20 Feb

0

It’s simple really: Love others and do good

by Laurie Watt in Worship

With Valentine’s Day past us, thankfully, it’s time to talk about what love means.

It’s a decision to do good, to help others, to build relationships and make our corner of God’s world a better place for all of us.

Jesus showed us repeatedly how to love – making the choice that expresses compassion, care, forgiveness and hope.

Sometimes that’s easier said than done. But we don’t have to do it in our strength. God gives us the strength.

Just imagine what Joseph, in Genesis 45, could have done when he encountered his brothers who’d sold him into slavery. Rather than getting even, Joseph invited them and their families and flocks to live with him in Egypt to ride out many more years of famine.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it has reminded us of of the uncertainty in our world and how we need to work together to survive.

Choose to break the cycle of hate and retaliation.

It is really simple, isn’t it. Trust in the Lord and do good. Love your neighbour.

Tune into our service at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7fokMC2aok&t=1s, “It’s a hard pill to swallow” – sure enough forgiving someone or not pursuing payback and instead showing love – it can be tough. But God is with us. Choose to show love.

17 Feb

0

Hidden promises are ours for the seeking

by Laurie Watt in Community, Worship

Just a few days ago we were in a deep freeze. We’ve had a few days of milder weather but we know winter isn’t finished yet. With those puddles frozen and the snow returning, it’s hard to imagine the work God is doing to prepare the earth for spring and His work in us and in our community.

“In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed an apple tree, in cocoons a hidden promise butterflies will soon be free.”

God rules and lovingly provides. His goodness is always there, although sometimes it may be tough to see.

Our Women’s Missionary Society partners with God in spreading His goodness. The group partners with other churches to fill Little Pantries. Youth Haven, the Listening Post and the women and children’s crisis centre will also benefit from the hope-filled fundraiser. Our WMS’s fundraising supports also projects in developing countries. The ladies are planning to hasten the feel of spring with a new take on this year’s Butterfly Tree fundraiser, which begins Feb. 27. More details to come!

In the same thoughtful theme, a Bible study with the Downtown Ministry Group focuses on what happens when grace and justice meet.

The online study starts March 8 and has ministers from Collier Street United, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic, Trinity Anglican and St. Andrew’s ministering together and exploring grace, justice, poverty, revolution, love and hope.

Another option to learn and grow – and to be part of the healing and reconciliation work with our Indigenous neighbours – is offered by York Region’s Kairos Ecumenical Justice group. It’s a sharing and learning opportunity that offers cultural insights as well as traditional knowledge.

Give some thought as to how you’d like to nourish your journey in Lent. Unlike a bulb in the ground, however, you won’t be alone, in the cold and in the dark. You’ll be with others who choose justice, peace and hope.

13 Feb

0

Something God alone can see

by Laurie Watt in St. Andrew's, Worship

Face it: Many of us are tired of winter.

This year, we didn’t have a January thaw that reduced the snowbanks to a reasonable level. We haven’t had a real break from the cold, which has often been severe and relentless.

But in the snow and cold of winter, there’s a spring that waits to be. Those are words from the first hymn we sang together today as we returned to in-person worship.

The coldness has been made worse, it seems, by the masks we continue to wear. They hide smiles and contain laughter.

The coldness has been made worse by the uncertainty of our economy and the ongoing protests about public health measures we’ve had to endure for almost two years.

The cold winds are chilly and discouraging.

Believe that there is work being done we can’t see. There is a spring that waits to be.

Enjoy the music and the hymn that focuses on God’s promise and His continuing care, which sometimes we can’t see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDpByzZqeQ4

09 Feb

0

Art for the Heart full of colour

by Laurie Watt in Community, St. Andrew's

As winter wanes and the grey skies begin to lighten, add some more colour to your life with our art guild.

Art for the Heart is offering a six-week series, Mosaic Montage. The spring series includes colour theory and explores how to make the most of alcohol-based inks, such as Sharpie markers.

The classes take place on Zoom on Tuesday evenings, from March 1 to April 5. The class is limited to 12 participants. Registration deadline is Feb. 22. The six-week series costs $50 and includes a supply kit.

To register, email artfortheheartbarrie@gmail.com.

06 Feb

1

Life-changing grace abounds for you and me

by Laurie Watt in Community, St. Andrew's

Like all well-known stories, the one in which Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James and John as His first disciples is easy to take for granted as we look at the time and place as being so far removed from us.

They were fishermen – an unpretentious but respectable job – in Galilee and they’d had a rather unfruitful night when Jesus approached. Jesus changed everything as they responded to Him. Suddenly they had an overwhelming abundance of fish. (You can read more in Luke 5.)

God knows what He’s doing, although we might not understand, something that causes us to say “Why me?”

Why you and me? Because He has joy and goodness to share.

In 2016, St. Andrew’s welcomed a family who fled Syria. We helped them get secure housing, their kids settled in school and on the road to learning English and finding employment.

The family has had a journey that included frustrations, like all of us, and yet five years later, they doing well. Theirs is a story of resilience, hope and hard work.

As we on the sponsorship committee worked with them, we received more than we gave. Helping them was life-changing and inspiring.

We worked with Presbyterian World Service and Development (PWS&D), whose staff helped us navigate the federal sponsorship program and link us with a family looking for a new life. PWS&D celebrates 75 years and its work includes partnerships with the Canada Food Grains Bank.

God doesn’t expect us to work alone. There are others with different gifts and resources who are called to work alongside us. Knowing we are making a difference in people’s lives and in our community, province, country and world is quite a gift.

Every “yes” to God has an impact.

We respond.

Join us online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRJhU_XNswE&t=34s or starting Feb. 13, in-person worship resumes. We encourage everyone to be double-vaxxed and to continue following health protocols such as masks and social distancing.

30 Jan

0

“I choose you” – yes, you

by Laurie Watt in Worship

“Why me?”

That’s a fair question. Why you?

Well, that was a variation on the question Jeremiah asked as God told him he is to be a prophet to the nations. A rather big assignment for anyone, let alone a teen on the cusp of adulthood (age 17).

Stop and think about that for a minute: 17. Today, those individuals are in Grades 11 or 12. They still enjoy the shelter and protection of their parents. They have almost no life experience.

“I am too young”, said Jeremiah.

Each one of us has our own “Why me?” variation. Sometimes it may just feel like we’re not enough, not experienced enough or perhaps too tired.

God understands. And He is prepared to sustain us as we take on His work.

Knowing that as we journey forth in faith, we can go confidently, unafraid of what is ahead. God is our safe harbour, our rock, our guiding light in the darkness.

27 Jan

1

Our organist returns to his roots – at the church keyboard

by Laurie Watt in St. Andrew's, Worship

It brings us joy that Dennis Thompson has come out of retirement as he joins us as our organist.

Dennis studied piano in Barrie with Jessie Bryson, up until he obtained his ARCT, and he studied preliminary organ with Lloyd Tufford at Collier Street United Church. He went to university in 1958 – and he continued his musical exploration further afield.

He went on to become a teacher. As an educator, he shared his passion, as his specialties were vocal music, choirs and bands. He’s taken numerous choirs and bands to Ontario Place and Expo ’67. After retiring, Dennis expanded his own learning as he took musical study trips on the organs of Europe and Great Britain.

Dennis has been at the church organ keyboard since he was a teenager. He has been a church organist and/or choir director in various denominations – including Toronto’s Calvary Baptist Church and Christ Church in Scarborough Village.

He enjoys singing with the Serenata Singers and as a church musician, he enjoys the challenge of working with small groups of singers.

23 Jan

0

The heavens declare the glory of God

by Laurie Watt in Worship

The mercury is dipping to extreme lows these days.

And the days are still on the short side. Even as we look at the forecast on our phones, even as the days lengthen by minutes, the lengthening of the sunshine in the sky seems to proceed all too slowly.

Indeed, sunrise still isn’t happening until well after 7:30 a.m., but sunset is happening after 5 p.m. Today, the mobile weather app says the sun will go down at 5:15 p.m.! That’s quite an improvement over a couple of weeks ago.

As the ground is covered in snow, it reflects the sunshine and encourages us to look up.

Winter skies can be grey but they can be incredibly blue or full of colours – oranges, pinks, purples.

The silhouettes of trees are beautiful. Whether the trees are evergreens or whether they have bare deciduous branches reaching up, they remind us of the beauty and variety of creation. Each type of branch has its own beauty with snow sprinkled on it or bare against the sky.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands,” David says in Psalm 19.

Even when we are in the shadows, we are still under God’s care.

The law of the Lord revives the soul, the psalmist adds, later in verse 7.

The joy of the joy of the Lord is ours, because we are His.

Join us online and hear more about the joy of the Lord in this week’s worship now online https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_tEdfXqQF0

20 Jan

0

Given a new life. Take comfort in it.

by Laurie Watt in Community, St. Andrew's

This week’s theme seems to be how God uses each of us to do great things. For example, the Betty White Challenge helped an array of animal rescue agencies, in Barrie and beyond. Many people gave a little and together, their funds will do a lot.

One such agency is Furry Friends Animal Shelter in Barrie. It does its work alongside Marie’s Cat Rescue and Street Cats, as well as the OSPCA. Each of these agencies works with its volunteers and cares for cats as they offer them shelter and hope for new life with a family. Furry Friends is where Ivan landed after volunteers rescued him from a cat hoarder’s house, where there were more than 60 cats. Ivan was verging on wild those few short years ago.

This week is also the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We at St. Andrew’s joined in the worship service at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic. All were welcome.

At St. Andrew’s, we also work with other churches, especially our neighbouring churches in the downtown core on the Little Food Pantry Project. Together, we offer relief and a bit of nourishment to those who seek it.

The community cat rescue work reinforces this theme. Poppy – the black house panther – arrived in a litter of kittens born to a mom rescued by Street Cats. Poppy loves plants and soaking up the sun.

So what’s the message? The work each of us does has an impact. Together, we have even more impact.

As Christians, we know what it means to be “redeemed” or “adopted”. These words take on more significance when we adopt a pet, whether from a pet store or a shelter. We bring the animal home and into our lives, offer it food and shelter and build a relationship. That’s what God does for us.

Stay in the Light and stay warm.

16 Jan

0

Lighting up your corner of our world

by Laurie Watt in Community

It seems too many people who’ve had an impact in our world have left it: Betty White, Sidney Poitier, Desmond Tutu – to name just three.

Let’s use Betty White as an example. Tomorrow, Jan. 17, would have been her 100th birthday. There’s a movement on social media — the Betty White Challenge — which encourages everyone to donate $5 to an animal shelter in her memory, because she was such a lover of animals. In the Barrie area, some of the organizations that help the animals are Furry Friends, Marie’s Cat Rescue, Street Cats, Ralphy’s Retreat Animal Sanctuary, Precious Paws and the OSPCA. Each organization’s volunteers work in their corner of our world to save lives and offer animals hope.

White also didn’t tolerate racism and she stood up for others. Having an impact in that same area o f human rights was Sidney Poitier, the first African-American actor to receive the Academy Award for Best Actor. He forged a path for many to follow.

And Desmond Tutu – his human rights work changed millions of lives and created a better world. His impact cannot be overstated.

Photo by Elias Maurer on Unsplash

This week is also the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Although Christians come to worship in many ways, we share the same Good News – the life-changing power that Jesus offers each of us. We may wear different robes, sing different hymns or have a different name, but that brings a beauty and inclusivity to the work. In Barrie, on Wednesday at 2 p.m., we will join together at St. Mary’s, 65 Amelia St.

Just imagine the impact if we all gave $5 for Betty to an animal shelter. Imagine the power if we all said one prayer for our neighbour. Imagine if each of us reached out to share the light in our corner of our world. When people work together, good things happen. Add God, and it becomes amazing.

Listen to our service about how Jesus used everyday jars. Join us at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wPegEi1M50

Blog