SASS Weekly Newsletter

June 1 2020

 

May 24 – June 7 2020 :– Sunday Worship

A number of churches around the world use the “Common Lectionary” to establish which texts are read and preached every Sunday. Doing that also means the worship liturgy focuses on the festivals and seasons throughout the year. From Easter until Pentecost is known as Eastertide, and following Pentecost we have “Ordinary Time,” all the way until the last Sunday of the liturgical year; Christ the King Sunday. In the western calendar three Sundays fall in succession over Pentecost; Ascension Sunday, Pentecost Sunday and Trinity Sunday. I think it is fair to say that all of us know the significance of those first two Sundays. But why is Trinity Sunday included with the other two? Next Sunday we will be focusing on Trinity Sunday, and we will be partaking in the Sacrament of Communion. I wonder if most of us think communion has more to do with the specific work of Jesus in paying the price for our sins on the Cross, but how does it relate to the Father and the Spirit?

 

If you missed our recent mini series on “the Church” or our Pentecost Service then why not catch up by watching them on YouTube. Recordings of the online services are available on our SASS YOUTUBE channel. Simply search on YouTube for “SASS Presbyterian” or click on the link on our church homepage.

 

Moments with the Master in May  “Join the movement in June”

Hopefully you have been blessed these past few weeks spending 20 minutes each 

day reading and meditating on Luke’s Gospel; precious “moments with the Master in May.” Luke wrote two volumes so I thought it would be good to keep going, and “Join the Movement” of the birth, growth and spread of the early church by reading Acts in June. I have included the reading plan for this upcoming week, for your reference.

 

 

 

Thursday Morning Bible Study

 

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

 

 

 

SASS’ Missions and Evangelism Ministry Team

 

From Mo, one of the missionaries we support.

 

Let me introduce you to Agnese, one of our main leaders in Latvia. She has completed all 4 core courses we offer, she's a gifted facilitator with us and she leads a women's ministry nationwide. During this time of self-isolation, she is directing her considerable energy and enthusiasm toward her family, her most important small group. May you be inspired, as we are, by her example! Agnese writes:

Full of gratitude, I want to tell you that I organized a small group Bible study for my family (in our "old life", there was never time for this). We are studying Walking with Christ. We started with supper, like a "real" small group. At our first time, we discussed what all is involved in a small group, what guidelines are important for us, what comes to mind when we think about the phrase "Christian way of life", and we each shared about how we came to faith in Jesus. It was so special to hear my sons' salvation stories! We thought we knew all about that :-). They also listened to our stories with real interest and asked us additional questions!

 

So, I encourage you [writes Mo], whatever situation you face during this pandemic, make use of excellent Bible materials and facilitate a small group with your family! [or others]

 

Amen sister! Amen.

 

Competition Time

 

Last week I included a collage and asked you to “name as many animals” as you could. I am going to assume that those who responded did indeed see the animals in the collage. I’ve got to be honest I am stunned by the number of animals you can see. But the winners have got to be The Bishop Familywho see an enormous number of 38 animals. Here’s their list.

 

 

 

 

1. 1.     Elephant                                   23. Peacock
2. 2.     Hedgehog                                 24. Grizzly Bear
3. 3.     Dolphin                                    25. Lizard
4. 4.     Bird (Cormorant)                      26. Black Bird (Raven, Crow, Bat)
5. 5.     Fox                                          27. Pelican
6. 6.     Snail                                        28. Crocodile
7. 7.     Sloth                                        29. Baby Panda
8. 8.     Turtle                                       30. Squirrel
9. 9.     Cockatiel                                  31. Dog
10. 10.  Rabbit                                      32. Otter                                   
11. 11.  Whale                                       33. Small Brown Bird (Thrush?)
12. 12.  Oyster                                      34. Seal
13. 13.  Kangaroo                                 35. Tortoise
14. 14.  Snake (Boa)                              36. Salamander
15. 15.  Chameleon                               37. Gopher
16. 16.  Toucan                                     38.  Frog
17. 17.  Grasshopper                                                     
18. 18.  Starfish
19. 19.  Horse
20. 20.  Tiger
21. 21.  Ape (Orangutan)
22. 22.  Tapir

Here’s this week’s competition :-

 

Can you find the names of 24 books of the Bible in this paragraph? This is a most remarkable puzzle. Someone found it in the seat pocket on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping himself occupied for hours. One man from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his boat. Roy Clark studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Victs mentioned it in her column once. One woman judges the job to be so involving, she brews a cup of tea to help calm her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot...that's a fact. Some people will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. The truth is, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or scholar to see some of them at the worst. Something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have. Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation may help, books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. And punctuation or spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete. Remember, there are 24 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph.

 

Whoever is first to email me the 24 books in the order they appear will win a prize.

 

 

 

Let’s PRAY TOGETHER

 

On Sunday, Jacqui Lilley led us in prayer and what a blessing. I’m sure you will agree. So I have included sections of that prayer for your use this coming week.

 

Thank you Jesus that your Spirit resides within us and you dwell lovingly, gently effortlessly everywhere in our lives.

 

Today on Pentecost Sunday we remember that your Holy Spirit came to interpret your message of love and redemption so that it could spread to every race and nation. Your salvation is for all humanity. Your Holy Spirit breathes life into chaos and dismal situations and Lord we need a big dose of that today.

 

We can hardly imagine how your heart breaks when men rise against each other with evil intent, when racism and persecution forces that very breath of life out of a human. We lift up the family and community of George Floyd this morning and others around the world who are suffering loss of life from similar senseless acts of violence. Bring them comfort we pray. Holy Spirit empower us AND unite leaders around the world to move boldly and with urgency to all outcries of injustices.  

 

Lord we long for a world where WE see the image of God in everyone.

 

We pray for all essential workers. For many, the demand is for longer hours, higher risk of exposure and mental or physical burnout. Be their source or strength and health. We pray for people returning to work, for educators in all sectors, for administration staff and students that have to adjust to new learning platforms, some returning to school this week, looking forward to actually seeing familiar faces again. Please keep anxiety at bay and though we can’t extend out hands or hugs in greeting we can extend kindness. Help us to do so.

 

Lord we find ourselves globally in a Pandemic but each of us are also journeying through a personal season. 

 

For some it could be a season of Blessing, their faith is strong and they’re taking ground, give them endurance to run with their eyes fixed on you but also humility to know their strength comes from you. Give them wisdom to steward wisely, using their spiritual gifts and resources to extend your kingdom work. Keep them prayerfully connected to you. We thank you that you do not withhold your blessing and we do experience seasons of outpouring.

 

For those in the midst of a storm, feeling the burden of uncertainty bring to their minds the pictures and memories of difficult times gone by. Looking back helps us to recall the seasons that there was only one set of footprints because you were carrying us, shielding us. Give them boldness in this season to stand on the solid foundation of what you have already provided and what you will still provide. May they be ready for the next place of promise.

 

Many of us don’t like the feeling of resting, and we feel uncomfortable when we are not moving but sometimes you call us to a season of rest. You know when we need replenishment and so if you are calling us to this place make us obedient, may we use this time for spiritual refinement, strengthening our identity in you. May the experience of your protection over us and the Bigger picture view you have in this season draw us deeper into relationship with you. May we give you full access to our hearts so you can bring healing to our wounds. You are always doing a new thing in us so that out of a place of resting and brokenness we can emerge renewed, leaning on the arm of our Father.  

 

NO matter what season Lord may we always be a people who can give thanks in all circumstances. 

 

Amen!

 

Don’t forget, in order for us to pray for each other we all need to share what’s going on in our lives. Send your prayer concerns, requests, stories by emailing prayer@sasspc.bc.ca

 

 

SASS and the BC Re-opening plan

In last week’s newsletter I mentioned that the Session recently made the decision to continue as we are until at least August 31^st. In the meantime we have put together a small steering committee to put together a safety plan for how we might move towards more in-person gatherings, following that date, and how to safely make use of our building in the coming months as this pandemic continues. That steering committee has already met twice and are having fruitful discussions and hope to present something to the Session and Board for review in the coming weeks.

 

However, I need to ensure you are all aware of the recent order from the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Henry. On March 16^th Dr. Henry issued an order restricting “mass gatherings” to no larger than 50 people. She extended that order on May 22^nd and this time there is NO EXPIRATION date. We believe and trust this pandemic will somehow get to a point in the future when this order will be sufficiently relaxed for us to meet as a community of faith. The Session will be discussing the restriction on mass gatherings in our upcoming meeting and we will be communicating further with you about what options we might have going forward beyond September.

 

 

  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 following 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,  during our JUNE 7 worship service we will be partaking in communion so please prepare bread and some “fruit of the vine” prior to joining the ZOOM worship service.

 

Church Finances

There are a number of ways to continue supporting SASS during this pandemic.

 

Send a cheque to the church office, or you can drop your offering in to the secure letterbox attached to the Chesterfield Ave entrance door. This letterbox is checked and emptied every week day.

 

If you have a PAYPAL account - Go to our church homepage and scroll down and click on “DONATE NOW”. 

 

Using a credit card, or paypal you can donate to SASS through CanadaHelps.  Click on the following link to our donation form.

 

Sandi Romain can setup up for PAR (Pre-Authorised Remittance). This is a monthly direct debit from your bank account. Go to sasspc.bc.ca for more details. You need to download & complete the PAR authorisation and mail it directly to Sandi with a VOID CHEQUE. Sandi’s contact details are as follows :-

SANDI ROMAIN, 2208 Sorrento Drive, Coquitlam, BC V3K 6H5

604-931-6695, romainsandi@hotmail.com

 

Thank you for continuing to support the life and ministry at SASS.

 

Pastor Martin’s Musings – “George Floyd”

 

Last Monday was a horrific day. I don’t want to play judge, jury and executioner in this situation but what we all witnessed happening to George Floyd was disgusting. The injustices that permeate American society are quite simply horrific. I’m sure all of us are praying that racism, sexism and bigotry and the like will one day, very very soon, be words used to describe our past, but will never be used to describe our present or future.

 

May the Comforter comfort like only He can the Floyd family, his friends, and many communities who have been so affected by this and other similar actions. Come Lord Jesus, come!

 

But what I want to think about for a few moments is what has been happening during these past few evenings in cities and communities around the States, and indeed is beginning to spread to other countries, like London, England. Again, I don’t want to play judge, or jury, or argue one way or the other about the plethora of reasons for why so many got involved in the protests, riots, or violence. But whatever the reasons I’ve got to be honest I’ve been shocked by the looting that many of the news media are streaming live on the air. Again, many may well be looting because they have little if any hope of ever being able to afford to purchase the items they are stealing. But I just can’t help shaking my head as I watch cars pull up to broken shop windows, then witnessing a passenger jump out, disappear into the shop and emerge seconds later laden with unpaid goods, and swiftly departing the scene. The more I watched, the more people clearly joined in the mayhem given that “if they could do it why not me?”

 

It seems to me that the looting, the destruction, the burnings, and the violence are symbolic of what happens in communities all over the world. I said symbolic. Whatever “it” is if they are all doing “it” then it must be OK so I might as well do “it” too. When a group of people do something, others will join the herd, and do what they do, go where they go, think what they think, because it is clearly the thing to do. If everyone else is doing it then what’s wrong with doing it?

 

I think we are made to follow each other. Sometimes I wonder if I am teaching something that is just too hard for us when I try to emphasise the need for us to follow Jesus, to be disciples of Jesus, to have such an unwavering commitment to Jesus that our lives will be shaped to have Jesus as the #1 priority. But the thing is, we will all follow something or someone. We will whether we make a conscious decision to follow or not, we will follow. So as Christians we must develop the habit of questioning who or what we follow to ensure that it is always giving witness to the Good News about Jesus.

 

Think about it in these terms. I’ve heard some people, who have been involved these past few days, being described as “knuckleheads.” Why? B/c they have got involved for no real reason except that they have followed what others have done. Perhaps calling them knuckleheads is not completely fair just because they are not thinking about what they are doing. Because if that is what makes you a knucklehead then I think I’m one of them. Far too often I do things without thinking.

 

But here’s the thing. God made me to be a follower and He also made me to have the ability to think and make decisions, so let’s never follow without thinking.

 

Perhaps as followers of Jesus we are never to be the knuckleheads but in some real sense we are supposed to be the ones the knuckleheads follow. Because at least if they start to follow we can also take on the role to teach them about who to truly follow.

 

That’s how my spiritual journey started. I was a knucklehead who followed my youth leader. She probably thinks I’m still one.

 

If there are knuckleheads out there they need someone to follow. Do you know someone they should follow?

 

God bless!

 

Now may the God of hope fill you

with all joy and peace in believing

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit

you overflow with love and hope.

Thanks be to God.

Remember that the harvest of the Spirit

is love, joy, peace, 

patience, kindness, goodness, 

faithfulness, gentleness,

and self-control.

The Spirit is our source of life.

Let us therefore walk by the Spirit. Amen

 

God bless,

Pastor Martin

 

pastormbaxter@gmail.com

Direct Line in Church Office – 604 770 1025

 

www.sasspc.bc.ca