Question: Where do see God moving in these challenging times?
Call to Worship
As Christ’s body the church,
we are called to be the living proof of Christ’s resurrection.
And though we and all creation groan as we wait and work
for the day of the fullness of God’s reign on earth.
Let us rejoice in our calling and let us spend ourselves in the worship of God.
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
Creating and Recreating God,
we are grateful that your activity in the world is such
that the old order changes to make way for the new.
Forgive when we have not appreciated or the valued or given you thanks
for the faith and practices that have been handed on and entrusted to us
by previous generations.
We also confess our reluctance to learn news ways of being the church,
ways that are enabling us to love and reach out to other in these challenging times.
Forgive us when we deny, devalue, or ignore
your ongoing saving work in our lives, community, and world.
Hear us as make our personal confession to you . . .
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers of confession.
Remind us that you have made us a new creation in Christ Jesus,
and you still continue your transformative Easter work within us.
May the proof of your presence among us in the risen Christ
be evident in the enlivening of our praise,
and in the empowering of our service.
Hymn: “Spirit of the living God (#400) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BagH-zTfnsQ
Words: Daniel Iverson & Michael Baughen
Verse 1
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Melt me, mould me,
fill me, use me
Spirit of the living God,
fall afresh on me.
Verse 2
Spirit of the living God, move among us all Make us one in heart and mind
Make us one in love Humble, caring, selfless, sharing
Spirit of the living God,
fill our lives with love.
Prayer for Understanding
God of rest and renewal, still our hearts and minds with your Spirit. Open us to receive your Word so that we may come to know you more fully and follow you more faithfully. Amen.
Scripture Readings
Isaiah 42:1-9 God’s Servant, a light to the nations
Acts 2:42-47 A picture of the early church shortly after the Day of Pentecost.
Luke 24:13-35 Jesus reveals himself to two disciples while walking to Emmaus
Sermon: A Church in Transition
In 1964, singer-song writer Bob Dylan reflected how as the world experiencing major changes in his song “The Times They Are A-Changin.” This song written mid way through the turbulent 1960’s with it many social changes occurring still resonates as we live in this time of Covid-19. Dylan wrote:
Come gather ’round, people, wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown.
And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
And you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
We have been all forced to adapt and change to worldwide pandemic. Some changes have been difficult for sure.
I am missing the fact that today is the second time we have missed celebrating Holy Communion together. I miss the energy, the laughter, our conversations, and singing when we gather together on Sunday morning. I am missing being with you.
The times in which we live have changed so many things in our world and I’ll let you be the judge if they are better or for worse, but the fact we are in a time of transition is becoming more and more clear to me.
This morning the Biblical text that grabbed my attention was the one from Acts. Here we have a glimpse of the early church in its infancy. After the promised Holy Spirit descends and empowers the followers of Jesus, Peter proclaims the first sermon of the church. It is a short sermon proclaiming the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Some 3,000 people responded to Christ-focused message by coming to faith and by being baptized. Luke then gives us a brief snapshot of the early church, of what it did and how it responded emotionally and spiritually after the birth of the church.
The early church from the moment of its inception was a community of faith in transition from the well-established traditions and practices of Judaism to something new. Jesus had told the first disciples that he had come not to abolish the laws of Judaism, but to fulfill them. He also told them God was doing something new and wonderful in their midst when he spoke of their need to be new wines that would be filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave his followers the resources they needed and timeless goals and directions to take on the new challenge of being His witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the world,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).
The early church began by continuing to worship at the temple in Jerusalem as they had done, following the ways of worshipping God handed down from the time of Moses. They continued the devotional practices of the Jewish faith of praying three times a day (i.e. “the prayers” v. 42). The early church continued the well-established habits of hospitality and meeting the needs of the poor in their midst.
In the transition they kept the established habits and practices that were helpful, while at the same time freely modifying them and adopting new ways to meet the challenges of being Spirit-filled Christ followers. The early church moves from exclusive focus on the Old Testament to adding and embracing the teachings of Christ through the original disciples, now called Apostles. The place of worship diversifies from temple into individual homes where they “broke bread”, code word for the Lord’s Supper as well as sharing regular meals together . Their fellowship, what they had in common and focused on Christ brought men and women, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds together. And as a result, a greater generosity arose within the faith community that gained them a good reputation in the greater community.
So here we are, in the middle of a pandemic, having been forced by circumstances and I believe God as well, to make important decisions and adaptations to how we worship God, how we continue to grow and learn as disciples, how we pray, how we care for each other, how we live out an ethic of generosity, and how we give witness to our hope in Jesus Christ.
The church in many ways, along with you and I have maintained as well as adapted to these changing times in faithfulness to God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. We are still worshipping God but have learned how to do so p on-line with others or by reading worship services as you are doing now. Some have adapted to worshipping in pajamas with a coffee in hand on Sundays at perhaps a later time on Sunday mornings. We continue to pray and sing as we have always done, but we do in our homes while our hearts and spirits missed singing with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We continue to financially support the life and mission of the church, not by putting our offering in a plate, but doing so by mail or by e-transfer.
I wonder if this may mean that will need to add coffee holders in our pews, welcome attenders in pajamas, and move our worship time to after lunch ?
Our desire to grow in faith has moved many of us to seek out on-line resources such as
PresbyCan Daily Devotional: https://www.presbycan.ca/
Sacred Space: https://www.sacredspace.ie/daily-prayer ,
Through the Word: https://throughtheword.org/ ,
Our Daily Bread: https://odb.org/ .
Some of us have listened to Christian speakers on-line for inspiration and growth. Some of us have gathered for learning and study on-line using Zoom meeting. Please let me know if you would be interested in participating in a Study using Zoom.
In terms of our caring for each other, we have expanded the ways we love one another by being even more mindful of the needs of others around us. I suspect that most of us have reached out more intentionally to church members, neighbors, family, and friends by phone, text, email, cards, Face-time, Skype and Zoom. I know our reliance on technology to stay connected has been challenging for many of us. I know that it will never totally replace the face to face time we have missed, but it has helped us to value our fellowship time and our shared meals together all the more.
Many of us have helped and supported neighbors, family, and friends financially as well as emotionally during this difficult time with the resources God has given to us. Our hearts have been broken for those who are out of work, some struggling to work at home as well as educate their children at the same time. We have donated to food banks and other helping agencies. We have appreciated that our tax dollars have been given to those struggling to make ends meet. All these are reflections of the picture that Luke paints of the early church for us.
As the early church witnessed and responded in faith to what God was doing in their midst and as they struggled to find their footing in their time of transition to the new thing God was doing in their midst, the early church was filled with awe, amazement, joy praise and gratitude. One could easily say that it was easy for them to be amazed for God was adding lots of people into their fellowship.
Someone lamented over the state of the church’s life and witness to me a while ago, and it prompted me to take a second look at where we are and what God is doing in this time. While there much to lament about, there is also much to rejoice about as well.
The church through this time has reached out to more people through a multiple of ways than before the pandemic hit. We have learned and embraced new on-line tools to do so.
The pandemic has reinforced and helped many to reclaim our calling to care and love for each other in more than casual ways.
The pandemic has exposed the limits of our own strength to cope and grow in the midst of adversity and thankfully we have pushed to draw closer and to depend more fully upon God. We have learned once again how much we need each other and what a gift we are to each other and to those in our lives.
There is much to rejoice in and be amazed at what God is doing in our midst if we have the eyes of faith to see it as the early church did.
As one reads through the Book of Acts, the church will face new hurdles and new challenges as it moves into the future God holds out to them in Jesus Christ. The church will continue to rejoice and be amazed at how God is working in their midst, even in the darkest of times.
I pray that as we move forward during these challenging times that we will use both the familiar ways and new ways the new ways of worshiping, growing in faith, loving one another, and reaching beyond our doors. In doing, I pray that we will also come to appreciate and value both as gifts of God. I rejoice in how God is working through His Church, how God is working through us, and how God is using this time to draw people to Him.
Now to the One
who by the power at work within us
is able to accomplish abundantly
far more than all we can ask or imagine,
to God be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus,
to all generations, forever and ever.
Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Hymn: “The church is wherever” (# 484) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TVOIirnjJo
Words: Carol Rose Ikeler Music: Robert J.B. Flemming
Verse 1
The church is wherever
God’s people are praising,
singing God’s goodness
for joy on this day.
The church is wherever
disciples of Jesus
remember his story
and walk in his way.
Verse 2
The church is wherever
God’s people are helping,
caring for neighbours
in sickness and need.
The church is wherever
God’s people are sharing
the words of the Bible
in gift and in deed.
Sharing our Concerns and Thanksgivings
Please feel free to pass on your prayer requests to me through email, text, or phone. You can reach me at stpaulsbanff@telus.net I lift you all in prayer each day and would like to know how to pray for you and what concerns you.
Prayers of the People
God of every time and place,
we look to the story of your church alive in its infancy,
and we see the parallels, and we see the contrasts.
We see the church alive in that day, and we see the church alive in this day,
and we recognize that what we do now in our being church,
and what they did then in their being church, are one and the same.
We thank you for the continuity and for the difference.
We thank you for your continued presence us.
We thank you meet us where we are, revealing yourself as you did to the disciples who traveled with you to Emmaus on the day your resurrection. We thank you that bless us each day with glimpses of resurrection and the promise of new life. May those we meet find their lives touched by the hope we have in Christ Jesus.
Listening God, we bring you now our prayers for others. Hear them in your tender mercy:
We pray for countries and communities where it is not safe for people to live out their faith openly. May all people of faith be granted the freedom to praise without fear.
We pray for leaders around the world who are making difficult decisions about the safety and economic welfare of those under their care. May they listen and follow the wise advice of those who seek the best interests of their citizens.
We pray for people who are struggling with illness, loneliness, grief, or sadness. Help us to reach out in love to bear each other’s the burdens. We continue to pray for those grieving ones in Nova Scotia. May each life be touched by the power of resurrection and new hope.
We pray for our congregation and all people who make up your Church. We pray for wisdom, guidance, and persistence to continue bless, love, and serve others during this time of Covid-19. May we lean upon you to guide, equip, and encourage us to continue to be your faithful witnesses in this time.
We pray all who are learning and relearning ways of communicating your good news and love during these challenging times. May we discover new ways to be your Easter people in the world.
We continue to remember and pray with thanksgiving for all who work in essential services. Watch over them and their families so that may continue to serve us.
We pray for farmers putting in crops now and pray for a fruitful crop. We pray for farmers and farm workers, ranchers and meat processors that wise decisions may be made to protect the health and safety of all agricultural producers and workers.
We pray for communities like Fort McMurray who have hit with natural disasters. Hold back the forces of nature that would threaten life. Guide and direct those who are on the front lines of offering help, support, and reconstruction.
We pray for our families, our friends and for ourselves. May each of us know the power of your compassion and promise.
We ask these things in the name of the Risen Lord who taught us to pray…
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
Offering of our Time, Talent, Treasure to God
In this Easter Season, we celebrate the living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that God has given to us. The gifts we offer to God of our time, talent and treasure reflect God’s goodness to us flowing into us and outward to those around us. The sharing of God’s gifts to us witness to the hope we have in Christ Jesus, our Risen Lord.
There are many ways and places to give, so give generously and wisely. Donations for St. Paul’s can be sent by mail to: St. Paul’s, Box 1264, Banff, AB T1L 1B3.
Please contact me with any questions and we will assist you as needed.
Hymn: “One more step along the world I go” (# 641) Words and Music by Sydney Carter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6czcGvXQcM
Verse 1
One more step along the world I go
One more step along the world I go
From the old things to the new
Keep me traveling along with You
Chorus
And it’s from the old I travel to the new
Keep me travelling along with You
Verse 2
Round the corners of the world I turn
More and more about the world I learn
All the new things that I see
You’ll be looking at along with me (Chorus)
Verse 3
As I travel through the bad and good
Keep me travelling the way I should
Where I see no way to go
You’ll be telling me the way I know (Chorus)
Verse 4
Give me courage when the world is rough
Keep me loving though the world is tough
Leap and sing in all I do
Keep me travelling along with You (Chorus)
Verse 5
You are older than the world can be
You are younger than the life in me
Ever old and ever new
Keep me travelling along with You (Chorus)
Pastoral Blessing
The blessings of God
who makes us and all things new;
The blessings of Christ,
who continues to guide and direct us by his example and teaching;
The blessings of the Holy Spirit,
who motivates and empowers us to tackle the challenges of the week ahead;
Are with us as seek to faithfully
Bless, love, serve and witness on God’s behalf.
Congregational Blessing (# 662, offered to one anther)
Those who wait on the Lord
shall renew their strength;
They shall rise up on wings as eagles;
They shall run and not be weary;
They shall walk and not faint;
Help us Lord; help us Lord, in your way.
Those who live the risen life
shall renew their strength
They shall rise up on wings as eagles;
They shall run and not be weary;
They shall walk and not faint;
Help us Lord; help us Lord in your way.