Praying for Egypt in the wake of terror

The PCC is mourning the tragedy that took place in Egypt after two churches were bombed during Palm Sunday worship services. The terror attacks led to the deaths of at least 44 people, with over 100 injured. Please pray for healing and peace.

Reflection from the Moderator

“We had prayers in church this Sunday for the Christians in Egypt, where terrorist bombs took the life of dozens of Palm Sunday worshippers. Coptic Pope Tawadros II was very nearly a victim of one of the blasts. Just a few weeks ago, my son Jacob and I attended a service of worship in Jerusalem, at the Holy Sepulchre, at which Pope Tawadros presided. Two weeks from now, I’ll be speaking at Markham Arabic Presbyterian Church, many of whose members are Egyptian Christians, as are those at Almanarah Presbyterian, where I was so warmly welcomed earlier this year.

“These tragedies in Egypt may seem far away, but we are united with these brothers and sisters in Christ. Please remember to pray for them, and for all Christians this Holy Week, particularly for those in lands where to be a Christian is a dangerous thing.”

—The Rev. Douglas H. Rollwage, Moderator of the 142nd General Assembly

From the Presbyterian Church in Canada

Hosanna in the highest!

There was much movement and excitement as the service commenced this morning, and it took me back to my childhood. I loved proceeding in with the minister singing hosanna and waving the palms. It was such an exciting experience as we imagined Jesus riding in on the donkey and people laying down their cloaks and waving their palms.

As I have gotten older I still get excited to witness the Palm Sunday procession and imagine what it would have been like to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem, however, I now recognize the enormity of this day that leads us into Holy Week. The clearing of the communion table is moving and symbolizes many things for me. Most importantly it reminds me to remove the busy parts of life during this week to reflect on its meaning and to grow closer to God who gave his one and only son for us.

My song is love unknown,
my Savior’s love to me.
Love to the loveless shown,
that they might lovely be.
Oh, who am I that for my sake,
my Lord should take frail flesh and die?

Colleen G.

Sunday, April 2

Photo: EJP

Walking through parables this Lent has been very interesting. What's really stood out to me over these last few weeks in Matthew is how Jesus was really trying to impress on the disciples that the Kingdom of Heaven is different. Really different. It's not a race to win and it's not climbing the ladder. It's definitely not pushing others down so you can step up.

Instead, we've learned the kingdom of heaven is service to others. It's gratefully accepting the gifts you've been given and sharing them. It's not me first, it's Christ first. Today we talked about Jesus "Whatsoever you do for the least of these..." a phrase is pretty well known around here because of our statue in the Wellington garden.

Our last hymn was, All hail the power of Jesus' name, where the soaring chorus commands: Crown him, crown him, crown him! It felt incongruent, holding in my head both the picture of our begging Jesus statue and glorious Jesus and the angels falling prostrate.

But maybe that's the point of the parables, to shake how we thought the world worked until the new way finally gets into our heads and into our souls. I don't really get it all yet, but I do understand the part of serving others, that was pretty clear.

...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. (Matt 25:35-36)

Maureen R.

Sunday, March 19

Rev. Karen said the Parables are gifts and Matthew 20:1-16 delivers. As an educator, I often heard that the problem is that they got the same as us and they don't deserve it. They didn't work as hard, they got an extension or someone helped them. They don't deserve the same as we get, do they?

The workers in the vineyard felt this way. In recent months, I have heard this same sentiment when it comes to refugees arriving in Canada. I read somewhere that 'what counts in the kingdom of God is not seniority or years of service but diligence of heart...'

We are all equally precious to God and whether we were first or last God's grace is there for all of us. "It is not merely the time that we put in. It is the heart that we put into the time we have."

Jeanie H.

Sunday, March 12

Today, in the midst of lingering winter chill, I attended church in the midst of lent.  I did not have an opportunity to hear the sermon, but I did have an opportunity to teach Sunday School. For me today, the overall theme was one of how winter is a time of hidden growth, not of stagnance, not of death but of restorative dormancy.  I was pleased to hear our youngest child, our son, read Psalm 32 in church, and also pleased also to teach kids I have known since they were toddlers in Sunday school.  It has been a few weeks since I taught and I was particularly struck today but the growth and maturation of the kids, not just mine, but of all of them, how well they can now read, and how well they can understand what they read. Many of them independently described the meaning of lent to me with compelling lucidity. The kids are, with Tracey, preparing a song for Easter, and it is as invigorating as it is tiring to spend time with them.  I am very grateful to Christine for all of her work with the children this past year, and look forward to welcoming Huda back as well.

Rebecca B.

Online Study - The Screwtape Letters

Join us through the Lenten Season as we explore C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters. We will look at this book both as a daily Lenten devotional, accompanied by relevant Scripture passages, for each of us to read, reflect and pray over as part of your journey to Easter and as a group discussion where we can share reflections, thoughts, and ideas about the themes and issues raised in the book. In this way we get the best of both personal and community reflection to feed us through Lent. The book is available free on the www.gutenberg.ca website; search for the title.

Add your name below for information on logging in to be part of the discussion.

“Holy, Holy, Holy, hear the hymn ascending, angles, saints their voices blending” was the refrain we sang yesterday as we read together Psalm 99 which beautifully extols the greatness of God and His Kingship over the earth. “The Lord is king; letthe people tremble! He sits enthroned on cherubim; let the earth quake! (Psalm 99:1).

This theme, of God sitting enthroned over the heavens and the earth as King, is one which is central to the biblical storyline and because of that is a central doctrine of the Presbyterian-Reformed theology. The Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God, as I understand it, explains that God, as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth is also the just ruler over them. In the Church, particularly in our hymnary we revisit this theme again and again to the point that I often wonder if it’s taken for granted. I often wonder if we forget that as Christians we believe that God the Blessed Trinity is still Sovereign over all Creation, even though it seems, because of the rule of sinful men that God’s rule is absent.

I wonder if the Sovereignty of God still relevant? I would say that it is, and that it is more relevant than ever to recognise that there is an everlasting King who sits enthroned over the world. A King, whose rule is not like the rule of men, but is one where peace, justice, mercy, and forgiveness abound. A rule that is free from malice, injustice, and power-hungry men lusting after more power. I think sometimes we are afraid of God’s Sovereign Rule, in part because we are afraid of God’s justice, but more so because we are afraid that God’s rule will be a reflection of the rule of  men on earth. However, the rule of men, is a fallen and sinful reflection of the just rule of God. We can trust in God’s Sovereignty because we know that God is good, moreover, God fully revealed in His Son Jesus Christ, and in His death and resurrection showed us what the Kingdom of God is like, and showed us what God’s Sovereignty looks like. God’s rule is a saving rule, a freeing rule, and a just rule. It is no wonder that many of those great teachers who have gone before us have focused so much on the Sovereignty of God.

One final note about the Sovereignty of God. As the Church we are called to be a counter-culture, within the culture. We are called to be the visible signs of what God is doing to redeem the world and exercise is Sovereignty. The Sovereignty of God lets us do that because we are not ultimately bound to the political structures, and our ultimate allegiance is not to whoever sits in political office but to God, to whom we must give account of our lives. Sure we are bound to the law to live as citizens under it, but it will never be our final master. The Sovereignty of God gives us hope in a broken world, and gives us a taste of what the world should be like and what the world will be like in the New Heavens and New Earth. When we believe, live and act as if God is King, and serve as His subjects the world is being transformed. Saints living and working under God’s Sovereignty are a light even in the darkest political turmoil.

Sovereign God, let us all live as subjects of Your Kingdom. Serving under your Sovereign Will. Help us to  live for You and under Your Kingship and let that be a light to the world. May the World see that You are King, May they tremble at your Rule of Justice and Mercy and bow before Your throne in Adoration. All Glory be to God; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost who sits enthroned as King over the heavens and earth from everlasting to everlasting.

Deus Rex,
A.S. Fels