SASS Weekly Newsletter

May 11 2020

 

May 3-24 2020 – Sunday Worship

During May we are focusing on four NT words that describe the church: fellowship, service, proclamation and witness. So far we have looked at two of these words. Perhaps those first two descriptions of God’s people are not surprising to any of us. The church is called to be a fellowship, a gathering of people characterised by love – love of God and love of neighbour. We are also called to be the “diakonia” – people sent to serve, to follow Jesus’ example of caring for and feeding his sheep. On May 10, I emphasised that we are not commanded to serve just to be good people doing good things, but the reality behind this call is our own restoration, to become what we were meant to be all along: made in the image of God caring for the entire creation. We are not merely called to do things like Jesus but in fact the goal of God’s reconciling work, which the church is to participate in, is that we become like Jesus. Perhaps that’s why the first words that Jesus teaches in Matthew’s Gospel are the beatitudes: the characteristics of a gospelized person, someone who is becoming like Jesus, becoming fully human. Let’s not be satisfied with being a koinonia, let’s help each other become Christ-like. Can I hear an AMEN? Next Sunday, I am so looking forward to Rev. Dr. David Montgomery returning to preach and challenge us about the simple proclamation that “Jesus is Lord.” I wonder will Monty bring his daughter with him?

 

Video Challenge

Last week I gave a challenge to ALL of us to participate in our community. I am not asking you to perform a 3 minute dance. Simply, video yourself singing one line, doing one action or one hip movement so that Daniel can splice us all together in a fun activity.

 

We have extended the deadline to this WEDNESDAY, May 13^th.

Be creative, be energetic, but please be careful.

I have put a YouTube link on our church homepage 

to the “King of Me” video, so get dancing.

 

Send your videos to Pastor Daniel and tune in on May 17^th to see the SASS family. Have fun!

 

Moments with the Master in May

Hopefully you are still reading through Luke’s Gospel this month, and spending 20 minutes each day; precious “moments with the Master in May.”

I have included the reading plan for this upcoming week, for your reference.

 

 

 

Every day read the passage at least once, and after some silent reflection ask the following two questions:-

1. What leaps out at you about this passage?
2. If you could ask God one question about this passage what would you ask?

Journal your thoughts and responses to help you develop a life-giving habit of mediating on these “Moments with the Master in May.”

 

I would love to hear your reflections and questions. I would love to be able to share what you have discovered, what is challenging you, or blessing you, with the community through these weekly newsletters. Drop me an email.

 

Competition Time

Last week’s EMOJI challenge winner is … The Walton-Knight household. Well done to all of you. Your prize is at SASS and hopefully you’ll get it soon.

 

The answers are as follows:- 1. Brazil, 2. Germany, 3. Wales, 4. Belgium, 5. Canada, 6. Chile, 7. Finland, 8. Thailand, 9. Iceland, 10. Seychelles, 11. Oman, 12. Madagascar, 13. Estonia, 14. Czech republic, 15. Tunisia, 16. Hungary, 17. Liechtenstein, 18. Cuba, 19. Turkey, 20. Andorra, 21. Peru, 22. Iran, 23. Panama, 24. Bahrain, 25. Georgia

 

This week’s competition is name that plant. Please! Submit your answers to me by email. The first email with ALL 12 correct answers will win a prize. pastormbaxter@gmail.com

In order to see the pics of the plants please click on the PDF version of the newsletter.

Prayer

 

St. Andrew’s & St. Stephen’s is a “community of faith”, a KOINONIA of brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s continue to uphold our family members who are struggling with their health during these days. 

 

This week lift up Gary after the death of his mother Muriel Dionne, last Tuesday evening. Muriel also has a daughter, Camile, and two granddaughters, Valerie and Adrienne. 

 

Let’s also pray for those who have been so affected by this pandemic. Many have lost jobs, many are anxious about what life is going to be like in the long run, and many are struggling to balance work, homeschooling and family dynamics. Let’s also pray for the many families all over the world who have lost loved ones due to COVID-19.

 

We also want to uphold those in our congregation and families who are struggling with other illnesses; particularly Doug Claydon and Kel Keyser.  We are thankful for God’s hand of blessing on Corlea Smit’s mother last week who underwent surgery. And let’s thank God for Paul and Rebecca’s baby girl, Adeline, born May 5, granddaughter of Alan & Karenne Hartley.

 

During these strange times we want to pray for you. So we have created a new prayer email account. Send your prayer request to prayer@sasspc.bc.ca

 

  Worship Service information

We continue to hold our Sunday worship services online, via ZOOM. The link to all SASS meetings and worship services is easily accessible. Just go to our homepage – sasspc.bc.ca and scroll down and click on the "LIVE STREAM" graphic. The password to access our ZOOM meetings will be “sass” – lowercase, no quotes.

 

The ZOOM Meeting ID for our SASS worship services is – 795 930 7120

 

If you DO NOT have access to a computer / internet then you can phone in and listen to any SASS meeting / service using the above meeting ID.

1. Dial 778 907 2071
2. When prompted enter the Meeting ID: 795 930 7120, followed by #.
3. You will be asked for a participant ID - just hit the # key.
4. When prompted enter the password: 676824

 

PLEASE REMEMBER on Sundays to check that your MIC is muted and that your video is disabled / turned off, to limit bandwidth usage and potential on-screen distractions.

If you dial in using your phone please MUTE your phone, if that option is available.

 

Please note, ALL participants will be required to run ZOOM v5

after May 30^th, so update your ZOOM APP asap.

 

Worship Service Recordings :-

 

VIDEO recordings of the online services are available on our SASS YOUTUBE channel, or search for “SASS Presbyterian” on YouTube.

We have added a YouTube link on our church homepage for easy access to the YouTube Channel.

 

Don’t forget … share you COVID-19 pictures, drawings, experiences …

 

I would love to receive your pictures of your current COVID-19 experiences. Perhaps one showing the difference from your before and present daily life experiences. Kids and adults, no matter your age, draw a picture and send it to me. I would love to be able to share your pictures with our church family. If you want it to remain anonymous just let me know. Get drawing everyone.

 

Thursday Morning Bible Study

 

Daniel is continuing to lead the weekly Thursday Morning Bible Study, using ZOOM, 10-11:30am.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts – “Gardening”

 

Given the theme of the competition this week I thought I would share a thought about gardening. Over the past number of weeks I, like many of you, have been doing a lot more gardening, spending more time digging out old withered plants and planting some new shrubs. I really don’t know what I am doing half the time but I am learning and I am finding my time in the garden to be quite therapeutic.

 

But one thing is driving me nuts. I am sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else in their garden. I spend a few hours weeding, loosening up the soil and trying my best to dig up the copious amounts of unwanted plants that permeate all areas of the garden. Having done my best I stand back and admire my handiwork – well done, good and faithful servant. But then the strangest thing happens. In a few days those pesky little weeds seem to reappear, and left unabated they once again start to dominate the entire landscape.

 

It’s like our lives isn’t it? We try our best to eradicate the bad stuff and perhaps for a short time we are successful, but it’s inevitable – old habits die hard.

 

Thanks be to God that we are not left alone to de-weed our lives. Recently Daniel has been talking a lot about John’s Gospel, in which Jesus reminds his disciples …

 

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—¹⁷ the Spirit of truth.^[1]

the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ^[2]

            

Thanks be to God that the Spirit helps us de-weed our lives. But I guess if we truly want those lives to be de-weeded we need to participate in the gardening, don’t we?

 

 

May the grace of Christ, 

which daily renews us,

and the love of God,

which enables us to love all,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, which unites us in one body,

make us eager to obey the will of God until we meet again,

through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Amen

 

 

 

God bless,

Pastor Martin

 

pastormbaxter@gmail.com

Direct Line in Church Office – 604 770 1025

 

www.sasspc.bc.ca