Pastor Beryl and Sarah and the usual suspects met in church earlier this week to record a worship service. Follow the link below to watch together on Sunday morning. There is communion this week, so be sure to have a beverage and a piece of bread, cracker or muffin ready.
Order of Service and Communion, October 4, 2020
Download all the liturgy for this Sunday’s service. The first document is the bulletin which includes the bible readings printed out. The second is the order of service for communion and also contains words to the hymns featured in the service.
Order of Service: September 27, 2020
Below please find a downloadable PDF of the bulletin including readings, as wellas one of the words to the hymns featured in this Sunday’s service.
New Testament 101: Titus
Paul mentions Titus several times in his letters as someone who worked with him in Asia Minor and Greece (2 Corinthians 2: 13, 7:6, 13: 8, 16, 23: 12, 18, Galatians 2:3).
He is told by Paul to appoint church leaders in Crete. Paul instructs Titus to make sure that church leaders and officials have good reputations (1: 5-9) and that all of the Lord’s followers keep themselves pure and avoid arguments (1: 10-2:9).
Paul includes special instructions for the different groups within the church in Crete. He reminds Titus that a new way of life is possible because of what God has done by sending Jesus Christ: God has saved them, washed them by the power of the Holy Spirit, and given them a fresh start and the hope of eternal life.
God our Savior showed us how good and kind he is.
He saved us because of his mercy, and not because
of any good things that we have done.
(3: 4-5)
A Quick Look at this Letter
1. Greetings and a Prayer for Titus (1: 1-4)
2. Instructions for Church Officials (1: 5-16)
3. Instructions for Church People (2: 1-3:11)
4. Personal Advice and Final Greetings (3: 12-15)
Beryl
SouthWest Service from Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020
Bible Crossword 5: Kings, Queens, Pharaohs, and other Rulers
Thank You for your Contributions
On behalf of the Board of Stewards of Southwest United church, we would like to thank those who contributed to the church during the months we were not able to hold Sunday worship services. These donations have helped greatly to pay salaries and utility bills over the months that we were away.
Vernon Turner, Secretary
Board of Stewards
Pandemic taking a toll on pastors
The following is by Laura Stephens Reed, who is a “Clergy and Congregational Coach”. She is writing from the US, but there is a lot of carry-over to our Canadian context.
The coming tidal wave of pastoral departures
There are many ways I could describe the past six months, but I’m going with “revealing.” The pandemic has clarified systemic issues related to a broken healthcare system, racial inequities, lack of leadership at almost every level (governmental and denominational), and inefficient infrastructure for responding to crises. Specifically, though, I am thinking about how all the shifts prompted by Covid-19 have uncovered how unsustainable ministry is for so many pastors in their current contexts.
Prior to the pandemic, a significant number of my clergy coachees and colleagues were working under unrealistic expectations, whether those came from their congregations or from their own internal “shoulds.” And then, mid-Lent, they had to change the ways they did nearly everything - and fast. They became not just preachers but tech experts with all that entails: recording, editing, sound mixing, lighting, inviting people to and teaching them how to participate in and managing online meetings, exploring the most accessible social media platforms, and monitoring cyber security. They spent many hours trying to get all of this right because worship and Bible study and fellowship are so critical, not knowing that they’d have to continue all that they started beyond a few weeks, often without much help from others. (Because, again, the shutdown was supposed to be temporary, so why ask for assistance from others dealing with their own altered realties?)
Bible Crossword 4
New Testament 101: Second Timothy
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul is more personal than his first one. Timothy is like a “dear child” to Paul and Paul always mentions him in his prayers (1: 2,3) because he wants Timothy to be a “good soldier” of Christ Jesus and to learn to endure suffering (2: 1,3).
Paul mentions Timothy’s mother and grandmother by name in this letter and reminds Timothy how he had placed his hands on him as a special sign that the Spirit was guiding his work.
Some who had claimed to be followers of the Lord had already been trapped by the devil and Paul warns Timothy to run from those temptations that often catch young people (2: 20-26, 3:1-9). He tells Timothy to keep preaching God’s message, even if it is not the popular thing to do (4: 2). He should also beware of false teachers.
Paul knows that he will soon die for his faith, but he will be rewarded for his faithfulness (4: 6-8) and he reminds Timothy of the true message:
If we die with Christ, we will live with him.
If we don’t give up, we will rule with him.
(2: 11, 12a)
A Quick Look at this Letter:
1. Greetings and Prayer for Timothy (1: 1, 2)
2. Do Not Be Ashamed of the Lord (1: 3-18)
3. How to Be a Good Soldier of Christ (2: 1-26)
4. What People Will Be Like in the Last Days (3: 1-9)
5. Keep Being Faithful (3: 10-4:8)
6. Personal Instructions and Final Greetings (4: 9-22)
Beryl