A Message from Rev. Maya Landell
Dear Friends,
I can’t wait to be back with you and our music leaders in the sanctuary this Sunday at 9:30 and 11:15 am. What a good way to transition into the season of fall!
The Scripture focus this week is Psalm 139, Deuteronomy 11:18-21, and 2 Timothy 3:14-17. It is the prequel to Homecoming Sunday and The Story Launch on September 15. (There is still time to get a copy of The Story for yourself or a friend. Look for the table in Stewart East Hall after worship.)
I have hopes for this year together as a church family:
- Hope for people for find themselves in God’s story
- Hope that we will listen well to each other
- Hope for the spiritual practice of Bible reading to be shared
- Hope for people to talk about what they are reading – with the people you live with (partner, child, roommate, or neighbour), weekly to meet with up a few friends (dinner and The Story conversation), to attend one of The Story Bible studies
- Hope that people will start or end their day with The Story – journaling and praying about what they’ve read
- Hope that people will mark up their copies with their questions, favourite passages, things that challenge, disturb or resonate
- Hope that people will bring a constructively critical eye to what they are reading – recognizing the context, the need for inclusive language, the editors’ privilege, the baggage with some of our religious words and the multiple ways they can be interpreted, asking “whose voice has been left out, what’s been included, what matters?”
- Hope that people will have some God-wrestling time with The Story
- Hope that the grace of God’s abundant love touches people through the words
- Hope that others hear about what we are doing and catch a spark to be involved
- Hope that we will become storycatchers
- Hope that our congregation has some fun and growing time this year together
As I pray into this season for our church family, I leave you with a quote from one of my favourite authors (whose book also changed my life).
God Bless,
Rev. Maya