Greetings..... in the name of the one Good Shepherd-- Jesus Christ.
Our readings for this Sunday, `Reign of Christ`, take us to the end of the church year. In the church we are slightly ahead of the rest of our culture when it comes to Old Year's Eve. It begins for us this Saturday evening.
The church year shows the journey of Jesus. We begin at his birth at Christmas, through to his revelation in Epiphany; then we walk through the ordinary things of his life. Lent shows us the apex of his life's work. In Good Friday we see the darkness that followed, and on Easter morning, the hope that stubbornly refuses to be put down. Then, we get into the fruit of his work- after the glory of Easter- and the birth of new things of the Spirit, the Church at Pentecost.
This Sunday, we come full circle- all the way through Pentecost, and ordinary time- where we are called in faithfulness to plant his hope wherever where we are, in whatever we do, `and to not be weary in well doing.`
This Sunday, we raise the name of Jesus high as our everlasting `good Leader and Saviour`.
And how we need a saviour!
In the readings this Sunday we see two examples of spiritu
al and transformational leadership. One is Jeremiah, who tells us that if there is no one who can shepherd us, that God himself will provide that leader that we seek and need.
In Luke`s Gospel we find that one whom God anoints and blesses as his chosen one; the one who is with the worst of the world at the cross; the one who lifts up his eternal weakness to God, who blesses and uses it to change the world.
To him, and to all if us who follow in servant leadership, God says, `Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.`
The other night I stayed a little longer at the church, after Wednesday night prayers and communion had ended. The sanctuary was filled with the voices of children and youth from our community program who were sharing their learning and their spirit with loved ones, gathering in our pews to hear them.
I was struck by the earnestness and beauty of this event, in the sharing of children and youth who had a passion for life and hope, both of which were expressed in their presence and their words.
I was filled with the hope of Isaiah who told his people to keep on building, to keep on believing, and to keep on trusting in God and one another.
The fact that we have such vibrant co
mmunities shows that we are a long way indeed from being a people without vision and hope for the future, no matter what is going on around us.
God says to you, faithful and beloved of Erin Mills United Church- after a church year that has brought you so many changes, `well done good and faithful servants, enter into the joy of your Lord. `Enter into the season of peace, joy, hope and love.`
Amen.
In Faith, Rev Jackie