Sunday, May 13, 2012
Seventh Sunday of Easter

Ezekiel 36:24-28
Psalm 1:1-6
Acts1:15-17, 21-26
John 17:6-19

Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

The Lord is Risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Yes, this is a bit more solemn time of year, but it can also be a time that deepens us and draws us closer to Jesus than ever before.  I hope it’s that for you.  And I look forward to seeing you on Sunday morning.

Blessings my friends!

If you have never been to a Bible Study before or you would like to learn how to read and study your Bible, this is for you! Come join Pat H. as she leads a basic bible study on Mondays at 10:30am, in her home. For directions call her at 519-966-0994.

- The Rev. Roy Laing is leading a 40-week bible study entitled The Story of Salvation, on Wednesdays, at 7pm. The study is open to everyone, young or not-so-young, and gives an overview of the Bible and lays out the plan of salvation. It is held at L&H Diversified, 4565 County Road 46, Maidstone, where our current church office is located. For more information or directions please call the church office, 519-737-0575.

These are the words of the angels when the birth of our Saviour was announced to the shepherds gathered on the hills outside Bethlehem. “Glory to God in the highest!” And these are the words that should be on our lips as we reflect on the wonder of his coming to us, both then and in the midst of our lives today. You see, while it is a glorious thing that Jesus came into the world as a humble child in Bethlehem’s stable; while it is an amazing miracle that the Son of God came down to earth and took on our humanity; it has no bearing on our lives, unless he comes to us now. Unless God enters into our world and into our lives; into the stable of our hearts, so to speak, then it’s all just an interesting story, as wondrous as it may be. But praise God, he does come to us and stoops to the level of our lowly existence. He does come, if we invite him in.

I pray that you have experienced the reality of this in your lives and that you are able to join in the joy of the angels as they sing, “Glory to God in the highest!” We’ve certainly experienced the blessing of his presence with us as a congregation at St. Aidan’s this past year. He was with us and sustained us through the difficult time of the trial in London. He has been with us since, in the ordeal of losing our building and heading out into uncharted waters as a pilgrim people. He has been with us in providing places to worship, in the expressions of love and unity we have received from faithful Christians in other churches in this city, in providing office space, opportunities to witness and most of all in his ongoing presence with us through the Holy Spirit. We have much to be thankful for and we look forward with hope and expectancy to what he will do amongst us in the coming year.

On behalf of myself; our Deacons, Harold, Roy, Colleen and Phil; the Wardens, Chris and Cathy; and the Parish Council, I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Blessèd New Year. We look forward to worshipping with you during this season. Our service times are listed below.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Tom Carman

Well, tomorrow’s the 3rd Sunday in Advent and we’re just two weeks away from the big day.  How’s your Advent coming along?  I find this one of those seasons where I’m often at cross purposes.  Advent is a season of preparation and a time to spend extra time with the Lord.  It’s a time to tend to our spiritual house and put things in order.  And yet, I find that I’m just as much caught up in the busyness of this season as anyone else.  It’s hard to carve out those moments of solitude where it’s just me and Jesus.  And yet, when I do manage, it is so worth it.  Part of the secret, I’ve learned over the years, is to set a pattern, into your life – to develop good habits – to build those times into your day when you make it a point to draw apart and be alone with him.

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the story about the professor who had his students take a large mason jar and fill it full of rocks.  Then he asked them, “Is it full?”  A few of them stuck up their hands and said, “Yes.”  Then he told them to take some small pebbles and pour them into the jar.  They found, of course, that the pebbles could fit into the rather large spaces left between the rocks and they were able to put quite a bit more into the jar.  Again the professor asked, “Is it full yet?”  This time, a little bit more wary, they didn’t put up their hands.  Next, he asked them to take some sand and pour it into the jar.  The sand flowed into the smaller spaces left by the pebbles.  Again the professor asked, “Is it full yet?”  One lone hand went up to say, “I think so.”  Finally, the professor had the students take a pitcher of water and pour that into the jar and they found that they were able to pour quite a bit of water into what they thought was already a full jar.  Once they were done, the professor asked, “Now what does that teach you?”  One student put up his hand and said, “That no matter how full you think your life is, you can always fit a bit more in.”  “No!” said the professor, ”you’ve missed the point entirely.  What this shows you is that unless you fit the big things in first – the important things – you’ll never have room for them.  But if you put them in first, you can always fit the less important things in around them.”  

I think maybe that’s the secret for us as we try to find that time with the Lord in this Advent season.  If you’re trying to fit it in around everything else, you’ll never manage.  You have to put that time for Him in the jar, so to speak, first, then you’ll still have room for all the other things you need to do.  

Blessings to you my friends.

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Tom Carman <><