Pastor's Blog

Talents and Gifts

Written by John Paterson
Thursday, 23 September 2010 14:32
One of my guilty pleasures was watching ‘America’s Got Talent’. I tended to skip ‘results nights’ because the guest stars left me cold. I enjoyed watching the contestants and listening to the comments of the judges. For the record, I was hoping ‘Defying Gravity’ would win but I was pleased enough with Russ Grimm’s victory For some time now, Christians have taught that Christians have both ‘talents’ and ‘gifts’. Talents are ‘natural’ and gifts are ‘supernatural’. The little quote marks are there because these words need lots of qualifying and explaining or they will confuse.
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Heart for the city

Written by John Paterson
Thursday, 23 September 2010 14:29
Does having a “heart for the city” really mean “a ministry to the poor”? Many people think ‘yes’. But the answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’. One of the many things I love about the Anglican Church in Kenya is how people introduce themselves to the congregation. They will say something like, “I am George. I am saved. I have two homes. I have a home in Ottawa and I have a true home in Heaven.”
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Please pray and pray and pray

Written by John Paterson
Thursday, 23 September 2010 14:29
Please pray and pray and pray! The following are some specific prayer requests. One. Please pray for Gary, Janice and me on Friday as we represent St. Alban’s in a mediation session with the Diocese of Ottawa. Ask God to soften hearts so that a negotiated settlement is possible. Ask God to grant to us wisdom as to God’s will for the parish.
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 September 2010 14:32
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Commitment to mission and vision

It is great to be back with you! It was good to be on holiday—I needed one—but it is also great to be back.

During my holidays, my family and I visited Pentecostal, Alliance, Baptist, Wesleyan, and Associated Gospel churches. It was good to worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ in different Christian churches and there is some great stuff going on in other churches. It was also great to hear how pastors and lay people pray for our church and admire our stand for the gospel—even if it means we lose our building. True Christians pray for each other and desire to see the biblical gospel preached, Christ crucified exalted and God glorified.

Emmaus Expectancy

What are you talking about? What things?

They’re not the typical opening lines we might expect from Jesus, not quite as earnestly evangelistic as Repent and Believe. But as two disaffected followers walk the long Emmaus road away from Jerusalem and their leader’s death, these questions are how the stranger that joins them begins. He wants to know about their experience of, as it turns out, disappointment in the life of faith. It’s only later, after their ambling conversation and over dinner, that they finally recognize the Christ they’d once followed, incredibly returned to them.