“Come to me all that are
weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
--Matthew 11:28
Life can be complicated. And with summer soon coming to a
close, life—for many—will become even more complicated. Obligations,
appointments, exams, meetings can stack up and very soon become oppressive. In
the midst of the hustle and bustle of modern life(even for retired folks), many
long for a simpler life.
The
gospel—good news—of God is simple. Jesus Christ came into the world to save
sinners (including you and me) and
take away every burden we carry through our lives—especially the burden
of having to be “perfect” people, and especially the burden of guilt.
Jesus removed our spiritual
burden and more than that, Jesus has given humanity a new identity, as blessed
and beloved children of God.
Being a child of God means being
free from anyone and everything which
would hold us down, or try to separate us from the love of God. Simply put, being a Christian is
trusting in the work God has done through Jesus for all people
God’s
great and glorious gift through Jesus is indeed cause for celebration!
Christian living is an ongoing celebration of what God has done for us.
On Sundays and other special days of the year, Christians gather to
receive God’s good news of forgiveness through Jesus. The sacraments of baptism and communion
are very special ways of receiving the good news. In our daily living,
Christians are called to share the good news of Jesus in word and deed.
As
the school year opens and folks return to more regular routine, we especially
need to keep in mind the words of Jesus written above.
More than that we are called to
gather around his word of life as it is spoken to and through this
congregation—During regular Sunday service and scheduled events throughout the year.
Please note upcoming events in
the life of this congregation—some are one time or annual events others, like
Sunday morning Bible study, are ongoing. I encourage all who attend on
Sunday service to consider taking
in some of our educational events and programming; for all Christians are
called to "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ (2 Peter 3:18). And we encourage you to get involved in our ministry activities. Your gifts of time, talent and energy are priceless!
Activities for the upcoming
month include:
* Neighbourhood
barbecue, Saturday, September 24th.
* Back
to Church Sunday”, September 25th
* Dinner, video, and discussion, Tuesday, September 27th
* Done
School/Not retired” dinner discussion,
September 31st.
Your Servant in Christ,
Pastor Thomas
