|
||||
|
Welcome to St. John, a small Lutheran Church that welcomes everybody. St. John has some exciting events planned for the next couple of weeks. Read on to get the low-down, or check out our calendar:
3rd Sunday after Epiphany—Mark 1:14-20—January 22, 2012 How moral are we, really? When push comes to shove, will we do the right thing? Some sociologists who study these kinds of questions did an interesting experiment recently in the Netherlands. They asked psychology students whether they would blow the whistle on an unethical experiment, one that would put the participants in harm’s way, or impact them negatively. This is against the code of social experiments. Eighty percent of the students said yes without question. But then the researchers did another experiment, with a different group of students but a similar sample: this time, they asked the students to write a letter recruiting people into the same experiment, the one that would negatively impact participants. This time, only 8 per cent of the students refused to do so and reported the experiment. The rest dutifully wrote up the letters. This week, most of you have no doubt been reading a lot about the accident involving the Costa Concordia and especially the actions of its captain, who was among the first off the boat and then refused to follow orders from the coast guard officer in charge and go back on board to help save people. The captain has become a national coward; the coast guard officer a national hero. Certainly, the captain failed his call to service: he failed to follow his duty as the person in charge of the ship. People died as a result of his failure to do the right thing. But let’s go beyond that. We can pass judgment on him – and he certainly appears to deserve the charges he faces. But here’s an opportunity to discuss a bigger question and a more personal one: Are we moral ourselves? Would we fight over the life jackets, or give them up to the people least able to get off the ship on their own? January 8, 2012 John the Baptist has for me always been a fascinating character study. While the other disciples come across as gentle, even tentative, and certainly, with exceptions, dutiful to Jesus, John has the rebel in him. He comes across as a guy who didn’t mess with pretence, who wasn’t big on pretty words, who told it like it is, whether you wanted to hear it or not. He was rough around the edges, and he is often depicted in art – and in our own minds – as a little scruffy, a little disheveled, and usually with crazy hair and an intensity that would make a crowd weary even while they couldn’t resist hearing what he had to say.  Comments are closed  Sermons  #Occupy, John the Baptist, New Years Resolutions, Protest, Rabble-rousers Christmas Eve 2011
This month, a woman walked into an American Kmart store, asked the clerk to see a list of the store layaways and paid off several that were for children’s toys and clothes. She did so without getting any credit and left the store quietly. But her act started a chain reaction, and across the country, others began doing the same, making sure struggling families were able to puts toys under the tree for Christmas. In a year in which we began, around the world, to consider what it means to live in a moral society, what our obligations are to one another and how we might correct the stark social inequalities that we have allowed to develop, it was a story of human goodness and charity – not for a name on a building, or media fame. Just because it felt right and good and worthy of the season. Something to restore a little faith.
‘Africa Night Benefit Concert’ It takes a village to raise a song! Come celebrate an evening of great African music, song and dance for a good cause. Featuring: Ottawa Folklore Center Jazz Band: Playing Afro-Jazz The amazing New Edinburgh Community Children’s Choir Ballet Esmeraldas de Colombia: Traditional Folkloric dance of Colombia New Edinburgh Marimba Youth Band Drum 4 Life – Rhythms of Afro-Cuban & West African Marimba Mana Band – Live dance music from Zimbabwe When: 26 November 2011 All proceeds go towards the construction of a school in Liberia and in Zambia. For more info, ‘like’ the Fountains of Light Foundation on facebook or visit www.ottawaidf.com. Pentecost 16- October 2, 2011—Matthew 21:33-46 Ah, the perils of power! In the gospel, we can just imagine how it went: those tenants getting fat and cushy off the land, figuring the owner had forgotten all about them. When the landowner – that is, God – finally sends some people to collect the produce from the land, the tenants kill them to keep the goods for themselves. The landowner sends another group and the same occurs. The son is sent and also dies. But in the end, though the price is steep, the landowner gets his way. When Jesus told this story, we hear in the Gospel, the Pharisees, the religious and political leaders, shifted uncomfortably in the crowd, still plotting: they knew the parable was ultimately about them, trying to remain the masters. This parable has a lot of layers to it, but certainly it is about that familiar line about power corrupting. The tenants in the story had become so complacent in their holdings that they assumed the role of landowners. Even if their original intentions had been good, they had been corrupted by the power. We all know people like this and we have all seen institutions like this: those who enjoy the power of a position a little too much (or at least more than the actual good that the position does), and places where people in power have long stopped listening to any new ideas. The church certainly has its share of this problem. In fact, the people we often want to place in positions of power – the heroes we want to see in movies or books – are people who were thrust into power without ever desiring it. These are the people who have balanced two important roles in life: the benevolent master and the other-centred slave. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31: 8-9 Education System in Liberia The Liberian education system was destroyed during the 14-year civil conflict. The country’s human resources development was neglected and the literacy rate fell below 32 percent. According to a 2003 Liberian Ministry of Education and UNICEF study, 20% of the schools had been destroyed, and many of the remaining schools are in urgent need of repair. During the war, many educator including principals and teachers left the country. Therefore, teachers without formal qualifications or experience had to replace them. Currently, the unqualified teachers in Liberia are estimated at 62%. As a result, enrollment has dramatically decreased: Between 2000 and 2002, the gross enrollment ratio for girls declined from over 72% to just above 35% and from 73% to just above 48% for boys. Due to the continuous disruption in the education system a large number of students remain in the primary school. For example, a recent school census found that 85% of the students in kindergarten were 8 to 20 years old, with 50% being between 11 and 20 years. In secondary schools, 45% of boys and 27% of girls are between 20 and 24 years old. The limitations of poverty that are regularly imposed upon children in war-torn countries like Liberia deny them the opportunity to reach their full potential, and at the same time, inhibit the adult world from seeing exactly what these kids are capable of achieving. Geographic Location The village of Galai is located in the Province of Bong County in Suakoko district, Northern region of Liberia,West Africa. It is approximately four hours drive from Monrovia, the political Capital. Ninety percent (90%) of the villagers are rice and crops farmers. According to census, there are 2,760 people living in Galai, excluding surrounding villages. Vision When I visited Galai, I was moved with compassion after witnessing the devastating condition of the school building. In fact, Galai never had a proper school building before the civil war started. The current school building was the home of one of the villagers who passed away. It was donated by the family of the deceased. There are 285 kids from kindergarten to Grade six, with five under-qualified volunteer teachers. The building is not big enough to accommodate all the children. My vision is to help them build a new school up to Grade 9 by buying cement for a larger foundation up to ground level and plastering of the walls. Also with doors, windows, and materials for a new metal roof. Then the villagers can start the rest of the foundation to roof level from clay bricks. In essence, we are building with them, not for them. Once the building is completed and extended to grade 9, it will then become eligible for funding from the Liberian ministry of education. With this funding, Galai could secure qualified salaried teachers and purchase more resources for their children`s education. Jesse Matthews It was a great night! For those who missed it, check out this clip of St. John’s Michael Fry and Jesse Matthews!
June 26, 2011—Matthew 10:40-42 Last week, I preached on the riots in Vancouver, and the escalation of a mob mentality. Now we have the sequel. So the mood turned quickly — from commiseration, to shock, to anger. By Sunday, people were outing the rioters on Facebook, identifying them based on pictures that ran on the Internet. Some of the pictures, showing young people smiling in front of damaged cars and store windows, could inspire only our outrage. One young woman, who went into a store and stole two pairs of men’s pants — for a souvenir, she said — lost her job. A few parents turned their kids in to police, forcing them to take responsibility for what they had done. A 17-year-old delivered himself to the police station and owned up to stuffing a lit rag into the gas tank of a police car.
The reaction by citizens has been angry and hostile. Parents have reported getting death threats to their homes. One family has even moved out. People who participated in the riots have been attacked verbally online. Even those who were on the streets when it happened — and as one woman explained on CBC this weekend — and who could not easily escape when the riot began have been the subject of nasty critics. There’s a line here, and we need to ask ourselves whether it has been crossed: have we passed from righteous indignation to self-righteous scapegoating? We want to think that this was the work of disenfranchised thugs, but it wasn’t: many of these people were youth who are from families that are stunned they would act this way. It could have been any one of us. As parents, it could have been any one of our kids. We want to believe otherwise. But those parents, the ones forcing their kids to own up to what they have done, also believed it to be so.
The gospel this morning gives us specific directions most importantly, in these words from Jesus: Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple — truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward. We know our calling: to serve and tend to others, especially the little ones.
Continue reading Sunday Sermon: Pentacost 2 Matthew 28:16-20 This week, on the eve of Father’s Day, I am sad to say, we saw true evidence of man’s weaker nature – on display, in Vancouver, for the rest of the world to see. And I say man on purpose, because the pictures prove it was mostly men, and young men, trashing their own city after a hockey game. A hockey game which seems big until you start comparing it to the reckless damage they caused. On one Facebook post, a young guy – foolish enough to openly use his real name – bragged about punching a police officer and flipping cars – “smart” cars, especially, the environmentally friendly ones. In his post, he goes on to brag how he is going to be on the news: he writes one word – history! But it was one video in particular that struck a chord with many of us. In the video, one man emerges to stand before an angry mob, throwing rocks through windows. He’s a regular looking guy – a regular looking dad kind of guy - a bit overweight, balding, wearing a Canucks hat. He stands in front of the mob and declares: “This is my city!” and orders them away. The mob pauses as one unit. They aren’t sure what to do. And then one person steps in and punches the guy, and the rest follow. The man eventually falls down, beaten and kicked. This video will go around the world in less than 24 hours. Not a proud advertisement for the Canadian hockey fan—or for the Canadian male, for that matter.
 Michael Fry plays a violin adaptation of Luther Vandross' "A dance with my Father" And so, this morning, Paul tells us: Put things in order. And we have this horrifying and shameful example of how disorder trumps order so many times. This is an especially nasty one: how could a hockey game rank higher than the life and safety of even one person, let alone thousands? It is a concrete visual example of the power of mobs, especially ones with muscle.
Comments are closed Sermons Canucks, Father's Day, Grace, Hockey, Mob, Riots, Stanley Cup, Vancouver  St. John Picnic, 1948 St. John’s annual picnic will be held on June 12 this year after worship. This year, we’re preparing a banner as part of the Kairos’ Banner Train calling on the Harper Government to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Hope to see you there! |
We're raising money to build a school house in Galai, Liberia. Liberia is still recovering from 14 years of civil war that decimated the education system. Click here to learn more about our efforts. You can also donate online by clicking on the Canada Helps button below. All donations are secure, tax deductible, and will support education initiatives in Liberia.
|
|||
|
Copyright © 2012 St. John Lutheran Church - All Rights Reserved |
||||
