EMS, Drive by Visits, Choirs, Education and Saying Goodbye.

I just had a quick visit from Michael Peters. I am sitting on my front porch blogging and Michael and his Mom were walking past headed home from Choir practice. It is always great to see Michael. He was particularly excited to show me his medal that he won in a race today at Cardinal Carter School. Congratulations Michel. He is also excited to be going to Hawaii in August. I can’t wait to hear all of his stories when he gets back.

Earlier I had a visit from Stewart Dawson – riding by on his bike stopped to say hello. Thanks for stopping Stewart – and for telling me about that great project your working on – fascinating stuff. Who knew that you could drill a 30-40 foot hole, 12 feet in diameter into a lake floor starting at 20 feet below water? Certainly not me! . Before that it was John Simpson who stopped by. . (Turns out we both really like Don Williams Music – My favourite by the way is “I Believe in Love). I also had the chance to step into the church and say hello to the choir assembled for practice.  Since then The Adult Christian Education Team assembled in my office to discuss growth at St. Mark’s and to continue their conversation from last Thursday evening. I had a chance to say hello to them s well.  Ray Hinton, Kathy Wight, Carolynne Mastelletto, Mark Charlton, Shawna French and Holly Perrault all seemed to be having a great conversation when I looked in to say hi to them. Congratulations to all of you for your work and thank you for offering yourselves to this very important ministry.

The birds are singing, the sun is setting and I have a great view of the world from my front porch. It allows me to say hello to the passers by. Some are familiar as I have noted but many are new to me today – but they may be friends tomorrow. Living in a rectory gives me the chance to see people minister. Here I am – sitting, and up until a short while ago, working, reading, studying. There was a day when people would have believed that whatever I was doing constituted the ministry at the church. The Priest is ministering. I guess in an odd way, in that day, blogging may have been viewed as ministering as well. But the truth is, while I have ministered on this porch tonight, the people of God in this parish have ministered as well. At this very minute there is a mighty sound of ruach (Pronounced ROO-akh ) – the breath of God – is resounding in my ears. I have heard and felt that breeze of ruach from the church as those there assembled tonight engage in being the priesthood of all believers. It is great to be present with people of hope.

Tomorrow the parish community will begin the process of saying farewell to one of our own – Douglas Cook. Doug came to St. Mark’s a few years ago when he moved to the neighbourhood. He died this week and his visitation is tomorrow with prayers at 8:30 PM and a funeral at 12 Noon on Saturday. Again we will see the people of God minister. Grieving is hard work – it hurts. But we do so with the assurance of a holy and certain hope in Jesus Christ. I really liked Doug and I have missed him since he moved to Waterloo a couple of months ago. I am proud that I had a chance to know him. We all pray for his family now that they may know the love and support of this community and that they may be consoled in the knowledge of Doug’s freedom in the resurrection.