Hi everyone,
Today was a good day. Extremely nerve racking and stressful, but good. And I’m sorry to announce that the day wasn’t captured by all of the equipment that is supposed to make life easier because of a small error on my part (in my busyness I forgot to hit a single button). This means that the stream didn’t work nor was there a proper recording I could upload to view later. Instead, we are left only with our memories.
And I’m not sure if that’s a bad thing.
Sure, I’m saddened that we don’t have a recording of the service that I admit I put a lot of effort into making happen. We can’t go back to relive today and hear the readers and guests and the larger-than-usual crowd singing. We can’t get online and hear my sermon again and again until we have it committed to memory. However, I’m not sure anyone would do that last one anyway.
But to be honest, if this happened maybe a week ago, I would have been devastated. I would have been kicking myself in the head for not pushing that small button. I would have been so disappointed in myself that I’d fall into this slump of guilt and self defeat.
But today, today was still a good day. I look at all the people that were here, the laughter that I heard, and the reconnecting of familiar faces, and I couldn’t help but smile. I look at all the people who participated, put their time and effort into being here and making today happen, and dedicate themselves to the good of our congregation, and I am proud to be a part of it. I look at the past 70 years of ministry for this church, all the good that it has done, and all the lives it has affected and I stand humbled and in hope for the future. Today was a good day because we belong to a good community.
So yes, there was a small set back, but that will not wane the hope that I have. I know I messed up by not pushing the button, but our community will continue to thrive. We’re a video short in our arsenal of videos on our YouTube channel, but we have our memories, our relationships, and our blessing from God that will last a lifetime.
Thank you, Grace Church, for allowing me to be part of your legacy of God’s love in our neighbourhood!
Here are the readings for next week:
Malachi 4:1-2a
Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19
So we’re in a time of the year where a lot of the readings talk about the end of the world. Thankfully, because of all the special Sundays we’ve been having recently, we aren’t using these texts. Not that there is anything wrong with them, mind you, it’s just that talk about the end of the world isn’t exactly inspiring.
And perhaps they aren’t meant to. But Jesus tells us this week that we’ll be hearing about a bunch of end time predictions, and when we do, that we mustn’t lose hope. Yeah, easier said than done.
But when we look back on all that God has done, all that we are given, and all that God allows us to participate in, then maybe it isn’t so bad. Sure, the world might end some day, but we know that even that won’t remove us from the love of God and all the blessing that we’ve already received in our lifetimes. To me, that actually fills me with more hope knowing that there is still time to be part of the good that God is doing in the world.
So whatever we might be going through, know that there is hope at the end of the tunnel. There is good that can be seen even if it isn’t automatically apparent. There is God, present with us throughout all we go through, blessing us with joy and peace and strengthening us in the Word.
Thank you all again for being part of what God is doing in the world, and thank you for your inspiring faith and hope.
Thanks be to God! Have a great week!
Photo by Winnie Fong