As the world continues to mourn the death and celebrate the life of Pope Francis, our thoughts and prayers go out to our many Roman Catholic sisters and brothers who are feeling this loss most acutely.  For Francis was a seminal figure in the life of the Church, and is remembered as a man with many special gifts.  

In reflecting on his life, American commentator Thomas Reese emphasizes that the Pope’s South American background made him especially sensitive to the impact of globalization on the poor of the world, and on the plight of refugees who’ve had to flee from war zones and places of conflict in search of safety.  Canadian priest Michael Higgins sees Francis as a leader who understood himself to be pastor of the Church rather than its head, and who touched the world with his humanity and humility.  As well, others have emphasized his commitment to embracing a frugal and simple lifestyle – from foregoing life in the opulent Apostolic Palace in favour of a suite in a modest Vatican City guesthouse – to choosing to be chauffeured around in a cheap Fiat rather than a luxurious Mercedes-Benz with blacked-out windows.

Pope Francis was all this, and more.  But as I’ve been reading the Biblical story of “Doubting Thomas” in preparation for this week’s service, I’ve come to think that Francis also can be seen as a teacher who asked some probing and important questions.  Indeed, Francis regularly questioned the Church’s proclivity to see itself as an exclusive gathering place for the obedient and faithful, and wondered if, instead, it was called to be a “field hospital” for those in need of healing.  He questioned the Church’s tendency to judge and exclude those who don’t fully embrace orthodox Catholic teaching, and suggested it was time to offer the world a more inclusive and welcoming message.  And he opened discussion in the Church about whether it was time to change the Church’s traditional teachings on homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and to provide women with greater opportunities to serve.

Of course, some Roman Catholics resented these questions and grew increasingly disenchanted with his provocative musings.  And others were disappointed that Francis didn’t bring about more substantial reforms to the Church.  Nevertheless, like all good teachers, Francis raised important questions and provoked lots of debate discussion.  May we at St. Mark’s continue to learn from his example, and join Christians all around the world in giving thanks for his life and witness.

Back in 1965, Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison starred in a historical drama called “The Agony and the Ecstasy.”  The film deals with the conflicts of Michelangelo and Pope Julian II during the painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in Rome between 1508-1512.  And it details the many challenges that Michelangelo faced as he struggled to complete this project.  Indeed, his challenges were so great that, on several occasions, he decided to throw in the towel and walk away.  But he persevered – and completed a masterpiece that has brought joy to many millions of people.

In many ways, the Holy Week story can also be described as a tale of agonies and ecstasies.  For, as we ponder the story of Jesus’ trial, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection, we find a full range of human emotions on display. 

We see Jesus as he’s mocked, convicted, and beaten.  We see the disciples flee in fear that they too will be killed.  We see Mary kneeling beneath the cross as she mourns the death of her son.  And, after three days, we see Mary and the disciples visiting the tomb where Jesus’ had been laid, and experiencing the joy and amazement of that first Easter morning.  So the Holy Week story really is one filled with agonies and ecstasies.  

Of course, the events of Good Friday can be difficult to contemplate – so  it can be tempting to pass over this part of the Biblical story and jump straight to the good news of Easter.  But when we do, some essential pieces of the Easter message are lost.  

So I encourage you to take part in both of our worship services this weekend – on Good Friday, April 18 at 10 am, and on Easter Sunday morning at 10:30.   I look forward to seeing you then.

Along with most churches around the world, we’ll be celebrating Palm Sunday this week, and recalling the day long ago when people waved palm branches in celebration of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. It’s a special day – so we too will be waving our palms, singing “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna,” and reflecting on this special and meaningful occasion.

I’ve always enjoyed Palm Sunday parades. But the challenge of this day is to remember what happened after Jesus entered that special city. For all four gospel writers tell us that the crowds quickly disappeared, that Jesus struggled to come to terms with what was likely to happen to him, and that he was soon surrounded by soldiers and officials who had him arrested and brought before Pilate. While we know this part of the story well, it can raise some challenging questions, so we may be tempted to focus exclusively on the joys of Palm Sunday and ignore everything else.

Indeed, many Christians have come to do just that. The writer Barbara Brown Taylor tells of paging through a new story Bible with her four-year- old goddaughter Madeleine. Starting with Adam and Eve, they looked through all the lovely pictures, and Madeleine was fascinated. But when they got to the story of Jesus, Taylor reports that she had to look really hard for any mention of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and death. This part of the story received virtually no attention, because it’s a part that no one likes to read.

Still, it is important. So, this coming Sunday we’ll be celebrating “Palm/Passion” Sunday. In addition to waving our palm branches, we’ll be reflecting on some of the reasons why Jesus was seen to be such a threat. We’ll also ponder some challenging questions that can arise when we follow Jesus, and discuss the importance of trying to make decisions that are consistent with Christ’s Word and Way.

I look forward to sharing this special day with you this coming Sunday at 10:30 am.

For thousands of years, music has played a central role in the lives of countless communities of faith. It did when the people of Israel escaped from the Egyptians, crossed the Red Sea, and sang “a new song to the Lord.” It did when the shepherd boy David found inspiration in the landscapes of Bethlehem, began to play his harp, and went on to compose many of the Old Testament Psalms that give us comfort and strength. It did when John Wesley led the Methodist revival in 18th-century England and featured the hymns of his brother Charles because he knew that music has a special power to soothe souls, inspire hearts, and draw people closer to God and to one another. And it’s played a central role in the religious life of countless other communities. As Cat Stevens once said, “music is part of God’s universe” and has long been central to the life of faith.

Indeed, it’s certainly central to what happens at St. Mark’s every Sunday
morning. Suzanne’s opening preludes create a meditative atmosphere for
prayer and reflection. During the service, we join together to sing hymns
that give thanks for God’s promises to be with us always, and that express
our commitment to be followers of Christ’s word and way. Our choir offers
a range of meaningful anthems that give expression to many of our
deepest hopes, emotions, and beliefs. And on special occasions, we
welcome some musical guests into our midst whose contributions feed our
spirits and touch our hearts in significant ways.
Last Sunday, we were treated to a moving duet by Zachary Boulanger and Jasmine Feicht McKim called Deep Within – which reminded us of God’s promise to plant a new and righteous spirit within us, be our strength and guide, and be with us always. And this coming Sunday, Maureen Paras and Theresa Patterson will be with us to share three moving and powerful pieces: Panis Angelicus, Pie Jesu, and Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. I can’t wait to hear them. “Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and
philosophy,” Ludwig van Beethoven once stated. Please join us this coming Sunday morning eat 10:30 am for this very special service.

During the current season of Lent, we’re focusing on some important and interesting
stories from Luke’s gospel. Many of them, like Jesus’ parable of the “Prodigal’s Son”
that we’ll delve into this Sunday, point to the centrality of grace and forgiveness to our
faith. But they also remind us that Jesus was constantly supported by a group of
disciples who never strayed far from his side. Of course, he taught them much. But he
also relied on them for companionship, support and assistance.

Consequently, the church has always had a strong communal element to its life and
work. After Christ’s death and resurrection, his followers continued to gather together –
and we still do. Indeed, the sense of community that many of us find in the church is
foundational to our lives. What’s more, others in our neighbourhood may also seek us
out in search of a safe and nurturing community to which they can belong. So we want
to do everything possible to keep creating a welcoming and inclusive community of faith
here at St. Mark’s.
To that end, some members of our Pastoral Care team recently discussed some new
ways that we can keep strengthening the bonds that unite us in this congregation. A
couple of important suggestions arose.

First, let’s remember to wear our name tags on Sunday mornings, both in worship and during coffee hour. Of course, not everyone likes putting them on. But it’s good to remember that it’s not always easy to put names and faces together (especially for newcomers, but even for some of the rest of us!). Calling someone by name helps to foster a sense of belonging – thriving congregations have long recognized this fact – and
therefore use name tags on a regular basis. So wearing them can help us build new
and important relationships with others, and with one another.

As well, we know that healthy communities also provide regular opportunities to celebrate special occasions. So, beginning in a month or two, we’d like to designate the last Sunday of every month as “birthday Sunday,” share a special cake after worship, and acknowledge the birthdays of all those who were born that month. To help make
this happen, we’ll soon be inviting you to indicate the month in which you were born (but
not necessarily the year!) so that all of us can celebrate this special milestone.
In these and other ways, we hope to enhance the strong sense of community that we
already enjoy The Spirit is alive and active at St. Mark’s, so let’s all do our part to keep
it moving and growing.

Since early January, I’ve been teaching an on-line course for Emmanuel College in Toronto on how the United Church of Canada is organized and governed. 16 students are enrolled and gather every Monday afternoon -they come from various backgrounds – and most are planning to become United Church ministers. Their first assignment was to describe and assess a visioning process that has taken place in a congregation somewhere in the country, and identify some of the insights they gained in doing this research. Their reports make for very interesting reading.

Indeed, they indicate that even some of the largest, wealthiest, and most “successful” churches in the Toronto area also are struggling with the realities of declining attendance, an aging membership base, and a dearth of young people. To be sure, there are a few exceptions – but not many. Consequently, lots of churches have been working hard to assess what they now do and chart a new course for the future that hopefully will help them remain active, relevant and faithful. And no two congregations are proceeding in quite the same way. For example, one congregation has welcomed the members of a smaller church into its midst, and has been working diligently to integrate these newcomers and make them feel truly welcome. Another church has decided to create a “Center for Human Flourishing” to try and build relationships with those who see themselves as being “spiritual but not religious.” A third congregation has hired a consulting firm from Calgary to do a full-scale review of its ministry and identify some new options for the future – while a fourth has decided to refurbish its sanctuary and replace some of the pews with chairs so that the space can be used more creatively. In these and other ways, churches all across this country are striving to reinvent themselves ways and remain relevant to the people of their communities.

Of course, we at St. Mark’s are doing that too. Indeed, we are currently engaged in our own process of discerning where the Spirit is leading us and developing several new initiatives that can help bring new life, energy and purpose to our congregation. At our March 9 annual congregational meeting, we approved an initial plan calling for the creation of a few new worship experiences and educational opportunities that hopefully will feed our souls and nourish our spirits in different ways.

Late Monday afternoon, I received an email with the shocking news that our Regional Minister, Rev. Kendall Harrison, died suddenly of a heart attack.  I couldn’t believe it.  As I’m a member of the Regional Pastoral Relations Committee that Kendall staffed, I’d seen him at a Zoom meeting a few weeks before, and he appeared to be as hale and hearty as ever.  So, like everyone else in the Region, I’ve been trying to process this tragic news. 

As Marilen and I were chatting about Kendall this week, she mentioned a helpful note that Rev. Kate Jones in Grand Bay-Westfield (who chairs our PR Committee) had just written.  In it, Kate noted that Kendall had an app on his phone that would send him a message every day reminding him of his mortality – that he was going to die one day – and that he should do his best to live life to the fullest and make the most of each and every day he had. 

According to his obituary, Kendall did just that. I don’t know a lot about his personal life, but I do know that he loved his job and took it seriously.  He cared deeply for the people and communities he served, and the contributions he made to the life of the United Church in New Brunswick were significant and important.  But I also know that the job he’d been doing for over 20 years was a hard one.  People – be they clergy or congregational leaders – usually only called Kendall when they needed help, when they’d run into a problem they couldn’t solve on their own, or when a crisis was brewing.  Consequently, he dealt with all kinds of stressful and very difficult situations – and took on the challenges that few of us are willing or able to handle.  But he did so willingly, faithfully, and well.

So I invite you to pray for Kendall’s family as they now walk through the valley of the shadow of death and deal with their shock and grief.   I invite you to join me in considering your own mortality and ask yourself how you can make the most of every single day.  And I also invite you to offer support to those in our community who continue to take on tasks that are difficult.  This week’s gospel reading reminds us that Jesus himself took on many challenges, and that we’re all indebted to those special individuals who follow in his footsteps and do their best to care, serve and help.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

The season of Lent echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and dealing with a variety of temptations. So it’s appropriate that the gospel reading for this First Sunday of Lent describes how He was offered all the wealth, power and immortality anyone could ever want. “The whole world can be yours, and if you worship me, it will all be yours,” the devil declared. “Just do that one thing, and you’ll have everything you could ever possibly desire.” The offer was alluring, and Jesus had to make some choices. Would he say yes, or no?

Of course, not everyone believes that an actual demonic entity exists. But all of us face temptations of various kinds – and have choices to make. To be sure, few if any of them are as consequential as the ones that Jesus faced. But the choices we make do matter.

This coming Sunday, you’ll be asked to make some choices that relate to the future of St. Mark’s United Church. Our annual congregational meeting will be held immediately following worship, and we’ll be considering a proposal to launch several new initiatives over the coming year. They’re designed to help us reach out to the community in some different ways and offer some new programs and initiatives – so your input is important. Thus I hope you’ll be present to discuss these ideas, offer your response, and help make some choices about the future direction of St. Mark’s. Afterwards, we’ll have a chance to enjoy a delicious lunch, and continue our conversations. March 9 will be an important day in the life of our congregation. I very much hope to see you this coming Sunday at 10:30 am.