Dear friends,
We are returning from vacation and are aiming towards a more ‘normal’ sense of church life and work. We return to worship this Sunday. As we return, we do so with excitement at the possibilities that are ahead for our worshiping community as we celebrate church life together.
We also take this time to recognize the life transitions that have occurred during our time away. We celebrate new births. We know that for our children, a new school year is underway with all the excitement and nervous energy that brings. We also acknowledge those of our congregation who have passed away and offer thanksgiving for their faith and life.
We keep our prayers directed toward those in need beyond our walls. We offer prayers and condolences for those affected by the violence in Saskatchewan at the James Smith Cree Nation and at Weldon and beyond. Here is a link to our United Church of Canada’s statement regarding this tragic violence.
We also offer our condolences at the death of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022). We offer our deep gratitude for so many years of service, devotion, and faith. The Archbishop of Canterbury offers this statement, “As deep as our grief runs, even deeper is our gratitude for Her Late Majesty’s extraordinary dedication to the United Kingdom, her Realms and the Commonwealth. Through times of war and hardship, through seasons of upheaval and change, and through moments of joy and celebration, we have been sustained by Her Late Majesty’s faith in what and who we are called to be.”
We trust that God helps all those who are mourning, suffering, or struggling in any way. In Christ we know a love that strengthens, nurtures, and reconciles us to God and to one another, so that we might have life and have it abundantly. God’s promise in Jesus Christ is that we will know this strengthening love as pure gift, and, that we will grow in that love as we share that love in our family, community, and world.
Thanks be to God!
