It’s helpful for me at times to consult theological volumes and commentaries on specific biblical passages. Because there I can find some insights into a specific lectionary readings. There is always something new to learn. Every minister has a library full of such resource books.

And often I can get a jumping off point as I read something that really can get me thinking. That is great but there is something else which is also vitally important. And that is to ask the question, what do the people think? What do folks without theological training believe. How do they interpret a specific passage or story. How meaningful might it be to them?

Well, who is Dame Sheila Hancock anyway, and why should I care? (You might know of her, but I didn’t). I figured she was probably some anti-religious Christian basher with nothing better to do that attack the dwindling church and criticize those who believe in Christ. I expected to read, “there is certainly no evidence of a caring and compassionate God today,” and “if you believe in hope through a living Christ, you might want to have a brain scan.” 

As it turns out, that is not what I gleaned when I read further. 

First, for the unknowing, like me, I learned that Dame Sheila Hancock is an accomplished and very well-known actress, author and singer of 91 years. And I learned, receiving a damehood (for women) is the same for knighthood for men. And it can only be bestowed by the king. So, this is a pretty special deal. Receiving such designation does not happen often. 

So, what did Dame Hancock have to say about Jesus? Now I was pretty curious. 

Well, she believes that “Jesus Christ wouldn’t have “lasted a minute” in the 21st century, as he would have been “cancelled.” In an interview with the BBC she said, that “the life of Jesus is still very important to her. (She is a former Catholic). But she believes he would have been the victim of cancel culture on account of his honesty.” “Christ wouldn’t have lasted a minute because he said exactly what he thought, he’d have been cancelled,” she said.”

It is a super interview. As she continues to reflect, she muses, that with all her heart one has to speak to what one believes, regardless of the consequences and the risk of getting into trouble. In a humorous anecdote she comments, “easy for me to say,” because “If I say something outrageous and I’m cancelled, I’m shortly going to be cancelled by death anyway,”[2]

What an interesting perspective. Can Jesus’ words be cancelled? Is Dame Hancock correct in suggesting today Jesus wouldn’t have an audience? 

If he had an open air gathering one day down on the grass by the Cenotaph, would anyone go and listen? Perhaps, if a crowd did gather, it would be full of hecklers who would cry out, “What garbage, what nonsense, what rubbish. A new world? A new kin-dom where everyone is equal, and we can all get along? What kind of fake news is that? What did you smoke on your way down here today, Jesus?

Most of the crowd gathered would probably pick up their lawn chairs and head out after a few minutes, especially when the predictions came. “People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.” 

Folks would run for the hills when they heard “your redemption is drawing near.” “We thought this guy would be inspirational” they would say. “In truth he’s a wingnut, a sham. What a waste of my time. He is just another fearmonger trying to draw us into some kind of cult.”

I have to agree with Dame Hancock here, those words would get Jesus’ act cancelled. However, if they did it would be because his words are misunderstood. 

For Centuries organized religion has been using the fear card to control behaviour of its congregants. And for eons it worked. People were made to fear that a lack of obedience to certain rituals or standards would cast them outside God’s embrace, and into internal damnation. As if a God who loves all her precious children, would in any way want to punish even one of us. 

Associate Professor at the Wartburg Theological Seminary Troy Troftgruben says, “much of this” (doom and gloom, and end of times thinking) “stems from hearing eschatological imagery in scripture wrongly. Its aim is not to predict the future as much as it is to offer a word of hope to encourage faithfulness in the present. Jesus does promise a day when the Son of Man will arrive, a just reckoning will happen, and the faithful will see redemption—and these words of promise will not pass away.”[3]

I see Luke’s reading for this first Sunday in Advent as both comforting and hopeful. I know we are in times of foreboding, wondering what might be the next disaster for mankind to face. But I see trees sprouting leaves as the promise that even in our winter times, when life might seem bleak, hope for new beginnings might emerge. I see the Son of Man arriving later today and tomorrow too, guiding us through our challenges saying, “don’t lose heart, don’t be afraid, I will be with you on your journey, remember that you are loved.” 

As we continue in our ministry together, I see huge obstacles and many barriers. How do we continue to share the good news in times like these? How do we continue to be faith-filled and remain positive?

My suggestion is focus on this part of Luke’s text. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

Jesus’ words, as simple as they might be, are profound. His actions are more so. He speaks about loving and nurturing. He speaks about valuing relationships; He talks about turning the other cheek and resisting the pitfalls of ego. 

He reminds us not to be tempted by fame and fortune. Jesus reminds us to be faithful in service to the less privileged, the needy, the lonely and the lost. If we listen and follow there just has to be hope in what we do. That is an incredible hope we are reminded of today, Advent 1 when we think of a child’s birth that was such a gift. 

So, to end my reflection time for today, I just can’t agree with Dame Hancock. Cancel Jesus? No way, not today, not ever. That will never happen, as long as we continue to share Jesus’ words with others. 

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen

[1] Dame Sheila Hancock says Jesus Christ would have been cancelled if he were alive, accessed November 29, 2024

[2] Ibid

[3] Commentary on Luke 21:25-36 - Working Preacher from Luther Seminary, accessed November 30, 2024

Inspired by Revelation 1:4-8 and John 18:33-37

Can you remember playing checkers? It is a great game. I haven’t played it in a while, but I remember learning it. Like most of us I expect you learned quickly how to try and win. (That’s because if you were like me, you lost a lot). The object of course is to hop over your opponent’s checkers, thus removing them from the board. When they were all gone you were declared the winner. 

To speed up that process you also learned that if you got one of your single checkers to the other side of the board, you said, “King Me,” and your opponent had to put another checker on top of your single one. This made you a “King” and you could jump both forwards, backwards and diagonally. Your power-house king could control the board. Your opponent was at your mercy. 

Throughout history we have associated Kings with royalty. We have associated them with power and authority. 

Kings often ruled with an iron hand and governed through implications of fear. One towed the line or suffered the consequences. Kings were ruthless tyrants, often clinging to power by exercising brutality. I shudder to think of living in those times. 

Pilot asks Jesus, “are you the King of the Jews?” He wonders if Jesus plans to run his checkers all over the board, hopping over all opponents in the name of your God. Herod is asking Jesus, is it your plan to challenge the emperor with insurgence in mind? Would you desire to take control away from him, he who is the rightful king and ruler? That of course would be a real threat indeed and something that could not be tolerated.

But Pilot misunderstands Jesus’ purpose, as did so many. 

For centuries the Hebrew people were looking for a “New King,” someone prophesized from God who would take them out of bondage and set them free. Someone who would come proclaiming justice and living God’s truth of peace, kindness and generosity. Several of our well-known Gospel stories reflect back to the ancient texts of a new king like this one from the prophet Zechariah. 

Zechariah 9:9-10

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
 Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you;
 triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
 on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 He[a] will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
 and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
 and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea
 and from the River to the ends of the earth.

The King will come humble, riding on a donkey, he shall command peace to all nations. (You all have heard that text before).

This isn’t an imperial king in military dress with a sword at his side riding a white stallion. It is a humble Jesus who says to pilot, yes, I am a king, I was born to be a king. But not a ruler or a governor or a dictator. I am here to testify to the truth, to be an advocate for the poor and disenfranchised, to oppose tyranny and oppression. The kingdom I speak of is not of this time. You do not know of it. 

Evie took out the banner you see displayed to the left of the chancel this morning. “Christ the King.” I originally asked her not to display it. That is because I have some difficulty with the language, it’s challenging. That’s because there are countless examples of Kings, both past and present whose governance style was, or is, through dictatorship. It portrays King is a poor light. Even King Charles carries with him the baggage of centuries of imperialistic rule which are hard to shake. King it is really out of context with how we view Jesus today. And it can be so misleading. 

A good king is a great leader who exercises his authority by ruling with justice and wisdom, not impunity and self-serving interests. A good and just king doesn’t need to ride into town in an armoured Roles-Royce and he doesn’t need bodyguards. A good king comes into town in a Honda Civic. And it’s not necessarily a new one. 

Which is also why many liturgies, including those that I write, have gone from using Kingdom to Kin-dom. 

The “Kingdom of God,” is not one in which we obey a deity who we fear of reprisal. A God in control. The kingdom’s reality is one where peace, justice and equality prevail. Jesus means to encourage the Jews to proclaim this message. 

The difficulty then, and now, is that such a message flies in the face of the would-be kings of our day who feel that rule is an absolute. They either think they know best through an inflated ego or desire power for self-gain. This is not the king; the leader Jesus was sent to become. And it is not the individual we see throughout the gospels. 

So perhaps we should just let go of the King designation for Jesus completely. Perhaps that would be less confusing.

Perhaps, but not necessarily.

Today is “Reign of Christ Sunday,” not “King Christ Sunday,” a time when we remember and celebrate a kind and gentle advocate for peace and justice. Jesus was determined and one could say stubborn. We are thankful that he was. 

Jesus would not compromise God’s ethical and moral way for any self-gain. He was unequivocally an incredible leader, and I suppose one could say ruler or King. The kind of authority figure that one listens to because everything that is said is wisdom. Everything that is shared models the way we need to be in this world. We hope and pray that Jesus’ wisdom continues to flow abundantly through our times despite all who would question, who are you and what do you think you are doing?

Personally, I can see myself gravitating to this kind of a King. Following Jesus, I can see my self playing a robust game of checkers trying my best to scoot across that board quickly so I can say “King Me.” Jesus I want to be like you. Do you want to play checkers too?

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen  

  Reference Micah 4:1-5 and Galatians 5:14

Well friends, it has been an enormously challenging few days as we try to come to grips with the outcome of the US elections. We have all been praying that a leader who values human differences, who respects equity and fairness, who can listen to the people and respond with compassion, would find a way to the Oval Office. Instead, our neighbours put their faith in an individual whose Ego is immeasurable, and whose quest for power is insatiable. I think we can all agree that the president elect has no respect for women or women’s rights. He is unequivocally a racist. And to boot, he’s a convicted felon. 

Many of us Canadians are flabbergasted at this outcome. So are many millions of our US friends. But the die has been cast, the results conclusive. Mr. T is now in control again. 

The politics of how this all came to pass I leave to others, as I am grossly underqualified to constructively comment on the US electoral system. And so, I cast my thoughts in another direction.

I was discussing this with a colleague of mine just a few days ago. How could this all come to pass I wondered? She offered that fear plays a huge role in situations such as this. Fear, she said, can transform people in ways that we cannot fathom, in ways that seem irrational. Fear can cause us to make decisions we would not normally make, decisions that defy common sense.

Now, I would have thought that fear of a tyrant as the US “Commander and Chief” would have kept him far away from a second term as president. But something else was at play. Mr. T spoke passionately to issues of most concern to the US electorate, the economy and immigration. Inflation has been eating at take home pay and lifestyle. Immigration, especially illegals, has been blamed for taking away good paying traditional jobs. The vitriolic speeches have been heard as “yes, he is speaking to me.” “I want my country back too. I want a good paying job and I’m tired of paying so much for housing and groceries.” “Let’s get rid of those illegals that are ruining it for us. Let’s put huge taxes on our importers and save our economy.” 

As it turned out, the people didn’t fear the radicalism of an individual who at times seems “unhinged.” They feared that without him they would continue to have more of the same problems, and they wanted change. 

We have seen this before. A similar plea to the German people was attractive. The result was genocide of millions of Jews and millions of soldiers during the second world war.

God why can’t we beat those swords into ploughshares and those spears into pruning hooks? Why can’t we turn the billions of dollars spent on manufacturing arms into food, clothing and reasonable shelter for all those that need it? Why can’t we sit under our own vines and our own fig trees, and not fear war or any armed conflict? 

Expectations have a lot to do with that. The privileged life that most of us here and in the US have experienced is not something we want to let go of. Those that “have” don’t want to be on the other side of the fence. They fear for the security of their families. A vision of something better clouds thinking and overshadows reason. A fear of losing what is precious impregnates the soul. The motivator becomes “what is best for me?” It is easy to make a choice if someone promises us a rainbow rather than a storm cloud. Such promises reduce our fear. 

A long time ago Jesus said, “the most important thing is to love your neigbhour as yourself.” That one singular sentence has carried on through the ages as probably the most important thing Jesus ever said. It is so unfortunate that many of us, even those who are followers of Jesus, have forgotten to listen to those words. 

In many cases we have allowed our selfishness to get in the way of our ministry. Fear of losing an advantage takes the place of compassion for “the other.” Fear of having to give up something is replaced by protectionism. I have no idea how many Christian people voted in the US elections, but many forgot the comment Paul shared with the church in Galatia. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” 

You don’t love your neighbour when you put them on a boat and send them back to their homeland. You don’t love your neighbour when you try and take away her rights as a woman. You don’t love your neighbour when you utter racist remarks. At what cost are we prepared to go to please self at the peril of another who has no resources, no opportunity, no social standing, no advocate?

The United Church of Christ in the US is the most theologically aligned with our United Church of Canada. I was interested and very encouraged to read through some of their post-election responses.

“…..while our political landscape has undoubtedly shifted, our mission and work remain unchanged. No matter who is in power, we will continue to follow the way of love every day. We will counter all efforts to strip reproductive rights, deport immigrants, and dehumanize the LGBTQ+ community. We will stand up with our family, friends, and neighbors for environmental justice, racial justice, and economic justice. We will fight for the dignity and wellbeing of our siblings abroad. We will continue to be courageous, creative, and collaborative in living out the hope of the gospel in the public square. “[1]

The post continues with positives of note such as the recognition of the first trans person to be elected to Congress, and the election of two more black women to the Senate. I learned that two states codified the right to same sex marriage. Protections to reproductive health care have been passed in many states. 

“Our faith calls us to build a just world for all. As such, our commitment to justice will continue no matter who is in the White House,” Congress, or the Supreme Court the post said. And it concluded with this, a quote from civil rights activist John Lewis, 

“Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.”[2]  

I’m so encouraged by those remarks because I am fearful too. My fear of negative outcomes after the election is what prompted me to reflect and ask myself, where is God in this picture? Where does Jesus stand? 

As I have discerned, I realize I’m not fearful of where my personal ego will direct me. I’m not attracted to the Mr. T’s rainbow. While I need to be reminded to be humble and continue to consider the needs of others rather than my own at times, I don’t believe I am likely to be trapped by a vision offered by the Trumps of the world. 

What I do believe is that my personal fear can be transformed into action. My God in this world cuts right to the chase, you are all my children, you are all created in my image. And Jesus, well as a believer and a follower, I stand firmly on his words, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Let us continue to do that as we walk past fear mongering into hopefulness. Let us continue to pray that someday, swords can be turned into plowshares and that we can all sit quietly under any tree of our choice and not be afraid.

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen 

[1] Holding Space for Grief and Hope After the 2024 Election  - United Church of Christ, referenced November 9, 2024

[2] Holding Space for Grief and Hope After the 2024 Election  - United Church of Christ, referenced November 9, 2024 

Inspired by Revelation 1:4-8 and John 18:33-37

Can you remember playing checkers? It is a great game. I haven’t played it in a while, but I remember learning it. Like most of us I expect you learned quickly how to try and win. (That’s because if you were like me, you lost a lot). The object of course is to hop over your opponent’s checkers, thus removing them from the board. When they were all gone you were declared the winner. 

To speed up that process you also learned that if you got one of your single checkers to the other side of the board, you said, “King Me,” and your opponent had to put another checker on top of your single one. This made you a “King” and you could jump both forwards, backwards and diagonally. Your power-house king could control the board. Your opponent was at your mercy. 

Throughout history we have associated Kings with royalty. We have associated them with power and authority. 

Kings often ruled with an iron hand and governed through implications of fear. One towed the line or suffered the consequences. Kings were ruthless tyrants, often clinging to power by exercising brutality. I shudder to think of living in those times. 

Pilot asks Jesus, “are you the King of the Jews?” He wonders if Jesus plans to run his checkers all over the board, hopping over all opponents in the name of your God. Herod is asking Jesus, is it your plan to challenge the emperor with insurgence in mind? Would you desire to take control away from him, he who is the rightful king and ruler? That of course would be a real threat indeed and something that could not be tolerated.

But Pilot misunderstands Jesus’ purpose, as did so many. 

For centuries the Hebrew people were looking for a “New King,” someone prophesized from God who would take them out of bondage and set them free. Someone who would come proclaiming justice and living God’s truth of peace, kindness and generosity. Several of our well-known Gospel stories reflect back to the ancient texts of a new king like this one from the prophet Zechariah. 

Zechariah 9:9-10

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
 Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you;
 triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
 on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 He[a] will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
 and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
 and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea
 and from the River to the ends of the earth.

The King will come humble, riding on a donkey, he shall command peace to all nations. (You all have heard that text before).

This isn’t an imperial king in military dress with a sword at his side riding a white stallion. It is a humble Jesus who says to pilot, yes, I am a king, I was born to be a king. But not a ruler or a governor or a dictator. I am here to testify to the truth, to be an advocate for the poor and disenfranchised, to oppose tyranny and oppression. The kingdom I speak of is not of this time. You do not know of it. 

Evie took out the banner you see displayed to the left of the chancel this morning. “Christ the King.” I originally asked her not to display it. That is because I have some difficulty with the language, it’s challenging. That’s because there are countless examples of Kings, both past and present whose governance style was, or is, through dictatorship. It portrays King is a poor light. Even King Charles carries with him the baggage of centuries of imperialistic rule which are hard to shake. King it is really out of context with how we view Jesus today. And it can be so misleading. 

A good king is a great leader who exercises his authority by ruling with justice and wisdom, not impunity and self-serving interests. A good and just king doesn’t need to ride into town in an armoured Roles-Royce and he doesn’t need bodyguards. A good king comes into town in a Honda Civic. And it’s not necessarily a new one. 

Which is also why many liturgies, including those that I write, have gone from using Kingdom to Kin-dom. 

The “Kingdom of God,” is not one in which we obey a deity who we fear of reprisal. A God in control. The kingdom’s reality is one where peace, justice and equality prevail. Jesus means to encourage the Jews to proclaim this message. 

The difficulty then, and now, is that such a message flies in the face of the would-be kings of our day who feel that rule is an absolute. They either think they know best through an inflated ego or desire power for self-gain. This is not the king; the leader Jesus was sent to become. And it is not the individual we see throughout the gospels. 

So perhaps we should just let go of the King designation for Jesus completely. Perhaps that would be less confusing.

Perhaps, but not necessarily.

Today is “Reign of Christ Sunday,” not “King Christ Sunday,” a time when we remember and celebrate a kind and gentle advocate for peace and justice. Jesus was determined and one could say stubborn. We are thankful that he was. 

Jesus would not compromise God’s ethical and moral way for any self-gain. He was unequivocally an incredible leader, and I suppose one could say ruler or King. The kind of authority figure that one listens to because everything that is said is wisdom. Everything that is shared models the way we need to be in this world. We hope and pray that Jesus’ wisdom continues to flow abundantly through our times despite all who would question, who are you and what do you think you are doing?

Personally, I can see myself gravitating to this kind of a King. Following Jesus, I can see my self playing a robust game of checkers trying my best to scoot across that board quickly so I can say “King Me.” Jesus I want to be like you. Do you want to play checkers too?

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen   

  Reference Micah 4:1-5 and Galatians 5:14

Well friends, it has been an enormously challenging few days as we try to come to grips with the outcome of the US elections. We have all been praying that a leader who values human differences, who respects equity and fairness, who can listen to the people and respond with compassion, would find a way to the Oval Office. Instead, our neighbours put their faith in an individual whose Ego is immeasurable, and whose quest for power is insatiable. I think we can all agree that the president elect has no respect for women or women’s rights. He is unequivocally a racist. And to boot, he’s a convicted felon. 

Many of us Canadians are flabbergasted at this outcome. So are many millions of our US friends. But the die has been cast, the results conclusive. Mr. T is now in control again. 

The politics of how this all came to pass I leave to others, as I am grossly underqualified to constructively comment on the US electoral system. And so, I cast my thoughts in another direction.

I was discussing this with a colleague of mine just a few days ago. How could this all come to pass I wondered? She offered that fear plays a huge role in situations such as this. Fear, she said, can transform people in ways that we cannot fathom, in ways that seem irrational. Fear can cause us to make decisions we would not normally make, decisions that defy common sense.

Now, I would have thought that fear of a tyrant as the US “Commander and Chief” would have kept him far away from a second term as president. But something else was at play. Mr. T spoke passionately to issues of most concern to the US electorate, the economy and immigration. Inflation has been eating at take home pay and lifestyle. Immigration, especially illegals, has been blamed for taking away good paying traditional jobs. The vitriolic speeches have been heard as “yes, he is speaking to me.” “I want my country back too. I want a good paying job and I’m tired of paying so much for housing and groceries.” “Let’s get rid of those illegals that are ruining it for us. Let’s put huge taxes on our importers and save our economy.” 

As it turned out, the people didn’t fear the radicalism of an individual who at times seems “unhinged.” They feared that without him they would continue to have more of the same problems, and they wanted change. 

We have seen this before. A similar plea to the German people was attractive. The result was genocide of millions of Jews and millions of soldiers during the second world war.

God why can’t we beat those swords into ploughshares and those spears into pruning hooks? Why can’t we turn the billions of dollars spent on manufacturing arms into food, clothing and reasonable shelter for all those that need it? Why can’t we sit under our own vines and our own fig trees, and not fear war or any armed conflict? 

Expectations have a lot to do with that. The privileged life that most of us here and in the US have experienced is not something we want to let go of. Those that “have” don’t want to be on the other side of the fence. They fear for the security of their families. A vision of something better clouds thinking and overshadows reason. A fear of losing what is precious impregnates the soul. The motivator becomes “what is best for me?” It is easy to make a choice if someone promises us a rainbow rather than a storm cloud. Such promises reduce our fear. 

A long time ago Jesus said, “the most important thing is to love your neigbhour as yourself.” That one singular sentence has carried on through the ages as probably the most important thing Jesus ever said. It is so unfortunate that many of us, even those who are followers of Jesus, have forgotten to listen to those words. 

In many cases we have allowed our selfishness to get in the way of our ministry. Fear of losing an advantage takes the place of compassion for “the other.” Fear of having to give up something is replaced by protectionism. I have no idea how many Christian people voted in the US elections, but many forgot the comment Paul shared with the church in Galatia. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” 

You don’t love your neighbour when you put them on a boat and send them back to their homeland. You don’t love your neighbour when you try and take away her rights as a woman. You don’t love your neighbour when you utter racist remarks. At what cost are we prepared to go to please self at the peril of another who has no resources, no opportunity, no social standing, no advocate?

The United Church of Christ in the US is the most theologically aligned with our United Church of Canada. I was interested and very encouraged to read through some of their post-election responses.

“…..while our political landscape has undoubtedly shifted, our mission and work remain unchanged. No matter who is in power, we will continue to follow the way of love every day. We will counter all efforts to strip reproductive rights, deport immigrants, and dehumanize the LGBTQ+ community. We will stand up with our family, friends, and neighbors for environmental justice, racial justice, and economic justice. We will fight for the dignity and wellbeing of our siblings abroad. We will continue to be courageous, creative, and collaborative in living out the hope of the gospel in the public square. “[1]

The post continues with positives of note such as the recognition of the first trans person to be elected to Congress, and the election of two more black women to the Senate. I learned that two states codified the right to same sex marriage. Protections to reproductive health care have been passed in many states. 

“Our faith calls us to build a just world for all. As such, our commitment to justice will continue no matter who is in the White House,” Congress, or the Supreme Court the post said. And it concluded with this, a quote from civil rights activist John Lewis, 

“Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.”[2]  

I’m so encouraged by those remarks because I am fearful too. My fear of negative outcomes after the election is what prompted me to reflect and ask myself, where is God in this picture? Where does Jesus stand? 

As I have discerned, I realize I’m not fearful of where my personal ego will direct me. I’m not attracted to the Mr. T’s rainbow. While I need to be reminded to be humble and continue to consider the needs of others rather than my own at times, I don’t believe I am likely to be trapped by a vision offered by the Trumps of the world. 

What I do believe is that my personal fear can be transformed into action. My God in this world cuts right to the chase, you are all my children, you are all created in my image. And Jesus, well as a believer and a follower, I stand firmly on his words, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Let us continue to do that as we walk past fear mongering into hopefulness. Let us continue to pray that someday, swords can be turned into plowshares and that we can all sit quietly under any tree of our choice and not be afraid.

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen 

[1] Holding Space for Grief and Hope After the 2024 Election  - United Church of Christ, referenced November 9, 2024

[2] Holding Space for Grief and Hope After the 2024 Election  - United Church of Christ, referenced November 9, 2024 

  Inspired by Ruth 1:1-18 NRSV

My daughter Leiann just acquired a new addition to their family, a ten-week-old Coon hound. 

Puppies are adorable. And this young fellow Milo is no exception. Just look at that sweet face. (And big paws)! I’m confident everyone here today, given the chance, would love to pick this guy up and have a great cuddle.

Why do they come into the world so delightfully cute? It’s mother nature’s ploy! She knows how much work rearing a puppy to adult dog-hood is, and she makes it so you can’t resist. But a puppy is a huge commitment.

My daughter lives on the 4th floor of a condo. Imagine what fun that will be potty training. Whine whine, it’s 3 am, I have to pee. Get dressed, go downstairs, outside and then upstairs again, and hopefully back to bed. Milo don’t chew that! Milo come back here with my sock. Milo off. Milo leave the cat alone. Milo get out of the cat box. 

And don’t Coon hounds like to howl? That’s going to be interesting in a 4-story condo complex with close neighbours. 

Persistence and a lot of patience will be needed to bring Milo along in his training. And that is a huge commitment. It’s not something that happens in just a few weeks. In fact, as those of us who are dog owners are aware, caring for a dog is a life-long endeavour. However, we also realize the incredible dividends of that commitment. We bond and are blessed by a loving loyal companion. 

Dogs seem to know what we need. They curl up at our feet to keep us company, climb up on our lap when we need a cuddle, rest their heads on our knee sensing we need a little reassurance. They entertain us with silly antics of flopping in the snow, running in circles, chasing a toy, attempting to speak, running through the fall leaves or chasing a squirrel. Dogs provide years of endless loyal companionship. 

The commitment we make to them is returned to us10-fold. And so, in many ways our commitment “pays for itself.” It is reciprocated through a life-long relationship of joy. 

Where you go, I will go; 

where you lodge, I will lodge; 

your people shall be my people
 and your God my God.

Ruth also makes a life-long commitment. This one, to be with her mother-in-law forever. In this supportive, selfless, compassionate act, there is no expectation of any specific reward Ruth will receive. There is no personal benefit. In fact, there is much at risk and much for Ruth to lose. 

A Moabite woman, and one who had been part of a mixed marriage with a Hebrew Man, arriving in Bethlehem would have set off all sorts of cultural, social and religious alarms. Ruth would have felt out of place and uncomfortable. Identifiable as a foreigner, comments regarding her ethnicity would have been expected. Stares, raised eyebrows, and racial slurs, could have come her way and probably did. Ruth did not fit in.

But in spite of the challenges that face her, Ruth stands above. Incapable of addressing her own needs, she follows the heartbeat of compassion. Naomi is in need, Ruth will serve. 

Ruth’s actions define what commitment really is. 

This early part of the book of Ruth is a Jesus’ story. It would unfold again some 700 – 900 or so years later. 

From Matthew 19:21 - 

21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money[d] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”  

This is a conversation Jesus has with a wealthy young man. You might recall the individual’s response to Jesus’ instruction. 

22 When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

The kind of dedication Jesus was speaking about was way beyond what the young man could comprehend. But that is of course what Jesus literally did, he left a simple carpenter’s life to serve God. And he did so at his own peril. 

Ruth did the same thing. And we know of course others who have followed. We might hold up the names of Mother Teresa, known for her incredible missionary work, or Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern-day nursing. 

We all can’t be like Florence or Theresa though. It is difficult for us to follow Ruth’s path, and we certainly can’t be Jesus. However, emulating these prophetic individuals and their ministries is not beyond our reach. 

As more and more UC COF’s face challenges of amalgamation or closure from declining membership and finances, new clergy candidates are stepping up expressing their commitment for church leadership. I meet many of them in my role as an interview panel member. And it always amazes me when we ask someone why they would choose ministry in such times as these. Their answers, in one way or another, speak the same truth. God is calling them to be in pastoral ministry. They see an incarnate Jesus serving, and they identify with that vision. Caring for those that need most to be cared for, speaking for justice, and spreading Jesus’ word of love is unavoidable. They’re drawn into it like moths to a bright light. Ruth is very much alive in the calling of new ministers.

Yesterday I managed to spend an hour and a half with our Anglican neighbours at their annual bazaar. Several of you were there as well. I wondered how long it took to set up all those tables? What kind of organization was required to get all the items down there for sale? How many people were needed to sit at the displays to take in donations? 

I wondered who made the soups and chili? Who made all the desserts that Phyllis was organizing behind the counter? Who organized the raffles? I expect every Anglican from St. Margaret’s was at that bazaar somewhere, and I expect most of them stayed after the event to clean and put away tables and chairs. Ruth was at the bazaar as well.

Ruth will quietly work in the background putting together all the logistics of the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe Bargain Bin sale here later this month. And she is scheduling baking and chili making plus organizing volunteers for the PUC Christmas Bake sale and cookie walk. I expect she is planning on attending the upcoming Worship Committee meeting and our Board meeting in December.

Many times, Ruth is invisible, off in the background decorating the sanctuary for Thanksgiving, preparing communion, writing checks, preparing presentation slides, organizing fellowship time, working with contractors to install improved outdoor lighting, arranging for musicians or organizing shift coverage at the Bargain Bin. 

Today’s Ruth is not a refugee seeking asylum in the company of a former Peachlander. Ruth is the Stalwart disciple who cares deeply about this place and the people who come here to be bathed in light. She offers hands out in fellowship. She holds in her heart those who might be feeling the pain of rejection or loss. She offers a sweet melody to those whose ears have grown deaf to God’s love song. She is the presence of the Christ who walks with all who feel they are alone or abandoned. 

Ruth is here within us, mentoring us in kin-dom living. 

But you may ask, what does she receive in return? How do we benefit from our service with Ruth? There is no cute bundle of fur to cuddle with at the end of a difficult day. 

Ah but yes there is! There is the knowing that your many acts of grace have gently touched someone in ways you can never imagine. A heart is lifted, tears are dried, lonely souls are blessed, God’s spirit-love reaches out where it is needed most. And that is thanks to “the Ruth” in you. That is the incredible blessing we receive.

Thanks for listening to me this morning. Amen 

Inspired by Mark 10:2-16

Among many of my experiences during my sabbatical time two summers ago, was the opportunity to be bathed in tradition and culture. In Italy that meant walking through the remains of the coliseum, while imagining gladiators fighting to the death in the ring while crowds in the seats cheered. What a chilling reminder this was how such cruelty to humanity was normalized. 

An excursion through what has been unearthed in ancient Pompei reveals the remains of many shops and dwellings. Artisans, bakers, butchers, barbers, brothels and even take out restaurants offered services in what were busy city streets. The streets themselves are still paved with stones. Telltale remnants clearly identify a people and an age. We were led to understand and appreciate what was a typical day in the life of a resident there, before Mount Vesuvius exploded and covered the city in ash in 79 CE. A peaceful city, totally destroyed in a matter of minutes.

The incredible history of the Roman Catholic church and its traditions prevails throughout Italy, especially in Rome and the Vatican. A history comes alive with strolls through cathedrals, and the Vatical museum. Famous names, famous places. The influence of the church, both past and present, visible on just about every corner. 

My traditions and cultural background were experienced in joyful ways, but not in Italy. In Scotland, a walk up to the Duart Castle (aka the McLean Castle) on a parade to greet the present chieftain and a tour of the ancient castle itself. It is still used as a residence while restoration continues. Participation in a tug of war, in my kilt and with bare feet. (My wife is incredulous that I would do such a thing). A Whisky tasting evening. (Single Malt if you please). Witnessing a reenactment of highland clan clashes. Real fish and chips!

Ah yes, that is my history. My family traditions are traced back there. 

It is not surprising that culture and traditions have influenced my family for generations. (Although I must admit I find it difficult to comprehend some of my distant relatives participating in some of the gruesome clan battles). Regardless, although a distant past, that is part of Ian Mclean’s past.

It was part of the past that brought the Disciples to question Jesus in Mark’s account. He was being tested to see how he would respond to traditional law, by asking him about an age-old question of divorce. In Moses’ time the ancient law provided for a man to get out of a relationship he really didn’t favour, simply by providing his wife with a certificate of divorce. 

Deuteronomy 24:1 “Suppose a man enters into marriage with a woman but she does not please him because he finds something objectionable about her, so he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house.

Jesus’ prophetic response is a challenge. “Because of your hardness of heart, he (Moses) wrote this commandment for you.” This was a concession to you because of your selfishness. Jesus goes on to say that a man who divorces his wife because she doesn’t, please him, or because he finds her objectionable is guilty of adultery. 

Jesus turns the tables around here. Just because it was customary to act in specific ways in the past doesn’t mean we act the same way in the present. 

Reinforcing his argument Jesus chastises the disciples for trying to prevent the children from coming to him. Like women, children we thought as less than, insignificant in society. I love Jesus’ response, “Let the children come to me; do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.”

The kingdom of God belongs to such as these, any who come in innocence, any who come peacefully, any who come seeking truth and seeking love. Any who come in need. 

This makes me mindful that we all, at times, need to question our cultural biases and what we have learned over the years as our traditional understanding. 

When I first began working for Health Canada in the early 80’s, I’m embarrassed to admit I carried with me an understanding that our First Peoples all lived in squalor, that they were mostly unemployable, that most of the alcoholics on the street were indigenous. I understood that our First Peoples were all wards of the Federal Government, and it was our duty to look after them. That’s what my culture told me. 

I quickly came to know how ignorant I was and how judgmental I had become. There are many social issues on Indian reserves today, but a prouder, kinder and more spiritual fed people are hard to find. I was so very proud to serve them. 

As a young adult I came to understand that the unfortunate person laying on the sidewalk on the streets of Vancouver were the untouchables. The “unhoused” were alcoholics and drug addicts and they had brought the circumstances on themselves. Back them I didn’t pity them. The society I was a part of treated them as outcasts.

I didn’t see the pain and suffering, the physical, mental and sexual abuse that were the roots of the street experience. I didn’t understand the helpless who were self-medicating or those that suffered from chronic mental illness. 

I remember in my youth hearing racial slurs about Asians, Indigenous People, Muslims and others and not being phased. I remember hearing ethnic jokes and thinking they were funny. 

I don’t make any excuses for my bs’s, but I do understand a lot of my opinions were influenced by my environment and my circumstances. I was a privileged white kid in a predominantly white neighbourhood, born to middle class parents.

Thankfully I have grown past those early influences. I confess I still have to catch myself now and then, when for some reason I lean toward making a decision or coming to a conclusion before I know all the facts. That’s when I try to remember the gospel from today. 

It should go without saying that women today are treated equally in every way as men. Sadly, that is not the case in every country, but it is the case here. Jesus condemned the disrespect of women in his time, and he demands we do that now. 

Children are not slaves or commodities. They are God’s gifts to us and to the future. They are to be welcomed, cherished, adored and protected.

And the disenfranchised, mentally ill, abused, drug dependent, street person, or member of the LGTBQ2+ community are to be held and beloved just like any other. We are to love them as we love ourselves.

Thanks for listening this morning, Amen