sunday WORSHIP

---

Inspired by Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Moses arrives at the pulpit and the sermon begins.

“It is beautiful [1], [2], [3] this promised land. I have seen many a thing in my time but never anything like this. It is Yahweh, as you described it to me. A land flowing with milk and honey, perhaps the odd Peach tree. Plenty of water for irrigating crops and fertile land. I envision sheep grazing, hillsides planted with crops, the valley bottoms with grain. I see my people living freely, not as slaves to a cruel master. It is good. My people have been saved.” 

Perhaps Moses uttered words like that, perhaps not. Either way he must have been filled with immense joy. His wanderings and his wonderings could now come to rest. His doubts and stresses could be laid aside. As his mission and ministry came to a close, Moses could touch hands with his dream. In God’s service he had accomplished what he had been asked to do, lead the Hebrew people to freedom. It had been a long, arduous journey, but his reward was heavenly, a great satisfaction that his discipleship had been worthwhile. 

My discipleship walk has probably spanned as many years as Moses’, although for a goodly amount of that time, I was wandering around in my own desert, trying to find my way. As in Moses’ case I had setbacks. I was thirsty for a long time, but I wasn’t sure what for. There was a hunger too, not a hunger for basic sustenance, but a hunger for soul food. 

Moses travelled across the Red Sea and into the desert. But he and the Israelites found only bitter water to drink until God provided a source of fresh water. And then there is grumbling from the people about a lack of food. Yahweh is there once again as the travelers are provided Mana from heaven. Miraculously, they survived 40 years in the wilderness. Moses was their guide, but God was always at his side. 

We remember Moses in his early commission. A vision from a burning bush speaks, “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Moses response we recall is, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

It was like that for me too. Who was I to lead a flock in ministry? Like Moses, the thought had never crossed my mind.

But the voice of the Holy did come to me. Not from a burning bush, but in more subtle ways. Enquiry, volunteering, wondering, searching. The first real Oasis, an opportunity to look at what Licensed Lay Worship Leadership was all about. I went. I found fresh cool water to drink. Hungry for more spiritual food I found Manna as a student at the Centre for Christian Studies. Then was offered to me “the land of milk and honey.” It appeared when you, this incredible Community of Faith said, “yes, Mr. McLean, come on over, we think you might be a good fit for us, we will give you a try.”

That was nearly ten years ago and I am forever grateful that you said yes. From my vantage point I gaze out across a new promised land. A land we have created together. A land occupied by generous, gifted, kind, resourceful God loving and God serving people.

As Moses’ ministry was led by God’s hand, it was the needs of his people that encouraged him and their will and determination that fed his soul. I have been blessed in the same way. 

I know God as creator, holy promise, holy love, and holy spirit, has deeply affected me, and guided me along this ministry path. But we have travelled it together. We have been company when friendship was needed, advisors when asked, good listeners when our hearts have been near breaking. We have dug our heels in on occasion when we needed to stand up for justice, equality and right-relations. We have committed our energy, enthusiasm, our blood, sweat and tears to the ongoing work of this ministry we call PUC. 

We have joyfully celebrated marriages (like Thursday), baptisms, and confirmations. We have honoured our friends who have passed with our gratitude, love and our tears. We have set aside our differences on occasions where the good of all was more important than our individual preferences. And we set aside our egos. 

Perhaps most important is in our keeping a gentle, generous, forgiving, nurturing, Holy Love in all that we do. And we have kept the lens of our ministry fully focused on the man called Jesus. With his guidance PUC has, I believe, blossomed as a community of faith held in high regard for its passion around generosity, and compassion for one another and the stranger alike. 

All of this goes to say I am so very proud to stand before you today. Perhaps Moses did likewise, looking out over the view and thinking, Oh God, this is good and seeing that he had been a part of the story. 

I see a promised land in the hands and the hearts of all of you. Continue to serve each other with thoughtfulness, kindness and empathy. Continue to love with open hearts even if at times they may break. Continue to be Jesus in this COF, outside these walls and in the world. Continue to love one another and always, always remember that you are loved more than you can possibly imagine.

And finally, thank you all again for letting me be your pastor. I am forever grateful. Amen

[1] the journey of moses - Search

[2] Biblical Promised Land Map - Search Images

[3] Moses Exodus Journey Map - Search Images    

  Inspired by Matthew 4: 18-25

The journey, this journey has been amazing. Confusing, difficult, incredible, scary, life-giving, humbling, painful and joy filled too. There have been Ah Ha moments, OMG moments, what the… he** am I doing moments, you have to be joking moments, “I can’t believe I am doing this” moments and many more kinds of moments than I can recall. But if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would jump in with both feet in a second. And so it is that I give great thanks to that prophet that walked across my path and said, “come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 

Of course I didn’t listen very well at first. I guess I wasn’t ready for a lesson in Hebrew. That is at least in part because of my stubborn streak I told you about last time. I wasn’t about to be led down the garden path by what I thought was a fictional character, that Jesus who could make blind men see, heal the leper and raise someone from the grave. No, not me. I’m not that gullible I thought. 

What kind of crazy story is today’s gospel reading? A stranger comes down to the lakeshore and says, “hey guys, follow me. I have got something for you to do. Its important. Just leave your job, your families, your security and everything you know and follow me. Trust me, I know what I’m asking, and I know what I’m doing.”

Matthew’s account says they follow Jesus. Astounding! Really? That seems rather unrealistic. Would you do that? If you did folks would question whether or not you were of sound mind. 

The truth is that I almost did something as radical. At age 59 I retired from the Federal Government after 32 years of employment and said to my lovely wife of almost 40 years, “I want to go to theology school. It’s only 4 years. I want to be a UC minister. I can feel it in my veins. I am sure I need to do this.” It was the Jesus scene from the Galilean beach. 

Now granted I had been worshipping and volunteering in the church by then for 30 years or so, but this was radical. Lenore had no concept of me retiring and going back to school. She will tell you, and rightfully so, that she was pretty frustrated with me. I’m not sure, but she probably thought “Damn that Jesus anyway.” In truth that was a time of significant conflict for us. 

Yes, Jesus caught me in his net. He had been trying for a while, and I had attempted to swim away but I eventually gave in. “OK, you’ve got me, now what? Well its pretty simple Mr. Mclean. Let me tell you a story. You see there was this Samaritan Man who came upon an injured traveller …………….”

Yes, the good Samaritan. The classic story of helping those in need, of being at the side of someone in peril, of speaking justice against evil, of accepting “the other,” regardless of race, creed, colour, ethnicity, social standing, sexuality or anything else. And more than anything, to love unconditionally. 

I believe I have done OK with the Jesus list. I have tried in any case, and that friends is really all we are asked to do. Try and do our best to live a life of authentic grace, and to do it as our Vision and Call Statements say, "We commit to a way of living following Jesus Christ as our model. “Our call is to be an inclusive, loving, and compassionate discipleship. Our actions express our longing to make a difference in the world.”

Which brings me to the next thing I wanted to say this morning. I’m not unique in this company of saints, that’s all of you that sit in the pews this morning or are joining us online. True, I took a specific path and ended up with a specific role, which I need to say I am eternally grateful for. But the reality is that we have all been caught up in Jesus’ net. 

Some of you have been captured for a while. Now you are the mature lake trout, the wise elders. Others haven’t been netted for quite as long, but are equally dedicated, those might be the rainbow trout. And of course, there are others, newer to the faith experience, the minnows perhaps of the Jesus discipleship. But all of you are equally gifts to this ministry which is Peachland United. And you are all gifts to a community that needs your inspirational kindness, your tender care and compassion. You are all gifts to one another and to a society that needs warmth and tenderness. And you are all gifts to a world that needs truth to be spoken and justice to be lived. All of you are needed.

Yes, you have been caught, you are fishers of people as much as I am. And that is something to celebrate and be proud of. 

I am so grateful for having had the time to be a part of this ministry and to have come to know you all well. As I think I have mentioned before, it has truly been an honour and a privilege to serve as your minister these past 10 (almost 10) years. I got the God call and was caught in the Jesus net and you let me swim in the PUC pond. Thank you so, so much. I am forever grateful. 

Drawing to a close for today I want to tell you a story about being in ministry together. Jesus new this, I think it is important. 

I was a young, very young (21 probably) health inspector trainee. One sunny July day I was driving a back road in Maple Ridge to do some water sampling. I was headed to a lovely, secluded beach. I had the window down because there was no AC in those days. I couldn’t believe my fortune. Driving along in bliss, probably singing. And I recall thinking how good is this, summertime, driving down a back road, and I’m getting paid for this too! Where upon a bee flew in the window, inside my shirt and stung me. Son of a ……………. that hurt. 

I share that story for two reasons. First, it’s true and in keeping with my personality, it’s funny. But more important it’s a parable for our times. 

In my experience, and with the grace of the spirit of compassion, the love of the creator and the wisdom of Jesus, I have received more gifts from being in ministry that I can count. And I have been blessed beyond my wildest expectations. Yes, I have been stung a few times but that comes with our living. It comes with the territory, sharing beliefs, speaking about justice issues, and being in relationships. Sometimes one has to upset the apple cart to move forward. To think otherwise would be foolish. Again, it’s a Jesus lesson. 

I also know that PUC is an incredible ministry of dedicated loving and compassionate folks. You will continue to do ministry well, and I know I will be hearing about it. You are going through some challenges with change right now. That might be a little difficult, but you will get through that well. Why, because you always have, because you are believers, you are disciples, you are lovers, you are fishers of people. You have been bitten by a few stray bees in the past, and you have weathered that storm. You might get bitten again, but you will go on doing incredible ministry, extolling peace and justice, and spreading love and grace in this community and elsewhere. Why, because the spirit of the living God is in you and Jesus is your guide. 

Please always remember that you are all a blessing, that you are special and that you are loved. Thanks for listening this morning, Amen   

Inspired by Genesis 1:1, 2:4a The Inclusive Bible

Trinity Sunday, God is seen as “three in one,” Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A traditional reflection on this day would have the preacher, I guess that’s me today, dive into a theological dissertation of how we might sort that out. Alas, I have to disappoint you if you were hoping for that today, because I am not inclined to go there. Rather, given I have but three Sundays left with you, I hatched another idea. I thought, how about I offer three reflections, one about a beginning, one about journeying and one about exiting. I hope that is OK. If not, M and P get ready for some flack! So today, the first, In the Beginning.

2“But the earth became chaos and emptiness, and darkness came over the face of the Deep – yet the spirit of God was brooding over the surface of the waters.” Apparently, the closest English equivalent of the Hebrew original for chaos and emptiness, tohu va-bohu ("toh-hoo vah-boh-hoo.) is “topsy-turvy.” 

Topsy-turvy about describes much of my youth and young adult life. Not that topsy-turvy is a bad thing. To me it means up and down, unsettled, uncertain. Those were the times when I was quite introspective and inquisitive. I suppose if we all look back at our formative years, we have something in common there. 

But one thing I had which many of you might not have; was a stubborn streak. Yes, that is hard to believe isn’t it! 

I was not, not, not going to swallow any of that nonsense about God creating the earth. Lovely poetic language yes. But everything under the heavens made by a singular entity, the creator, nonsense! And in only six days to boot, what kind of craziness is that? 

And from within the chaos comes the creation of mankind.

27 Humankind was created as God’s reflection:

In the divine image God created them;

Female and male, God made them.

I was a science guy. Biology, Chemistry, Math, Microbiology. Yes, to Darwin, nyet to the biblical texts, especially God in the heavens, omnipotent, in control. 

And the church itself? Not just the United Church, but any church? No thanks, not interested. To me those believers were brainwashed and naïve. None of what is written in the bible made any sense. I wondered how anyone could believe that stuff? 

And then, my engagement. Lenore and her family want us to be married, yes, in a church, Canadian Memorial if you please, the same church her parents had been married in, and with a minister presiding! Oh, do I have to? Why a church? Lenore and her family had not been church goers for years. This seemed like a bit of a contradiction.

OK, OK, I’ll do it, I’ll keep the peace. We’ll get married at Canadian Memorial. (Actually, it wasn’t too bad except that the minister forgot to say “you may kiss the bride,” after we completed our vows, so I just stood there wondering what to do, and then walked off with Lenore to sign the register. I kissed her in the narthex).

Topsy-turvy and chaotic in normal. I think it’s normal anyway. Marriage, children, buying a house, changing careers, moving. Experiencing the death of a parent and working through that grief. The worry and stress of children hospitalized. A real estate transaction that goes horribly wrong. Up and down and chaotic. 

If the maker created this marvelous world and everything in it, surely, he would have foreseen the potential for human suffering and accounted for that. Her cosmic design has a fundamental flaw. Tragedy, misery, anguish and sorrow permeate every aspect of our living. If there was a God in the beginning, and if that was a benevolent loving presence, I was not seeing it.

Well Mr. Science Guy needed to stop taking things so literally. He had to get out of his head and into his heart. And when he managed to do that, he began to see the light. Not the light that distinguishes night and day or the light that peeks out from behind a clouded sky, not the physical light radiating from above, but an epiphany. 

I began to consider, If God, was the creator of everything then didn’t that mean God was “in” everything? Every blade of grass, every rose, tulip and dandelion too as part of creation, has creation in it. Every bird that rises up on its wings, every fish of the deep, every clam on the beach, every sand dollar and yes, even every pesky mosquito, has come from universal star dust. Everything is a part of creation, and a part of creation is in everything. And if I can perceive God in everything, can I feel her presence in the warmth of a day and in the hug from a friend? Am I able to hear his wisdom through prayer and meditation? When I gaze upon her beauty on the landscape and in the miracle of birth, what is evoked in me? 

I began to realize I was awestruck, amazed, captivated by what God could be. 

It took some time for God to sort out my chaos. I’m fortunate she is patient. She has been with me all of my journey. I just didn’t realize it at first. But Holy Mystery has left me a lot of clues over the years. Clues that have led me to discover the Holy Spirit. Something that has been with me since my first breath. I didn’t see it early on because I had shut it out. I wasn’t open to its presence. I was in “ignore” mode, caught up in my preconceptions to see clearly what had been in front of me all along.

As I contemplated my understanding of God, the Holy over the years, I opened my heart to a new concept. If a creator we call God, or perhaps the “Universe of God” formed the earth and the galaxies and all they contain, that is an incredible act of Love. It is love in its most magnanimous revelation. A creation for all to live with abundance and all to live abundantly. 

In my beginning I was closed off, inflexible, unwilling to consider a God that created and still creates, a real and constant presence that reminds us to care for the creation we are part of. As that presence has shown so much compassion for our well-being, so too are we called to be loving, compassionate soulmates for those we meet who like I was, don’t envision divine love as a reality. 

In my beginning was a kind of a void, an emptiness I suppose. Perhaps a lack of perception on my part? Perhaps ignorance, a lack of openness? It took some time to get the message. And I am so grateful that the creator had the time for me to do that. She has the time. She has been around for eons. She will hold us in her tender embrace until we come home to love. 

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen  

Inspired by Acts 2: 1-21

That spirit of truth came on the rush of the wind on the day the Jews traditionally celebrated the festival of weeks, known as Shavuot. It is known today as Pentecost, the day of the coming of the Holy Spirit.[1] And it is regarded as the official start of the Christian Church. 

When it came that day and it didn’t come quietly. It was incredible. A violent rush of wind, tongues of fire. It must have been terrifying. And then all those that were gathered began speaking in languages they didn’t know. 

How is that even possible? I have heard of folks who have had such an experience, but I don’t know one personally and I certainly haven’t experienced it. It seems, unrealistic. Did you understand what Monika shared? Did you track what Louise offered? They were the same words Lynn spoke, but you didn’t know that initially, did you? Imagine being in a large crowd and everyone speaking a different language. It must have been bizarre. 

And tongues of fire? Really? Many said those affected must have had too much wine. I wonder if they were hallucinating? Perhaps they had snacked on some wild mushrooms. 

No, they are not drunk says Peter. This is the fulfillment of an ancient prophesy, the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. The Spirit of the Lord was upon them. 

Despite its strange and unusual text, this passage is a really important one for the church today. In particular for a church like ours who is trying to figure out what its future will be. The apostles in this time of history were trying to do the same thing. 

Jesus had been with them for about three years until he was betrayed and given over to the empire. After his crucifixion he returns. The resurrection celebrated such promise, the people so filled with hope, only to have Jesus leave again in his ascension heavenward. 

What will we do now, they must have wondered?

What they had forgotten is something Jesus has told them only a short while earlier. We heard about it ourselves a couple of weeks back in a reading from John’s gospel. You might remember part of it, when Jesus spoke about an advocate coming after him, something that would be with and in them forever, it was the Spirit of Truth, a precursor to the Spirit of Pentecost.

He, (God), will give you another Advocate, [b] to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be[c] in[d] you. (John 14:16b-17). That advocate is the spirit that came on Pentecost then and comes again today. 

Still, I ponder, what does this all mean? Tongues of fire, violent wind, multiple voices all speaking what seems to be gibberish, that’s an odd kind of God encounter isn’t it? Isn’t this a weird way for the spirit to interact?

Well perhaps it was not so odd to the early Jesus followers. They were the gathered community on the day the spirit arrived. Again, Jesus had just left them again, and this time they had no idea if and when he might be back. The promise that his essence, his spirit self, guiding, advocating, encouraging and pastoring would be with them, is realized on the rush of the wind on Pentecost, as it was destined to occur by the prophet Joel some 800 or so years earlier. 

I might offer that there is as much uncertainty in the Christian Church today as there was when Peter raised his voice and addressed the crowd during that first Pentecost event. The followers were distraught. Leadership was uncertain. Jesus was gone. They were fearful for their very lives. What would be the future of their ministry which was then in its infancy?

It is no secret that we are experiencing many of the same emotions. Many of us are concerned about our church future. At the moment your search team is uncertain about future leadership, (because you are not sure you can get another crazy stand-up comic to replace me). Jesus is most definitely here but we are a little worried that too few recognize him. You are not fearful in the sense of being threatened, but you are fearful about getting enough derrieres in the pews. And you are worried about the future of this uniquely gifted, committed, pastoral community of faith. 

Will it continue well into the future, and will there be enough volunteers to do the work you want to continue to do? Will you have a place to gather in community and a place to worship? 

That my friends is a heavy burden to carry. And to diminish the risk of your collective implosion, I suggest you celebrate instead. Mark this Pentecost Sunday as a remarkable day where the spirit has come in again. 

It arrived today as petals were cast among you in the spirit of joyful music and the sound of the rush of wind. It came in the brightness of our sanctuary as the late spring light warmed us physically and filled us with hope. It arrived today in multiple voices, an intermingling of emotions, greetings, and chatter, which we all understood but didn’t really hear. Pentecost arrived as the spirit of compassion flowed down the aisles and around each pew. The celebration of who we are as a community of faith burst forth in song and raised each heart prayerfully. 

A few of us went to Kelowna several weeks ago to hear a presentation on the United Church and its “vision, towards 2035.” I think most of us left a little disheartened, because we felt there might have been a bit more of a template for church growth. We hoped at least for a formula around church survival. Alas, that was not to be. 

Suggestions were made specifically in regard to celebrating our gifts and doing well what we know best. But the reality is that more United Churches will close. There will be more amalgamations and more shifts in the kinds of ministry offered. I think those that attended would agree, it was a rather glum gathering. 

But, as they say, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. (If you want to know where that phrase originally came from ask me at lunch). I for one refuse to give in to the rhetoric and the doom predictions. I want to celebrate Pentecost today. And I want to celebrate it frequently. 

Let’s celebrate the rush of the holy spirit coming into our midst each and every time we meet, whether it is during worship, at board meetings, or during a visit with a friend. Let’s celebrate the Holy Spirit in our pastoral relationships with each other. Let’s celebrate the incredible linkages that connect our will to serve the community through our outreach, especially that of our incredible Bargain Bin. And let’s celebrate you, called, chosen, gifted, incredibly humble, incredibly kind and generous Jesus folks who want to make a difference. 

And let’s celebrate as we speak only one very common universal language, the language of love. It is heard throughout the world in acts of compassion. No interpretation is required. 

Hallelujah, its Pentecost, a time to celebrate the spirit presence in the church. It is here. Welcome it, live in it, be it. 

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen

[1] What Really Happened at Pentecost? | Christianity.com, accessed May 22, 2026

Inspired by John 14: 15-21

Tuesday this past week your “Affirm Group” showed the movie “The Bible Tells Me So.” I thought it was excellent. Yet it was also disturbing. It was excellent, as it provided a very clear analysis of what scripture really says about homosexuality. It was disturbing in its revelation of just how much damage has been inflicted upon LGBTQ2S+ individuals through many years. 

In the taking of scripture literally and relying on preachers who have been held up as infallible; kind, generous, talented, spirit filled people have been shunned, ostracised, ridiculed, beaten, and severely traumatized. Many of the stories are heartbreaking, especially those where parents have completely disowned children who have “come out” as gay. I just can’t fathom rejecting one of my own children for any reason. But that can be the power and influence of scripture when manipulated and taken out of context. It happens when evangelists spread fear among their trusted congregants.

The promise of the Holy Spirit John writes about in today’s Gospel reading is, I think, one of those scripture lessons that thankfully presents an “iron clad” image of Jesus in the world. There might be room to interpret how exactly he is present, but there is little doubt of his “spirit” presence. John’s message can’t be easily manipulated to say something it is not meant to say. That’s why I chose it for today. 

When Jesus leaves his disciples physically, God will have another advocate in his place to be with them always. That advocate is the spirit of truth. 

That spirit of truth will be known to those that follow in Jesus’ footsteps. It will abide in them, encourage them, transform their living, even when he is gone. This is John’s reference to Jesus’ death, resurrection and final ascension 18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.” 

The advocate, the truth-teller, the spirit of love, generosity and kindness will not digress from Jesus’ teachings. For those who believe in him, there exists a steadfast conviction; justice and equality must be upheld. Abuse of authority, rejection because of social standing, race, colour, ethnicity, opinion or anything else is not the way of Jesus. 

The spirit of truth resides in the hearts of those who have a relationship with the Advocate. It’s not there otherwise. That is what John advises us in this mornings Gospel. It is a simple message, a straightforward message. It is a very powerful and profound message.

How someone, even a seasoned pastor, could manipulate that would be difficult. What would you say if someone advised you, “You can only experience the “spirit of truth,’ if you deny someone’s rights to freedom.” Such a statement would be rather absurd. If you were told, “The advocate, Jesus present in our times, will only be seen if you believe as I do that a man is the head of the household.” Would you not find that equally outrageous. And if you were told “You have no chance of being one of Jesus’ modern-day disciples, if you think it is OK for one man to lay down with another,” would you find that equally outrageous and equally irrational? I hope you would. 

That kind of thinking defies the nature of Jesus and all his teachings of kindness, generosity, justice, and forgiveness. And it defies the commandments he asked us to keep, John 14: 15 “If you love me, you will keep[a] my commandments. 

Those Commandments: “Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). He also taught the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12) 

To the fear mongering and nonsensical biblical interpretations around John’s message I might say, “Excuse me, I think I can see Jesus, and his advocate the truth teller very clearly.” He’s telling me to live a life based on his teachings of generosity. He’s asking me to respect my neighbour even if we are very different. He’s asked me to turn the other cheek when that motorcyclist blew past me the other day scaring me half to death. And he asks me to trust, trust that living in harmony and being an advocate myself, is being in right-relations with God.

It could be said that this is an old message. In fact it is. It is about 2100 years old give or take if scholars are correct that John rote in the later decade of the first Century CE. Having said that, I can’t imagine the interpretation has changed much with time. That might me an interesting segue, but I didn’t go down that road. 

While a lot of scripture can be stretched and interpreted in a myriad of ways, I would be surprised if this one could. It is a corner stone of our Christian Ministry. Christ left behind an advocate. The advocate of the spirit of truth. The advocate that asks us to uphold Jesus’s commandments of his ministry on earth. There is little “wiggle room” within those commandments. The question is how do we fulfill them today. 

Yesterday I had another zoom meeting with an individual I have been calling my “young apprentice.” We are having great discussions on confirmation. With Jesus’ ministry in mind, I had several questions. I asked, “Do you see Jesus in the world today?” “Is he alive?” “Is he teaching?” “Is he healing?” “Where is he?” Difficult questions for an adolescent. 

So, let me share with you some of my answers. 

Do I see Jesus in the world today? Absolutely. He is working over at the Food Bank and beneath us at the Bargain Bin. He is pouring coffee at the wellness center and driving people into Kelowna for appointments. He is visiting shut-ins and friends in hospital. He is among gay, lesbian, trans and two-spirited people who need to be loved like anyone else.

Is He Alive? Yabetcha. He must be because he is sitting next to you (but don’t freak out about that OK).

Is he teaching? I believe absolutely. He taught me something yesterday as I endeavored to wrap my head around John’s gospel. He taught me last week to be patient with my 10-year-old granddaughter when she was clinging to me like glue and I was dog tired.

Is he healing? An affirmative reply again. Healing the broken soul through our kindness and generosity. Healing those needing a spiritual lift as we worship together. 

Where is he? He is in the advocate, the spirit of truth, the love in community, the heart that beats within this Community of Faith. 

How would you reply to these questions? The “Spirit of Truth,” Jesus’ truth, resides in all of us. You know because it abides in you and always will. This is fundamental to our Christian Ministry and not open to discussion. This truth cannot be manipulated, and we cannot be coerced into believing otherwise.

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen