Sun. Dec. 30, 2012 (Andre Pekovich)

Andre Pekovich (PGIMF Coordinator) spoke on the final Sunday of 2012. Some recent studies consider the complex role played by bacteria and parasites in our bodies, acknowledging that we do not digest food unassisted, but that this is accomplished only with significant help from bacteria foreign to our bodies. Some people are even tinkering with bacteria as a means of addressing modern diseases. While we generally share certain types of bacteria, each of us has our own unique blend known as "flora" and our different bodies respond to varying flora in differing ways. In a similar fashion, Christianity cannot be viewed simplisticly as a monolith in which all Christians share a common set of beliefs and practices. Even the earliest churches described in Acts had seriously opposed schools of thought already flourishing within 20 years of the Sermon on the Mount. Today's church follows suit, including beliefs and practices as differing as those espoused by Orthodoxy, Catholicism, nationalistic fundamentalism, modern Anabaptism, and mysticism, to say nothing of the ever-evolving group of Christians unable to find a home in any church. Stories about Rahab, Abram, Hosea and Gomer remind us that individuals, whose lives were frequently thought to be of little consequence, nevertheless made useful contributions as part of the host of minute 'flora' which somehow helped to keep the faith movement evolving. St Paul's culture and ours differ drasticly, and his most impassioned battles with other believers concerned topics of little interest to us today. To keep the faith movement alive, like Paul, we need to find ways to help it continue evolving as culture evolves. For starters, we should continue rereading and rethinking the canon (which already offers a variety of expressions and faiths) and reading well beyond the canon, for although secular politicians over the ages (e.g., Constantine, Charles V, etc.) attempted to force unity of faith upon all the churches in their kingdoms, this goal was never put into practice except on paper; the church never has been a monolith. To be truly alive, Christ's church requires a tremendous variety of flora. [JEK]

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Sun. Dec. 16, 2012 (Connie Siedler)

Connie Siedler focused on the gifts of Christmas, noting that the fragrant soaps, candy, and toys will eventually all be gone, regifted or returned. Advent is a season when God reminds us that his gift of Jesus has a lasting quality; a gift with no expiry date. Connie identified several gifts from God: the life Jesus brings us, the light shining in the darkness, Jesus as our brother, and the gift of grace and truth. Grace is a gift we don’t deserve, she said. In the Advent season we need to reflect on what we have and to give gifts that endure. In the response time it was noted that some of us listened to CBC en route to church and heard former PGIMF attendee Aiden Enns promote a “buy nothing Christmas” in response the rampant consumerism of the season. The stress of trying buy the “right” gift is a major frustration. The gifts we should be giving are gifts that last: love, joy, gratitude, our time and…. [HN]

Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, December 16th, 2012 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sun. Dec. 9, 2012 (Michael Thomas)

Michael Thomas, on the 2nd Sunday of Advent, noted Handel’s inspiration for The Messiah that we sang the previous Sunday drew from Zechariah, and that this Sunday’s texts are equal to it in inspiration. Beginning by asking ‘What is Advent?’, Michael first noted that as a child, it was equivalent to Christmas, also called “‘Ad-vend’... when merchandisers religiously remind everyone how few shopping days remain til Xmas”. A sacred time that spans both religious tradition and secular culture, it is a time of fearful, joyful and expectant longing for a king who came and is to come again. From the Greek parousia (coming alongside with) Michael noted the day’s text from Malachi 2:17-3:5 appears to give a sunny reassurance to the people of God. Put in its proper context, though, it is reassuring only in terms a prisoner in the dock might find comforting, because the rest of the book presents the Lord’s case against Israel. Malachi’s people see no need to repent and are incredulous that the Lord should take issue with them - “to purify the sons of Levi.” Though the Lord’s messenger is already in his temple, all is not right with the world, so we, like Malachi’s Israel, are to hope and pray for all to be made right. Luke 1:68-79 sings the same hymn of joy at deliverance, telling the story of the priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth at the advent of their baby, John the Baptist. After Zechariah’s nine months of silence, the song of joy that explodes from his lips at the birth is a testament to might acts of salvation (soteria) that the Lord performs to all out of his steadfast love and faithfulness (chesed) to his people. Philippians 3:1-11 gives yet more guidance as to how we are to live in the time between Advents - the already-but-not-yet - in confidence that the Lord is still at work in our lives long after Jesus’ time. We too are called to reflect his perfection in our lives in this season of waiting. [AP]

Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, December 9th, 2012 using your browser's preferred media player.