Good morning and Greetings this Friday!

I do pray for you all, and for your families, that you are keeping well through these days.

As we move towards the weekend this Sunday is Palm Sunday. We are going to be reading from Matthew’s gospel, Matthew 21: 1 – 17 as well as Psalm 118: 1 – 2, 19 – 29.

All four gospels tell the story of Jesus entry into Jerusalem and in Matthew’s we are reminded that just before Jesus entered into Jerusalem for the final time two significant things happened. Both times Jesus asked people what they wanted from him and the first time the mother of the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus for her boys to sit at his right and left hand when he came into his kingdom. You can imagine what the others thought of this request but it was what Jesus himself said to them that we are invited to ponder: whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave (Matthew 20: 28). The second thing that happened just before Jesus arrival in Jerusalem was when he came across two blind men sitting beside the road crying out to him for mercy and calling him Lord, son of David. When he asked them what they wanted him to do for them they asked for their eyes to be opened.

Location, location, location… I have been told this is one of the first rule of Real Estate purchases but I can tell you that it is also one of the first rules when it comes to Bible Study. Even as we get ready to read about Jesus entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday what is happening all around him matters.

What do you want him to do for you? This is a question that is raised for us as we approach the Palm Sunday

What is the nature of greatness? And the kind of Kingdom he brings?

And then there is the question of sight: what might Jesus open our eyes to see as we come to Palm Sunday this year.

Who is this King that we greet with cries of Hosanna, which mean save us? What are we looking to him for?

Do you know this is the very first passage I ever preached? It was Palm Sunday fifteen years ago at St. Andrew’s Church in Guelph. I had never preached a sermon before, I hadn’t even started seminary but I was asked if I would like to deliver a meditation and when John, the minister there, met with me to help me think it through, this was his advice, look at what is going on all around Jesus. Location, location, location… that was his advice to me. Look at what happens just before… who is in the crowd when Jesus arrives… Who is watching him… What does it mean to join the crowd…

15 years later: In some ways the story never changes, it is always the same words on the page but every year new truths emerge, new inspiration is offered. This is because in addition to what is happening all around Jesus 2000 years ago there is also what is happening all around us right now. And in the power of the Holy Spirit the word of God reaches into our own lives and our own time and speaks to us.

As we get ready for worship I know that many of us will be missing the Palm Sunday procession we usually have and so I have this idea for how you can be part of the service that we broadcast. Across the country people are putting branches on their door and window to celebrate Palm Sunday. If you are doing this and want to take a picture and send it in please do send it to me kd@standrewsottawa.ca. If you include your name and picture on it just know that this is for a service being posted on youtube. For the children in the congregation if you want to send me a picture you have drawn or a picture of yourself waving a branch then I can include that too but I do need to have it by Saturday afternoon.

The worship service will once again be recorded at home this week and posted to the youtube channel that you can find on the homepage of our website www.standrewsottawa.ca.

Jesus entry to Jerusalem marks the beginning of Holy Week and the events that lead to his death and ultimately his resurrection. In the box below and on the website you will find some of the ways we will mark this journey that takes us through the shadow of death into the light of new life.

As we make this journey through the Coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic I do pray for you all. Each day I continue to make calls and emails and I am beyond grateful for the pastoral care team, the elders and everyone else who has taken time in the day to reach out and offer care, this is the ministry of Christ whose own name is Emmanuel, God with us,

Grace and Peace

Karen

Sunday Coffee hour: This coming Sunday at noon join me for a coffee hour get together using zoom. To be part of this please let the church office know by Saturday at noon and you will be sent the link to connect to the discussion. If you want to try the connection ahead of time to make sure it works for you please let the office know when you sign up office@standrewsottawa.ca

Holy Week: There is a link going up on the website with Scripture readings for next week as we journey with Jesus to the cross and then the empty tomb. Each day Karen and Sydney will post on the facebook page, and send out by email, a short reflection and some questions for your consideration along with activity suggestions for families at home.

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday: On Thursday evening at 7 pm and Friday morning at 11 am next week we will be reading through the passion of Jesus as it comes to us in Matthew’s gospel and spending time reflecting on that. We will do this by Zoom which is an online forum for discussion and meetings. If you are wanting to be part of that and have never been on zoom before email Reverend Dimock kd@standrewsottawa.ca and she will arrange a time earlier in the week for you to practice using it so that you are ready to participate.

Good morning and happy Friday!

 I am not sure what each of your days are looking like but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that for all of us things have changed and quickly. Today marks two weeks since I started working at home and I am convinced that unless we are essential workers this is the best service we provide to the community at this time. 

This Sunday we are going to start recording my messages at home instead of coming into the church to do it. For Hugh and I this has called for some experimental learning as we figured out how to make good recordings from home. I owe many thanks not just to Hugh but also to Paul Mzandu who did the recordings in the sanctuary the last two weeks and who over the phone has given instruction on how to upload to the youtube channel. This certainly is a season or learning new things and new ways of staying in touch! 

One of the things I have been doing to keep myself well, body, mind and soul, is being careful with how much time I spend on news consumption. In the early days of staying home I learned that there was a temptation to stay stuck to the screen and always on. It didn’t take long to realize, that as is the case with many things, balance and moderation are good practices. As human beings there is a part of us that is wired to be alert to danger and threat and constant exposure to the news these days can ramp up our anxiety. And so it is important more than ever now to find ways to relax, to find a healthy balance in how we spend our days. One of the best antidotes to anxiety and alarm is relationship. Social connections are critical. There are still many ways to reach out. The phone. Email. Social media… and if you haven’t heard from someone you care about reach out and see how they are. 

Draw on your faith. Spiritually we all have different ways of expressing and renewing ourselves. Getting outside, seeing the world come to life as spring arrives can lift us up. Music. Poetry. Scripture. Reading. Journaling. Art. Gratitude. Meditation. How we pray. Pay attention to these things and the practices that bring you to life. Draw on your faith. 

God is good. 

Notice the good all around you. 

We are going to come through this. 

As we think about these things the passages for this week’s reflection include Psalm 130 and Ezekiel 37: 1 – 14. Ezekiel was a prophet during the time of the Babylonian exile, when the people of God were driven from their land and unable to worship in the temple. The passage we are going to be looking at speaks about the life giving power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. It is a well known passage for many of us, where the word and breathe of God bring dry bones back to life. I am looking forward to reflecting on that with you this Sunday. 

In the meantime, I do want to know how you are doing. What was the best thing that has happened in your day? What are the sorrows for which you need prayer? I am always glad to hear from you (kd@standrewsottawa.ca). Although we don’t have a bulletin to publish this week we will continue to include an attachment with upcoming events and online news from St. Andrews. If you have anything you would like to share, a photo or a good news story or a quote or a picture that you are willing to share in this way please send to Vivian office@standrews.ca. We will do our best to accommodate your submissions. 

I do spend a lot of time these days writing notes and making phone calls and my prayers, they are with you and your loved ones 

God Bless you with grace and peace, 

Karen