Minister's Message

Today is the first day of what promises to be a scorching stretch, and with it, concerns for everyone's safety, especially those most vulnerable to the heat. Despite it objectively being a beautiful, sunny stretch of days, heat exhaustion can sneak up on us, so I hope that we take the appropriate precautions to keep cool over the next few days. So please check in with one another, and stay safe.

The news this week from Saskatchewan of 751 unmarked graves found near the site of a former residential school is a reminder that what was found in Kamloops was only the beginning of what will be a series of difficult discoveries. While the finding is preliminary, a significant number of those graves are likely to be children who did not survive their experience in the Marieval Residential School. We cannot undo the past, but we do ourselves a great disservice if we try to bury it again. Heading into the week of Canada Day, there are still the ideals of a multi-cultural and inclusive society. While the treatment of Indigenous peoples has cast a dark stain across that ideal, that our history may not be what we were taught, this can be a watershed moment where we seriously look at ourselves and decide what kind of a society we want to be. As painful as they might be, these stories need to be told and acknowledged if the reality of a just society is to be realized. As the Gospel of John reminds us, the truth will set us free (John 8:32). 

This coming Sunday, as June draws to a close, we explore the story of Samuel seeking out an heir to take up the mantle of King after the relationship with Saul soured. While we know it will be David, the experience of that encounter has a powerful message for us. It encourages us to realize that there are worlds of possibilities open to us if we can see with God's eyes. 

The invitation to Sunday's worship is below, along with the readings for this Sunday. 

Yours in Christ,

John