolation is neither physically, nor emotionally, nor spiritually healthy. Worshipping in front of a computer or television is not the same as coming together with people we know and with whom we share a common faith tradition to worship, to learn, to socialize, to serve.

Through the gift of community individuals become one as the body of Christ on earth. We bring our individual interests and talents with us to form one stronger and more effective body, serving our Lord and Saviour. In addition, we receive the gifts of Christian community, and we receive the gift of each other.

So, this Advent season I give you four gifts to prayerfully ponder in preparation for unwrapping on Christmas morning. First is the gift of the Christ child, and all the gifts the Christ child brings to your life. How often do you think about these gifts? Second is the gift of salvation. What does this mean to you, and do you take it for granted? Third is the gift of vocation. How do you do God’s work in God’s world? What do you have to offer, however humble, in a meaningful way? Fourth is the gift of community. What does the community of St. Ansgar mean to you? How invested are you in being a part of your community, not just on Sunday morning, but at other times throughout the year?

Finally, I offer a fifth gift, and that is my sincere heartfelt wish that you have a meaningful and blessed Advent and Christmas. May Jesus Christ shine above all else in your life this Advent and Christmas season, and throughout the coming year.

God bless you now and always,

Pastor David
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November 2022 No Newsletter
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October 2022

For everything created by God is good,
and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is
received with thanksgiving; for it is
sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.
(1 Timothy 4:4-5)
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The autumn season officially began a couple of weeks ago, and autumn is definitely in the air. The farmers have begun harvesting their crops. The daylight hours are growing shorter, and the hours
of darkness are growing longer. As the temperatures drop, we spend more time indoors. October is the first full month of the autumn season, and we begin the month by taking time to give thanks
to God for all the blessings we have received.

Our focus is on the plentiful harvest that is taking place, symbolized by pumpkins, corn shocks, and the occasional scare crow decorating the entrance way to our homes. Autumn flowers decorate our sanctuary. Families and friends gather for festive and elaborate meals together. These signs of autumn signal a brief time of thanksgiving, but can we give thanks for all the many blessings we have received in only one day?

The Hebrew term for gratitude translates as “recognizing the good”. Countless blessings come to us every day, but most of us find it easy to overlook them and instead focus on what we lack, which makes us less aware of the blessings we receive every day. When we open ourselves to awareness of all the blessings we have received, we discover with clarity and accuracy how much good there is in our lives. Expressing gratitude to God means recognizing the good that is already ours.

A spiritual exercise from the ancient Christian Church can help us see God’s blessings in our lives. At the end of each day, stop and name three blessings you have received during that day. It may be something as simple as a day of sunshine, or as significant as a successful surgery. Often the blessing is an answered prayer. Once you start this practice, I promise you that stopping at just three blessings will be difficult. Three is only a starting point, so carry on!

Once the blessings we have received are recognized and named, the next step is to acknowledge them as gifts, not something we deserve. All God’s blessings deserve an expression of thanks. Gratitude includes saying “thank you” to God for the blessings we have received, for God is the source of all
our blessings. No matter how humble, or elaborate, every day is Thanksgiving Day!

Wishing you and your family a very special and meaningful Thanksgiving Day, both on the official day, and for every day as we take time to recognize all that is good in our lives!

Blessings,
Pastor David

September 2022

She went and did as Elijah said, so that
she as well as he and her household ate
for many days. The jar of meal was not
emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail,
according to the word of the Lord
that he spoke by Elijah.
(1 Kings 17:15-16)

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This passage from 1 Kings is from the story of Elijah’s encounter with the widow at Zarephath. The widow lives in the face of imminent starvation. She pours out her heart to the prophet Elijah. She has only a handful of meal and a little more than a drop of oil which will make the last meal for her and her son. Still, she shares her paltry rations with Elijah, and the meal jar and oil never give out after that meal.

The reason this story has been passed down, generation to generation, is not to give us facts. The story has survived because it is true. I imagine most of us have our own version of this story, that when we didn’t have what was required, we were given what we needed. When what was absolutely essential for us to live, when what was crucial for our survival, provision somehow happened. Perhaps it was in the form of finances or food, or no more than crumbs of attention and care. When we absolutely haven’t got what it takes, we are given what we need.

Another reason the story about the widow at Zarephath is true is because it is a paradox about generosity. There is a risky principle about life which may seem counter-intuitive until you have tested it, and that is: what you give away seems to be in direct proportion to what you receive. I don’t mean one-for-one, but much more than that, as much as a hundred-fold. We have all heard the saying that in giving you receive. I have also read this motto in several places: What we keep
we lose, only what we give remains our own.

There is something about living life as a gift, not clinging to it, not hoarding it, but cherishing it, participating in it, then sharing it with a kind of reckless abandon that is real, because that is like God. We have been created in the image of God, who from the beginning has been generous, as recorded in the creation stories in Book of Genesis. Before death takes us home and we leave all our earthly possessions behind, we need to acknowledge all that we have as a gift from God, and gift it back to God as an offering for God’s use. What a joy it is to be able to collaborate with God. We are called to represent God in who we are, how we live life, and in all that we have, remembering God who from the beginning is generous.

This month the people of St. Ansgar have the opportunity to represent God, to show that we are made in God’s image of love and generosity, by providing much needed non-perishable food items for the foodbank here in London. Donating to the Drop Off Food Drive is one way we can live out our mission
statement that includes the promise to “support and minister to each other and our neighbours.” I look forward to seeing you in our parking lot on the 16th – 17th or the 23rd - 24th of this month. Until then, God bless all of us as we live out God’s love and generosity through our lives every day.

Praying God’s Shalom for our church family,

Pastor David


August 2022
I do not understand my own actions.
For I do not do what I want,
but I do the very thing I hate.
(Romans 7:15)

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I cannot believe that it is already August. It seems like only yesterday that the summer season began, and now we are looking at the end of the summer season and the beginning of the fall season. The actual start to the fall season is September 23rd this year. Still, with the end of the summer vacation season and the beginning of school, summer seems to be over. So much of our time is spent looking ahead. The displays of school supplies were in the stores by mid-July, encouraging parents to begin shopping. The advertisement for school supplies of one store in London states, “Timing is everything so why wait?”

My question is, “Why not wait?” Isn’t today just as important as an unknown day in the future? Are we so busy looking to the future that we forget the present? As a society we are so conditioned to react to the need to have what we want now for the future, we miss the gifts of the present. We miss the beauty around us, the joy of sharing the present with someone special, the opportunities the present offers for rest and relaxation, for study and prayer. How can we sit or walk with God when we are running to purchase what we will need in a month, or even further into the future?

Why do we let someone else convince us what we must have, or when we must have it? Why do we let ourselves be cheated out of the present? Each day is a gift from God. Maybe that is why we call the moment we live in the present. The present is meant to be enjoyed and lived. We cannot do either one if we are rushing into the future, ignoring the moment in which we are currently living. Living in the future fills the present with unnecessary worry and causes us to lose our focus on what is really important by paying attention to the wrong things.

Now I am not suggesting that we totally abandon preparing for the future. That would be foolish, but we must seek balance and prioritize what truly is important enough to take time away from God’s gift of the present. As people of faith, we trust that God will provide, that doors will be opened, and that God is always with us. Take some time in the present to take comfort in knowing this, to enjoy time with God without worry about the future, and to enjoy the absence of the stress that comes from always living in the future. The peace of the moment is a gift from God. Timing is everything, so why not wait and enjoy God’s present of the present?

Praying God’s Shalom for you and your families,

Pastor David

July 2022

But you are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
God’s own people, in order that you
may proclaim the mighty acts of him
who called you out of darkness into
his marvelous light.
(1 Peter 2:9)

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Peter, a disciple of Jesus who became a leader in the early church, is credited with writing this
description of the church. In First Peter, a short five-chapter letter in the New Testament, he
writes about the issues of community, mission, and suffering that the young faith communities faced. We still face these same issues today, but in a different context.

We have suffered through covid. Services stopped, started, stopped again, and are now able to continue uninterrupted. Members are slowly returning to Sunday worship. Several new people have joined us regularly on Sunday mornings. The service does not look exactly the same but it is an opportunity to worship God in a meaningful way and in community. While the comfort of remaining home on Sunday mornings is tempting, the opportunity to gather in community and worship God is much more
meaningful and life-giving.

We are a church, which is much more than the building in which we gather. The Christian community is the church. You and I and all who worship in our building are the church. The purpose of our Christian community is to exist for others, not for ourselves. The church does not exist for its own sake, but for the sake of others. We are chosen to serve, to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and God’s grace, and to support each other. Our building brings us together as a community to worship, to study and learn, and to gather in fellowship as a Christian family, but the heart of the building is the people who come through the church doors, who gather under its roof, to worship, and to do God’s work.

Covid has left its mark on our church. It is a virus that not only attacks people but has had a negative impact on the church. We can only defeat this virus within our church family by coming together as a Christian community and supporting each other. What I find missing most are the people, the community that gathers for worship, events, or just stops by for a conversation. We are a people who live in hope, and it is our hope that someday we will return to “normal.” Until that is possible, we still need to remember who we are, whose we are, and why we are. These three things have not changed. God remains constant. The love of Christ remains constant. The Holy Spirit’s presence with and among us remains constant. Our call to do God’s work remains constant.

We are God’s church, and I find great comfort in knowing that God’s will always triumphs. The victory belongs to God, and we are chosen to be a part of that victory. It is our choice of how much, if at all, we participate. The building is open and the church family can come together once again as a Christian community. Do not miss the opportunity to join with other church family members in worship, and other events as they open in the future. We look to the future with hope and enthusiasm.

Shalom,
Pastor David

May 2022

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too
deep for words. And God, who searches the
heart, knows what is in the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints
according to the will of God.
(Romans 8: 26-27)

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We all pray. Sometimes we pray together in church, which is called corporate prayer. At other times we pray during specific times throughout the day, such as before a meal or the first thing in the morning or the last thing at night as we turn the lights out. We often pray on special occasions and at special celebrations. But our most heartfelt prayers come when we are alone with God and are moved to pray from deep within our hearts.

More books have been written about prayer than anyone can count or afford to buy. It seems these authors know something about prayer that we do not know. They make prayer a challenge, almost a competition to pray the perfect prayer, rather than a response to God, and sadly this makes many people feel like failures at Together we support and minister to each other, our neighbours, and the
world, guided by the Gospel and in response to God’s call. prayer. There are prayers that are written by others that I find meaningful or particularly helpful during difficult times. I am grateful for these prayers, but I also realize that it is not so much the words I repeat as it is about what comes from within me, from my heart, that matters as I say these prayers.

There are many helpful definitions of prayer. I would like to share three definitions that I find especially helpful. Julian of Norwich simply wrote that prayer fastens the soul to God. I like the imagery of her definition. Contemporary author Kenneth Leech defines the spiritual practice of prayer this way: To pray is to enter into a relationship with God and to have that relationship make a difference in my life. And finally, Joyce Rupp reminds us that prayer is not a competition, not an
experience of winning or of accumulating good feelings and great insights. Prayer is about “showing up” with an open mind and heart, being willing and ready to grow and change.

We can offer a variety of prayers to God. When we want something to change or to happen, we ask God by praying prayers of petition. When we are thankful for something or someone, we offer prayers of thanksgiving. One kind of prayer we use less often is the prayer of contemplation. This is a prayer in which we open our minds and our hearts and listen for God’s voice. God’s voice is soft, and we need to quiet our minds and listen. We can pray prayers of contemplation after reading scripture or some other meaningful piece of literature, after seeing a beautiful picture or being amazed by something while out amongst God’s creation. Contemplative prayer can take place while walking around the block or on a trail. It doesn’t matter because God is present with us always. Prayers can be short and spontaneous, or long and deliberate. Prayer is meant to sustain our faith and hold
us steadily in our relationship with God.

Prayer is about reverence, relationship, and growth. It is not so much the words we say. It is more about what is in our heart when we say them. God knows what is in our hearts before we even begin to pray the words that we say in prayer. And the Spirit intercedes when we are having a difficult time expressing ourselves. Trusting God with our life, with the essence of who and how we are, is imperative. As we reach out to God in prayer, God reaches out to us.

There is a lot to pray about and to pray for, both within our own church family and in the world. Prayer unites us with God in a special relationship. Prayer makes a difference in the lives of those for whom we pray, and in our own lives as we pray. God promises to hear our prayers. For that we can be eternally grateful.

Blessings on your prayer life.

Pastor David


April 2022

Why do you look for the living among the
dead? He is not here, but has risen.

(Luke 24:5b)

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We begin the month of April continuing our Lenten journey toward Easter. In a little more than two weeks we will celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Until then there is still much preparation to be done. Even though we could not make the journey together with our
traditional midweek soup suppers and Lenten services, we still made the journey together in our hearts as a church community restricted by a pandemic. We have been able to support each other from a distance in many ways, especially in our prayers.

For me Holy Week is a time of mixed emotions. Maundy Thursday is especially meaningful as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Communing together is always my favourite part of any service. Then reality hurts as the altar is stripped and the seriousness of the next three days hits home. The betrayal of Jesus and the suffering that follows become a harsh reality on Maundy Thursday. Good Friday is always difficult. Such a dark day with the altar empty and the paraments and banners removed. The church seems so empty despite all the people in attendance at the Good Friday Service.

All this represents the absence of Christ as the shadow of the cross looms over us. Saturday is a day of waiting and anticipation for the miracle of Easter. On Easter Sunday it is as if a great weight has been lifted from me. Whether it is sunny or cloudy outside, the sun always shines within my soul on Easter morning. The good news of Jesus’ resurrection is pronounced and celebrated. The pain of Good Friday makes the joy of Easter morning so much more meaningful. We celebrate the gift from God of the risen Jesus Christ. Such a happy time! We say or sing “alleluia” and “hallelujah”
with renewed energy and a deeper understanding of what the words represent. After the worship service of celebration is over and I am home, I realize how tired I am from Holy Week. It is not just from the physical demands of all that must be done, but it is the emotional exhaustion of a week of ups and downs. The deeper the downs, the higher the ups. Exhausting, yes. Life giving, definitely.

This year we will be able to complete our journey together in person. We will be able to celebrate the highs and the lows of Holy Week together. We will be able to come to the table as a family in Christ. We will be able to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins that we may have eternal life, together as the body of Christ. This year will be even more meaningful since we can do all this together.

As Christians, we will always live our lives in the shadow of the cross, but because of Easter we also always live our lives in the presence of the risen Jesus Christ.

Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!

Blessings on the completion of your Lenten journey.

Pastor David

March 2022

And remember, I am with you always,
to the end of the age.
(Matthew 28:20)


March 2nd is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. This is the third straight Lenten season we have spent at least partially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, our Lenten services were suspended because of an unknown, rapidly spreading virus. Life for all of us changed
dramatically. Special senior shopping hours were a new thing at the grocery stores. Do you wear a mask, or don’t you wear a mask, was the big question? There was no vaccine to protect us, only guidelines that seemed to change daily. Our lifeboats seemed to be sinking as we drifted in unchartered waters. This was a frightening time.

In 2021, the pandemic had become almost routine. Rumours and incorrect information were plentiful on social media, causing confusion and doubt. Many innocent people suffered, and many died because of this. The influence of social media, whether fact or fiction, became apparent. Personally, there is no doubt in my mind that a microchip would not fit in the needle that went into my arm three times with a new vaccine that was created to save my life, but some people actually believe that rumour. People we knew were sick and many people were dying from COVID-19, and the word mutation was constantly in the news. Families and friends were separated and unable to gather. Enduring long periods of isolation was a new experience for all of us.

This week we enter Lent once again. This Lent, there appears to be hope on the horizon in 2022. The Omicron wave is receding. The word pandemic is being replaced by the word endemic. More people are vaccinated than before. While we are not out of the woods yet, fear is being replace by optimism. Caution is still at the forefront in our vocabulary as we move forward.

It has been a challenging time for the people of the church. We have had to end in-person worship three times. Worshipping as a community was replaced by weekly printed services and a year on YouTube and Facebook. While these have been positive and meaningful experiences, worshipping this way was not the same as gathering in the sanctuary to worship. The good news is that council has decided to reopen the church for Sunday worship beginning March 6 th , so those who want and
feel ready will be able to gather for worship. This is exciting news!

As I said earlier, caution is still at the forefront, and we will proceed with caution and with love and caring for the members of our church family. There will still be restrictions such as masks and proof of vaccination for now, but when you come to church, council wants you to be as safe, and feel as safe, as possible. Like the promise of Easter following Lent, we look forward to the promise of returning to normal worship in the future with no restrictions when it is safe to do so. As we wait
with patience for Easter, we must also wait with patience for the return to normal Sunday morning worship.

Throughout this long and difficult journey through the pandemic we know that we have been accompanied by Jesus Christ through it all. For Jesus has gone before us, and is redeeming whatever is happening through his suffering, death, and resurrection. May you be comforted by the presence of Jesus Christ throughout your Lenten journey and through whatever comes next.

Praying God’s peace for you.
Pastor David

December 2021

While they were there, the time came for
her to deliver her child. And she gave
birth to her firstborn son and wrapped
him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place for
them in the inn.
(Luke 2:6-7)


The Advent season is upon us, and we begin our journey of preparation towards Christmas. Like any special time or holiday, Christmas requires preparation. How do we prepare for Christmas? Shopping has become the number one priority for most people. It is not easy finding the perfect gift, especially when there is so much advertising telling you what you must have to be happy or complete. The gifts bring joy, even if it only lasts for a short time. Those who are gifted with baking skills make their traditional cookies and other treats, which has always been one of my favourite gifts to receive. There is something very special about receiving a gift that the giver has put so much time and effort into making. Also, many stories of the traditions behind each baked good are shared, which makes the gift even more personal.

Then there are the decorations and the planning of family gatherings. Both are extremely important, and like the matter of gifts, can become more important than everything else. The time must be convenient, and the meal must be perfect. The Christmas tree must meet a certain standard, and often becomes a show piece. People are told for almost two months before Christmas that it is the happiest time of the year, and they are told what they need to do to join in all the happiness. But every year, more people fall short of their goal than achieve it, and what should be the happiest time of the year becomes a time of sadness brought on by a sense of failure.

Yes, Christmas is meant to be the happiest time of year, but not for all the many reasons the secular world tells us. Jesus was not born in a palace but is a stable. He was not placed in an ornate crib, but he was laid in a manger by a loving mother. He was not dressed in the latest baby attire but was wrapped in bands of cloth. Notable public figures did not visit Mary and Joseph, but shepherds came from the fields where they had been tending their sheep. The first Christmas is
the standard by which we should plan all our Christmas celebrations.

The secret to a happy and meaningful Christmas is simplicity. Jesus was born in simplicity. Today, the true meaning of Christmas can be found underneath all the glitz and glitter, the noise and commotion. The true meaning can be found in a manger on Christmas morning.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, let us begin with the season of preparation, Advent. Prepare for the coming of the Christ child by spending additional time reading the scriptures, in prayer, and by doing an Advent devotional daily. In simplicity prepare your heart to receive the greatest gift of all, the perfect gift, the gift of Jesus Christ whom God gave to each and every one of
us. In the simplicity of the stable, surrounded by angels and shepherds, hear God’s voice say to you, “Blessed Christmas.”

AMEN

Pastor David

November 2021

As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

(Psalm 42:1-2)

I am writing to you from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have finished my first week of intensive classes this term and will start a second week on the 25th of October.
Being back in class with the rest of my cohort after 21 months of zoom classes has been a gift. There are seven of us in the Christian Spirituality cohort, with two of us being from Canada. We have supported each other during this difficult time as we learn together.

I was tested for covid when I arrived on campus, and I will be tested again on the 28th. We are all required to follow the covid protocols on campus. Off campus is another story, but we are still wearing masks and being careful. I will be back in London on the 30th and looking forward to presiding at worship on the 31st when we confirm Tavis and Noah. It will indeed be a special Reformation Sunday!

My education at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary prepared me to be a Lutheran Pastor. As I became more comfortable in my role as pastor, I began to feel something was missing. During my almost five
weeks of walking on the Camino pilgrimage in 2018, I had plenty of time to discern this emptiness I felt. What was missing in my life and in my ministry? Before I left the Camino, I knew I needed a deeper relationship with God and Jesus. I also realized that I needed to bring to you an opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with God and Jesus.

This has been the driving force behind my seeking out the Christian Spirituality program at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and my entering this degree program. Christian Spirituality embraces an understanding and experience of God that requires a response from us. That response is entering into a deeper spiritual relationship with God. At first, a deeper relationship with God sounds a little frightening, but there is nothing to fear. God already knows us and continues to walk with us. Spiritual exercises are avenues to a more meaningful prayer life, a deeper understanding of scripture, and an awareness of God’s presence in our lives.

It is my hope and prayer that when it is safe for us to meet, we will be able to walk together into a deeper and more meaningful relationship with our Lord. I want to share with you what I have learned and experienced since I began this journey. There is so much we can do together. God is calling us into a deeper relationship and waits patiently for us to answer that call. I look forward to making the journey with you in the future.

Praying God’s Shalom in your life,

Pastor David


October 2021

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances; for this
is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

(1 Thessalonians 5:18)

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Thankfulness is more than words.
Thankfulness is a positive mental attitude, focused on God and grateful for all the benefits that are ours as Christian believers. It is a lifestyle rooted in the disposition of our hearts. Matthew Henry said, “Thanksgiving is good but thanks-living is better.” Although harvest is a seasonal thing, thanksgiving should not be seasonal. Thanksgiving is more than a holiday for the grateful. Thanksgiving is an attitude, a natural part of Christian character. It is to be a way of life for
the Christian.

I am reminded of the story about a father who was asking the blessing as usual at breakfast, thanking God for his bountiful provision. Immediately afterward he began to grumble about the hard times, about the meal and the way it was cooked. His daughter interrupted, “Daddy, do you think God heard what you prayed a little while ago?” “Certainly,” the dad replied. “And then did God hear
what you said about the bacon and coffee?” she asked. “I am sure God did,” the father replied. “Then which did God believe?” the little girl asked. This is a good time to ask ourselves what naturally abounds in our lives, gratitude or grumbling. Are our prayers of thanksgiving consistent with our lives of thanksgiving? When we pray thanks, we must also live out thanksgiving with our words and actions.

Not everything that happens to us is good, but God can use everything that happens to work for our own good. Sometimes we do not know whether something is good or bad, but we can be thankful God is working for our good in everything. God is the God of love and grace. At times we may not understand
or see the good in a particular situation, but eventually the good God offers us becomes apparent. What challenges us strengthens our faith. When trials come and strengthen our spiritual maturity, how can we not give thanks?

Thanksgiving should overflow from the life of a Christian. Thanksgiving is the natural response to the grace and goodness of a great and wonderful God who cares and provides. Thanksgiving should be a natural part of the Christian’s prayer. How can we pray without first giving thanks for all that God has done?

As we celebrate the national holiday of Thanksgiving this year, let us remember Thanksgiving is more than a one-day holiday for the grateful Christian believer. Thanksgiving Day is one of the 365 days each year we give thanks for all the blessings that abound in our lives every day. And each day is a chance to ask ourselves if our prayers are consistent with a life of thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving, let us express genuine gratitude that springs from a life of giving thanks to God.

Shalom,
Pastor David

September 2021

For you are called to freedom brothers
and sisters; only do not use your
freedom as an opportunity for self-
indulgence, but through love become
slaves to one another. For the whole law
is summed up in a single
commandment, “You shall love your
neighbour as yourself.”
(Galatians 5:13-14)

It is impossible, in the moment, to know how a small act of goodness will reverberate through time. Thanks to the caring members of St. Ansgar, and our neighbours who support our efforts, by sharing small acts of kindness through our latest food drive we were able to make a big difference in the lives of people we do not even know or will ever encounter in our daily lives. As a church, we who are St. Ansgar have made a positive difference in the lives of others over and over again, from
socks and laundry detergent to nails and screws, from school supplies to food donations for the food bank. These acts of generosity are ways we show our love for our neighbour. Together we change the world, making the world a better place for God’s children who need our help.

Scripture tells us that God is love. The God who is love created every human person in God’s image, each one of infinite worth and dignity. As individuals, and as a church family, our acts of generosity and love recognize and affirm this value of the human person in our attitudes and by our actions towards them that come from compassionate living, from following the example of Jesus Christ who spoke out of love and not out of judgement.

In his book, Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times, Bishop Michael Curry wrote, “Resting in God’s hands, building a community of love, is more than going to a house of worship, or any place community gathers. You can go there, but you still got to do love.” Churches do not exist
“to be,” but exist “to do.”

As we have all experienced, God is not a selfish God who only desires to be worshipped. Jesus showed us this. God wants to be in relationship with God’s people. As God’s people, we are called to do God’s work of supporting each other and our neighbours while being in relationship with each other.
We are called to worship God in community as well as “behind closed doors.”

It is about the small acts that add up to make a big difference. We need to remember that it is not about us as individuals, but about us continuing to come together in love of each other and in love of our neighbours. The reward is in knowing we served God and served God well.

Blessings as we journey together in God’s love.

Pastor David

July 2021

Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
in Christ with every spiritual blessing
in the heavenly places, just as he chose
us in Christ before the foundation of
the world to be Holy and blameless

before him in love.
(Ephesians 1:3-4)

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Growing up, one of my least favourite classes in school was physical education. You would think that, as a hyperactive kid, movement would be what I did best, but that was not the case. While sitting still was torture, sports were even worse because I was one of the most uncoordinated boys in my class. When members were chosen for the various teams, I was always one of the last ones to be chosen. I always felt that I was on a team because no one else wanted me on their team. I never
experienced being chosen among the first for a team. That is probably why I have never been a fan of team sports.

In his letter to the Ephesians Paul reminds us that we are among the first to be chosen because of our faith in Jesus Christ. Not only are we among the first to be chosen, but we are also Holy, blameless, and loved. I do not think it can get any better than this! We are chosen and we are loved. During these difficult days of isolation and fear because of the pandemic, it is important for us to remember that we are chosen and loved. As the horror of the residential schools unfolds and we find ourselves searching for the emotions and understanding to cope with the reality of this
example of man’s inhumanity to man, we need to remember that we are chosen and loved. As we experienced the act of terrorism and hatred in our own community, we must remember that we are chosen and loved.

Being chosen always comes with opportunities. While it is comforting and affirming to be chosen and loved, we are not chosen to sit on the sidelines. God has gifted us with a variety of skills to be used in God’s name. We have been chosen to offer the presence of Jesus Christ in the world. We are called to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give clothing to those in need of it, take
care of the sick, and visit people in prison. These broad categories can be broken down into small but significant acts. I do not know about you but there are days I feel like I am in prison because of the mandated isolation. A phone call is more meaningful now than it has ever been. We have the food drive coming up at the end of the month. What better opportunity is there for us to feed the hungry and offer drink to the thirsty? We can donate clothing and supplies to the various agencies in our community for distribution, clothing those in need. Taking care of each other is a way to take care of the sick as we all deal with the realities of the months of covid and the events of June. We are all hurting and need each other. Because of Jesus’ love for each one of us we can be love and encouragement to our neighbours and to each other in our own church family.

We all go through times when we do not feel special. But remember, God chose us. No matter how we may be feeling, God has chosen us and will continue to choose us. We were chosen to be a meaningful part of God’s amazing creation. We were chosen to act out our faith in the world around us. We were chosen to be part of God’s story. We are chosen and loved by God.

Praying God’s Shalom for you,

Pastor David


June 2021

Let the favour of the Lord our God
be upon us, and prosper for us the
work of our hands – O prosper the

work of our hands!
(Psalm 90:17)

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I am not a natural gardener, but only a struggling gardener at best. My grandfather and my father had large vegetable gardens which provided my family with fresh produce in the summer and canned and
frozen vegetables in the winter months. They took great pride in their beautiful gardens and their hard work. I was recruited for the picking, but that was the extent of my participation and my skills.

This year, probably due to the isolation and covid boredom, I decided to resurrect the flower gardens at the house in Grand Bend. Flowers were also my father’s specialty as there was too much shade for vegetables around the house. After his death, the perennials and the weeds had an ongoing battle. This year, armed with my father’s gardening tools, I went to war with the weeds. I did not realize all that was involved in planting flowers, but I was determined. After several trips to the
greenhouse for supplies, and asking many questions, I am happy to say that the beds are looking good. I think one more trip to the greenhouse should do it. Now my job is to keep my investment of time and money alive until the fall frost with more weeding, fertilizing, watering, and some prayer. I enjoyed the work I was doing, but I am grateful I did not know how much work was involved before I started as I might have given up before I began and just surrendered to the weeds.

Working in my little piece of God’s creation gave me time to think and reflect. I love the creation story. The visually descriptive and figurative language allows the imagination to experience creation in such a meaningful way. I can hear the wind from God sweeping over the water and see the first light emerging from absolute darkness. As the story continues, my imagination is overwhelmed by the richness of the images as the miracle of creation unfolds. Somehow digging in the dirt
and working with my hands planting flowers in the soil brought the creation story back in a new and meaningful way. Although I did not create anything new, I experienced God in the tilling of the dirt, in the new plants I held in my hands, and in the fertilizing and watering of the restored gardens. God and life go together as one, whether in a little garden or in the creation of the world.

God did not leave us to the weeds. We are fed daily by his word. God walks with each of us as we make our way through the garden of life, never leaving our side. God hears our prayers and answers in ways we do not always understand, but God always answers. We thrive and survive in the community, or garden, called church. Like my little plants, we are not alone but are part of something bigger, something beautiful as we blossom together in the garden of God’s world.

I wish you happy gardening, whether it be a large or small garden, vegetables or flowers, or a single potted plant on your windowsill. Enjoy the beauty of God’s creation and remember you are a
significant part of that creation.

Wishing you God’s shalom,

Pastor David


May 2021

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

(Psalm 46:1)

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I have found these words to be especially comforting and reassuring in times of personal grief and loss, as well as during other challenging times in my life. This passage coupled with Jesus’ promise recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” gives me
hope and has carried me through many bad times. There are many more passages offering hope and comfort in the scriptures. I am sure each one of you has found your own special passages that speak to bringing you comfort and hope.

During this continued time of a pandemic which surrounds us with death, illness, disruption, and many inconveniences, hope can give way and become weak. Grief, frustration, and anger rise to the surface of our emotions. We want the things we have lost. We want things to be the way they were, but deep down inside ourselves we realize that things will never be the same, and that it is going to be a long time before we even come close to where we were before this started. Together we support and minister to each other, our neighbours, and the world, guided by the Gospel and in
response to God’s call.

Occasionally, I must remind myself that I need to make a reality check before hope really fades away. Even though I have not seen my family in well over a year, everyone has stayed healthy
and all are fully vaccinated. I have been inconvenienced by safely shopping in the early hours of the morning with my fellow seniors, but I have almost always found what I needed. (The bonus is that
I can wait to shower and shave until after I have been grocery shopping. Who is going to recognize me with the crazy hair and a mask covering my face?) I have not been able to travel, but the kilometres are not adding up on my car, and I am not buying gas every week. I am tired of preaching to a camera and coming into an empty church every day. I miss the personal contact I had with all of you, but you are staying safe and healthy at a time when it is not easy to do so, and for that I am grateful. Technology has allowed us to stay in contact in new way. There are so many other things that I miss, but when I stop to think about it, there is so much more I have to be grateful for during this time of crisis. For every negative in my life during this pandemic I can find at least one positive, and in most instances, I can find more than one positive.

Rosemary Clooney, and now I am really dating myself, sang about “counting my blessings instead of sheep” in the movie White Christmas. Counting our blessings every day, coupled with reading the passages of scripture that bring us hope and comfort, is the best medicine for what ails us during this pandemic. The negatives we see and hear in the news every day bring us down, but the positives that are in our lives every day bring us up and give us hope, but we must take the time to stop
and recognize them. They are not front-page news for the rest of the world to read.

We are not alone in this difficult time, or in any difficult time for that matter. Jesus promises
to walk with us always, and God promises never to abandon us. Take some time each day to read scripture. Never end a day without taking time to recognize at least three blessings you have received during the day. Give thanks to God for these blessings that have been given to you each day. And if you cannot sleep at night, remember to count your blessings instead of sheep. Most importantly, never forget that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, even in the trouble caused by a pandemic.

Praying God’s Shalom for you now and always.

Pastor David

April 2021

“Do not be alarmed; you are looking for
Jesus
of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has
been
raised; he is not here.”
(Mark 16:6)
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Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Each year on Easter morning we say this with enthusiasm and joy at the beginning of the Easter worship service. Following the journey of Lent, the harsh reality of Maundy Thursday, and the pain of Good Friday, Easter morning brings us back to a time of great celebration. We have been to the tomb and the tomb is empty!

This is our second Easter during a pandemic and the ways we traditionally celebrate are not possible again this year. We cannot worship together. We cannot share an Easter breakfast together between in person worship services. We cannot share a festive Easter dinner with family and friends. But we can still say with enthusiasm and joy, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed.” Not even a pandemic
can change the fact that the tomb was empty on Easter morning.

We still have cause to celebrate. Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we may live in his love after our journey in this life is over. Because of Easter we have a future, an eternal future, in heaven guaranteed by the risen Christ on Easter morning.

On Easter morning, instead of thinking about what we are missing, think about the one true constant that is the blessing of Easter. We may be missing traditions, people, and even a chocolate Easter egg, but we are not missing the biggest and best gift of all. Christ died for our sins on a cross. Christ defeated death and gifted us with eternal life. We have cause to celebrate, and celebrate we should in whatever way we feel is appropriate and meaningful.

Next year we will gather again to celebrate and worship the risen Christ. We will share an Easter breakfast together between services, and we will join family and friends for an Easter meal. Until then we must celebrate in a different manner, but we must still celebrate the gift that is Easter. May we always remember we have something to celebrate, and that something is the risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!”

Blessings on your Easter celebration!

Happy Easter,
Pastor David

March 2021

For just as the body is one and has many
members, and all the members of the body,
though many, are one body, so it is with
Christ. Indeed, the body does not consist of
one member but of many.
(1 Corinthians 12: 12, 14)

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I have always experienced St. Ansgar as one body, or in a more familiar way, one family. The success or failure of anything we do as a family does not depend on any one individual or group of individuals, and that includes me. Since I first came to St. Ansgar, I felt this unity you as a church body share. In many church families this is not the case. Cliques often form and power struggles begin to eat away at the unity once shared by the church body. There is nothing Christian about such behaviour and I am sure God has shed many a tear over these disintegrating
church families.

Over the past five years I have had the privilege of serving you as your pastor full time, and for almost four years before that I served you half-time. You warmly welcomed me into the church family and have always been supportive. I have watched you welcome many other people into the church family with the same warmth and acceptance over the years. You live the teachings of Christ.

Since COVID I have not been able to visit with you personally, and I spend a lot of time in the church alone. You would think I would finally have the time to organize my desk. Yet, even with church doors closed, church life goes on. There are so many people who make this possible. I made a list of all these people the other night, and this list could be its own newsletter. I hesitate to start mentioning names because I would not want to leave anyone out, not that these people seek
any special recognition. Everyone who volunteers and makes the extra effort to serve God through service does so because they care about St. Ansgar, the people who are St. Ansgar, and about serving the mission of St. Ansgar. We all have different skills, talents, and energy levels. Everyone does what they can to support our church family, and they do so willingly and with love. That is how we as St. Ansgar church family continue to live out our mission, even with the church doors closed.

I am sure I do not say thank you enough, but please know that I appreciate everything all of you do for the church family. We are called to serve God through Jesus Christ, and you all do it so well. What we do is for the Glory of God, not out of a need for special recognition. Even though we cannot be together we remain united in our faith, our service, and our love for each other.

I pray God’s continued blessing on the people who are St. Ansgar, and upon the mission of St. Ansgar to love each other and our neighbour.
With deepest gratitude,
Pastor David

February 2021

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountain shake in the heart of the sea.
(Psalm 46:1-2)

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When God makes a promise, God keeps a promise! Knowing this fact brings comfort and reassurance in these difficult times. We all thought by now things would be better and life would be returning to normal. Instead, we are once again locked down and even more isolated from friends, family, and our neighbours. Masks, social distancing, and handwashing are even more important. We are tired, frustrated, and impatient.

Now, more than ever, we need to hear God’s word as God speaks to us and brings us comfort and encouragement through the scriptures. “God is our refuge and strength,” as the psalmist declares, “a very present help in trouble”, and we are troubled. Turning to God and trusting God does give us refuge and strength to carry on beyond our present condition. In the shelter of God, we can rest. In the shelter of God, we are safe. Together we support and minister to each other, our neighbours, and the world, guided by the Gospel and in response to God’s call.

Many of the texts from scripture are comfort texts. They were written to bring comfort to God’s
people under all circumstances. The Book of Lamentations tells us, “The steadfast love of the
Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (3:22-23) Isaiah wrote, “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.” (66:13) The psalmist also wrote, “This is my comfort in my distress, that your promise gives me life.” (119:50) And finally, one of my favourites is found in Paul’s letter to the Romans. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (8:34-35, 37) I think we could also add “pandemic” to this incomplete list of circumstances.

These are just a few of the promises, only the tip of the iceberg, that are found in the Bible which bring comfort, peace, and the assurance that God is with us. We may be isolated, but we are not alone. I challenge you to sit down with God’s Word and see how many verses you can find. Listen for God’s comforting voice as it speaks to you. Know that God walks with us, and that we need only to stop and listen to hear God’s voice. Find comfort in what God has to say to us, and in what God promises to us. And remember the promise of Jesus recorded in Matthew’s Gospel: “I am with you
always, to the end of the age.” (28:20) We are never alone!

Come to the well of God’s Word and draw from the source of comfort, hope, and peace that only God can give us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Praying God’s peace for you and your families,

Pastor David

December 2020

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

(Luke 2:10-11)

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As we enter a new liturgical year and the season of Advent, we are called to prepare not just for the miracle of the birth of baby Jesus, but also for the return of Jesus among us. During “normal” times we were caught up in all the secular Christmas hype. We were busy shopping for the perfect gifts and preparing special foods and treats for family and friends. Social obligations took us away from our families and from much needed rest. The intensity built until Christmas day arrived and we would greet it in a state of exhaustion and with a sense of relief.

This year we will celebrate Christmas in the “new normal.” We will not be shopping in the crowds of frenzied shoppers. We will not be gathering in large numbers. The hype will be toned down and we should be able to greet Christmas day in a much calmer and more rested way.

While we will definitely miss the hype and craziness we have come to associate with Christmas because that is what we are used to, we have also been given an opportunity to rediscover the real
reason for Christmas. We have been given the chance to greet Christmas day in a more rested, relaxed, and meaningful way. With the opportunity to pause and reflect in Advent we will reap the rewards of patient, thoughtful, prayerful preparation for God’s coming among us.

The four Sundays of Advent call us to reflect on Hope, Love, Peace, and Joy in preparation for the arrival of the Christ child. This year all four have expanded meanings, especially Hope. As Advent begins, we are invited to locate our Hope in Christ. We are also invited to take advantage of the extra time given to us as we isolate to study Scripture, reflect, and pray for understanding, renewed strength, and a deeper appreciation of the true meaning of the miracle of Christmas.

In this time of pandemic, it is easy to focus on what has been lost, especially during the holidays. We need to mourn those losses and recognize our feelings, but we must not dwell on them. Instead, we need to look beyond the losses to what gifts, however small or large, can be found in these difficult times. Explore these gifts as something positive to counterbalance all the negatives. We can celebrate Christmas in a relaxed and new way with deeper understanding and thankfulness. That truly is a gift!

The baby Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn. The greatest gift of all came to us in the loss of a comfortable room. Yet the gift of the Christ child has been greatest gift we could ever receive.
Blessings on your Advent preparations and your Christmas.

Pastor David


November 2020

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love,joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
(Galatians 5:22-23, 25)

Community: First and Foremost a Gift Community is first and foremost a gift of the Holy Spirit, not built upon mutual compatibility, shared affection or common interests, but upon having received the same divine breath, having been given a heart set aflame by the same divine fire and having been embraced by the same divine love. It is the God-within who brings us into communion with each other and makes us one. This message both confronts and consoles us. It confronts us with our inability to heal our own brokenness with self-made solutions, and it consoles us with the revelation that God indeed does want to create among us the unity we most long for. - Henri Nouwen

When I read this a couple of weeks ago my mind immediately went to St. Ansgar. As a church
community we have received this gift of the Holy Spirit. We are more than a group of people who
worship together weekly in the same space, or by emailed services during the pandemic. The God-within has made us one.

The Drive-Thru Food Drive is the most recent example of how we live out Christ’s ministry as one. The overwhelming response brought in 673 pounds of food items for the local foodbank. Members came together to change our sign on the corner. To me this signaled to all those who passed by that St. Ansgar was alive and well, serving God’s people during this time of pandemic. Empty boxes were donated to be filled, volunteers helped to collect the food members and neighbours brought to the church, some of our community members reached out to their neighbours and co-workers for donations, and Kevin Dmyterko donated his time and pickup truck to deliver all that had been collected on the two Saturdays. Members of our community coming together for the purpose of following Christ’s
teaching made the food drive a success.

The Food Drive also provided an opportunity to come together as community. I was able to see and talk with members whom I have not actually seen since before Christmas. At one point we had thirteen people in the parking lot with masks on and socially distanced, visiting and catching up with each other. It was a beautiful sight in this time of isolation. What a boost in spirits seeing and talking with each other gave everyone who came and went those two Saturdays. The community gave and the community received. Members of our community successfully came together to live out our mission statement: Together we support and minister to each other, our neighbours, and the world,
guided by the Gospel and in response to God’s call.

Many “thanks” go to all those who donated their time and brought the food drive together, and to all the generous people who drove over to the church to make a difference in the lives of people we will never know. I feel truly blessed to be a member of such a community. The Holy Spirit is indeed alive among and in us.

Praying God’s continued blessing on our community,
Pastor David

October 2020

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
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This month we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a time set aside to acknowledge all the blessings we have received. Traditionally we give thanks for the gift of a good harvest with family and close friends, who are also a blessing. This year Thanksgiving takes on a new meaning. The blessings we have received this year are overshadowed by the “new normal” created by the pandemic. Our focus is more on what we have been forced to give up, the inconveniences we face every day, and the isolation we are feeling. This year the Thanksgiving holiday feels more like a time of grieving than a time of celebration. It is so easy to lose our bearings and focus on what we have lost. We lament the loss of those things in our lives we took for granted before the pandemic began.

This year our list of blessings looks different. For example, how often do we take the time to give thanks for our health? Those of us who have remained healthy in this pandemic have a lot to be thankful for this year. How often do we take time to give thanks for the little things in our lives,
especially those things that make our lives easier? We no longer take the small things for granted. We have food, shelter, and most of the comforts we are accustomed to having in our lives. While we have taken on new ways of worshipping, we are still free to worship. Members of St. Ansgar have reached out to each other more than ever before. Families have been able to spend more time together. The environment has benefited from the changes in our lifestyles. Many of us are more technology savvy than we were before the pandemic. The list goes on if we take the time to sit down
and count our blessings. I encourage everyone to take some time to sit quietly and reflect on all the blessings we have received in our lives this year.

It is so easy to focus on the negative rather than on the positive. Some days it is harder than others to name the blessings in our lives. But we must not surrender to the bad news and forget about the good news. The words from Lamentations remind us that the love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never end. Not only that, but God’s mercies are new every morning. Remembering this makes waking up in the morning a cause for celebration. Great is God’s faithfulness today, tomorrow, and forever.

However and whenever we choose to celebrate Thanksgiving Day this year, remember it is a time to remember all the blessings in our lives. This year Thanksgiving celebrations may look different from the celebrations in past years. We may find it harder to celebrate than in previous years, but we will find we have more to be thankful for than we realize. Above all else, remember that God’s
faithfulness remains the ultimate blessing. God walks with us always, even through a pandemic. We have much to celebrate this year and every year. Praying God’s faithful blessing on you and your loved ones!

Pastor David

September 2020

But the hour is coming, and now is here, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
(John 4:23-24)
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“Welcome back to church!” I have been looking forward to saying these words for months, and it looks like I am about to say these words to people sitting in the pews. Church is the people, not the building, and when the church gathers in the building something meaningful and wonderful happens. We have all missed this time together in worship.
But when we gather again, we need to be prepared for something different from what we are used to, from what we consider normal. We are going to have to adjust to a different way of worshipping God in order to worship together. The guidelines and restrictions are meant to keep us all safe as we gather. While disheartening, these regulations protect us so that we may continue gathering and worshipping in our church building. As Council chairperson, Maaike has put in many extra hours to protect our safety. Working together the Council has created the best and safest plan, and it is ready to be implemented.

We will be wearing masks, sanitizing our hands, and be seated at appropriate distances from the people we are used to sitting next to on Sunday mornings. We will not be singing or sharing the peace. Communion will look different. Many things that were so much a part of our worship are not currently possible. This is very discouraging when you put them all together.
We cannot let these changes take away from our worship, our time with God. Worship takes many forms. We all worship God throughout the week in ways that are meaningful to us. They do not look the same as Sunday worship, but are just as meaningful. Whether on Sunday morning, or at any other time, what is important is that we worship from the heart, in spirit and in truth.
For now, Sunday morning worship will look quite different from Sunday morning worship as we knew it. We need to prepare ourselves for this reality. This new way of worshipping does not have to be less meaningful just because it is different. Yes, it will take some time to get used to the changes. But the power of our new way of worshipping begins with how we prepare ourselves. Celebrating the joy of gathering and worshipping together again depends on our attitude of gratitude as we come to church. I know. I wrestle with these new realities every day.
So, as we gather once again, we need to be thankful for what we have rather than mourning the loss of what we do not have. Remember, these changes are only temporary, and the new normal will someday become the old normal. Until then I look forward to worshipping with you in a new way, and only after you are comfortable returning to Sunday morning worship. Remember, God is with us always, inside the church building or outside the church building. All God asks is that we worship God in spirit and truth.
Praying God’s Shalom for you,
Pastor David

August 2020

For surely I know the plans I have for you,
says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not
for harm, to give you a future with hope.

(Jeremiah 29:11)

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I find this verse, and the two following verses, a comforting reminder that God is with us during
these difficult days as the pandemic becomes an even greater reality. Life as we know it has
changed dramatically. Who ever thought we would walk into a bank or grocery store with a
mask on and not be arrested? The uncertainty of the safety of going to school or attending church is on our minds 24/7. The unsettledness of daily life and the fear of what the new normal will be weighs on our minds, creating a stress that does not want to go away.
The prophet Jeremiah, writing to the Babylonian exiles, reminds them that God is with
them and that God has a plan for their welfare and not for harm. These wise words of
promise are words for us today. God does have a plan for our welfare. In the following
verses of this passage, Jeremiah reminds the exiles that they are all in this together,
that they are community. He reminds them that they are an impatient people, that they
must endure even when they feel like giving up.

As we social distance, wear masks, and spend much more time in the safety of our homes we feel like we are in exile. We have been exiled from life as we knew it. But Jeremiah reminds us that God has a plan, a plan that is designed for our welfare and not for our harm, and that God promises us a future with hope. In the following verses God promises that “when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.”(12) God promises that “when you search for me, you will find me.”(13) God is available! Despite all the upheaval in our lives, the one true constant is God. As we struggle with the uncertainty of this time, we know that one thing remains constant and that is the love of God. God is there for us providing a future of hope, a future for our welfare, not our harm.
We do not know what lies ahead, but we do know we can count on God to keep the promises God has made. When we pray, God will hear us. When we search for God in our daily lives and in our future lives, we will find God. All we need to do is pray and search, trust, listen, and be patient. It sounds simple enough, but we know that we are distracted by the news and numbers, by the daily reports, and the conflicting revelations science discovers as we learn more about the virus that exiles us from our normal lives. This is a difficult time. But we have the promises of God to carry us through it to the other side of the pandemic. We have the promises that God has plans for our welfare and for a future with hope. We are called to faith, to believe and seek with all our hearts.
Praying God’s Shalom for you and your families,
Pastor David

July 2020

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;
teach and admonish one another in all
wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts
sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to
God.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
(Colossians 3:16-17)
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Last week I completed two weeks of half-day
classes via ZOOM from Pittsburgh Theological
Seminary. Sitting in front of a computer in my office looking at a screen for four hours is not the same as being in class. I have missed two graduations, cancelled a flight, arranged for three months of my U.S. mail to be picked up by a friend, and now shop for groceries at 7:00 a.m. with my fellow seniors. These are just a few of the many inconveniences I have encountered as a result of the pandemic. I am sure each one of you has a list as long as mine, if not longer.

On the flip side of the pandemic coin I find a healthy congregation, a healthy family,
enough food and comfortable shelter, telephone and email contacts as a way to
stay in touch with church family, my family, with friends, and the opportunity to
continue working. These are just a few of the many blessings I have received
during this time of pandemic living. The list of blessings is longer than the list of
inconveniences when I sit down to think about it. I am sure if you made a list of your blessings you
would discover the same thing.

Personally, I know I can get caught up in the inconveniences. These inconveniences have changed my life and caused bumps in my road. They seem to be the most obvious thing in life right now. To
recognize the blessings in our lives takes some thought and quiet reflection. These
quiet moments of thought reveal to us a wealth of blessings we fail to recognize as
we go about our daily lives. And as I count my blessings, I realize how much I have
to be grateful for during these difficult times.

Gratitude is a much stronger word than inconvenience. Gratitude to God for the
daily blessings we receive turns our focus from what we do not have to what we
do have. All blessings are a gift from God. What we have is so much more than
what is missing in our lives. Showing gratitude for the blessings we have received
is a daily exercise we should practice, not just for our own mental health, but as a
way of recognizing what we often take for granted. This is a chance to say to God
“thank you” for all that we have been given, all blessings we have received. Focus
on the good things, give thanks to God, and be aware of the blessings we receive
instead of the inconveniences we experience. Practice gratitude and the inconveniences
will seem like minor bumps on the road of life. “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow…”
Yours in gratitude,
Pastor David

June 2020

Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.
(Romans 12:12)
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My natural tendency is to be optimistic. I am not sure why this is, but I am grateful that I lean towards optimism rather than pessimism. I am sure being so optimistic has naively gotten me into trouble on more than one occasion. Still, I would rather be a more positive person than always focusing on what is, or could be, wrong. I prefer sunshine to clouds.
Still there is something more to life than optimism. In his book Here and Now: Living in the Spirit, Henri Nouwen writes, “While optimism makes us live as if someday soon things will go better for us, hope frees us from the need to predict the future and allows us to live in the present, with deep trust that God will never leave us alone but will fulfill the deepest desires of our heart.”
Optimism is not a bad thing, but in comparison, hope is so much more. Hope allows us to trust that God will guide our steps and hold us safe in a divine embrace. We can stop worrying about what tomorrow will look like, or what will happen in the coming months, or even in the next year. Living in hope allows us the freedom to pay more attention to all the signs of God’s love that surround us. We are freed to reflect on our blessings and the gift of God’s grace. Hope opens our hearts enabling us to see all that God has provided, all that God has promised, and allows us to hear God’s voice as God speaks softly to us each day.
In these challenging and confusing days of the pandemic, optimism is not enough. ‘Optimistic me’ believes things will become better over time, that once again we will be with our families and friends, and some day we will be worshipping together as a church family. But optimism does not bring comfort. With optimism there is always an uncertainty. ‘Hope-filled me’ knows that all these things will happen with a certainty and comfort that optimism cannot give.
Hope provides comfort. Hope is promise and reassurance that God hears our prayers, walks with us always, especially as we journey through this pandemic, and will continue to be with us when these trying times are over. Hope strengthens us.
Our hope is in the Lord who made heaven and earth. We need to remember; God’s light outshines all the darkness in the world. God’s truth is more powerful than all human lies. God’s love is stronger than death. Cling to hope. Go deeper in faith. Dare to trust and hope.
As Paul wrote to the Romans, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (15:13) This is my prayer for you now, and always.
Pastor David

May 2020

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
(John 12:24)
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After many false starts, I believe it is safe to say spring is finally here. According to the calendar spring arrived March 19th, but someone forgot to tell the weatherperson. All the signs are visible: we are on daylight savings time, the robins have arrived, the Tundra Swans stopped off on their way back to the tundra, the spring flowers are getting ready to bloom, and the winter wheat is green and growing in the fields.
All those acres of brilliant green cast against the dull browns of the still sleeping vegetation remind us of the miracle of new life. Once tiny seeds lying in the ground, they begin sprouting in the fall, but with the frost and winter weather the tiny shoots lay dormant under the snow. As the snow melts away and the weather becomes warmer, those short green sprouts begin to show new signs of life. In the months to come the green sprouts will grow under the warmth of the sun, and nourished by the spring rains, grow into fields of yellow wheat. The ripened wheat will be harvested and will feed many.
The seventh Sunday of Easter is May 24th followed by the Day of Pentecost on the 31st. During these next 24 days it is important to reflect on the meaning of John 12:24, remembering that Jesus is the perfect example of a single grain of wheat, falling into the ground and dying in order to bring forth an abundant harvest to the glory of God. Having died and been buried, the single seed of Jesus Christ rose again producing the rich harvest of a multitude of believers. This fruitful harvest has continued for over 2,000 years.
Hymn # 379 in our Book of Worship is titled “Now the Green Blade Rises.” It is a short hymn but tells a beautiful story. The first verse starts the hymn with the words, “Now the green blade rises from the buried grain, wheat that in dark earth many days has lain; love lives again, that with the dead has been; love is come again like wheat arising green.”
We, who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, have within us the life of Christ, which can become abundantly fruitful when our lives resemble Jesus’ likeness. The goal of our calling is to mirror the attitude of Jesus Christ as we die to self and live for Christ. In doing so we, by God’s grace, will bear much fruit honouring God and our saviour Jesus Christ.
Praying God’s shalom for you and your families,…..and wash those hands!
Pastor David

April 2020

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
(Romans 5:3-5)
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It is hard to grasp the reality of Covid-19 from the comfort of our own homes. Yes, we are inconvenienced by it, but the pain and suffering are only on the television screen. That is unless you are in the health care profession or working on the front lines in some other capacity. Then the reality is very real.
This past Sunday morning I sat in our sanctuary alone. The pews, which are usually filled with the St. Ansgar church family, were empty. The organ and piano were silent. The elements for Holy communion were not on the altar. That was when the reality of the situation really hit me, and it hit hard.
We are quick to take Sunday worship for granted. Often on Sunday morning something that could wait seems more important than going to church and worshiping God. After all, we can always go next week. Sadly, that is no longer the case, and I don’t think things will be changing any time soon. The reality is that
as a church family we must distance ourselves physically from one another. This does not mean that we cannot be in contact in other ways. Pick up the phone and call other members of the church family or send a quick email. Even if we only do this once a day, contact will still make a big difference in the lives of those to whom we reach out. It is important that we remain in contact with each other, just as we are doing with our own biological families. We need to come together in a safe way to support each other. I also ask that we keep each other in prayer. In this time of such uncertainty we need to pray for each other. And we need to pray for those who keep us safe, provide the services that allow us to remain comfortably in our own homes, and who care for us if we become sick. The world around us is hurting and needs our prayers. After all, we are all in this together. This is also a time to recognize and give thanks for the blessings we have received. We have much to be thankful for in this difficult time. Counting our blessings helps to put our own reality into perspective.
Always, as Christians, we live in the sure and certain hope that God is with us always and that God will give us strength to meet the days ahead, especially during this worldwide pandemic. God provides comfort in this Holy and certain hope. Let us wrap ourselves in the promise of that hope.
Take to heart the words of our Dismissal Hymn on Sunday morning:
“Go now in peace, never be afraid. God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true. Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe. Reach out to others, so all the world can see.
God will be there, watching from above. Go now in peace, in faith, and in (God’s) love.”
I am looking forward to the time we can once again come together and worship God as a family in our church home on the corner of Wonderland and Lawson. Until then stay in, stay safe, stay connected…..and wash those hands!
Praying the Peace of Christ for you and your loved ones,
Pastor David

March 2020

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.
(Luke 10:27)
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We have entered the season of Lent and have begun our Lenten journey of following Jesus on the way to the cross. Traditionally the season of Lent is a time of self-reflection and denial. Unlike Christmas and Easter, the season of Lent has not been sensationalized and commercialized by the retail world, so the real reason for Lent has not been lost in glitz and glitter. This allows us as Christians to take Lent seriously without any outside distractions.
Jesus teaches about a gracious God who calls his followers to the way of steadfast love. We are called to love our neighbour throughout the year, including, and maybe especially, during the season of Lent. I am encouraged by the Sunday School’s project of Do Lent Generously. This is a way to do for our others with simple acts of kindness. The packet includes a calendar of suggestions. For those who wish to view the program, or to do more, the website for the program is: www.40 acts.org.uk. We have extra packets in the office if you did not receive one.
So, this year my Lenten journey will be different from past years. Not only will I focus on self-reflection and some form of self-denial, I will also include the 40 acts of reaching out beyond myself to do for others. I hope you will consider joining me and the Sunday School as we do Lent differently this year.
The season of Lent is a solemn and serious season of the Christian year. As we approach the cross and the Easter morning let us remember that this season of preparation is a time for us to grow in our faith and to reclaim who we are and what we believe as Christians.
Blessings on your Lenten journey,
Pastor David

February 2020

For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
(Romans 10:10)
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In the month of February, we hear a lot about the heart. Officially or unofficially February has become heart awareness month. The Heart and Stroke Foundation talks about heart health and encourages us to eat correctly and exercise regularly. A renewed awareness of the heart as a muscular organ which pumps blood through the circulatory system of our bodies is created.
February also contains the St. Valentine’s Day holiday. This special day is set aside to celebrate the love we have for our spouse, partner, or other individuals whom we love in a very special way. Matters of the heart are talked about as a way of describing our feelings.
The word heart appears over one thousand times in the Bible. When we read about matters of the heart in the scriptures, we are not reading about a muscle pumping blood or a romantic encounter. We are talking about something much deeper. When we believe with our heart, we believe with a part of our being that that is not physical but spiritual. Our spiritual heart is the very essence of who we are.

In the Bible the heart is understood as the ruling centre of the whole person. The heart is a composition of all the components of our soul.
God’s desire is to have a warm and loving relationship with us. Our relationship begins with our heart and is maintained by our heart. This February is a time set aside to think about our physical heart that pumps our blood, our romantic heart that expresses our feelings for those we care about, and our spiritual heart that connects us with God the Father.
In response to the question asked by the scribes as to which commandment is first of all, Jesus responded that “you shall love your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30). Let us remember all three hearts as we enter the month of February, the two hearts that receive the most attention this month, and the heart that needs our attention not only this month, but always.
Happy February,
Pastor David

January 2020

But, in accordance with his promise,
we wait for new heavens and a new earth,
where righteousness is at home.
2 Peter 3:13
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The celebrations are over, and the decorations are coming down, if they have not already been packed away. The merriment and the good cheer are replaced with our daily routines. Life returns to normal, whatever that may be. The excitement of December has been replaced by the ordinary and uninteresting days of January.
How easy it is to forget that January is a month of new beginnings. We begin a new year and a new decade this January. We have new calendars on our walls and desks. Because this is a Leap Year, we have 366 days of new opportunities.
We have a future ahead of us with all kinds of possibilities. As I begin my 73rd year,
I realize there are not nearly as many possibilities as there used to be in my life,
but there are still more than enough opportunities available to keep me busy.
And I realize that it is up to me to make the most of each day that I am given and take advantage of those opportunities, even on those days when I don’t feel like doing much of anything.
I believe that each day is a gift from God. While some days are easier days than others, we can
still use each day to make a difference. It does not matter how big a difference we make, but that we take advantage of the opportunity to make that difference.
We do not have it in our power to create a new earth, that is not our job, but we do have the power to make our little corner of the earth a better, happier, and more positive place to dwell. All the little differences we make in the coming year will add up to 366 days of opportunities that were not lost, but which contributed to a better world where we are living.
Each day is also an opportunity to reflect on our blessings. A good practice is to end each day thinking of three blessings we have received during that day. Again, it does not matter how big or small the blessings are, but that we take a moment to acknowledge we have been blessed in at least three ways each day. In 366 days, that equals 1,098 blessings. I am sure we receive more than three a day, but this is a good place to start.
The important point is to remember that in 2020 we have more of an opportunity than we realize to make a difference, and that we have been blessed more than we ever took the time to acknowledge. Let’s make this year a year of gratitude and a positive change in our little corner of God’s earth.
Wishing you a New Year filled with God’s blessings,
Pastor David


Easter Message from Bishop Younan

The Easter Message from Bishop Younan
As we continue our Easter journey through the fifty days to Pentecost, I am sharing this timely Easter message from Bishop Younan, the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Having spent a total of six weeks in Palestine and Israel I am acutely aware of the oppression the Christian people suffer in these countries. These are the descendants of the original Christians. Many have left, with many coming to Canada. In light of the reality under which these people live, I hope you can find the same meaning and hope in Bishop Younan’s Easter message as I have.
Shalom, Pastor David
Resurrection Joy in a Fearful World

Easter Message 2017 – From Bishop Dr. Munib Younan
“…the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” ~ Matthew 28:5-8

Alleluia, Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed, Alleluia! Al-Masih qam! Hakkan qam!
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, on Palm Sunday morning, after being in church and feeling encouraged by the message of “Hosanna!” sung by the children and the congregation, I heard the sad news of the massacre of our sisters and brothers in two churches in Egypt. One cannot receive such horrific news except with tears. The feelings of great joy on our feast day, and great sadness over such a horror, are inseparable—much as the great joy and great fear of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were inseparable as they ran from the empty tomb.
And so I must confess that as I prepared this Easter message from Jerusalem, the city of the crucifixion and resurrection, to the whole world, I had some doubts in my heart. I thought: What message can I bring this year that is different from past years? Has the Easter message lost its meaning, disregarded by Christians as well as others? Is it just a message of idealism, far from the lived experience of people today? What does the resurrection of Jesus have to say to us in the midst of the terrors, chaos, and uncertainty of today’s world?
But then I remember that the life of faith is not always one of assurances or certainties. Jesus’ own disciples struggled to understand his teachings and his journey to the cross. Peter denied Jesus three times. The guards at the tomb were so afraid that they became “like dead men.” Mary Magdalene and the other Mary ran from the tomb with “fear and great joy.” And on the walk to Emmaus, the disciples did not recognize the risen Christ until the breaking of the bread.
Therefore, there is no shame to admit that here in the Middle East it is a very challenging time to proclaim and live the Good News of the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus. The struggles we are facing are very real and are becoming even more complicated. We have good reason to feel confused! And still, the message of Easter comes to us very clearly: Christ is risen! The powers of sin and death have been defeated! And as the angel of the Lord has promised, the risen Christ now goes before us to lead the way in this broken—and often frightening—world.
I think of the story of St. Augustine, who was full of doubt but prayed earnestly for the gift of faith in God. While he was praying, he heard the voice of a child saying, “Pick it up and read! Pick it up and read!” He thought this could be the Lord telling him to read the Holy Scriptures, so he searched and found a Bible. Then he opened it and read the first verse he saw, from the Letter of Paul to the Romans: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh or the gratification of your desires.” (Romans 13:14) The young Augustine read no further, for there was no need. He later wrote: “No sooner had I reached the end of the verse than the light of certainty flooded my heart and all dark shades of doubt fled away.” (Confessions)

Thanks be to God, the risen Christ always comes to us when we are full of doubt, and shows us the way of love and light! For this reason, even in the midst of our confusion and sadness over the killing of innocent Christians at prayer, we can say with certainty: There is no religion which accepts the killing of innocent worshipers, who were doing nothing but seeking closeness with God. These acts are untenable and unaccepted in any religion. We are grateful that the vast majority of Muslim friends also stand with us as equal citizens against such horrors.
Today we are also facing a horrible and confusing situation in Syria, in Iraq, and across the Middle East. We see the images of chemicals stealing the breath from children, and of cities lying in rubble, and we wonder, “What can we do?” At the same time, we see missiles flying and we are afraid of what comes next – for Syria, and for the whole Middle East.
And again, although we may feel confused, because we have seen the risen Christ we know one thing for certain: Syria has no need of more weapons, more violence, or more massacres, or more extremism from anybody. This is creating international tension, straining relations between friends and partners, and we are afraid of what comes next. I urge world leaders to hear the words of Jesus to Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane, after Peter had cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant: “Return your sword to its sheath! For those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” Violence breeds violence, whether it is committed by terrorists or by governments. I call on the leaders of the world: Return your swords to their sheaths! Bring instead peace based on justice to Syria, to Iraq, to Palestine and to the whole Middle East. Bring a future for us and for our children.
As Christians in the Holy Land today, the turmoil in these many neighbor countries is very frightening. At the same time, here at home we are in our fiftieth year of occupation. Many Palestinian Christians are asking, “How long, O Lord? When will this end? Where do we belong?”
For this reason, I feel it is important to acknowledge that even as we sing our joyful “Hallelujahs” and celebrate Our Lord’s victory over death, some fear and confusion and doubts still remain. And yet, we must remember that we are not alone. These are the very same feelings the disciples felt after the resurrection of Jesus.
When our Lord was raised on that resurrection morning, the earth shook, an angel arrived in a flash of lightning, and the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb. It seemed the very foundations of heaven and earth had shifted. What we proclaim today as Good News, at that time was only confusing, frightening news! The guards, the women, and the disciples were all afraid of what they saw and heard. They were all afraid of what would come next. They wondered what the resurrection meant for their lives.
And yet, this same earth-shaking event is the one that gives us hope today. The powers and principalities of sin and death could not overcome the love of God. Yes, they could crucify Jesus. Yes, they could bury Jesus. But they could not bury God’s love for the world!

In the midst of their confusion, the angel told the ones gathered at the tomb, “He is not here, He is risen!” In the midst of bombings, Christ is risen! In the midst of persecution, Christ is risen! In the midst of violence and occupation, Christ is risen! In the midst of poverty and sickness, Christ is risen! In the midst of war, Christ is risen! And in the midst of our families, our communities, and our churches today, Christ is risen!

This is our hope, and we must cling to it. The message of Easter is not idealism. Christ’s victory over sin, death, and despair, is the only hope that has kept Christians steadfast in this land for two thousand years. It is the only hope that carried the saints of every age through trials, struggles, and persecutions. And it is the only hope that today will carry us through these confusing times in the Middle East and throughout the world. The Good News of the resurrection gives Christians clarity and purpose, no matter where they are, and no matter what the future brings. Jesus, the Morning Star, goes before us to lead the way—and the Way of Jesus is always the way of peace, justice, mercy, healing, reconciliation, respect for diversity, and living together as one people of God.
Therefore, Palestinian Christians will continue to be steadfast in our land. We will continue to carry the message of resurrection in the face of all who promote a culture of death. In the midst of power struggles, political maneuvering, and the growth of extremism in our world, we will only proclaim the culture of life and life abundantly, will full dignity for every human being. As we celebrate Our Lord’s victory over death, in this 500th year of the Reformation, let us trust that Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection have already liberated us by grace. We are not afraid! Despite all troubles and tribulations, let us go out from our churches and into the world with the joy of the resurrection, knowing that the risen Christ goes always before us. Let us encourage one another with the two-thousand year-old Easter greeting of Jerusalem:

Hallelujah! Christ is risen! Al-Masih qam! Hakan qam!

April 2017 Message from Pastor Dave



Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but he has risen. (Luke 24: 5)

Is Easter incomplete if you did not receive a chocolate Cadbury egg? Thanks to modern media advertising many people, young and old, think Easter is a failure if they do not receive the expected goodies. After all, what is Easter without enough assorted candies to cause a diabetic coma? Sadly, for many Easter ends with the Easter basket.

Those who know me know I love my sweets, and no one enjoyed their Easter basket growing up more than I did, but Easter in my family did not stop with the colourful eggs and jellybeans nestled among the assorted candies. Easter was a time for family and for church. Holy week was a week that always felt different in my home. There were the usual joyful preparations for family arriving and Easter dinner, but there was also an underlying seriousness that grew as we approached the Three Days. We attended Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services as a family. The reality of Easter was better understood in the context of the worship experience of the previous two days. After all, you can’t have Easter without Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I am very grateful that my parents made sure my sister and I knew and experienced the entire story, not just the fun part.

As we approach Holy Week and the Three Days, I hope everyone will participate in the entire journey, and not just settle for the easy parts. Easter is not just about running to the empty tomb. Easter is also about the journey after the empty tomb, about allowing this journey to take us to the deepest regions of our hearts and minds. In the resurrection of Jesus Christ God gave us such a miracle of love and forgiveness that it is worthy of our full attention and consideration. The resurrection is not an ending, but a beginning.

A chocolate Cadbury egg is so very insignificant compared to the gift of the resurrected Christ that it probably should not even be mentioned. Yet, it receives more attention during the Easter season than does the risen Christ. So, I guess the question is, “What is in your Easter basket? Is there room for the entire Easter story, or have the Cadbury eggs crowded out the true gift of Easter, the entire story of the Resurrected Christ?

Shalom, Pastor David

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