July 1, 2012 - Canada Day

This Sunday is Canada Day, and things are going to be a little different at Spirit West. First off, we’re having a Pancake Breakfast starting at 9:30. This will be followed by an Outdoor Service at 10:30 (pray for good weather). I am not using the readings from the Lectionary for this Sunday. Instead, I have picked a couple of passages that speak to us as people of faith and as Canadians. Does verse 8 of Psalm 72 sound at all familiar? Come out and celebrate! Bring your appetite for the Pancakes and Lawn chairs for the Service. Hey, why not get really crazy and incorporate red and white into your wardrobe!


From the Scriptures we will hear Psalm 71: 1-8 and Matthew 25: 31-41

I have titled my Sermon, “God, Keep Our Land”

Remember also that we are raising money to support the United Church/Edmonton based band rEvolve produce their new CD “Bring It to the Table.” Our goal is $1000. If we reach this target, we will have a live rEvolve concert at Spirit West in the fall. If you want to donate, make a cheque out to Spirit West United Church with “rEvolve” on the memo line and drop your cheque in the rEvolve basket on Sunday. If you want to give cash, put this in an envelope marked “rEvolve”, but include your name and church envelope number.

See you Sunday,

Blessings,

Larry Wright

As well, please note the Important Dates and the Youth Events below. If you have any questions about any of the events, please contact the church.

Important Dates

Sunday, July 8, 10:30 am – Celebration of Holy Communion

Youth

Youth at Spirit West – Are you between the ages of 12 and 16 or between the ages of 17 and 19? Are you interested in getting together once a month as teens or young adults of Spirit West for fun, interaction, (the possibilities are not endless, but pretty broad)? If the answer is yes, I would like to start something in September. Email me at spiritwest.minister@telus.net with your name, age, level of interest and any ideas you have about what could be done. (Adults reading this should pass it on to the nearest youth)

Future Quest Program for Youth 14-17, Aug 4-18, 2012 at Queen's School of Religion, Kingston ON

For more information see the Pamphlet on the Info Table or http://www.queensu.ca/theology/leadership/futurequest/summer.html

June 24, 2012 - 4th Sunday after Pentecost

We live in a damaged world and in a broken relationship with God. I don’t mean just current concerns such as Climate Change, I am talking long term. The opening chapters of the book of Genesis in the Bible use the story of Adam and Eve to describe the human desire to be as “God” or to be “God.” What follows from that desire to go it alone is a separation from God and from perfection, “thrown out of the Garden.” We are no longer in that intimate relationship with God. Most of the Bible continues with stories of peoples who worked with God, against God, in spite of God and in the end usually turned to God when things got really tough. With Jesus, that rift with God has been in part repaired, but we still live in this world where we are not immune to the brokenness that still continues. Bad stuff still happens, at times we still face situations which scare and disturb us. So what are we to do? Yell at God whom we so often ignore? This Sunday’s readings are two stories about people who yelled at God (Jesus). One of them is Job, who did have a lot to complain about, and the others are Jesus’ disciples in a sinking boat. We will look at the Divine response to being yelled at. As a heads up, the responses are a lot more hopeful that one might expect.


From the Scriptures we will hear Job 38: 1-41 and Mark 5: 35-41

I have titled my Sermon, “Jesus, Wake Up”

See you Sunday,

Blessings,

Larry Wright

As well, please note the Important Dates and the Youth Events below. If you have any questions about any of the events, please contact the church.

Important Dates

Sunday, July 1, 09:30 am – Canada Day – pancake breakfast followed by the worship service to be held outside (weather permitting). Bring your appetites, your lawn chairs, sun hats and sun screen. A silver collection will be taken to help offset the expenses of the breakfast.

Sunday, July 8, 10:30 am – Communion

Youth

Youth at Spirit West – Are you between the ages of 12 and 16 or between the ages of 17 and 19? Are you interested in getting together once a month as teens or young adults of Spirit West for fun, interaction, (the possibilities are not endless, but pretty broad)? If the answer is yes, I would like to start something in September. Email me at spiritwest.minister@telus.net with your name, age, level of interest and any ideas you have about what could be done. (Adults reading this should pass it on to the nearest youth)

Future Quest Program for Youth 14-17, Aug 4-18, 2012 at Queen's School of Religion, Kingston ON

For more information see the Pamphlet on the Info Table or http://www.queensu.ca/theology/leadership/futurequest/summer.html

June 17, 2012 - Sunday School presentations and Family Picnic

In our world things are not always as they seem. Sometimes this can lead to amazing discoveries, but can also lead to confusion and disappointment. Throughout the Bible we are reminded that God’s perspective on the world is often radically different from the way we see the world. We are also cautioned that the way we look at the world can often determine how we see the world. Remember those optical illusions last week. When is barrier not a barrier? When is a Budget Bill not a Budget Bill? (I had to put that in). The Readings for Sunday include the story of the anointing of the boy shepherd David as future king of Israel, and Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed.


During the Service we will be celebrating the work of the Church School with presentations

From the Scriptures we will hear 1 Samuel 15:34 – 16:13 and Mark 4: 26-34

I have titled my Sermon, “A Weed in the Garden”

Remember, after church on Sunday we are having our Family Picnic, so pray for good weather and then join the fun. Bring lawn chairs and sun screen. (because the food is provided we are asking for $15 for a family and $5 for an individual)

See you Sunday,

Blessings,

Larry Wright

As well, please note the Important Dates and the Youth Events (I’ve added one) below. If you have any questions about any of the events, please contact the church.

Important Dates

Saturday, June 16, 8:00 am – Men’s Breakfast in the Lower hall, all men welcome.

Monday, June 18, 7:00 pm – Women’s Group Meeting: “Mandalas and their Relationship to Worship.” Create you very own mandala. For more information call Liane at 780-738-8870

Youth

Youth at Spirit West – Are you between the ages of 12 and 16 or between the ages of 17 and 19? Are you interested in getting together once a month as teens or young adults of Spirit West for fun, interaction, (the possibilities are not endless, but pretty broad)? If the answer is yes, I would like to start something in September. Email me at spiritwest.minister@telus.net with your name, age, level of interest and any ideas you have about what could be done.

Future Quest Program for Youth 14-17, Aug 4-18, 2012 at Queen's School of Religion, Kingston ON

For more information see the Pamphlet on the Info Table or http://www.queensu.ca/theology/leadership/futurequest/summer.html

June 10, 2012 - 87th anniversary of the formation of the United Church of Canada

When faced with a hard decision do you ever wish that God would just give you a clear and unequivocal sign as to what to do? Me too. Signs from God just don’t seem to come now as they apparently did in the Bible. On this Sunday which is also the 87th Anniversary of Church Union (the formation of the United Church of Canada), the Scriptures point to the challenge of determining what is right or what God wants us to do. It’s tough. But I will look at ways that might help.


From the Scriptures we will hear 1 Samuel 8: 4-11, 16-20 and Mark 3: 20-35

I have titled my Sermon, “Listen for God”


See you Sunday,

Blessings,

Larry Wright

As well, please note the Important Dates and the Youth Events (I’ve added one) below. If you have any questions about any of the events, please contact the church.

Important Dates

Saturday, June 16, 8:00 am – Men’s Breakfast

Sunday, June 17, after church – Family Picnic ($15 family, $5 single)

Monday, June 18, 7:00 pm – Women’s Group Meeting: “Mandalas and their Relationship to Worship.” Create you very own mandala. For more information call Liane at 780-738-8870

Youth

Youth at Spirit West – Are you between the ages of 12 and 16 or between the ages of 17 and 19? Are you interested in getting together once a month as teens or young adults of Spirit West for fun, interaction, (the possibilities are not endless, but pretty broad)? If the answer is yes, I would like to start something in September. Email me at spiritwest.minister@telus.net with your name, age, level of interest and any ideas you have about what could be done.

Future Quest Program for Youth 14-17, Aug 4-18, 2012 at Queen's School of Religion, Kingston ON

For more information see the Pamphlet on the Info Table or http://www.queensu.ca/theology/leadership/futurequest/summer.html

June 3 - Trinity Sunday

In the1983 Monty Python movie The Meaning of Life there is a scene in which a chaplain leads a responsive prayer, “O Lord... Ooh, You are so big... So absolutely huge... Gosh, we're all really impressed down here, I can tell You.” It sounds silly, but to me it makes the point that our language is not really up to the task of talking about God. There are all sorts of ways we have tried over centuries to describe God, some are more helpful than others and all of them are incomplete. This Sunday has been called Trinity Sunday for a few centuries now. It is the Sunday immediately following Pentecost. The concept of God as Trinity (in the traditional language: Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is not directly biblical. The expression Trinity is not in the Bible, but God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are. We say we believe in and worship one God, but it often sounds like we are talking about three. The doctrine of the Trinity is an attempt to explain this. Of course a concept developed in Greek, explained in Latin and now discussed in English has its problems. I will look at some of those issues on Sunday. I will also be touching on how we understand reality and how we explain it to others. In this context we will also be celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism.


From the Scriptures we will sing Psalm 29 and we will hear John 3: 1-17.

I have titled my Sermon, “Trinity: A Mystery”

See you Sunday,

Blessings,

Larry Wright

As well, please note the Important Dates and the Youth Event below. If you have any questions about any of the events, please contact the church.
Important Dates

*SPECIAL INVITATION* Friday, June 8, 2:00-3:20 – Glendale School - Join the staff and students of Glendale School for refreshments and entertainment so that they can show how much the truly appreciate you. RSVP by Friday, June 1 to Glendale@epsb.ca or 780-489-4300

Sunday, June 10 – Communion – 87th Anniversary of the Formation of the United Church of Canada (formed June 10, 1925 by an act of the Parliament of Canada, 14-15 George V, Chap. 100)

Saturday, June 16, 8:00 am – Men’s Breakfast

Sunday, June 17, after church – Family Picnic ($15 family, $5 single)

Monday, June 18, 7:00 pm – Women’s Group Meeting: “Mandalas and their Relationship to Worship.” Create you very own mandala. For more information call Liane at 780-738-8870

Youth

Future Quest Program for Youth 14-17, Aug 4-18, 2012 at Queen's School of Religion, Kingston ON

For more information see the Pamphlet on the Info Table or http://www.queensu.ca/theology/leadership/futurequest/summer.html