Jesus said, “Mary.” Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” meaning “Teacher!”

What a wide range of emotions Mary Magdalene experiences in this week’s scripture! (John 20:1-18, at the tomb of Jesus)

• Deep Grief and Sorrow:  weeping and mourning Jesus’ brutal death 

• Darkness and Despair: loneliness, heartbreak, and hopelessness

• Panic and Fear: fearing that someone has stolen Jesus’ body

• Confusion and Shock: unable to comprehend what has happened

• Longing and Determination: persisting in her search for answers

• Awe and Overwhelming Joy: the moment Jesus speaks her name, her emotions instantly transform into recognition, intense love, and ecstatic joy

Most of the pictures we see of Mary at the tomb portray her as weeping.  If we look carefully at her face in this picture, we see joy, not weeping.  This is the moment we can choose to focus on today - awe and joy as she recognizes Jesus.  For He is alive - truly.

Even in our darkest moments we can trust that even death doesn't have the final say. Jesus meets us there, in those moments, and calls us by name. 

Let's meet together this Sunday in GivingThanks for this!

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Image:  a 1973 painting of the JESUS MAFA project, a response to New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa.

From Art in the Christian Tradition , a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. 

There is so much going on in this week's Bible story that you will need a map to keep it all straight. We’ll give you one! The characters are many:  Jesus, Judas, High Priests, Disciples, Peter, Simon the Leper, an unnamed Woman (Mary perhaps?), roosters and scattered sheep.  What would these characters look like today? 

It's an action packed story…we have plots, perfume, a Passover meal, accusations, denials, roosters crowing and sheep scattering.  It covers time horizons from the Old Testament through the Resurrection, flashbacks and flash forwards in the finest story ever told. 

How will we connect all of this?  How do we re-member all the pieces?  Only Mark (in one short chapter!) and Rev. Donna could carry off this production, with some of your friends in supporting roles. 

This week we also celebrate World Communion Sunday, connecting us to all Protestant churches around the world.

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Last Sunday Rev. Donna spoke about Paying Attention - to creation, to scripture (words of beauty and life), and to what is going on inside us.  

“If you have ears, listen! listen!”, we sang. This week we'll continue paying attention, focusing on listening…listening to other people. Listening is an art, they say.  

What happens if we listen but don’t really understand what we are hearing? How do we really listen well?  How do we listen for truth or reality?  How can we be aware of lying or deceit?

What does St. Paul say about listening? And how does Christ help?

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

We invite you to pray this paraphrase of Psalm 19 before Sunday worship. 

God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
    God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
    Professor Night lectures each evening.

Their words aren’t heard,
    their voices aren’t recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
    unspoken truth is spoken everywhere…

The Law of LOVE is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of LOVE is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of LOVE are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of LOVE is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The awe of LOVE is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of LOVE are true; they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much pure gold;
Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb…

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart— these words I chew on and pray--- be acceptable in Your sight, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

(Heavily inspired by CVC Study Group. Psalm 19 (MSG, NIVUK, NASB, Psalms for Praying, Nan Merrill)

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Where were you that Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001?

Think about a moment that you will never forget, when something so significant in your life got your attention and gets your attention still, something you will not, cannot forget.

What is it that Christians will never forget, cannot forget?

On Christmas Eve we sing “Silent Night” and take ourselves to the small town of Bethlehem where the most precious Word of Life was heard crying in a manger.

On Good Friday we sing the African American spiritual, “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord,” and take ourselves to a hill called Calvary where the most precious Word of Life breathed his last and died forgiving.  

This Sunday, we will once again take ourselves to the last meal this most precious Word of Life ate with his closest friends.  

And we will remember.  

We will remember that what happened there mattered, and has continued to matter, and will continue to matter.

For this most precious Word of Life took on flesh and moved into our neighbourhood and healed and taught and prayed and ate with sinners and upset religious leaders and confounded his followers.  This most precious Word of Life cleared his throat from a tomb and ended silence.                                     

Come worship with us this week.  Come and remember what matters most. 

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

You might recognize these two characters from Rev. Donna’s favorite Jesus Story found in Luke 13:  Jesus and the crippled woman who Donna has affectionately named Rhoda.

One obvious similarity between this story and what we will experience this week in worship is that we will be surprised by what the Spirit can do when things don’t go as “normal.”

Instead of our regularly scheduled communion service, we will worship more informally.  Why?

Several people are unwell, two families have tested positive for COVID so far, and we believe it is best not to share communion elements together.  We will have communion next week if the situation improves.

Come this week if you are well, masked.

We will sing, pray, and engage with Scripture.  You’ll be glad you came.

Our last worship for the summer will be held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

• Psalm 103 ESV

Eugene Peterson, in his book Answering God:  The Psalms as Tools for Prayer, tells us that “forget not all his benefits is the pivot sentence in the showcase salvation psalm, Psalm 103.”  

If we are not mindful, our prayers can focus only on the future and what we and others need from God, and forget all that he has done for us in the past.  If we don’t remember what he has already done for us, how can we trust him to respond faithfully to our pleas for help?

And if we remember all of these blessings, how can we do anything but respond in praise? 

I hope to see you on Sunday when Rev. Paul Beckingham will help us to praise God!  We will read Psalm 103 and remember all of the blessings that God has given and continues to give us, including the beauty of the earth, the joy of human love, strength, wisdom, redemption, mercy…the list goes on. 

Rev. Donna is away on vacation for two weeks, and we gladly welcome back Rev. Paul Beckingham to worship with us. 

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Jesus closes his Sermon on the Mount with these words:  “Everyone then who hears these words  of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  The rain  fell, the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.”  He is suggesting that following his words forms a firm foundation for life.  

We will look on Sunday at one of the Psalms whose overall theme addresses how to dispel the underlying fear that causes us to worry.  

Rev. Donna is away on vacation for two weeks, and we gladly welcome back Rev. Paul Beckingham to worship with us. 

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,  and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.  When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.’  

Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

We don’t know what was crippling the woman - it could have been a physical condition or an emotion like worry, stress, grief that weighed upon this woman.  Or a combination of the two.

 What’s weighing you down?  What would you like to let go of?

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Do you know how to get plugged into The 3G Network of Christian Spirituality: Grace, Goodness, Gratitude?

Our service on Sunday will show you how - with emphasis on Isaiah 40, Psalm 91 and lots of singing!

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

This Sunday we celebrate Communion, and yesterday I imagined being at the Last Supper with Jesus and the disciples. I felt sad for Jesus. He knew ahead of time that Judas would betray him; he also knew that Peter would deny him – a kind of betrayal too.  He must have been heartbroken.

How great is the love and mercy of God that he knows about our betrayals ahead of time and still loves us!

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

We continue our series on Prayer this Sunday with Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble…

"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Be still.  Relax.  Let go. 

So much challenge.  So much comfort.  Sounds like intentional “realationship” with God, doesn’t it?

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

We continue our series on Prayer this Sunday with Psalm 42.

As a deer longs for flowing streams,
    so my soul longs for you, O God.

By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.

How does God speak to you?  Music?  Pictures?  Nature?  Animals?  People? Something else?  What energizes and excites you?  God is there, St. Ignatius said.

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Even the apostles asked Jesus about prayer (Luke 11)!  And so we begin this Sunday to have a closer look at Praying…with the prayer book that Jesus used - the Psalms. 

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Image: The Washing of the Feet, by Sieger Koder

In his telling of the Last Supper, John writes of an act of love not found in the other three Gospels. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, but Simon Peter stops him. ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’

How would you feel if Jesus wanted to wash your feet? What does Jesus show us about God in this story?

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

This children’s book cover illustrates how close Jesus was to his friends - his facial expression and eye contact demonstrate his vivid interest in them, their connection.  What do you think was the basis of this friendship?

Jesus promised to send us an everlasting friend. A friend who would be with us to the end of the age…connected and committed to us even as we change over time. In your experience, how does the Holy Spirit demonstrate the characteristics of a good friend?

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

"I am the vine; you are the branches”, Jesus said. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you.”

Remaining in Christ requires us to be fully connected to Jesus in every moment.  How do we do that?  Who or what are your supports that keep you anchored in Jesus? 

Worship for the summer is held in the Dogwood Room - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

How do we stay present before God?

On Sunday we will continue our look at the Trinity, and in our Scripture reading, we will add to our growing list of things that the Holy Spirit does for us:

• arousing us within

• helping us when we get tired in the waiting

• praying in and for us when we can't 

• keeping us present before God

Worship will be held in the Dogwood Room on main floor (cooler in the heat) - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Which wheel is wobbliest on your Trinitarian tricycle?

We’ll be focusing on the Trinity this Sunday.  We will also be gathering at the Lord’s table.  The word Trinity is not found in the Bible but the reality is there.  In John 14 (at the Last Supper) we can see the dance between Them.

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

 I have calmed and quieted my soul,

           like a weaned child with its mother;

      my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.

                                      — Psalm 131.2

This Sunday, we welcome back Rev. Beckingham to worship with us, and he will reflect on God's amazing love for us. 

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

This Sunday we will celebrate Pentecost and Rev. Donna has chosen two scripture readings for us that speak of the Holy Spirit -  the friend, advocate, helper, that Jesus promised he would send to us.  

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

In our passage this week Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?”  How guilty Peter must have felt for denying Jesus three times, such that Jesus had to ask this question.  And what grace Jesus extended to him, not only restoring him, but also giving him a mission and a purpose that showed what confidence Jesus had in him. 

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Like the women who have worked to improve the world, Jesus came so that we could have a better life.  He wanted us to do God’s will (harmonious cooperation) and called those who do, his real family…his mother even. This is the Jesus Way.

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00. All are welcome!

Food is essential to our physical well-being. Connection with each other is also essential to our well-being.  Jesus tied the two together and turned it into reality. 

We will see, hear, and touch the symbol of breaking bread together this Sunday. It is a recurring theme in the Jesus story, and in the story of his church. Jesus, our God made flesh, was always feeding people…sharing himself. 

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! - John the Apostle wrote this in 90 AD to people in Ephesus.

Imagine receiving this letter! How powerful first hand experience is...

Join us Sunday morning to welcome back Rev. Paul Beckingham. He will reflect on this letter and his very recent experiences of being in the Middle East

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

We are celebrating creative collaboration more than usual this week.

You won’t want to miss worshiping with us!

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Let us not mock God with metaphor,
analogy, sidestepping, transcendence,
making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded
credulity of earlier ages:
let us walk through the door.

- John Updike, from Seven Stanzas at Easter

We return this week to John’s telling of the Easter story from chapter 20.

And we will gather at the Lord’s Table.  

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

In a garden, just at dawn,

near the grave of human violence,

the most precious Word of Life

cleared his throat and ended silence

for the good of us all.

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. | Coffee follows at 11:00.

Joint Worship is held in the Sanctuary - enter off Cambie St. at 19th Ave. Hot cross buns to follow!

COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS
born to set your people free;
from our fears and sins release us;
let us find our rest in Thee.

These lines speak of a very different kind of freedom than the first century Jews (or I) previously thought I wanted. And because God is God, the freedom is and will continue to be much better!

Who are you expecting? Does the conflict between our expectations and reality continue to this very day?

This Sunday is Palm Sunday. I wonder who we are expecting?

Worship is held in the Chapel - enter off 19th Ave. at Cambie St. Coffee follows at 11:00.

Art - Jen Norton www.JenNortonArtStudio.com