Dear Friends;
Greetings on this lovely spring morning. Despite the fact that we are living through very challenging times – with worry, anxiety and stress dogging many – a day like today – with sunshine and blooming crocuses gives us a lift.
In a phone conversation that I had with one of the active members of South Bay Church yesterday afternoon – the person was speaking of their gratitude for the blessings in their life. They told me about how they were reaching out to share some of my writing with neighbours who were without computers and technology. Near the end of the conversation the person asked about the Food Bank – and asked me to remind everyone to be mindful of the needs of those who are out of work and may need to depend on the Food Bank.
You can give a donation of money to the work of the Picton United Church County Food Bank, by sending a cheque, made out to Picton United Church (Foodbank on the Memo Line) and mail it to 12 Chapel St. Picton, K0K 2T0. Dollars donated allow the Food Bank to purchase the things most needed by the clients. If you choose to give a monetary gift, please make this over-and-above your regular offering for the work of the church. Of course, you could also buy extra food when shopping – and leave it in the bins at any of the local grocery stores.
The topic of “Today’s Post from Rev. Phil” is Faith
May you be blessed in the reading.
Grace and Peace with pastoral love and concern,
Rev. Phil
“Faith”
“Faith, Hope and Love abide, these three. . .”
First Corinthians 13.13
“What good does it do, my friends, if you see a person who lacks warm clothing or enough to eat and simply say to them: “Keep warm and eat well!” and do nothing to meet their need?. . .If you say you have faith but do not put it into action it is meaningless. Faith without action is dead.”
The Letter of James 2.14-17 (Rev. Phil’s paraphrase.)
Our Faith is important to us, isn’t it, especially in such trying times. It is helpful to us to know the words of the United Church Creed: “God is with us, we are not alone.”, and “God is at work in us and others, by the Spirit.”
In 2006, our United Church published its “A Song of Faith”, which is now included with the “Basis of Union” (1925), “Statement of Faith” (1940), and “A New Creed” (1968) in the Manual – the book that contains the By-Laws of our denomination. You can read these earlier documents, and the whole of the “Song of Faith” at the United Church of Canada website – under “What we believe.”
In times of difficulty and uncertainty, our faith can be a rock to ground us, an anchor to keep us from drifting, or a keel to allow us to navigate through the storms. (To use just three possible metaphors.)
What I especially value in “A Song of Faith” is the refrain that keeps coming back: “We cannot keep from singing!” But then, no one who knows my love of singing and hymnody will be surprised to hear that. 😉
I’ll come back to this with a quote from “A Song of Faith” at the end of this reflection.
Jesus made plain the essence of the Good News (Gospel). In Matthew 25, we read a story about what God expects of us. The scene is the last judgement of all the nations. The King/Judge says to the faithful:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I needed clothing and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
In the story, as Matthew tells it, the faithful folk who are commended by the King, are surprised. They don’t remember ever having seen the King in need and reaching out to help him. To this the King replies:
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these sisters and brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Jesus was proclaiming that God comes to us embodied in the needs of the world that we encounter every day. As we find ways to offer assistance: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give warm clothes to those with inadequate coverings, welcome strangers, visit the sick and even prisoners, we are doing these things for the Holy One.
Jesus, a Rabbi of the First Century, was firmly in the tradition of the Hebrew Prophets before him. You might want to look up Isaiah 58.6-12, where the prophet speaks of the true meaning of faith.
Right now, our physical visiting with one another and with those in need is restricted. But while we can’t be present bodily for them, we can reach out by electronic means to those who are lonely, isolated or alone. We can use phone, email, texts and social media to connect. And as our South Bay Church member observed, we can make sure that the Food Bank is well stocked to assist those most in need.
Following the guidelines of the Health Authorities during this time is a way that we can care for one another and for the whole world – as we “flatten the curve” of this virus that is COVID-19. If we were to fail to follow these guidelines, we would be complicit in the deaths of many vulnerable neighbours and would be putting those on the front lines of the battle at greater risk.
I leave you with this quote from “A Song of Faith” and with the assurance of my prayers for you and your loved ones. May God help us to follow Jesus in the way of compassion, and to love the world in Jesus’ name:
“We sing of God’s good news lived out, a church with purpose: faith nurtured and hearts comforted, gifts shared for the good of all, resistance to the forces that exploit and marginalize, fierce love in the face of violence, human dignity defended, members of a community held and inspired by God, corrected and comforted, instruments of the loving Spirt of Christ, creation’s mending.
We sing of God’s mission.”
Keep the faith!
