Sun. Sept. 27, 2009 (Gay Lynn Voth)

Gay Lynn Voth spoke on "Co-creating a world with which we can live". There are times we wonder where God is because things in our lives suddenly go wrong (cancer, divorce, job loss). Although the story of Esther does not mention God, it tells of a life-and-death struggle that was faced by the people of God, and how they were saved, both by Esther's courage and (presumably) by God. When God created the universe, everything was pronounced as being "good", even darkness. Evil eventually emerges, being that which is less than the good which originates from God. Like Esther, people today face battles between good and evil, some surrounding us, some within us. In a sense, we never overcome this struggle, but we can learn to realize that our victory is that we simply come through this on-going struggle. [JEK] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, Sept. 27th, 2009 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sun. Sept. 20, 2009 (Sylvia Cleland)

We celebrated our 23rd anniversary by having Rev. Sylvia Cleland (West Point Grey Presbyterian Church) speak. Rosie had spoken at their 97th anniversary. Sylvia noted that people seldom say "You're welcome" in response to our "Thank you!" Instead, current lingo uses "No problem", which is far less truthful and less welcoming. In Mark 9:30-37, the word "welcome' is used four times. Jesus, tired of his disciples’ argument over their inheritance in his kingdom, took a powerless little child in his arms, and declared that whoever wants to be first must view himself as being the last and must be a servant to everyone else. He then added, "If you welcome even a child, you welcome me ... and the one who sent me." Today we are Christ's disciples, living in our "me first" society which honours sports figures (only if they obtain first place), politicians (but only those who win), and entrepreneurs (but only those who succeed). However, until the world truly welcomes all of its children and other powerless individuals, there cannot be peace in our society. Sylvia concluded by asking how PGIMF will be looking out for the children and the powerless in Vancouver, particularly while the world's most wealthy and powerful people come to play on our doorstep? [JEK] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, Sept. 20th, 2009 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sun. Sept. 13, 2009 (Louise Holert)

Louise Holert, a Presbyterian minister from Seattle, noted that the Bible is counter-cultural. While advertisers tell us what we need and what will make us happy, she noted that the words “happiness,” “blessing,” and “beatitude” all have similar meaning. In Psalm 32, the key word is “blessing,” and the blessed person is the one who has experienced God’s forgiveness. “To live in a confessional relationship with God is true happiness," she said. Sin and guilt are debilitating; unconfessed sin can sap our strength. David acknowledges his sin and begins his journey from resistance to repentance. In response time it was noted that pride is often the basis for a refusal to seek forgiveness; humility is important. We are left with a question: What would a confessional lifestyle look like? (HN) Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, Sept. 13th, 2009 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sun. Sept. 6, 2009 (Ron Reed)

Oblation: that which is offered to God, the act of making a religious offering; the act of offering the Eucharistic elements to God. Last Sunday Ron Reed (from Vancouver’s Pacific Theatre) pursued the concept of oblation and artists: what do artists offer to God? Using clips from three movies Ron asked us to focus on what we saw: durable stones carefully assembled into a fragile structure; 4000 pictures of the same street corner where each was the same yet different, and the graceful beauty of wind playing with a plastic bag. Common items: stones, a street corner and a plastic bag. Jesus took wine and bread – common items – and blessed them; they continue to be offered to God in the Eucharist, they are consecrated: oblation. It is pronounced good and is blessed. Take a simple thing and look at it, pay attention to the detail and appreciate the beauty, pronounce it good and bless it. Ron said our calling is to be priests, to see priestly things in our life, to gather raw materials and to create. This is our, and the artists, calling. [HN] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, Sept. 6th, 2009 using your browser's preferred media player.