Well, it's been over two months since I posted to this blog. How time flies when you are having fun! It certainly seems like this year has flown by and I can't believe that I have been in Eston almost six years. It sure doesn't feel that long. I have been very busy working for the pastoral charge along with some presbytery work and conference work. This past year has seen me finish my Prairie Jubilee course so I am officially now a spiritual director. That was such an amazing course. I am co-convenor for the Faith Formation Committee of Conference, sit on Education and Students at our presbytery and am currently on two search committees, one for Outlook and one for Eatonia.
Our family has grown this year, a new baby girl, Addison born in May. I am so happy however, I miss my grands terribly.
Work has gotten even more challenging as I grow in my theology and faith and work to share with the congregation what I am learning. Our Bible study group is great, we meet on Wednesday mornings and it is a place where you can bring all your thoughts and wonders and express them freely without judgement or ridicule. It is a safe place for all.
This year I am hoping to offer a baptism/confirmation/reaffirmation of faith class where we look at what we believe, why we believe, maybe learn from one another and determine where we want to go next. It will also be a safe and sacred place for sharing.
As the United Church is making changes in their policies regarding ministry personnel, I find it harder and harder to find where I belong. We will also be exploring these changes in our classes and determining where we find ourselves in the midst of change.
Looking forward to 2017, I see new things happening. I am taking the ministry of supervision course in the hopes of one day being able to help another student as my supervisor helped me when I was going through theological school. I also hope to go on a few retreats to help nourish my own spiritual life.
Our Church School program continues to grow on Wednesday afternoons and we love seeing all the children.
So, join us at St. Andrew's for service on Sundays at 10:30 or call us for updates on times and events happening..
Christmas eve service is Saturday at 7:00. All are welcome
Merry Christmas
Barb
Sunday 18 December 2016
Sunday 16 October 2016
Rainy Sunday In Eston
Good Morning,
It's a rainy day here again, just what the farmers didn't need.
This morning is family Sunday so we will have a potluck lunch with hotdogs. All are welcome to join us.
Our scripture this morning is the story of the widow and the unjust judge from the gospel of Luke. The traditional portrayal is of God as the unjust judge and we say that if that judge could be merciful to the widow how much more can God be merciful. However, this morning, we are going to be talking about putting ourselves into the place of the unjust judge and having God portrayed in the character of the persistent widow. The word widow is often translated as silent one, voiceless one... Can we hear her cries? Do we know how to respond? Don't we often feel that tug, or hear that still small voice telling us there is a need and that what we are doing it not the right thing to be doing. Divinity is inside us, the source of all that is moves in, through and among us always. We know the right things to do if we could just sit still long enough to hear them. But because as a society we are doers, we often don't hear the message until we have moved on to something else and realize what we have or haven't done. So for this morning, let's sit, quietly, think of all that is happening in our world, what can we do to help make things better, there is always something to be done, big or little. Where is our part? Are we unjust judges or judges who act with fairness and justice as our guide.
Here is a piece of my sermon this morning... My little grand-daughter Addison is here for her first visit. At just 4 months old she can’t talk yet but she sure can tell stories. When I hold her, especially at night, in the rocking chair, after bottle and bath, I couldn’t help but marvel at the reality that the Divine lives and breathes in, with and through this beautiful little baby girl. Divinity comes to us in all sorts of guises, and in our little Addison’s gentle breath I can hear the world crying out for justice. Justice for Addison certainly, justice for the world that she will grow up in, and justice for the planet she will inherit.
Have a beautiful day!
Barb
It's a rainy day here again, just what the farmers didn't need.
This morning is family Sunday so we will have a potluck lunch with hotdogs. All are welcome to join us.
Our scripture this morning is the story of the widow and the unjust judge from the gospel of Luke. The traditional portrayal is of God as the unjust judge and we say that if that judge could be merciful to the widow how much more can God be merciful. However, this morning, we are going to be talking about putting ourselves into the place of the unjust judge and having God portrayed in the character of the persistent widow. The word widow is often translated as silent one, voiceless one... Can we hear her cries? Do we know how to respond? Don't we often feel that tug, or hear that still small voice telling us there is a need and that what we are doing it not the right thing to be doing. Divinity is inside us, the source of all that is moves in, through and among us always. We know the right things to do if we could just sit still long enough to hear them. But because as a society we are doers, we often don't hear the message until we have moved on to something else and realize what we have or haven't done. So for this morning, let's sit, quietly, think of all that is happening in our world, what can we do to help make things better, there is always something to be done, big or little. Where is our part? Are we unjust judges or judges who act with fairness and justice as our guide.
Here is a piece of my sermon this morning... My little grand-daughter Addison is here for her first visit. At just 4 months old she can’t talk yet but she sure can tell stories. When I hold her, especially at night, in the rocking chair, after bottle and bath, I couldn’t help but marvel at the reality that the Divine lives and breathes in, with and through this beautiful little baby girl. Divinity comes to us in all sorts of guises, and in our little Addison’s gentle breath I can hear the world crying out for justice. Justice for Addison certainly, justice for the world that she will grow up in, and justice for the planet she will inherit.
Have a beautiful day!
Barb
Sunday 29 May 2016
Childrens' Service
It is a beautiful day in Eston and the Children from our mid-week church school program are going to do the service for us. It will be great. Come and join us and see what great things they have learned this year. Our service starts at 10:30 and we will be taking a picture for the town time capsule.
We had so much fun with our church school program this year and hope to have it grow even more next year. We had a total of 38 register throughout the year and about 28 each week. Great numbers. The kids were enthusiastic and I think had a great time. We had some great food, learned a few new songs, Learned life lessons based on the stories shared with us in the bible. We explored our faith with Marcie and Jeff, characters in our stories each week. These stories were written by Kim Antosh. Kim and I are writing a three year children's church school program based on the lectionary. It is my hope that by the end of the second year, the senior class will have enough information to make the decision whether or not they are ready to be confirmed. That will be great fun.
The themes this year were, being a blessing, thanksgiving, being a friend, seeing in a different way, what is God?, The offering. Hope/anticipation. Peace, Joy, Love, Epiphany, being light, Belonging, our jobs in the church, rejection/bullying, prayer, temptation/good and bad, Patience, second chances/forgiveness, generosity, Palm Sunday, Easter/the spirit lives on, Feed my sheep, being a disciple, Pentecost, and trusting.
Kim and I are looking forward to writing next years lessons.
Have a great Sabbath everyone!
Barb
We had so much fun with our church school program this year and hope to have it grow even more next year. We had a total of 38 register throughout the year and about 28 each week. Great numbers. The kids were enthusiastic and I think had a great time. We had some great food, learned a few new songs, Learned life lessons based on the stories shared with us in the bible. We explored our faith with Marcie and Jeff, characters in our stories each week. These stories were written by Kim Antosh. Kim and I are writing a three year children's church school program based on the lectionary. It is my hope that by the end of the second year, the senior class will have enough information to make the decision whether or not they are ready to be confirmed. That will be great fun.
The themes this year were, being a blessing, thanksgiving, being a friend, seeing in a different way, what is God?, The offering. Hope/anticipation. Peace, Joy, Love, Epiphany, being light, Belonging, our jobs in the church, rejection/bullying, prayer, temptation/good and bad, Patience, second chances/forgiveness, generosity, Palm Sunday, Easter/the spirit lives on, Feed my sheep, being a disciple, Pentecost, and trusting.
Kim and I are looking forward to writing next years lessons.
Have a great Sabbath everyone!
Barb
Sunday 22 May 2016
Trinity Sunday
Today is Trinity Sunday and I am going to share my thoughts and feelings on the trinity, what it means and what it doesn't mean to me personally. I would love to hear from others how they feel about the trinity. Is it important to your faith, could your faith live without it. Would it change how you feel about church. How important is it to you?
Also, I would just like to say thank you too all those in town who have helped with the funerals we have had in our community over the past 17 days. There have been four in our church, one in the catholic church, and one with no service. 6 deaths is a lot for this town especially in such a short time. So to all the families who are grieving we share our love and for all who helped we offer our thanks.
Take care all on this blustery, day. Stay dry and warm.
Barb
Also, I would just like to say thank you too all those in town who have helped with the funerals we have had in our community over the past 17 days. There have been four in our church, one in the catholic church, and one with no service. 6 deaths is a lot for this town especially in such a short time. So to all the families who are grieving we share our love and for all who helped we offer our thanks.
Take care all on this blustery, day. Stay dry and warm.
Barb
Sunday 17 April 2016
Beautiful Sunday
It's been a long time since I wrote in this blog. Way too long! Life gets busy and one of the things I let go was this for a while. Well today, I decided it is time to do something about it. So here I am again, sitting in my office before church on Sunday morning wondering if what I am going to say will make sense to anyone but me, wondering if the stories I am sharing I have shared before. I hope not. But if I have, they are worth hearing again. Hoping we get something out of the message that will propel us into the next week, with the hope of doing more and helping more. If I had to give this morning's sermon a title, it would be Holy Work!
My daughter is here for a visit, Tracey. She is such a joy to have around. We will have a great week doing all the things that need doing as well as a few more things.
On Wednesday we are hosting a Wonderful Wednesday for the towns centennial year. This will be a potluck dinner and a family dance starting at 5:30 in the Koinonia Hall. So bring a dish to share and your dancing shoes and join us for a while to break bread together, to laugh and to dance. Our church school has done lots of work to make decorations for us to enjoy. So come and enjoy!
The church has been very busy this past winter and I am looking forward to the spring and summer. Hopefully the pace slows a bit and there will be time to enjoy the creation which surrounds us and the neighbours in our town who we hardly ever get to spend time with. If you see us out on the deck, drop by, have a visit.
Have a blessed Sunday everyone!
My daughter is here for a visit, Tracey. She is such a joy to have around. We will have a great week doing all the things that need doing as well as a few more things.
On Wednesday we are hosting a Wonderful Wednesday for the towns centennial year. This will be a potluck dinner and a family dance starting at 5:30 in the Koinonia Hall. So bring a dish to share and your dancing shoes and join us for a while to break bread together, to laugh and to dance. Our church school has done lots of work to make decorations for us to enjoy. So come and enjoy!
The church has been very busy this past winter and I am looking forward to the spring and summer. Hopefully the pace slows a bit and there will be time to enjoy the creation which surrounds us and the neighbours in our town who we hardly ever get to spend time with. If you see us out on the deck, drop by, have a visit.
Have a blessed Sunday everyone!
Sunday 31 January 2016
Sunday in Eston
It has been a while since I posted on this blog. Life has been busy, I have been tired, it was Christmas, my daughter was visiting, whatever the excuse, here it is again.
Today in church we are going to talk about Love. Agape Love as it talks about in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient, love is kind and so on. I have a great story to share first told by Fred Craddock, a world renowned preacher and storyteller. So join us at 10:30 or watch this afternoon on the local cable channel.
I had a lovely visit with Leora yesterday in Moose Jaw. If you are going through there, let me know and I will share her address. She is missing home very much and she says hello to everyone!
I took a course to be an Age Friendly Communities Consultant on Friday in Regina. Very interesting. We had to talk about our own town or city or community and I said what a great place Eston was and how many things we are already doing to be age friendly and everyone wanted to move here. I said of course they could.... This is a great town with almost everything we could possibly need right here. If you or your group would like to know more about being age friendly, just let me know. Age friendly doesn't necessarily mean senior, it could be youth, children those of us in the middle or perhaps those with a disability of some kind. There are lots of ways to look at being age friendly.
So enjoy this beautiful Sunday morning, take a deep breath of the crisp clean air that surrounds us and let us be grateful for all we have in our lives.
Namasté
Barb
Today in church we are going to talk about Love. Agape Love as it talks about in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient, love is kind and so on. I have a great story to share first told by Fred Craddock, a world renowned preacher and storyteller. So join us at 10:30 or watch this afternoon on the local cable channel.
I had a lovely visit with Leora yesterday in Moose Jaw. If you are going through there, let me know and I will share her address. She is missing home very much and she says hello to everyone!
I took a course to be an Age Friendly Communities Consultant on Friday in Regina. Very interesting. We had to talk about our own town or city or community and I said what a great place Eston was and how many things we are already doing to be age friendly and everyone wanted to move here. I said of course they could.... This is a great town with almost everything we could possibly need right here. If you or your group would like to know more about being age friendly, just let me know. Age friendly doesn't necessarily mean senior, it could be youth, children those of us in the middle or perhaps those with a disability of some kind. There are lots of ways to look at being age friendly.
So enjoy this beautiful Sunday morning, take a deep breath of the crisp clean air that surrounds us and let us be grateful for all we have in our lives.
Namasté
Barb
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