MAILING LABEL

Minister’s Message Reflections on Returning To Ministry I am reminded of what Desmond McConaghy said to me the morning of my ordination. Desmond was my minister at St. Paul’s in Ottawa and I valued his counsel and invited him to preach the charge at my ordination in Toronto in 1987. Over breakfast, Desmond said, “Lincoln, the most important thing that you must learn in ministry is the difference between ‘need’ and ‘calling’.” He explained how needs are never ending but calling (God’s invitation to ministry) is precisely shaped to gifts, need and ability. ‘Calling’ is what God asks us to do. ‘Calling’ is lining our energy up with what God is already doing. ‘Calling’ is trying to live the way Jesus lived – doing what the Father was doing. Returning to ministry after three months on leave for

surgery and recovery from complications creates an opportunity to ask the question of ‘need’ and ‘calling’ as each request for my time arises. That discernment process began as I framed my request to Session for a gradual return to full time work. If I can’t work full time because of my leg then what are the most important things for me to be doing. Framed another way, what is God calling me to do in the midst of the many things that need to be done. I proposed and Session agreed that a priority for my time as I return should be planning for and participating in worship including preaching. Our worship time together is at the core of our life together as a congregation. A central part of my call to ministry is to be a teacher (teaching elder) in the midst of the congregation. I feel called to that ministry and the elected leaders agreed. As a result, in the early days of my return, limited by the condition of my leg and my stamina, the 10-15 hours a week that I can contribute belong to worship and at the heart of that, to preaching. As my health and strength continue to increase I seek your prayers for discernment around the difference between ‘need’ and ‘calling’. As you can probably imagine there are many needs and sifting out what God is calling me to do will not always be easy. This brings me to a favourite notion about God’s goodness to us. I believe that as difficult as events and decisions may be they all hold within them a potential gift. What I mean is that the events of our lives present opportunities to contemplate ‘where is God and what is He doing’? One mentor I had framed it this way, “Don’t ask God ‘why’ but instead ask God ‘what does this mean?’.” When I look at the past several months of struggle around recovery from illness – a struggle that continues even today as I write this article – I see a potential gift. It gives me a chance to learn about God, to learn about me and to learn about the relationship that God has with me. In fact it is not a single potential gift but a myriad of them. When a Christian friend in medicine recognized the possible development of a serious nerve syndrome and put me in touch with people who could help, I had the chance to reflect on how significant Christian community is and how wondrous this gift of community is. When experiencing discouragement I

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Burning Bush: May 2008 learned about my tendency to withdraw and how it is really a gift that allows me to deepen existing relationships by reaching out. In closing let me try to summarize. As I return to work I am finding it a struggle to discern where God is calling me to invest my energy. Some things are clearer and others are more difficult. Please pray for me. Also, I find that these decisions along with the experience of illness provide me with a possible way of knowing myself and knowing God better. These experiences hold a potential gift if I am willing to prayerfully explore them and thus receive the gift. Thank you for your patience, your loving concern and your many prayers. They have sustained me in times when prayer was difficult and optimism hard to find. It is good to be in the process of returning to work and discerning God’s call rather than simply attempting to assume responsibility for meeting all the needs. It has been and continues to be a time of learning – of unpacking God’s gift – by seeking Him in the midst.

Blessings! Lincoln

Birthday Greetings Wendy Bryant, Keith Hay, Lily Johnson, Mitch Scott, Connie Wilson, Dorothy Fresque, Kaitlin Fisher, Mary Raymond, Betty Treleaven Please send us the names of people celebrating anniversaries (birthday or wedding) so that we may include them in our celebrations box each month. Only the month of the anniversary is required

Continuing to Serve the Body of Christ/Kingston “God draws near to us in such a way as to draw us near to Himself within the circle of His knowing of Himself… From all eternity, the living God has been community, family… ‘God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying 'Abba! Father!‘– from Galatians 4" The source of the above should be named; nonetheless, it is one of those stubborn fragments indelibly imprinted

not only into my mind, also into life and ministry – source unremembered. For a few years , my wife Marie and I have been enthralled with the triune God’s desire for intimate relationship with His creatures. His deepest desire is that we come back home to be where His family is; so, He sent out the search-party of One beloved Son to seek and ask us. During Lent, Holy Week and the beginning of Easter, it has been my privilege to follow Jesus with you as we have tagged along together. Face like flint, He ventured outward to His friends, His followers and upward to Jerusalem, the Garden, the Cross. In His most profound self-emptying act, He identified with humanity’s humiliation of death. We have heard His resurrected voice speaking our names and coming into our fearful places with acts of forgiveness and the breath of His Spirit. And now, we are all sent out to follow Him to our unknown future with the best big brother, Lord and Saviour we could ever have. It has been a privilege to be here, worshipping and learning with you at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian. Many thanks to your Senior Minister, the Reverend Lincoln Bryant and to Session for this gracious invitation – it has been a blessing. As well, for direction provided by Merna Manders, Heather Freeman and Noreen Peters, along with so many of you, as required along the way, I express great appreciation. Our Lord’s blessings are upon the people of St. Andrew’s as you adventure yourselves with Christ into the future. With the choice of a new Director of Praise and creative opportunities for blending historical and contemporaneous ministries unique to your location and ethos, our Lord can do refreshingly unique things in and through you all! And now… shameless plug time!!! Here’s what Marie and I are doing, under the banner of our new ministry/self-employment called ‘Religare Reconnects’: we believe our call is to serve the Body of Christ Kingston within the City and surrounding area. We serve as Chaplaincy Team at St. Lawrence College, Marie is Campus Ministry Coordinator at St. Mark’s Lutheran and I have been asked to preach in differing churches across denominational lines. I am offering to serve in intentional interim pastorates, to provide a husband/wife team for pastoral direction on a referral basis from churches/individuals, to offer both traditional/creative ceremonies for those not having a particular faith-community, to provide permanent parttime ministries in churches or faith-based organizations, to offer consultancies to groups seeking what we call ‘change with integrity’ during times of significant seachanges in church-life. Simply, we will serve wherever

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Burning Bush: May 2008 called in order to assist the Body of Christ Kingston to become more healthy and whole. ‘Religare’ is a Latin word for which one meaning is ‘to reconnect’… within ‘relationships that matter to you…’, as our card says. Cards are available in St. Andrew’s Hall on the ledge by the table. Please take some along with you to use as you see fit. We are working out of our home-office in midtown Kingston (near the old water-tower!) and, Lord willing, are available for His work through His people. Thanks many times for your graciousness in receiving us into your church-home!

Submitted by The Rev. Chris Walker

Mission Update

“Brochet Exchange” 2008 is shaping up to be a great year for the Brochet Exchange as they get ready for the 6th year operating a summer program for Aboriginal youth from the remote community of Brochet, Manitoba. Each year the new group of participants arrive in Port Williams, Nova Scotia with great enthusiasm. The program provides the opportunity for friendships to develop and helps nonaboriginal Canadians to understand the challenges facing Aboriginal Canadians. Many families in Brochet have volunteered to be more active in fundraising and more vocal within their community about the need to support this program. It is exciting to see this growing movement of greater community involvement. The Brochet organization wish to acknowledge all the Churches who have supported them by donating to Brochet Exchange. They feel this is the most significant reason that this program has reached the success that it has. We at St. Andrew’s support Brochet Exchange through our mission fund. This program designed for students from this remote community of only one thousand has made a significant difference. Thank you for your contribution to this mission outreach.

Helen Ledford, Mission Committee

Missions Mimi Kashira, whom we help to support though our Missions program at St. Andrew’s is carrying on tirelessly with her weekly Bible studies among international students at Queen’s who are taking English as a Second Language. (E. S. L.) Since her last update, they have been blessed with a new E. S. L. class at Douglas Library led by Caroline Cuthbert from Bethel Church, making it three of these classes every week. A book written by Lee Strobell, a former atheist, entitled “the Case for Easter” has proven to be a very valuable asset, particularly for international students who had not been able to understand the basis of Christianity. Some are in a questioning mode, some skeptical, and this book is helpful for their understanding, because Lee Strobell used to be in the same situation. He claims that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in understanding Christianity. In the coming weeks, Mimi will be using a series of DVD’s entitled “Faith Under Fire” by Lee Strobell with her study groups. In this series, Lee acts as moderator to examine questions which challenge basic tenets of the Christian faith. A wide range of guests are interviewed so that participants in the course can gain understanding of a wide range of viewpoints, including atheists, agnostics and leading representatives of major world religions. The compelling arguments of Biblebased evidence leads participants to make choices that lead to the truth. They themselves are likely to represent a diversity of backgrounds and faith systems. We can be involved in the ministry of “Faith Under fire” as we support Mimi’s groups in prayer. Mimi reports, “We have been encouraged this term with our Bible studies and discussions. Students have shown more interest in participating in the discussions, asking questions about who God is, and how they can progress in believing in His existence. One Chinese graduate student says he now believes at a 95 per cent level, and has just five per cent to go. Please pray that God will look after his achieving that remaining five per cent”.

Grace Ramsay

1st Quarter Mission Report

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Burning Bush: May 2008

cake and tea, conversations and laughs have coloured my days with positive energy. I would like to thank everyone for sharing their particular gifts and proving that together we make a great cup of tea!!!

Heather Freeman

St. Andrew’s Senior Choir

A very generous gift was given which has allowed us to send the $1,500 needed to provide a 10,000 litre water tank for a hospital in a developing country through the Christian Blind Mission. The gift gives much needed clean water for health workers to provide the best care possible for those in medical need. This gift will have beneficial results for many people. Thank you greatly for your part in it. Any money that comes in designated for a water tank will be sent to the Blind Mission after the end of June.

Louise Axford, Chair Session Mission Committee

From the Secretary’s Perspective I have a saying that I love and would like to share with all of you. “A woman is like a teabag – you don’t know her strength until you drop her in hot water”. For the purposes of this article I replace the word “woman” with “St. Andrew’s”. It seems St. Andrew’s has had more than its share of “hot water” lately. All the unpleasant and certainly unforeseen turn of events in 2008 – Lincoln’s complicated recovery, Larry’s injury, the office computer crash, etc. had the potential to derail us. But I am happy to say that the people here rallied. In response to the need many people took on extra responsibilities, sharing the workload to keep things moving forward. Phone calls of concern, offers to help,

We were pleased the congregation enjoyed our Easter music. Those who were unable to attend missed an excellent program. It is also gratifying to be appreciated, especially when one considers the many hours of practice that goes into it. Bob Clark, Betty Wagner, assisted by Bob Hall, are to be complimented on their choice of Easter music. The WHA gave the choir a wonderful dinner on April 3rd, 2008. The ladies really outdid themselves, thank you all. Session was unanimous in their selection of Dr. Jonathan Oldengarm as our new Director of praise and an invitation was sent out to him. We are now awaiting his reply and will report on his decision in the June issue of the Burning Bush. So many good and talented persons from which to choose the decision, even though unanimous, was difficult. We are happy to welcome Lincoln back, and somewhat sad that Chris Walker has to depart. We are sure everyone enjoyed his sermons.

Blessings, Dorothy Bendle

EBENEZER: WHO OR WHAT? Recently I was speaking with a minister about the singing of hymns in worship services, and the types of music which may be preferred by different demographic groups. It was not very long until the old hymns familiar to our growing-up years were mentioned. The observation was that many of them contained important scriptural truths including the gospel, e.g. “Rock of Ages” by Augustus Toplady. However, they also contain imagery and figures of speech that may be unfamiliar to many of us. They may be familiar in the sense that we have heard them and sung them for ages, but are unfamiliar in that we do not have the foggiest idea about their origin or significance. “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” has the second stanza begin with “Here I raise my Ebenezer” in the original version. A later adaptation by Margaret Clarkson revises this

Burning Bush: May 2008 stanza, and has it begin with “Hitherto thy love hast blest me.” This solves the comprehension problem for the time being but deprives those whose curiosity may have been piqued by ‘Ebenezer’ from ever learning whether it refers to somebody or something. Let us look at I Samuel 7:7-14. The children of Israel had turned from their idolatry and returned to worshiping the Lord. But they soon were threatened by attack of the powerful Philistines. They implored Samuel to earnestly and continually contend for them in prayer. Samuel offered up a sacrifice to the Lord of a burnt offering, a suckling lamb, and he cried out to the Lord, who answered in a spectacular way. He sent an electric storm so violent that the Philistines were terrified and demoralized. Scattering in confusion they were pursued in utter defeat. Verse 12; “then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name ‘Ebenezer’, saying “thus far the Lord has helped us”. (Ebenezer means “the stone of help”.) From this time, under Samuel’s leadership, the people of Israel were animated by a new spirit of faith in the Lord. The memorial stone, named Ebenezer by Samuel, was to commemorate the victory and to acknowledge that it had been given by the Lord. We can visualize the celebration as being worshipful with heartfelt praise and thanksgiving. In this scripture passage we find that genuine repentance precedes the gift of faith, and the bestowing of God’s grace and mercy. The lamb sacrifice speaks symbolically of our approach to God on the merits of shed blood. It is a prefigure of the future event of the cross, when the Lamb of God would ‘be obedient unto death, even death on the cross’. (Philippians 2:8) In the hymn “Nearer My God To Thee” we have another stone pillar that was raised as a memorial, by Jacob. Verse four: “Then with my waking thoughts, Bright with Thy praise, Out of my stony griefs, Bethel I’ll raise, So by my woes to be, Nearer my God to Thee.” The context is given in Genesis 28:10-22. Esau had planned in his heart to kill Jacob for having appropriated his birthright and blessing, so Jacob is fleeing. He is spending the night with a stone as a pillow, when in a dream he sees a stairway from earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending. Above it, the Lord announced (verse 13) “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the

page 5 land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.” (‘Abraham your father’ actually means grandfather). God reiterated the covenant He had made with Abraham, and renewed it for Jacob as He had for Isaac (Genesis 26:23-25). Jacob’s night dream is the subject in verses two and three of “Nearer my God to Thee.” At the site of the ladder to heaven Jacob awoke to a realization of God’s presence, exclaiming “surely the Lord is in this place. How awesome a place this is! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” So Jacob took the stone he had used as a pillow and set it up as a pillar to commemorate God’s presence that night and His promise to always be with him wherever he might go. The hymn throughout emphasizes the closeness of God’ presence, and the desire to attain to it. “I am with you” (Genesis 28:15) speaks to us of God’s grace and mercy. Jacob the supplanter was in no position to have earned God’s favour. He was running away from the consequences of his deception, but God in His mercy chose to reaffirm the promises He had made to Abraham and Isaac. There is marked significance in names and terms in this scripture passage. “I AM” is God’s name. (Exodus 3:14). “I am with you” reminds us of the name to be given to the Christ child, viz. “Immanuel”, which is translated “God with us”. (Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23). Bethel means “House of God”. The author of the hymn, Sarah Adams, was a Unitarian at the time of writing, but changed her affiliation in late life, becoming a Baptist. The hymn to the “new” tune composed by Lowell Mason was published in 1853, and has been a great blessing to people of many languages. It has been sung or played on instruments during tragic events such as the Johnstown City Flood, 1889, and the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

Ron Axford

“A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” Maya Angelou

Kingston Will Never Be The Same Again Forty churches, many local businesses, professionals and people came together making it possible for Impact World Tour to be present in Kingston,

Burning Bush: May 2008 Napanee and Gananoque, March 17 to April 6, 2008. Over 100 missionaries came for this campaign including 80 performers, plus technical crews and staff. Three teams were here to serve Kingston and the surrounding communities : a) Team Xtreme b) GX International b) Island Breeze In addition to the main events, these teams visited over 40 school assemblies; 3 prison presentations; protocol meetings with the Mohawk Chiefs; 12 retirement homes; Boys & Girls Club and 12 church events. Three churches in Kingston provided the facilities for meals and 23 other churches provided, prepared and served the meals. This was just a few of the services which were required. People worked as ushers, links, cleaners, advertising, provided billets, etc. The actual number of people who committed to Jesus will never be known but just the four concerts in Kingston recorded 1,400 plus. Luke 15:10 – In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. God has truly blessed Kingston and area. These thousands of people who came to Jesus will go on to do great things for God. The workers have repeatedly told of the growth in their own life. Seeds have been and are still being sown. God is at work. Jeremiah 29:11-12 - For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

Submitted by: Connie Wilson

World News Palestinian Christians not persecuted, say leaders, but tensions exist Jerusalem This Easter season, Jerusalem Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan received visits to his office from a string of journalists. It happens every year at this time, with reporters wanting to write about the Holy Land during Christianity's most important annual festival. As is often the case, many of this year's interviews focused on whether Christians in this part of the world are persecuted. "I feel there is a trend to show that Palestinian Christians are living in a difficult situation," Bishop Younan told Ecumenical News International. "Of course, there are

page 6 some cases [of Muslim-Christian tensions] but people exaggerate them, especially on the Christian right." Younan acknowledged that there was ignorance about Christians in some sectors of society in the region, and that social problems existed that needed to be tackled. Still, he believed that Palestinian Christians are not being persecuted by the Palestinian Authority, or Muslims, or by the State of Israel, or Jews. The Lutheran leader said that while individual Muslims or Jews, or certain groups within the population, may feel animosity towards Christians, neither the Israeli or Palestinian government condones it. Sometimes, he noted, disagreements that begin between two people can develop into a Christian-Muslim conflict when those involved are of the different religions. The bishop added that Christians were free to worship in their churches, and pastors were free to preach in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Still, one prominent Christian from the West Bank, who requested anonymity, told ENI that on the streets Christians do not deal with government officials but individual Palestinians, who are not bound by governmental standards. "On the official level you don't find any discrimination," he said, "but the problem is with those who enforce the laws. Many of them are racists … If there is a fight, immediately they will be against the Christian." ENI's contact said that the heads of Christian churches in Jerusalem are aware of the situation but afraid to talk about it. In a 40-page pastoral letter issued before his scheduled retirement in mid-2008, Jerusalem's senior Roman Catholic leader, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, noted moderate Muslims and Christians needed to work together to counter increasing Islamic extremism. Christians make up less than two percent of the population in Israel and the Palestinian territories, and are a minority among their Jewish and Muslim neighbours in the Holy Land. Israel's Declaration of Independence establishes the country as a Jewish State, and the draft Palestinian Constitution declares Islam as the official religion of the Palestinian state. Bishop Younan said Christian leaders will continue to insist that the Palestinian constitution should stipulate equal rights for Christians. For the moment, however, discussion on the constitution has stopped because of other pressing political issues, he explained. "If you want to give a religion to a state, it must answer what will happen to the others. Will they have equal

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Burning Bush: May 2008 rights and responsibilities?" said the bishop. "For this reason I want a Palestinian state to be a modern secular state that respects the three monotheistic religions [Judaism, Christianity and Islam]." The bishop told ENI that he had been heartened by the verbal support given to the Palestinian Christian community by leaders such as Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah. "All of them believe there is a role for Christians here, and that Christians should not leave. I am encouraged by these leaders," he said. Yet, some Christians do speak about feeling intimidated by Muslims, of preferential treatment of Muslims in the workplace and at government offices, and of the different approach that Christians have to issues such as socialising between men and women, and women's dress. However, many secular Muslims also have similar complaints. Robert Handal, aged 53, a Christian resident of Ramallah, the Palestinian administrative centre, noted that in one northern Palestinian village there is growing friction between Christian and Muslim residents. "There is a big fight between Christians and Muslims, and the mentality of these people," he said. Bishop Younan blamed growing religious extremism on a lack of justice and the failure to find a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This, he said, was especially the case in Gaza where, among other incidents, a Christian man had been murdered and the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) building attacked. Younan said he was worried about the situation in Gaza because it was unclear where the situation there is headed. "We will witness a growth of extremism, and we moderates will become a minority," he said. "That is why now is the time to find a solution." Extremism, he concluded, can be curtailed by three things only: justice, education and interfaith dialogue.

Judith Sudilovsky Ecumenical News Interantional

Daily Bible Readings Date

Reading

1

Acts 1.1-14

2

Psalm 68.1-18

3

Psalm 68.19-35

4

John 17.1-26

5

Numbers 11.16-35

6

John 7.1-24

7

John 7.25-44

8

1 Cor 12.1-11

9

1 Cor 12.12-31

10

Acts 2.1-21

11

Proverbs 31.10-31

12

Psalm 15.1-5

13

John 15.1-17

14

Acts 1.15-26

15

Genesis 1.1–2.4a

16

Psalm 8.1-9

17

2 Cor 13.1-13

18

Matthew 28.16-20

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Isaiah 49.14-26 Psalm 131.1-3 1 Cor 1.19-31 1 Cor 2.1-16 1 Cor 3.1-15 1 Cor 3.16–4.5 Matthew 6.22-34 Genesis 6.1-22 Genesis 7.1-24 Genesis 8.1-22 Genesis 9.1-17 Psalm 46.1-11 Luke 1.39-56

Readings are recommended Canadian Bible society.

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