MUSINGS …
written by Talitha Arnold
Be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. – Psalm 27:14
Sometimes I don’t want to be. Strong, that is.
Like the day after Christmas when, out of the blue, I had to put my dog down because a hidden tumor broke and flooded her chest cavity so she couldn’t breathe.
As I listened to the vet tell me the diagnosis and the lack of options, I didn’t want to be strong.
I didn’t want to take courage.
I just wanted to hold my dog and bury my face in her fur.
I didn’t want to be strong that summer day when a beloved friend and colleague told me he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
He’d had some symptoms, but we thought he’d dodged the bullet because the tests all came back negative—until they didn’t.
The day he got the news, I didn’t want to be strong.
I just wanted to have a magic wand that would take away that awful disease.
I imagine that most if not all of you who are reading this have had such days—or maybe such months or years.
I also suspect that ninety-nine percent of the time, you’ve been very strong through very hard times.
Most likely the composer of Psalm 27 had faced such times with strength and courage. But now, faced with adversaries and false witnesses “breathing out violence,” the psalmist is afraid and despairing.
Before the psalmist gets to the affirmation to “be strong,” they first have to be all those other human things: fearful, weak, needy.
Perhaps we do, too. Perhaps then we can remember anew where our strength comes from.
You promise to be with us, O God. Help us to trust that promise and just be—whatever we are—with you.
COUNCIL MEETING:
Council will meet TONIGHT at 6:30 pm via Zoom.
All council members, please plan to attend.
EXPLORING OUR FAITH:
Our next gathering will take place on Friday, January 27 at 11:00 am in the downstairs boardroom at Grace.
In this session, we will be delving into the provocative article, Keeping the Faith on Death Row, found in the January 2023 issue of Broadview magazine.
Come and join us for a lively discussion!
LEARNING OPPORTUNITY:
The Manitou Intentional Learning Community is excited to present the workshop Rethink and Renew: Restarting Anti-poverty Initiatives in the Church.
This event will explore the root causes of poverty, our responsibility to engage in anti-poverty work, and how churches can get involved in practical projects.
Guest speakers Rev. Glen Eagle, Rev. Pam Cullen and Rev. Michael Blair will lead the session to be held on Monday, February 6 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Register online at https://www.manitoulearningcommunity.com/.
CONFIRMATION AND PROFESSION OF FAITH:
I would be pleased to offer a preparation program for teenagers and adults wishing to prepare for Confirmation (for teens) or Profession of Faith (for adults) 😊
Please drop me a line expressing your interest, and I will make scheduling arrangements.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION:
Our next Mindfulness and Meditation gathering will take place on Tuesday, February 7 at 7:30 pm via Zoom.
Everyone is invited to log on for a half hour retreat for body and soul!
CARE PROJECT:
For the rest of January and the month of February, we will be supporting the vital work of the Minnow Lake Food Bank.
The following is a list of items they are most urgently in need of:
Cookies
Soda crackers
Peanut butter (medium size)
Jam (medium size)
Kraft Dinner
Monetary gifts
By all accounts the food bank has seen a sharp increase in usership recently, due to rising food prices.
Let’s give generously, as we are able 😊
FROM OUR ENVELOP SECRETARY:
Your offerings are very important to the continued work of our church and are very appreciated.
Unlike other non profit organizations, we don’t receive government support or grants to continue our operation.
We rely on our congregation, fundraising events and hall rentals to pay the bills, including our ministers salary.
With costs continuing to rise, your support is more important than ever.
You can help support the church financially by:
*Signing up for Preauthorized Payments – tax deductible receipt
*E-transfers to Laurie Aubertin (our Treasurer) – tax deductible receipt
*Having a box of envelopes with an assigned envelope number to put on the offering plate on Sundays – tax deductible receipt
*Our online payment option through Canada Helps (you can find the link on our Website or Facebook page). – tax deductible receipt
*Putting loose money on the offering plate on Sunday – no tax deductible receipt
The benefit of the first three options is a tax deductible receipt at the end of the year.
Canada Helps donators will be issued a printable tax deductible receipt at the time of donation.
Signing up for PAR will help our council budget for the coming year.
If you would like a box of envelopes with an assigned number, please speak with Linda Arseneau linda_arseneau@hotmail.com, the ushers, or simply drop a note on the offering plate requesting envelopes.
THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS:
Micah 6:1–8
What does God require of us?
Psalm 15 (VU p. 736)
Who may be a guest in God’s house?
1 Corinthians 1:18–31
God’s foolishness better than human wisdom.
Matthew 5:1–12
Blessed are the poor in spirit.
Grace United Church Sudbury 