Gone Fishing 

Dear Church Family,

We are excited to invite you to join us this Sunday as we dive into Luke 9,   we witness a powerful moment—the Transfiguration of Jesus. On the mountain, His glory is revealed, and the disciples catch a glimpse of His divine nature. It reminds us that God’s presence is always with us, even when we don’t fully understand His plans.

Like Peter, James, and John, we may long to stay in the moments where God’s presence feels most clear. But Jesus calls us to carry that light into our daily lives, trusting that He walks with us in both the mountaintop moments and the valleys.

Let’s come together this Sunday with open hearts, ready to receive and reflect on His word.

Blessings,
Heart Lake United Church Board

In light of the Winter Storm Warning in effect for our areas, the decision has been made to cancel the church service Sunday morning. We will not be holding a virtual service either. This way you can remain safe in your own home, stay off the roads, and enjoy the Family Day weekend without worrying about weather impeding your journey to church.

Be careful out there and connect with loved ones. Church services will be back next Sunday, February 23rd

If you are looking for something to contemplate, I share with you this reflection from Joyce Rupp called "Winter Teaches Me" from her book "The Circle of Life: The Heart's Journey Through the Seasons":

Winter teaches me patience:

Walk carefully on icy pavements.

Drive slower through snarled traffic.

Take more time to put on layers of clothes.

Wait for streets to be cleared of snow.

Be understanding about mail arriving late.

Winter strengthens my courage:

Go out into windy, freezing air.

Risk traveling on snowy roads.

Dress warmly and go for a walk.

Ski through woods, alone and free.

Be at peace in long days of darkness.

Winter brings me beauty:

Look up at the star-filled sky.

Pause to breathe the crisp air.

Vigil with steel-blue sunsets.

Marvel at frost etchings on windows.

Sink boots into soft, sensual powder.

Winter gives me silent hope:

Touch the terminal buds on branches.

Clear the snow and find green moss below.

Watch the sunlight fade, then linger longer.

Stand with the strength of evergreen trees.

Listen to birds chirping at the feeder.

Joyce Rupp

Life among the Believers

43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

These words from Acts a good summary of what the church needs to do and be.  Circumstances are forcing us to slow down, spend more time alone, be intentional about keeping connected and rethink our priorities.  How can we re-organize ourselves, our church and our government so that everyone can "live with glad and generous hears, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people?"

Matthew 28:16-20  (NRSV)

The Commissioning of the Disciples

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”[ a ]

Climb Your Own Mountain  

Must I climb up this mountain again?

Why is it so hard to rendezvous with HIM?

I pray and I sing and I listen to scripture

But I don’t always get the picture

I have my doubts while others seem so sure

 

"Go and make disciples," what does that mean?

Am I to make Muslims Christians and declare Hindu’s unclean?

Who has the authority to be God’s ambassador on earth

To decide in whose name who has received a new birth?

 

Surely salvation is not mine to declare

even if I pour water, make the sign of the cross,

say your sins are forgiven, your soul is not lost.

 

Up here on this mountain you ask me to climb

I hear words that do speak to my heart and my mind

"Teach them my commands and help them obey

My rules of love and to follow my way."

 

If my life reflects the light that you give then

I can leave it to you to decide who gets in.

 

John 21:15-19   (NRSV)

Jesus and Peter

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Do you love me?

Do you love me?

Yes, of course,

I feed your lambs and tend your sheep.

 

I do what I see needs to be done

And others they do what I say; it is fun

To be in charge and be doing good,

Raising funds and handing out food.

 

Do you love me?

Yes, of course

I tend your sheep and feed your lambs.

 

I may fasten my own belt and go where I choose

But I always choose well and hardly ever lose

my way but you say that I am still young

and don’t understand that all that I’ve done

is not all that you

would have me to do.

 

Do you love me?

Yes, of course,

I feed your lambs and tend your sheep.

 

You want me to go places not of my choosing

You want me to risk that my life is worth loosing

In order for me to bring glory to you

And in bringing you glory find my life made new.

 

Do you love me?

Luke 24:13-35   

  Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[ a ] from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.[ b ]  18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth,[ c ] who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.[ d ] Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah[ e ] should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us[ f ] while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Walking with Jesus 

 Talking and discussing

 Walking and mistrusting

 Discussing and mistrusting

 Mistrusting yet discussing

Who to believe; where to turn;

what comes next; when will it end?

 How can you not know?

 Have you not heard?

 God’s love is steadfast,

 God’s mercy is abundant,

Luke 24:1-12

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. [ a ]   4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women [ b ]  were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men [ c ]  said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. [ d ]   6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.[ e ]

 

Early, while it was still dark,

They went to the tomb.

Who would roll away the stone?

Would the body have started to decay?

Would their spices be enough

  to cover up the stench of death?

 

But the tomb was open,

And the body was gone.

The stench of death was not there,

But neither was the aroma of life,

Just confusion, uncertainty, fear and despair.

 

Why do you look for the living among the dead?

Do you not remember what he said?

Go and tell.

 

So they did.

They told of death conquered

  and life restored,

Of pain ended and grief assuaged,

Of sin forgiven and

  grace abounding,

Of a new heaven and a new earth.

 

But these words seemed to them an idle tale

And they did not believe them.

After all, it was just women who told the tale

            Dismayed, distressed, delirious women

No one would believe them!

 

But someone believed, someone told,

Someone was utterly convinced

  of the truth of resurrection.

This someone,

a small group of committed

  or committable people

set out to tell the world the Good News.

 

Their story wasn’t recorded in history,

Their leaders weren’t given honours,

Their writings weren’t well preserved,

But people listened

  and remembered

and told the story over and over and over

until 100, 200, 300 years later,

important people began to listen

and they told the story.

 

But the story they told was

more about judgment than grace,

more about power than service,

more about sin than love.

 

Today we come to hear the story.

How will we hear it?

How will we tell it?

 

2000 years later, we still tell this idle tale.

Can we tell it with hope and joy

  as it was first told.

Can we live it, dance it, believe it, sing it?

Can it be grace and forgiveness

and new life for us?

 

The tomb is empty,

  the stench of death is gone.

We can live in confusion, uncertainty,

  fear and despair,

Or we can breathe in the

  sweet aroma of new life

            dance with joyful abandon

            and live with hope for a world made new.

 

Even if it is an idle tale, let’s dance.

Christ is risen, Alleluia. Amen

This Easter Season is a time for some quiet reflection so I offer you some poems that might spark you own thoughts about the mystery of the resurrection and its place in your life.  

Mark 16

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 amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Faith or Fear 

“They said nothing to anyone,

for they were afraid.

Afraid of being next?

Afraid of looking foolish?

Afraid of the consequences?

Afraid of facing the mystery?

Fear immobilizes but faith energizes

Fear shuts down but faith opens up

Fear calculates but faith risks

 

In your terror or amazement, which do you choose?

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”   Hebrews 11:1

We are experiencing ‘things not seen’ everyday. It is easy to fear an invisible virus lurking around every corner, hanging out on every surface. It is hard not to react with one extreme or the other, obsessive fear or cavalier indifference. Both such extremes bring harm ourselves and others. We need caution, care, and informed obedience right now.  

Fear, cynicism and apathy are the real dangers of our time. They immobilize us . We know how to fix our problems. We can reduce the impact of covid-19 even if we can’t avoid it completely. In the longer term, we have the science and technology to address climate change. What we need is the will to make the necessary changes and the wisdom to make the changes that bring prosperity and justice to everyone , not just a few.

Change isn’t just coming, it is here. We have all had to make changes. Which ones will we keep?  How many people will suffer as the changes are made? When we have hope we can make changes that will last, changes for the good of all. Faith gives us confidence that what we do makes a difference. The changes that we are experiencing and the permanent changes that are coming require small steps that each of us can take and big steps that we need to take together . For each of us that means action and advocacy.

Make the Values Shift!

Which actions have you taken that you can sustain to help move us towards a more just and sustainable world?

With what politicians can you advocate? Which groups working for change can you support?  

Have faith; be hopeful; embrace the change.