For Sunday the 2nd of March - 9:00am

Sometimes in life it can be tempting to think that people deserve all the suffering that they endure. Whether we think in terms of ‘karma’ or ‘just deserts’, the results can be the same: we can withdraw from people in their suffering, and can congratulate ourselves on being somehow better than most.

 

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible where Jesus’ disciples are tempted to view a man’s suffering as the result of his (or his parent’s) sin. Jesus does not see things this way. Instead, by his words and actions he shows that God can use human suffering to bring about his healing, truth, and life.

 

As we think about Jesus’ teaching and action, we will consider how God is calling us to show compassion to all people in their suffering.

 

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00amfor a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will be meeting at about 9:45am.

 

God’s peace to you,

 

Fraser Pearce, pastor

For Sunday the 24th of February - 10:00am

One of the central teachings of the Church is that God is love. This means that God is always patient, kind, and gentle, and that His justice and mercy are freely offered to all.

 

Another central teaching of the Church is that God’s love is not just an idea or a concept, but that it is a reality: that God has proved His love for the world by sending Jesus, who willingly took all the evil in the world upon himself. God has shown this love even to people who hate Him, or who despise and mock the Church.

 

This Sunday we will be hearing about the way that God has shown his love, and we will be considering what this means for all people, and especially for those who are reconciled to God.

 

We will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will be meeting at about 10:45am. The AGM of our church will follow the service.

 

God’s peace,

 

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 17th of February - 9:00am

When we go to see a doctor, we want more than a diagnosis of what is wrong. We also want to receive some form of treatment to help with our disease. While we know that sometimes doctors will tell us news that we don’t want to hear, in the end we hope that we can be brought back to health and to the full enjoyment of life.

 

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible in which Jesus assures us that he came not simply to tell us what is wrong with our lives, but to save us. Like a good doctor, Jesus does give a diagnosis of what is wrong, but he also freely gives us the mercy and healing that we need to live at peace with God and each other.  As we trust Jesus’ word to us, we experience the reality of his healing power in our lives.

 

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am.

 

God’s peace to you,

 

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 10th of February - 10:00am

We all have times when we experience the temptation to do things that we know are wrong. During such times we can easily find good reasons to give in to temptation. What’s more, especially if no one is watching us, it can seem that giving in to temptation is no big deal.

 

This Sunday we will be hearing from the Bible stories of temptation. We will be hearing about Adam and Eve fell for the temptation to define for themselves what makes something good or evil. We will also be hearing about how Jesus stood up to the temptation of Satan. As we reflect on what the Bible says, we will consider how God, by showing his mercy to us in Christ Jesus, gives us the freedom to turn away from ugly and harmful behavior. We will experience how God frees us to love each other and all people.

 

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 10:45am.

 

God’s peace to you,

 

Fraser Pearce, Pastor