Well it's a beautiful balmy Sunday morning in Eston, only -2. Amazing. Just a week ago we were freezing. Spring is on the way, only one more month... This morning in church we are going to be talking a bit about change and judgement. Sounds like strong words but hopefully will be painless but maybe encourage us to think in a different way... I spent yesterday in Battleford at our presbytery meeting and the president of Saskatchewan Conference, Gayle Wensley, was with us. Gayle spoke about the work she has done so far as president and what she hopes to continue to do. She referred to the comprehensive Review that the United Church is in the process of completing. The church board here in Eston took part in this review by video conference. Gayle then told us a story about herself and her husband becoming empty nesters and about their struggle to discover who they were together now that their children have left home. Then she compared the United Church to empty nesters. We all have to discover who we are in the midst of the change that is happening in our world and in our church. Change is all around us and we all need to take the time to discover how we can live into the new world that is opening up around us and how we can take the best from the past with us. New challenges await. New exciting challenges and together as a community of faith here in Eston, we can go forward, discovering together how we will live in this new way. There is no Sunday School this week as it is winter break for our schools. Many folks are gone away on vacation. For those of us who will gather today, we will enjoy family Sunday lunch after our service. Everyone is welcome to join us. Have a great Sunday everyone and a great winter break!

Good Sunday Morning! It is a beautiful, cold morning on the Prairies. -32 when I left home, that's cold. However, it is peaceful and warm here at the church. As I sit and ready myself for this morning's service the temperature is on my mind. Maybe because I am asking people today, are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Sound Strange, Maybe Not! A thermostat makes the temperature change, a thermometer only measures what is. So, Which are you, one who inspires change as salt changes food and let's your light shine or are you content to just let life pass you by doing nothing, not rocking the boat, in other words living a bland life, hiding your light under a bushel. Lots to ponder on this day! So, as you think and ponder, like I do, curl up this afternoon, with a not cup of tea, a good book and curling on the tube. My idea of a great afternoon!

It's another Sunday morning and I had a very relaxing three days off. I traveled to Regina to see 'West Side Story' with my friend Kim, it was amazing. Yesterday afternoon I started a baby quilt for my new grandson who is due in April. This week's sermon is about the Beatitudes. What do they mean to you? I have been doing some reading from a book called 'Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew' by Jerome H. Neyrey. This is a fascinating book about the Honor and Shame Society which Jesus would have grown up in and certainly puts a new perspective on how we look at things. Neyrey is talking about using the word Honor instead of Blessed or Happy when talking about the beatitudes and about how Jesus ascribed Honor to those who had no honor. Honor was a very important part of their lives in the Middle East and still is today in a lot of countries. We in the west don't really understand this society. The entire honor and shame idea is not familiar to us. Well hopefully, after today we will know a bit more. We also hear from the prophet Micah the familiar words: What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God. What amazing words! So, as I said a couple of weeks ago in a sermon when I quoted, John Wesley, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can”. Have a wonderful Sunday! Barb

L'ISLE VERTE

As I sit in my office this afternoon with the sun streaming in on me I pause to think about the people in L'Isle Verte. My heart breaks for the pain they are feeling. I can't image the devastation. I just want to take a moment and offer to them, my love, light and thoughts. I offer this prayer: In the quiet of this moment as I pause to remember, I open my heart to all that is holy in my life. I hold the people of L'Isle Verte in my thoughts and my tears fall. Sadness fills my heart for the tragedy this community faces, so many lives lost. In the stillness that surrounds me, I offer my love and light. May the richness of comfort and love be with all those who have lost loved ones or whose loved ones have survived and are suffering, and all those whose loved ones have not yet been found. It is in such times as these that community gathers to be the presence needed. So may strength be found in L'Isle Verte, in the workers who are tireless in their efforts, in the community that surrounds all those who are suffering, in the love and prayer, the money and help that pours into the community in the coming days and weeks. May Strength be present and may a grain of hope be found that comfort may be felt. As one who dwells in the light, I pray. Amen.

A New Day

It is January 21st and I am sitting in my office preparing for bible study and thinking about our new website and how easy it is to be in touch with people in this new age of technology. The website for the church is almost ready to launch. The domain name will be estonunitedchurch.ca The church uses Facebook and Twitter and now a website. Such different ways of communicating these days. Unlike the communication during 1st century Palestine when Jesus was calling his disciples to come with him and fish for people. We can do that so quickly these days. It makes me wonder if we really always read and agree with all that we follow, all those tweets, Facebook pages and blogs. The disciples and Jesus had to do so much of their work manually, walking for long distances in the hot dry weather, relying on the generosity of those who they met along the way. We sit at our desks, or on our phones, or tablets and we just make contact. Are we losing the ability to have a conversation with one another. I was with a friend the other day and we were both on our tablets, yet both in the same room and hardly a word passed between us. Sometimes I wonder if all this technology is really the best thing.... It is definitely faster, but does that make us actually pack more into our already busy schedules. When was the last time we left all our electronics alone and just had a great visit with someone and talked, really talked. Just my musings for the morning.....