One of the things I’ve learned over the past decade-plus of life in full-time ministry, is how much we have to learn from other practices of Christianity. We may not do things the same way, we may have differences in the things that our practice of faith focusses on, we may not have the same songs or prayers that we use in worship, but I believe that there is much more that binds us together than that which separates us.

So I was delighted to find this post from Pope Francis about Lent:

Theres a lot to digest there, but even if you just choose to do one of these things, I believe it would be a fitting and beautiful way to mark the season of Lent. So I encourage you to do that – pick one or two and make an attempt at it! And see how God’s presence is felt in your life.

Until tomorrow, dear friends, may you choose the ways of Jesus (ie the second part of every line in the graphic above)!

Must admit, I’m feeling this way some days:

For my fellow SC fans:

For my animal lovers (I sometimes say I’m having a therapy session when Koski lays on top of me and we take a nap!):

One of my friends insists that puns are a Canadian thing. I just go with it:

I mean, he was a human toddler:

Totally. You could also show a mountain of dirty dishes, which is my bigger struggle these days:

My Mom has been complaining about trying to open produce bags at the grocery store for a while now:

This lovely piece of advice:

Snort!:

And finally, this blessing for your day:

Until tomorrow, dear friends, keep on laughing and thinking and drawing closer to God!

Welcome to Sunday Worship for the third Sunday of Lent. This week we begin a look at the Ten Commandments and we celebrate Communion (so make sure you gather your elements – all you need is something to drink and something to eat!). Here is the virtual worship service:

Until tomorrow, dear friends, may you know God’s presence in your life!

Tomorrow in our online worship service we will celebrate communion. So I thought today’s worship resources could focus on the Lord’s Supper.

Let’s begin with the song “Behold the Lamb (Communion Song)”:

This lovely prayer that expresses all that the table is meant to be:

A couple of thoughts from some giants of the faith on what Communion is about:

This lovely version of one of my favourite Communion hymns, “All who hunger, gather gladly,” (I specially enjoyed the use of bells and the drum!):

Until tomorrow, dear friends, taste and see that God is good!

I don’t know who needs to hear this today (other than me, cause I DEFINITELY needed to hear this today):

And I don’t have much else to add to it. I’m just grateful for the truth of it and wanted to share that with others.

Until tomorrow, dear friends, may you rest in the knowledge that His grace is sufficient for you!

You may have come across this before, but it bares repeating:

It’s probably safe to say that none of us are living a life we pictured right now. It’s probably also safe to say that finding the joy in what we are living is more difficult these days. Over and over I find myself in conversations with people who just want to go back to normal; who are tired of all this staying apart; who are following the rules, but doing so grudgingly.

I get it, I feel that way a lot these days.

But this image and it’s message remind me that I have the choice to find the joy in the situation. Even if it’s a small joy – like the joke one of my friends sent me on messenger today, or the sun that is streaming through my patio doors and making it difficult to see my laptop (I refuse to move, because the sun feels SO good and I can squint and make do), or the fact that two different people mentioned to me today that their snowdrops are blooming (Spring is coming, friends!).

Until tomorrow, dear friends, may you find the joy in the story you’re living.

(Because this is very good advice AND a faithful way to live )

Pandemic fatigue continues to be a thing. People are weary of staying apart, weary of the rules, weary of the way that COVID makes everything more difficult than it used to be. We wish COVID would just go away. That’s not going to happen any time soon – and I say that not to make you sad, but because it’s true. We’ve still got a ways to go as we struggle to get through this pandemic.

But, take heart, dear friends – because this is also true:

That is who God is – the One who makes a way, when there is NO WAY. That’s what the cross and the empty tomb are all about. It shouldn’t have worked – Jesus’ enemies thought they had defeated him, they thought they were ending this upstart religion, that once he died so would all his influence.

And here we are, more than two thousand years later, still turning to Jesus when we are at the end of our rope. And you know what? He’s still making a way when there is no way. We are right to put our faith in Him!

This is Michael W. Smith singing Waymaker:

Dear friends, may you trust the Waymaker as we continue to journey forward.

Let’s start with a little Biblical humor I for my cat-loving friends:

And for my dog-loves, this has just GOT to make you smile:

I fall for Fool’s Spring EVERY. SINGLE. TIME:

Coming soon in 2021 – giant nuclear spiders…:

I can neither confirm nor deny that this is the situation at my place, right now:

For my fellow theologians ($12 theology words drive me crazy!):

And also tv shows!!:

This very excellent reminder:

Tell me I’m not the only one:

This sweet reminder:

And finally, this blessing for your day:

Until tomorrow, dear friends – keep on laughing and thinking and drawing closer to God!

Welcome to the Second Sunday of Lent. We continue in our series entitled Back to Basics – looking at the core beliefs and practices of our faith. May today’s virtual worship be a blessing to you:

Until tomorrow, dear friends, may your heart be centred on God!