What a beautiful Fall day -crisp, sunny and full of promise! And it was a Communion Day at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church.
I have always approached Communion Services with the air of anticipation of a child about to receive a prize. Today's 11.00 am servicedelivered. Indeed, it wasa pinnacle-----experience -with the prize being participation at the Lord's Table together with Christians the world- over onthis World Communion Day, and with a sermon that resonated and challenged me.
The sermon was entitled "Foretaste of the Kingdom, from Hunger to Full" and this theme was evident in the choice of hymns, the children's story and Scripture passage from Luke 9.1-17, and our feasting at the Lord's Table. Our Minister, Rev Dimock, wove a masterful tapestry taking us into the crowds that followed Jesus, crowds with everyday faces --the person with a cancer diagnosis; the single mother not knowing where the next meal for her children would come from; the man whose job has become redundantand must go home without a pension. Oh, yes, we are in those crowds ! we know many of those faces! And yes, we too are hungry --hungry to know who Jesus is ; hungry to be fed --to be made full. But it takes knowing who Christ is, taking what He so freely offers us, and accepting His challenge of service. Yes, Jesus invites us too, to share His bread to others as we shared in his Table spread for us, today.
Why did I not want it to end? Was it because Jesus was there in our midst. Yes, I know I met Him.
This was the prize I anticipated.
Beulah P.