Stewardship Moment: Why I'm proud to call St Philip's home

I will preface my remarks by saying that CHURCH has always been an important part of my life, and I would feel spiritually empty, alone, and discouraged without its presence and influence in my life.

Question- WHY ST. PHILIP'S?

  

Warm Welcoming Place - When my husband Dennis & I first came to St. Philip's (20 years ago), we received a warm welcome from the people here, even though we were not Lutheran background. I remember that we got a visit from the Pastor the first week, who welcomed us for who we were, answered our questions about the doctrine, and encouraged us to give St. Philips' a try, and find our way in ministry. How thankful we were for this, and it’s a testament to you that I’m still here. (I guess the trial is over)
 

Encouragement & Support  - Life is not always a bed of roses, and like many of you here, I also was faced with the death of my spouse, my parents, and mother-in-law. In all of these times, I found the support of people here at St. Philip’s. Also, just 1 year ago, I faced a severe health issue that forced me to be laid aside for several months. What did I learn? God is faithful, and was with me, but also the people at St. Philip’s supported and encouraged me with your cards, gifts, phone calls, & visits, rides when I couldn’t drive, and always your prayers. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, and may God bless you for your care and concern for others.

Outreach Program - Here at St. Philip’s we state that we are In Mission for Others and I hope we never lose sight of this, as I feel we have been so blessed, that it’s our joy to be able to give back to others who are less fortunate, whether at home or abroad. Some examples of this are the Food Bank, Market Share, Reformation challenge of the tree planting, Sponsoring refugees, and the global work of the CLWR. How blessed we are here at St. Philip’s, what a joy to be able to give back to others, and help in carrying out the Great Commission.

  

I will conclude with a verse from Luke 6:38 which I find very meaningful as it talks about the blessings we receive from giving from the heart!!!

  

It says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

  

May God Bless you as you give from an abundant heart.

Doris

On Camp Edgewood

Ramadan with the Babashov family in west Toronto

Passages Canada staff, Calina Ellwand and Maddy Macnab, recently took part in the Intercultural Dialogue Institute’s Meet Your Neighbours program, which gave them the opportunity to share a fast-breaking Iftar dinner with a Muslim family during Ramadan. The purpose of the program is to build bridges and exchange ideas across differences of culture and religion. 

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Update! (April- June 2014)

We've been busy busy bees these last two months! Between Confirmation Sunday, Easter Sunday, Palm Sunday (all the Sundays!) it's been a wonderful crazy ride!

Check out our gallery here.

But let's hit the highlights!

Paster Tuula, in all of her wonderful glory not only gave us bubbles, but cracked a confetti egg over a kid's head! Talk about engaging children's sermons (that we all definitely participate in. I'm looking at you kids at heart!)

Our Cover Girls sold a number of absolutely gorgeous quilts over two lovely May weekends. Awesome work ladies! We look forward to your next display of quilting prowess. 

Confirmation Sunday recognized the commitment of three beautiful young ladies into God's congregation. And keep your eye on Alicia! She just won the World Literacy Canada Write for a Better World contest and met Canadian author Kelley Armstrong!

Our choir held their end of year party in Mississauga as well! That marks the "end of the year" for rehersals and choir anthems. Interested in singing with us this fall? Come out Wednesdays at 7:30PM. We'll be sure to post the first rehersal date as soon as we have it. 

Team St Philip's (Jerry Hogeveen, Jeff Macko, Gary Morningstar and John Stewart) won the Waterloo Seminary Golf Tournament at the end of May. Congrats gents on bringing home the Bishop's Cup!

And that's not even the end of June! We still have our annual picnic on June 15 (10:30AM on the lawn for worship, BBQ to follow with games for all. Free will offering covers food expenses) and our final youth event for the year at Centennial Park (6:30PM June 20 @ church. $10 fee applies, there may be ice cream after). 

So even though everything else is winding down for summer, we're still going strong! Keep checking back here, on Facebook (St Philip's Lutheran Church) and on Twitter (@SPLConline) for any upcoming dates and info. 

Easter Hope

In the gospel of John, the Easter story begins with the words, "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark..." It seems to me that this is always how our discovery of the risen Christ begins – in the darkness. While it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to a tomb because earlier in the week Jesus had been killed. With him, her hope died.

It has been a difficult winter for many of us.

Earlier this winter, an old couple received a phone call from their son who lives far away. The son said he was sorry, but he wouldn’t be able to come for a visit after all. They assured him that they understood, but when they hung up the phone they didn’t dare look at each other.

Earlier this winter, a woman was called into her supervisor’s office to hear that they had to let her go. She cleaned out her locker, packed away her hopes for getting ahead, and wondered what she would tell her son.

Earlier this winter, someone received terrible news from a physician. Someone else heard the words, "I want a divorce."

Earlier this winter, someone’s hope was crucified. And the darkness is overwhelming.

St. Philip's Lutheran Church, Toronto, ON

No one is ever ready to encounter Easter until he or she has spent time in the dark place where hope cannot be seen. Easter is the last thing we are expecting. Easter is not about bunnies, springtime or cute new dresses. It’s about hope, more hope than we can really handle.

What we long for, what we miss and beg God to give back, is dead. Easter doesn’t change that. So we cannot cling to the hope that Jesus will take us back to the way it was. The way out of the darkness is only by moving ahead. And the only person who can lead the way is the Saviour. But not the old Lord we once knew, which is only one more thing that has to be left behind. Until we discover a new vision of the Saviour, a Saviour who has risen out of our disappointments, we will never understand Easter.

After the resurrection, things do not return to normal for Mary, or for any of us. That’s the good news. After seeing a risen Jesus, we realize that there is no “normal”. All we know for sure is that the risen Saviour is on the loose in the world. And that he knows us by our names. May this Easter bring you assurance of God’s hold of you as you make your way out of the darkness into the light.

See you in church,
Pastor Tuula