Pastor's Blog

Denominations

Written by Kate Sanderson
Friday, 20 May 2011 16:39
We live in a post-denominational age. In some ways this is a good and healthy development. However, denominations do not inherently violate the Bible. As well, there is much good in having denominations and we should pray for their flourishing. We live in a post-denominational age in the sense that people often dislike denominations or ignore them. Many people now just look for a good church, they do not necessarily look for a church of a particular denominations. Looking for a good church is great, disliking denominations or ignoring them is problematic. All Christians should be committed to the unity of the church and of all true Christians. We need to develop attitudes that support this. We need to work with Christians of other churches and denominations. We need to pray for greater visible and lived unity among true Christians. However, unity does not necessarily mean organizational unity. Our unity can be deep and real without all Christians only being in one institution. So denominations are not bad per se — in fact they are often very important. Each local church needs to have some wider body to which it is accountable and in which it lives out the type of inter-dependence that should characterize the church. Because we are all different, it can be valid to have a denomination which expresses particular passions and practices and habits. There are streams of authentic Christian spirituality, and if so, there is nothing wrong with embodying that stream in some institutional arrangements — such as a denomination. If we think our stream is the only one, or the most Christian — then there is a problem. If we resolutely refuse to work with others who are in authentic streams of Christian spirituality, then we have a problem. I was a Baptist. I attended a Salvation Army church for several years. I am grateful for both. For over 31 years now I have been on the Anglican Way. It is not the only Christian way and not everyone will find it helpful. But I love it — it helps me to follow Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. George+
Last Updated on Friday, 20 May 2011 16:41

The Gift of Being Irritated

Written by Kate Sanderson
Friday, 20 May 2011 16:36
I have heard it said, "This is a joke. This church has a nice sounding vision statement, but what does it do? Is the church doing anything to reflect this statement? It just seems like words". Comments like this are potentially great comments. When honestly made they miss two things, but hopefully when these two things are made clear, great things will happen. Remember that the short form of our vision statement is "Building a prayerful, Bible - teaching evangelical church in the heart of the city with a heart for the city (and the world)." The first thing we miss is a connected to the phrase "heart for the city." For some of us, this phrase only means, or primarily means, "a practical concern for the poor". The vision statement includes the poor but has a concern for more than the poor. The 'city' is more than the poor. The city of Ottawa is also the place of federal and municipal government; of universities and colleges; of arts and entertainment; of business and commerce; of a wide range of social classes. Currently we support St. Joe's food ministry and Urban Christian Outreach, two ministries to the poor. We can do more and should do more. But the city is more than the poor. To have a heart for the city is to desire to bring the Gospel to the city and those who call this city their own. To have a heart for the city is to look out beyond our congregation and pray for others and act for others that they may know Jesus Christ and His saving power and healing authority in their daily lives. To have a heart for the city is to learn that while we are citizens of Heaven ultimately, we are to live as citizens of Heaven while being citizens of Ottawa, and as citizens, we should seek the flourishing of this city. The second thing is, the vision statement is dynamic, it begins with the word "building". The statement expresses what we believe God has called us to "be" and to "become". But here is the problem - if you see and feel ways that the Lord is calling our parish to have a heart for the city which we are not yet doing; that irritation is God's hand on you calling you to act. We often mistake irritation as a sign about others. It is often a call from God for us to get off the sidelines and roll up our sleeves and, well, be a part of the building process. Under the Mercy, George+

Eight Sundays

Written by Kate Sanderson

Monday, 09 May 2011 15:09

Dear friends,

Eight Sundays left. Counting today, we have eight Sundays of worship left in this building. On our eighth Sunday, we will only have one service. We will cancel the usual 8am, 9am, 11am and 7pm services and we will meet as one congregation at 10am. We will begin our service in this building which has been our home for 144 of our 146 years. About halfway through our worship service, we will stand and leave the building singing a hymn. We will walk singing to the Ottawa Little Theatre where we will finish the worship service. On July 3rd, we will have our 8am BCP service and Summer Combined 10am service in the Ottawa Little Theatre. [We are still working on our 7pm Evensong service.] We will have a new name and meet in rented space but we will be the same church/congregation. We will continue in our mission to help ordinary people be confident, joyful disciples of Jesus Christ. We will continue in our vision to build a prayerful, Bible-teaching evangelical church in the heart of the city with a heart for the city (and the world).

The Diocese of Ottawa will try to form a new congregation with a different mission and vision. This planned-for congregation will use an old name and an old building. However, for us, the 146 year old congregation, we are coming to the end of the season of winter. The 26th of June will be for us the beginning of a new spring. The book of Ecclesiastes has a moving poem, which I have been thinking of quite a bit. Here it is:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. [Eccl 3:1-18 ESV]

Dear friends, we are entering a time to plant and build up and gather and heal and laugh and embrace.

George+

Praying into Change

Written by Kate Sanderson
Monday, 09 May 2011 15:07
Dear All, Once again I ask for your prayers as we approach change. The Bible contains both a wonderful promise and a sober warning when it comes to asking God for something. In James 4:2b-3 it says: "You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." (ESV). Mindful of the promise and the warning, I ask your prayers in the following. Please call out to God to help and provide and lead and guide and raise up! First of all, we have found someone to be the new Worship Band leader. I hope to be able to announce who the person is within the next couple of weeks. However, he will not be able to start on staff for several months. So please pray that we can find good, godly worship leaders to step in over the next several months. Please pray for our worship band (and the choir and Holly too!) as we wind down in this building and launch in the Ottawa Little Theatre. As we all know, music is important in Sunday morning worship, so please pray for musicians and singers and leaders.
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Good Friday

Written by Kate Sanderson

Monday, 09 May 2011 15:05

Good Friday is the only day Christians do not share with others. This was pointed out to me by one of my daughters. At first my mind rushed to all the Saints' days, but then I realized that these are not very important to most Christians today. Few people take the day off work to have a feast and mark "St. Michael and All Angels day". Then I thought of Ascension day, and Pentecost, and Trinity; basically the same as Saints’ days. Some charismatic Anglicans make a big deal at church at Pentecost, but once again, it is probably not a day we invite lots of people to our house and put on a big spread.

In the secular world, Mardi Gras competes with Ash Wednesday, Santa Claus competes with Christmas and the Easter bunny competes with Easter. Good Friday is left all alone.

On Good Friday we remember that Jesus died. We remember that He died a shameful death upon the cross. The Romans used crucifixion as a form of execution for several centuries. This was a means of killing enemies and wrongdoers. It was also a means of shaming those who were to die and instilling fear in the general population. The Romans executed hundreds of thousands of people by crucifixion. There is not one recorded instance of someone surviving crucifixion. Jesus did not survive the crucifixion. He died on the cross. If Good Friday was the final word about Jesus, then no one would remember Him today. Why pick Him out as special among the hundreds of thousands who died of crucifixion?

Easter Sunday changes everything. None of the people who knew Jesus expected the resurrection; they all thought that it was final, but it was not. Early on the Sunday morning, Jesus rose bodily and completely from the dead. He proved to many people in many places that He was on the other side of death and that He was alive in the fullest bodily sense. The Resurrection proved that Jesus' words were true. The death He died was an act of substitution and redemption. He drank the cup of separation and sin and bondage that was mine and He offers to me His place in the Father's kingdom. His death opened the door to Heaven. His death created a New Covenant with God. His death was a victory over hostile spiritual powers. His death was the perfect sacrifice for others. His resurrection proves this true.

Come to Jesus Christ. Trust in Him. Allow Him into your life as Redeemer and Lord.

Under the Mercy,

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