Link to Sunday's Service on YouTube --- Sunday of Christ the King

 Good morning!

Here is the link to Sunday's YouTube service for the Sunday of Christ the King:

Sunday of Christ the King

The service will be held on Sunday, 21 November at 11:00am

Pr. John

A Moment Aside for 16 November 2021

 A Moment Aside --- 16 November 2021

 

  My father always love cardinals. We had a pair who nested in the fire thorn bush in our back yard. They were always around all year long and Dad fed them and the other hardy birds who wintered in our neighborhood.

Some people say that to see a cardinal is a sign that a loved one who has passed is looking in on us. I have no idea whether or not that is true. If it provides some comfort for you, by all means, go ahead and hang on to that.

The fidelity to place of the cardinal is another factor. They stick around through the toughest winter weather, although I’m sure they’re not silly and go to ground in nasty weather. Still, they remain, none-the-less.

In that we could take them as signs of God’s grace and presence. We have no reason not to. Again if it is a comfort for you, hang on to that.

I know I will.

YouTube posting of Sunday's Worship -- 14 November 2021

Good day!

Here is the link to the YouTube recording of Sunday's Worship Service.

Sunday, 14 November 2021 -- Holy Communion

Our next "in-person" service at the Church will be Sunday, 28 November, the first Sunday in Advent.

Pr. John

Texts and Sermon for 14 November 2021

                                      St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Aylmer, Ontario

 

The Service of Holy Communion

November 14, 2021

The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

 

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

448 Talbot Street West

Aylmer, Ontario  N5H 1L1

 

Daniel 12:1-3

“At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. ²Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Hebrews 10:11-14 [15-18] 19-25

¹¹And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. ¹²But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” ¹³and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” ¹⁴For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.[ ¹⁵And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, ¹⁶“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” ¹⁷he also adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” ¹⁸Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.]

¹⁹Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Mark 13:1-8

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” ²Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

³When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” ⁵Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. ⁶Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. ⁸For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.

 

 

“Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

·        The Scriptural passages of the Sundays just before the close of the Church year can be disturbing. Just so you know, next Sunday is the Sunday of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the church year. The Sunday after next is the first Sunday in Advent, which reminds us that the festival of the Nativity of Jesus/Christmas is thundering down the track at us just that soon.

·        Today we see Jesus’ disciples all amazed at the beauty of the Temple and the Temple district. Jesus changes their focus by saying that all this would be rubble. To this day, all that remains of the Temple is what is called the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. The Romans tore it down at the close of a war in Judah and the Temple has never been rebuilt.

·        Is Jesus being a sort of party-pooper? Is he saying harsh things just to hurt the disciples’ feelings? No, he is telling the truth as he knows it.

·        It’s as if he said “So you think this is all great? It will be a mess before too long.” Later he says to Peter, James, John, and Andrew “So you want to know the signs, the keywords, and the secret codes of the end of things? Better that you watch out for being led astray. Knowing those things might just do that. Better to keep the faith!”

·        The Twelve had the same fears we often have: What’s going to happen? How will we know it’s happening? And first and foremost, how can we be ready?

·        We all know of or have heard of people who have stockpiled canned goods, special foods, and even weapons and ammunition as a preparation for an uncertain future. We all know of cultic groups who have predicted the exact time of Jesus’ return, only to be disappointed and either fade away or change their focus to another time or another saviour. (Remember, last week in the US, John F. Kennedy Jr. and even JFK Sr. were supposed to appear in Dallas, TX and among other things, declare Donald Trump to be the “true” president of the US. When the Kennedys didn’t show at the time they were “billed” to appear, some said they’d show up at the Rolling Stones concert in Dallas later that evening.)

·        With this in mind, what do we do? First of all, we need to remember that all through the Bible and the history of God’s people, God is always about the business of making new futures possible. Even Jesus’ warning of the destruction of the Temple looks forward to a new future. The Book of Revelation, which seems like a fever dream for most of its length, points to a new future. Really this is what grace and forgiveness are all about,

·        Second, our preparation is not stockpiling Spam^© or weaponry, but to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. There are many ways we might be led off in other directions away from Jesus, but it is he who promises a new future. It may be a troublesome future at times but the ultimate goal is salvation by grace and a celebration of the goodness of God.

·        It’s a good thing to remember where we are really going and where history, as convoluted and strange as it might be, is leading us.

“Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

A Moment Aside for 11 November 2021

 A Moment Aside --- 11 November 2021

 

    On this day – Remembrance Day – we do more than honour those who died for their nation, their flag, their leader. We remember that they served and died for the betterment of their people.

We honour them best in working for the peace they ultimately died for.

Peace and Good to you all!

A Moment Aside for 9 November 2021

 A Moment Aside --- 9 November 2021

 

Joy and happiness are not the same thing. An ice cream cone might make us happy. Finding a quarter on the sidewalk might make us happy. What brings us joy is something else. We might find our joy in family, in our children, in our work, in the world around us. Joy is more lasting and deeper than happiness and joy can shine through even on those days where happiness is lacking.

Often joy is a choice or even a passion, while happiness is a condition that might be temporary. No one I know is happy all the time. Illness, injury, loss, even weather have a hand in “un-happiness.” Despite all of these things, joy can remain and can be sought and chosen.

Say we lose a loved one in death and are sad, that is to say “unhappy.” Joy can still be present even in the background, in the memory of what that beloved person brought to our life. We may be saddened by our loss, yet retain a sort of joy in the fact that that person was part of our life.

We can choose to know joy and uncover it wherever we might go. We can choose the opposite of joy – something far more than sadness – and live a shaded, beclouded life.

Which do you think God would have us choose? Remember, Christ rose from the dead. And in Revelation, the He who sat on the throne said “See, I make all things new!” (Rev. 21:5)

All Saints Sunday -- 7 November 2021 --- Texts and prayers

 

The Sunday of All Saints

Prelude, Welcome, and Information Hymn #424    Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. Psalm 24 1The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,    the world, and those who live in it; 2for he has founded it on the seas,    and established it on the rivers. 3Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?    And who shall stand in his holy place? 4Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,    who do not lift up their souls to what is false,    and do not swear deceitfully. 5They will receive blessing from the Lord,     and vindication from the God of their salvation. 6Such is the company of those who seek him,     who seek the face of the God of Jacob. 7Lift up your heads, O gates!    and be lifted up, O ancient doors!    that the King of glory may come in. 8Who is the King of glory?    The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. 9Lift up your heads, O gates!    and be lifted up, O ancient doors!    that the King of glory may come in. 10Who is this King of glory?     The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.

The Lord be with you.       And also with you. Let us pray. Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Reading: Isaiah 25:6-9

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. 7And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. 8Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.

9It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

The Word of the Lord

Reading: Revelation 21:1-6a

A reading from the book of Revelation

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” 5And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Verse: 

Alleluia. They are before the throne of God, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. Alleluia! (Rev. 7:15)                                

Gospel Reading: John 11:32-44

A reading from the Gospel of John

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus began to weep. 36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 38Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” 40Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Sermon (added at the end of the document)

Hymn #422   For All the Saints (4 verses)

Thanks and Offertory

Prayers of the Church:  

Bless our neighbours of the Anglican Church of Canada - Trinity Church, Aylmer, their pastor, Bishop Barry Clarke, and the Bishop of Huron, the Rev. Todd Townshend.

All Saints list:

Barbara Brisson

Mary Kovacs

Mary Handel

Edward Stanat

Brent Strickland

-         Doris Bechtloff (my Cousin)

-         Sr. Celeste Ciesielka, CCW

 #426   Sing with All the Saints in Glory*

(* Tune: #836)

The Lord’s Prayer

Finally let us pray for all things as our Lord would have us ask:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

    and forgive us our trespasses,

      as we forgive those who trespass against us;

    and lead us not into temptation,

       but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

         and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Closing prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, shepherd of your Church, you give us new birth in the waters of baptism and call us to salvation at your table. Dispel the terrors of death and the darkness of error. Lead your people along safe paths that they may rest securely in you and live for ever in your Father’s house, where you reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn   #414  Holy God, We Praise Your Name

Benediction and Sending

The Lord bless you and keep us.

The Lord make his face shine on us and be gracious to us.

The Lord look upon us with favor and + give us peace.

                            Amen.

Go in peace. Serve the Lord.   Thanks be to God!

 

We invite you to the in-person services on the following dates:

·         November 14 & November 28

·         December 12 & December 24 (7pm – Christmas Eve)

·         January 9 & January 23, 2022

 

“See, I am making all things new.”

·         The three readings we hear today all tell us of the love and mercy of God to all of God’s people. Isaiah speaks of a feast for all people and the destruction of “the shroud that is cast over all peoples”, which is death. The reading from the book of Revelation assures the readers of “a new heaven and a new earth” and a “new Jerusalem.” John’s Gospel narrates the raising of Lazarus and tells of Jesus’ own emotional response to the death of his friend and the sorrow of his sisters – “Jesus began to weep.” and he was “greatly disturbed.”

·         All three readings deal with death and how God ultimately responds to death. It is a reality that we all deal with, often daily and not one any of us would be happy with. The common thread is this: it is all in God’s hands. Isaiah tells us that God “will swallow up death forever.” The writer of Revelation tells the Church that “Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” Through John, Jesus says of Lazarus “Unbind him, and let him go.” Although the story directly speaks of the grace-cloths, but the larger issue is the freedom from death, the “unbinding” of people from the larger enemy.

·         This talk of death, freedom from death, and even resurrection is the center point of the festival of All Saints. On this day, we remember all who have followed Jesus Christ in their lives on earth. It isn’t simply those who we call “saints”, those Christians we often hold up as examples of how to live according to grace. Honestly, there are legitimate examples of grace-filled living who can often be examples for us. There are also many, many more Christians who will not have their own festival day, will not have congregations named for them, and will be remembered by the Church, although not by the entire, world-wide Church.

·         When we remember those people – as we will shortly in today’s service – we might feel sad for our own loss. We can expect that, for the loss is real for each of us. Just as real, though, is the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. It is on that mercy that we all rely. It is not our works and achievements – as great as they might be – that brings the saving grace of God. That is a gift and remains a gift for all time and eternity.

·         I suppose that the bottom line here is that All Saints Day is a celebration of God’s mercy, grace, and love rather than some grand festival of human achievement. I think the saints – big and small – would point that out. Maybe we can hear them asking “Why are you looking at me? It’s the light through the window that makes the beauty. Look there.”

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.”