Despite what the calendar may say, I’ve always regarded the beginning of September as the “real” start of the new year.  For this is the season when school starts, when regular programs and activities resume, and when things return to “normal” after a summer hiatus.  Depending on our life situations, the advent of fall may or may not be welcome.  And I confess that there have been years when I’ve found it challenging to get enthused about the coming year. 

But this is NOT one of those years.  Indeed, I’m delighted to be returning to St. Mark’s after being away for July and August.  I’ve certainly missed being with you over these past weeks.  And I’m especially excited by the great new initiatives that are on tap for the fall.  Over the summer, our new 55+ Coordinator Debbie McLeod organized two delightful evenings of “Music on the Lawn” and a lively Walking Group that continues to meet on Wednesdays.  As well, she’s also done a great job of lining up a terrific range of programs and activities for the months to come – which look great!  I sense a new spirit and energy around the place – and am really happy to be part of this new chapter of ministry here.

So I look forward to seeing you this coming Sunday as we launch our Fall Programming and join together for a “welcome back lunch.”  In worship we’ll also be focusing on Paul’s short letter to Philemon in the New Testament and on what a welcoming and inclusive church community can look like.  This topic, I think, is especially timely.  Over the coming year, we’ll have a unique opportunity to build some new relationships with the wider community and provide some important opportunities for grace and care to be experienced and shared.  According to Paul, that’s what the life of faith is all about – and benefits abound for everyone when this wisdom is heard and heeded.  In the weeks and months to come, may we seek to do just that. 

I hope to see you this Sunday morning at 10:30.

On Sunday June 15, about 250 United Church members from St. Stephens to Sussex gathered at the Saint John High School to celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of the United Church of Canada.  It was a memorable occasion. 

And the preacher for the day, Rev. Faith March-MacCuish, posed two questions that have stayed with me.  “What from the past do we want to leave behind,” she wondered?  “And what do we want to carry forward with us into the future?”

In all likelihood, each of us would answer those questions differently.  But one of the pieces of wisdom that I’d like to see carried forward comes from a comment I heard a former United Church moderator, the late Rev. Lois Wilson, make on several occasions.  “The future of the church lies in re-connecting itself with the surrounding community and being a positive and constructive presence in the wider world,” she’d often state.  “It’s all about the community.”

If anyone understood the United Church, it was Lois.  I first met her when I was writing a paper on her father, E.G.D. Freeman, a longtime Dean of Theology at the University of Winnipeg.  Our paths crossed several times in later years, and I saw that a commitment to community was central to her understanding of the church and its ministry..  Over her decades of work as a congregational minister, UCC Moderator, and President of the World Council of Churches, she’d seen many churches and organizations become insular, focus primarily on themselves, and lose their potency.  So she constantly encouraged and challenged the church to resist this temptation and engage the realities that people outside congregational walls were really facing – even when doing so could be difficult.

I’ve come to believe that Lois put her finger on a key challenge facing many churches.  So I’m delighted that a plan is now in place for our congregation to work at connecting with the people of Saint John West in some new ways.  This initiative is important.  But I also know that I’m writing this message at a time when many of us are thinking a lot more about taking a break from our regular routines than we are about embracing a new piece of work.  Truth be told, that’s true for me right now.  Therefore, I really do hope that the coming weeks of summer will offer lots of opportunities for you to enjoy the season, have some fun, and recharge your batteries.   But I also hope that, whenever possible, you’ll support the great “55+” programs that Debbie McLeod is organizing for July and August.  And I also hope that we’ll all be ready to embrace the fall with energy, enthusiasm and conviction.  The Spirit is alive and at work at St. Mark’s United Church – we have much for which to be thankful – and I’m very much looking forward to being back in the fall!

This Sunday we’ll be focusing on two significant milestones in the life of our church – the day of Pentecost when, some 2000 years ago, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ’s early followers and gave them new purpose and energy – and the establishment of St. Mark’s United Church in 1859. Both are important occasions, and have more in common than one might assume. Even though countless changes occurred in the 1900 years between these two events, God was at work in both religious communities in ways that caused all kinds of creative and spirit-filled things to happen. And this work continues.

At the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave the early church the energy and passion it needed to break free from its fears and risk sharing the Christian message with the world. In a similar way, in 1859 the Spirit descended on a small group of Canadian Methodists who’d had their hearts “strangely warmed” through a series of local revivals, and who were moved to establish a Wesleyan Methodist congregation in West Saint John that eventually became St. Mark’s. Of course, the Pentecost experience changed the entire world, while what happened here only changed one part of one city in southern New Brunswick. But both occasions remind us of the Holy Spirit’s power to transform and renew the life of Christian communities, wherever they may be.

So, on Sunday, we’ll have a chance to give thanks for the countless individuals, here and abroad, who have served God so faithfully and well. And we’ll also reflect on how that same Spirit may be at work today, and where it may be leading our congregation. So I’m looking forward to this special anniversary celebration, and very much hope to see you on Sunday morning.

Welcoming Debbie McLeod

As you may recall, a motion was passed at our Annual Congregational Meeting in March that we establish a new, part-time staff position to develop and coordinate programs for those aged 55+.  After this decision was made, the job was widely advertised, and three qualified applicants were interviewed by a search team.  All were fine candidates, but it was clear that one individual stood out from the others.  That person is Debbie McLeod, and last week our Unified Board officially approved her appointment as our 55+ Project Coordinator for 2025-2026.  We are thrilled that Debbie has agreed to join us, and it was great to welcome her to St. Mark’s last Sunday morning!!

Debbie brings a great deal of experience, ability and enthusiasm to this role.  Before she retired from her position as the Community Involvement Coordinator for Social Development in Saint John, she fostered a number of successful partnerships with local businesses and non-profit groups; recruited volunteers for various educational and recreational programs; and worked with assorted community organizations, social agencies, and government departments to develop and implement some important new programs for our city.  Debbie also comes highly recommended – with one well-respected reference telling me: “Debbie McLeod is one of the best people I know.”

The search team experienced Debbie to be knowledgable, engaging, and highly creative (as you’ll see when you walk in the doors this coming Sunday!).  We believe that there’s a need in West Saint John for programs that can contribute to the physical, social, psychological and spiritual health of those aged 55+, and look forward to working with Debbie to see how we can enrich the lives of those in our neighbourhood.  By working together, I believe we can build new relationships, learn new things, and discover new ways for all of us to flourish.

I am truly delighted that Debbie has joined the St. Mark’s staff team, and am really looking forward to the year ahead.  Welcome Debbie!!

Several years ago, I attended a high school graduation ceremony, and heard the principal leave the grads with a strong and pointed message. “Life is hard, so you need to do whatever is necessary to survive and make it in today’s world,” he said. “Things are changing more quickly than ever before, so the competition for good jobs is fierce, opportunities are scarce, and it’s easy to fall by the wayside. So you’ll need to be smart, focused, strategic and diligent to survive in these challenging and difficult times.”

To be sure, that message contained some important truths. But I did find it to be pretty depressing. In particular, I was struck by what wasn’t mentioned. There was no talk of nurturing one’s hopes and dreams for the future and striving to find ways to follow them. There was no encouragement to explore options, take risks, and expand one’s horizons. Nor was there any mention of engaging in activities that bring joy, purpose
and meaning to our days. Those omissions left me feeling that something significant was missing. Important as it is to be smart, focused and strategic, a meaningful and happy life usually has more to it than that.

The Apostle Paul certainly took lots of risks and followed his dreams. This coming Sunday, we’ll look at how he accepted a particular challenge that came his way, and how he adapted to a new milieu. It’s a fascinating story that has implications for all of us – regardless of our age or stage of life. I look forward to seeing you this coming Sunday morning at 10:30 – as we celebrate the graduation of three special people.

For many of us, the arrival of the Victoria Day weekend marks the real
beginning of summer. This is the time when cottages are opened, campgrounds are filled, gardens are planted, golf courses are bustling, and yard work is done. Weather permitting, it’s also a time when all of us can enjoy the outdoors – be it going for a walk, sitting in a park, or enjoying sitting out on a balcony, deck or patio. The Victoria Day weekend does mark, at least for me, the real beginning of summer.

Because these days are precious, a numbers of doctors are emphasizing how important it is for all of us to take advantage of the warmer weather and spend time out in nature. According to Harvard Health, “spending regular time outdoors is linked with multiple health benefits: decreased stress and anxiety, improve cognitive function, better sleep, and a lower risk of hearty disease, diabetes and cancer.” What’s more, a high level of physical activity isn’t required to reap some of these benefits. Simply being
outside can help us feel better.

For some of us, this is second nature. But if we’ve become used to spending most of our time indoors – or if our bodies are ache and we find it’s not as easy as it once was to get around – it can be easier to sit inside and keep watching TV. To counter this trend, doctors in New Brunswick can now prescribe spending time in nature to patients who might need it for their physical or mental health. Indeed, the act of having this “activity” written down by a doctor can increase the chance that a patient follows through with the advice, rather than if it were just recommended verbally. Having an activity prescribed is sometimes necessary to help achieve the desired results.

Indeed, this is something that Jesus had long recognized. So this coming Sunday we’ll be focusing on one of the prescriptions he gave his disciples – the commandment to love – and how following that advice can also bring significant benefits to us and others. I look forward to seeing many of you then – even though (alas) we’ll be indoors for an hour! But regardless of where you are, I hope you enjoy a restorative and healthy long weekend.

This year, the United Church of Canada is celebrating its 100th Anniversary.  On June 10, 1925, leaders of Canada’s Methodist, Congregationalist, and Presbyterian churches gathered at the Mutual Street arena in Toronto to bring the new denomination into being, and to launch a new chapter in the religious life of the nation.  Since that time, of course, much has changed.  But over the years, our denomination has played an important role in the religious, moral, spiritual and social life of this country.  We continue to offer the world a faithful and important Christian witness – so there is much to celebrate!

To acknowledge this important milestone, special worship services are being held all across the country this spring – including here in Saint John.  On Sunday  June 15 at 10:30 am at the Saint John High School, United Church members from all across southern New Brunswick will gather to celebrate our common heritage, raise our voices in song, give thanks for the faithful witness of those who have gone before us, and reflect on how that the Spirit continues to lead and guide our church.  It should be a very special day.

One of the members of the planning committee for this service is Tracy Friars, and I’m delighted that Tracy will be leading worship at St. Mark’s this coming Sunday, May 4.  She’ll be sharing more details about this important gathering, and will help us reflect on the heritage that is ours, and on the future that awaits.  I know she’s looking forward to being here, and we are blessed to have her – so please offer her a warm and gracious welcome. 

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.