He is risen! Jump for joy!

He is Risen!

Psalm 16

Song of Trust and Security in God

A Miktam of David.

1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”[a]

3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
    in whom is all my delight.

4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;[b]
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    I have a goodly heritage.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
    my body also rests secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
    or let your faithful one see the Pit.

11 You show me the path of life.
    In your presence there is fullness of joy;
    in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.[1]

WELCOME in the name of Jesus, the Christ.

Sharing with you some ideas about this psalm and our lives today.

We’re standing in the middle of something so much bigger than each of us but our God is big enough AND small enough to tap each of us on the shoulder and say, “Have no fear, I am with you.”

I don’t often write out my full prose of my message and today will be no different.  The mind map that I will share at the end may seem confusing or odd but it gives a glimpse into my thought process throughout the week.

The big question and the following questions stem from this statement: “If you were to write a psalm today what would it look like?”

The psalmist today writes about how very present God is and not like the gods of the Canaanites. There are a lot or resources available on this Psalm – just ask Mr. Google if you want more.

Back to the questions. 

  • How would you write your psalm today?  Would you base it somewhat on Psalm 16?
  • What does your lament or tears look like?  Would you share that part of you?  That’s not always easy.
  • What songs would you sing today? Songs of joy, faith, or love perhaps.
  • Take the questions further – what does your dream look like?  For tomorrow or for this time next year.  What’s the dream for when we worship together once more?

Perhaps the dream would be about rising again.  We will arise!  We will find joy in today but also in tomorrow and whatever is next for us.

This morning we sang songs of Joy: Joyful, joyful we adore you, I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, and then finished with I can feel you near me God (Jump for joy).

Are you feeling joy?  Are you able to get excited about your dreams to come?

This we know for sure:  God is with us.  We are not alone.  Thanks be to God.

See my Mind Map below which is the short form of my message today.

[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-NRSV-Bible/

What day is it?

Saturdays have often felt weird to me. Many people enjoy the weekend off from work; not quite the same now.

As a minister/preacher I have found, and still today, a difficulty in the concept of a day off. Saturdays are often filled with anxiety about worship coming on Sunday. Questions of am I ready, does the message make sense to me, and will it make sense to others, flood over me. Anxiety creeps in. I can “put the sermon to bed” and leave it there but as a creative I’m constantly rethinking and tweaking a turn of phrase here and perhaps adding a poem or a quotation there. The sermon never feels done.

In normal life I would preach three services each week which gives me the opportunity to finesse the message after each one. I would have time to work with the congregation who are present. Now with only one service and online complications, I feel like I’m preaching to myself. Perhaps that is exactly what I’m doing. Perhaps that is exactly what I need.

Be not afraid is my mantra these days. Reminding myself that I have no reason to fear. God is with me. God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.

May your Saturday be exactly what is needed for you today, this moment.

Blessings always

Barbara

Easter: Empty chairs, tables, and a tomb

Easter: Empty chairs, empty tables, empty tomb

He is risen! Start at timestamp 4:38 to skip the set up.

He is Risen!

Mark 16 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Resurrection of Jesus

16 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and.

May we all share in the joy of the resurrection in new and different ways.  He is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Amen

See my Mind Map below that outlines the message.

Good Friday April 2020

ST. ANDREW’S, ST. LUKE’S, EMMANUEL UNITED CHURCHES OF CANADA

April 10th, 2020

Good Friday Service




Hebrew Reading:  Mark 15
ST. ANDREW’S, ST. LUKE’S, EMMANUEL
UNITED CHURCHES OF CANADA
Email: dmsminister@gmail.com
Designated Lay Minister: Barbara Creelman  
Phone: 613-333-9894
April 10th, 2020
Good Friday
 
WE GATHER TO PRAISE GOD
Musical Prelude
We prepare our hearts for worship
Welcome – Lighting of the Christ Candle
Centring Prayer
 
 
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD FOR US
 
Story of Jesus:  Mark 15
 
25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left.            
 
29 Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.
 
Message:  What’s so good about Good Friday?
 
·         Good Friday also known as
·         God’s Friday
·         Long Friday
Good because the death of Jesus was the final sacrifice for all atonement needed
Feels like a Long Friday to me.  Dark day today; dark themes in our scripture; dark world we like in.
We have time today, as we shelter in place, in the sanctuary of our homes, to prayer, to meditate on what is being sacrificed today – the health of those who work to care for others, those who continue to supply our needs. 
 
 
The Death of Jesus
33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land[f] until three in the afternoon. 34 At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” 36 And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he[h] breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
 
It is finished (the candle is extinguished)
 
Music:  I know who holds tomorrow
              He giveth more grace
 
Our prayers for the world in turmoil, for our friends and family separated from us, for all who care for us.
 
Good Friday? Yes it is.  What good to you find in this day?
 
Hymn:  Jesus keep me near the cross
1 Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain;
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.
Refrain:
In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my ransomed soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.
 
2 Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the Bright and Morning Star
Shed His beams around me. [Refrain]
 
3 Near the cross! O lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o’er me. [Refrain]
 
4 Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever;
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river. [Refrain]
 
Public Domain 1869
*Benediction
Friday ends but Sunday is coming….
 
 

Good Friday?

*Benediction

Friday ends but Sunday is coming….