Since I moved to this lovely city over six years ago, I’ve seen the face of Saint John change in some significant ways. Like all communities, we do have our challenges. At the same time, however, we’re becoming a more diverse and vibrant place to be – and the religious scene is also changing before our very eyes. So this seems like a good time to take stock of what’s been going on, learn more about some of our new neighbours, and think about how churches like ours can continue to survive – and hopefully thrive – in this changing milieu.

That’s why I’m really looking forward to leading a four-part Lenten seriescalled “Tapestries of Faith: The Changing Face of Religion in Saint John.” The sessions will be held on Wednesday mornings (March 11, 18, 25 and April 1) between 10 and 11:30 am. We’ll begin by looking at the overall religious scene today, and explore why about a third of New Brunswickers now claim to have no religious affiliation whatsoever. Then we’ll look at some central beliefs of two faith groups in our community that are growing rapidly (Islam and Hinduism), and conclude by examining the state of church today and what the future might hold. Everyone is welcome, and I really hope to see you next Wednesday morning!

Everyone is welcome, and I really hope to see you next Wednesday morning!

During the season of Lent, many Christians try to give up a pleasure or practice that they may enjoy, but that may not be good for them. There are some favourites, and among them are the following: drinking alcohol, using social media, eating chocolate, swearing, drinking coffee, consuming soda pop, and eating sweets. By giving up such items, we’re told, we’re invited to follow Jesus’s 40-day fast in the desert so we can build self-discipline and strengthen our relationship with God.

Over the years I’ve promised to give up several of these worldly pleasures, with varying degrees of success. But this year I’ve felt the need to find another focus – namely to resist the temptation to see the world as a dark and troubled place that’s largely devoid of goodness. I don’t know about you, but doesn’t it seem that all the news we hear is bad, and that the world is filled with far too much pain, havoc and sorrow? And don’t you have days when it all seems too much? I do. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.

So, over these next weeks, I’d invite you to join me in trying NOT to focus so much on the world’s problems, and instead take time every day to look actively for one example of goodness and beauty around you – just one. This suggestion comes from theologian Nadia Bolz-Weber, and she offers a number of ideas about how we can do so.

For example, we can take a photo of something we notice – like, perhaps, how the light comes through a window at a particular time of day and gives us pleasure. We can write a sentence or two about a warm interaction we’ve had with someone – be it friend or stranger. Or we can note something helpful that we’ve read or heard that brightened our day. Then we’re invited to keep a record of what we’ve experienced, seen or heard.

Record sheets were distributed at church last Sunday to help us do so, and
more will be available this week. But you can also develop your own list.

Regardless, let’s all remember that, in the midst of all the darkness, God continues to foster a spirit of compassion, grace and love here and throughout the world. Thanks be to God.

As I was thinking about an appropriate Scripture passage for this week’s worship service, the well-known text from 1 Corinthians 13 popped to mind.  After all, this Sunday is the day after February 14, and these well-known words are ones that celebrate love and describe its many dimensions.  Indeed, they offer good advice to everyone who’s in a committed relationship – which is why they’re so often read at weddings.  The virtues of patience, kindness, humility, generosity and faithfulness can go a long way to building and maintaining the strong and enduring bonds that will stand the test of time.

But their applicability goes far beyond those we love the most.  Indeed, the writer C.S. Lewis says that there are actually several different types of love that embody these virtues – and that these characteristics can also be found in our relationships with acquaintances, lovers and friends.  And, at the Healing Voices Choir practices I’ve attended over the last several weeks, I’ve seen the spirit of friendship emerge as new relationships have been forged, and older ones renewed.  90 of us have been gathering on Saturday mornings since the latter part of January – and our fifth and final rehearsal will take place this Saturday before our concert on Sunday afternoon at 3 pm.  It’s proving to be a rich and memorable time.

Indeed, much of this is due to the music that Kelly has chosen for this concert – which is all about friendship. We’re starting with “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” concluding with “With a Little Help From My Friends,” and singing other friendship-oriented pieces such as “Lean on Me” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” This music really strikes a deep chord, because those of us who’ve been touched by cancer – be it as patients or support persons – know that we really do need one another to survive and thrive. And the lyrics encourage us to help and support one another – not only as we learn the music – but as we continue on our own journeys towards healing, health and wholeness.

So I hope you’ll plan to attend this very special concert on Sunday at 3 pm. But regardless of whether you can or can’t, I also hope you’ll give thanks for the friends you have, and take following words to heart: “keep smiling, keep shining, knowing you can always count on me, that’s what friends are for. For good times, and bad times, I’ll be on your side forever more. That’s what friends are for.” And that’s what love – real love – can look like.

So, how are you doing with those New Year’s resolutions?

If you’re like the majority of people (including me), probably not too
well. Indeed, surveys show that roughly 23% of us abandon our January 1
goals by the end of the first week. Then, by the time the calendar turns
from January to February, anywhere from 43% to 80% of us (depending on
the poll) have done the same. So, as many of us know, it can be really
hard to stay the course and keep the resolutions we’ve set.

Some, of course, simply shrug this off. But it’s also possible to see
this failure as a sign of a deep moral flaw. And that’s because we’ve often
been told that change is primarily a matter of will, and that those who can’t
triumph over adversity are weak and incapable of doing much of value.
Indeed, many of us were taught to believe that, with enough resolve,
discipline and clarity of purpose, we can become better. More efficient.
Less needy. Less troubled. Happy. Successful. A leader. A champion.

Of course, that outcome seldom happens. So, when we don’t
measure up to the standards that we or others have set, how might we
respond?

A theologian I really like, Kate Bowler, addresses this question head-
on when she reminds us that failure is a natural and inevitable part of being
human. There’s no cure for it, she states, “because finitude, vulnerability
and dependence are not design flaws. They are the design.” Therefore,
failing to achieve many of our goals is really no surprise. It’s part of who
and what we are.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean it’s wrong to try. Bowler herself is a
self-confessed overachiever who’s long prided herself on being productive
and efficient. Therefore, she’s the last person who’d encourage someone
to give up on themselves and turn away from what’s important. But she’s
come to recognize that there are some things we simply cannot do and can
never fix, regardless of how hard we work at it. So, she says, it’s important
to acknowledge this reality. But doing so DOES NOT make us a failure.
Rather, it makes us human.

So, Bowler concludes a recent newsletter with these words: ”I want
to encourage you to stop trying to it all, and focus instead on ‘trying to try.’”
“Try something small and be kind for yourself,” she counsels. Learn to live
within your limits. Enjoy and celebrate what you can do. And try to
remember that you – like all of us – aren’t perfect. But that you are always,
always loved.

Last Saturday morning, about 90 people gathered in the church gym for the first rehearsal of the new Healing Voices choir. And, for many of us who were there, it was a memorable day. This group was established by our own Kelly Galbraith for those whose lives have been touched by cancer – be as a patient, caregiver or family
member. Kelly came up with the idea in the fall as she was finishing her own series of treatments (“I woke up one morning and thought, ‘I’m supposed to start this choir,’” she says) and the St. Mark’s Board unanimously agreed to sponsor this initiative so that people could participate free of charge.

The response has been overwhelming, and the choir is obviously meeting a real human need – to gather with others who’ve faced, or are facing, similar challenges – and to experience the joys and benefits that come from making music. As Kelly put it in a recent interview with CBC, “when you sing in a choir, your heartbeats line up, you breathe deeper… you have to listen to each other… it creates a bond… and it allows you to let go and let the music wash over you.” The songs that the choir is singing reflect that theme, including Bridge Over Troubled Water, Lean on Me, and That’s What Friends Are For.

A fundraising concert will be held on Sunday February 15 at the church,
with all proceeds going to the Horizon Health Network’s Stay Strong Program.

I am proud to serve a congregation that so willingly supports initiatives such as this. And the great “55+” programming that Debbie McLeod has been putting into place is another important way that we at St. Mark’s are contributing to the physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being of those in the wider community. Serving, caring and helping is basic to the Christian calling, and I pray that the Spirit will continue to lead and inspire us to continue such work in the weeks and months to come.

 

A few weeks ago, I walked into the sanctuary for the UCW’s annual evening Service of Lights, Carols and Memories, and stood in awe at the beauty of the decorated space.  The ambiance set the tone for the lovely service that followed, and I found myself paying particular attention to the candles that shone at the front of the sanctuary, and by the side windows.  That night, they helped make the church seem especially warm, inviting and peaceful.

Of course, churches have lit candles for centuries to symbolize that Jesus is the “light of the World” who offers hope, faith and guidance through times of  darkness.  But the practice of placing lit candles in windows has its own particular history. Indeed, it’s rooted in Irish and New England history, and was intended to do more than simply bring light and peace to a home or church.  Placing a lit candle in a window also told those who were passing by that “you are welcome here” – and that “there is room at our table for you.” 

Indeed, historian Kate Bowler writes that this message of welcome and inclusivity was especially important to the early immigrants on the Atlantic coast who found themselves alone in a strange land.  It reminded them that there were people in their new community who cared, and that they weren’t alone.  Some traditions also connected this practice to Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging after following the light of the Bethlehem star, as if to say, “if the Holy Family knocks here, they will not be turned away.”  So in this part of the world, the joy and love of Christmas has long been connected to the practice of hospitality.

Therefore, when we glimpse the candles that light our sanctuary or that shine in our windows, may we be reminded that the love and joy of Christmas is to be shared – freely and generously – with all.  May we be open to receiving the gifts that come our way, do our part to share the blessings that we’ve been given, and know the joy and peace that comes from embracing Christ’s spirit during this holy season.

Earlier this week, I visited a local store to buy some new Christmas lights for our outside deck.  To my initial delight, the shelves were full.  But I was soon overwhelmed by the range of options that were before me.  There were big lights and small lights – long multi-coloured rolls or shorter strands of blue, red or white bulbs – and assorted brands and prices.  Choices abounded – and I found it really hard to make a decision.

In the overall scheme of things, choosing the type and colour of Christmas lights is a minor matter. But many of us have to make lots of other decisions during the Christmas season that are of far greater consequence.  What should I get for those special but hard-to-buy-for people who  already have everything they need?  What upcoming concerts and events are at the top of my list to attend, and what ones aren’t a priority?  What charities will I support, and how much time and energy can I afford to give?  

This coming Sunday the church celebrates the “Reign of Christ”, and makes the claim that a focus on Jesus’ life and work can provide us with a template that can help inform the choices we make.  He was a “king” who served and sacrificed, so what can we learn from his example?  Can focusing more attention on his call to love and care for those around us help us make decisions that are wise and faithful?  What might the coming weeks look like if we remembered that the season is really about sharing the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love – not only with family and friends – but with those who are struggling and alone?

Through Jesus, God’s love for the world is made real.  And his reign is revealed whenever we listen to the truth of God, and put God’s truth into action.  May we all do our best to do that in the days and weeks to come. 

Have you walked into the grocery store in recent days and been shocked by the prices?  Would you like to do something to lower your food bills?  If so, you might be interested in an initiative that we’re thinking of offering here at St. Mark’s.  And we’d love to know what you think.

The idea is to join the “Saint John Food Purchasing Club” – an organization that helps people like you and me stretch our food dollars by offering access to good quality vegetables and fruit at affordable prices.  Debbie McLeod, Lora Snead and I attended a meeting about it this past week, and learned that it’s a non-profit, volunteer-based group that buys produce in bulk from reputable wholesalers and then distributes it to various depots across the city.  Then the members who’ve placed orders can pick up their food – and enjoy their fruits and vegetables! 

A produce pack is available once a month at the cost of $25.  The orders vary from month to month depending on the season, but here’s an example of the vegetable and fruit order for September 2024.

5 Apples, 2 lbs Bananas, 2 lbs. Carrots, 1 Celery, 1 English Cucumber. 2 lbs. onions. 5 lbs. Potatoes. 1 lb Red Grapes, 2 Avocados, 1 Green Pepper, 1 Red Pepper, 1 Romaine Lettuce, 1 lb Tomatoes.  

What’s more, recipes are offered every month as well!

Debbie, Lora and I think this is a great idea that’s worth pursuing, as the program could offer some tangible and important benefits to us and to others in the wider community.  So we’d like to know what you think. 

Would you consider participating in such an initiative? 

Do you think others in the surrounding community might find it helpful? 

Please reach out to Lora, Debbie McLeod (debmcleod10@gmail.com), or me (revianmanson@gmail.com,) with any thoughts, questions and feedback you might have.
In these and other ways, we at St. Mark’s are committed to doing what we can to help meet the spiritual, social, and physical needs of those in the community, and to being Jesus’ hands and feet in West Saint John

Since I was ordained a few decades ago, a lot of changes have taken place with respect to how end-of-life decisions are made.  And the legalization of MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) in June of 2016 has been an especially significant development.  MAID allows an eligible person to request assistance from a doctor or nurse practitioner to end their life, and the criteria was expanded in March 2021 to include individuals whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable.  Since 2016, over 50,000 MAID death have been recorded in Canada, and the number of individuals who choose MAID continues to rise every year. 

While I know of several people who have chosen MAID over the last few years, there’s still a lot I don’t know about the protocols and procedures that govern it.  Thus I think that the information session we’re hosting on “MAID and Advanced Directives” this coming Friday, October 17 at 10 am is especially timely.  It’s part of the “Coffee and Conversation” series that the St. Mark’s “55+ program” is offering in conjunction with Horizon Health and UNB, and that is being organized by the three nursing students who are with us this term.  Our guest speaker is Chantal Arseneault, and I’m sure it will be an informative and interesting session. 

I hope you can join us on Friday at 10 am.