being a disciple

Good afternoon,

1.  Check out the two paintings of  The Road to Emmaus story on our Poole Facebook page. One is on         the road, and the other is at the table. It is the text for Sunday ( Luke 24:13-35 ).

2. The MCC Relief Sale has been postponed till October. There will be an on-line auction of 100 quilts of       the last Saturday in May.

3.  Hats off to Larry and Nolan Nafziger who drove their tractor to Stratford General and Greenwood               Court to thank the staff there for their work. Lots of tractors were there.

4.  Thank you for Sandra Kuepfer's idea to raise money and supplies for Loaves and Fishes, in honour         of her birthday.

 5.  We are trying to get CDs of our worship services to our senior members. Thank you to Roger Gerber

      and Austin Schultz for all their work.

 6.  Our holy knitters are making prayer shawls. Thank you.  You are angels of compassion.

"  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.  "   Matthew 28:19-20

There are only a few stories of Resurrection in the New Testament. Though, you might say that all of the letters written by Paul and others are Resurrection testimonies. They are examples of the ways that the people began to follow the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Paul was trying to interpret what he had heard and seen about Jesus, to these new communities.

Matthew has only two stories of Jesus, post resurrection. The verses  quoted above have been influential in the Christian communities. We have interpreted them to mean that baptism is one of our most important symbols of faith. We follow it with a Trinitarian phrase of God, Jesus and Spirit. On both sides of this rite of passage, it says to make disciples and teach them to obey all the teachings of Jesus. Now, that is a life long journey for all of us. What teaching of Jesus have I not lived out, so I may still call myself a disciple ? What teachings of Jesus are the hardest to follow ?

Through this era of the Virus 2020, what will we learn about being disciples of Jesus of Nazareth ? I think, and I believe, but do not know yet, that I have not learned what I am going to learn during this time. I preach to an almost empty church. Only two other people are in the building, at least 6 meters away from each other. I say it is a sermon, but it is really not a sermon. A sermon is an engagement between speaker and hearer. I have noticed there is less humour and  jokes in my " sermons " because I cannot see anyone's eyes, when I am speaking. So, what should we call the Sermon, in this time of the pandemic ? What does it mean for my being a disciple/teacher/preacher ?

Salaam and peace in the journey of life and faith.

Prayer for Today Psalm 86:1-4

   Hear me, Lord, and answer me,

     for I am poor and needy.

  Guard my life, for I am faithful to you ;

    save your servant who trusts in you .

  You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord

     for I call you all day long.

  Bring joy to your servant, Lord.

     for I put my trust in you.     AMEN.

Fred