Feb 18, 2025 newsletter

Good Morning

We are less than a week away from our Annual Vestry Meeting. It is a time to review what we’ve accomplished over the past year, where we’ve stumbled and where we’ve soared. We will also be approving a new budget and yes, there is a small deficit. It is less than in prior years but it still means that we have to work hard to keep the lights on. There will be two more items of business to focus on – one is a stewardship programme. We have not undertaken a focused stewardship campaign since I arrived five years ago and so it is time. The other item is a review of the goals we set in 2021 and to envision a new/updated/amended set for the next 5 years. If you have any ideas or suggestions for either of these issues, please be sure to share them next Sunday. I look forwarding to seeing as many of you as possible on Feb 23rd.

This Sunday is Freedom Sunday. Slavery aka human trafficking is a scourge across the globe, please get involved, as you are able, to help put an end to this abomination.

Our photos were taken of Rev Chris (and Dennis) during their recent trip to Jordan and Egypt – the first is in Jordan, the 2nd at the pyramids in Eygpt. If you have photos from your trips that you’d like to share, please send them along.

Please continue to pray for the miracle of peace to happen. Our service of prayer occurs every Thursday at 1:15pm.

GREEN SPACE: It was international Whale Day on February 15th, show your appreciation for them and our oceans by spending quality time near your local waterway. Kayaking, paddleboarding, tide pooling and taking a walk by the water are just some of the amazing ways to show you care and refresh your love of the ocean (and motivation to help protect it)! Watch for shoreline clean up programmes and get involved. ~ from Ocean Wise

NEW** Our Sarah is being renovicted by her landlords with a move out day no later than April 30th. She hopes to find a place sooner than that. If you know of anyone who has an apartment or basement suite available with reasonable rent, please contact her asap. The location can be anywhere within metro Vancouver (preferably not the North Shore).

REMINDER** Lent Quiet Day at VanDusen Gardens. Sat Mar 8th, 9:30-2:30. $10 includes lunch but there are bursaries available so cost should not be a barrier (speak to me about this). Access to the gardens is part of the day. See poster in the hall or contact Rev. Adam Yates at St Faith’s. the link to purchase tickets: https://buytickets.at/stfaithsanglicanchurch/1549887

NEW** Palm Crosses!!! Remember to bring last years (or any palm crosses) to church the next 2 Sundays OR bring them with you to our Ash Wednesday Service on March 5th. We use the old crosses to make the ash we use to mark our foreheads during the service.

REMINDER** Our Annual Vestry Meeting is February23rd – a light lunch will be served.

REMINDERS** There is blessed chalk available (for free) to bless your homes, the latest Forward Day by Day is available (suggested donation: $2-$5) & the Anglican Journal (free) are in the Narthex.

NEW** With the retirement of our Prayer Angels, if you would like someone to be prayed for please call me – details are kept confidential.

ONGOING** South Vancouver Senior’s Network. Join Andrea & Grace every Thursday from 10:30-11:30am. Meet ID: 894 9400 0823 Passcode: 078061

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89494000823?pwd=S0FCTERRSDhPWFM0L1pFYkJtZlhTdz09

This week the guest is Rod Raglin. Rod is a self-published author, journalist, photographer, and a keen environmentalist living on the west coast of Canada. He's been editor and publisher of The REVUE Newspaper, an independent newspaper serving South Vancouver, for over 40 years.

HOLDING CROSSES** Petra has added a new feature to the holding crosses – they now sport a thong so you can wear them around your neck! Crosses are 4” x 2 ½”. $20 plain, $30 for church name & logo, $40 with phrases. You can have anything you like on the cross. Call David to order 604-318-1119 or Petra at 604-720-4559 or loveandlight23@hotmail.com . We have gifted our preachers/speakers with these – they’re great gifts!

Dates to Remember:

Feb 20 – Interment of Ashes – Robert Potter

Feb 22 – Funeral for Lisa Clarke – 2 pm

Feb 23 – Annual Vestry Meeting, light lunch & beverages provided

Mar 5 – Ash Wednesday Service at 6:30 pm

Mar 7-10 – Katherine away

Prayers for Feb 16

The Anglican Communion: Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil

The Anglican Church of Canada: our Acting Primate Anne, Indigenous Bishop Chris & the Archbishop, clergy and people of the Diocese of Fredericton

The Diocese of New Westminster: Archbishop John & the people and clergy of St Brigid @ Christ Church Cathedral, All Saints, Agassiz & the Justice and Peace Unit

The Anglican Indigenous Council: Diocese of Quebec

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada: The dean, council, and congregations of the Grand River and Thames Areas of the Eastern Synod

Our Companion Diocese of Northern Philippines, Bishop Benny and our companion parishes: St Augustine of Canterbury, Agawa; St Hipploytus, Gueday; St Philip, Ambagiw: clergy & people

The Moravian Church in Canada: The anniversary of the founding of the Unitas Fratrum (or Unity of the Brethren) on March 1, 1457, in Bohemia.

TOGETHER: An end to human trafficking and modern slavery

To find the link for our services please go directly to our website www.staugustinesanglican.com to access My homily is attached

I have attached the poem, Dream Me, God by Dorothee Soelle, which I read on Sunday.

blessings

K+

Dream Me, God

It’s not you who should solve my problems, God,

But I yours, God of the asylum-seekers.

It’s not you who should feed the hungry,

But I who should protect your children

From the terror of the banks and armies.

It’s not you who should make room for the refugees,

But I who should receive you,

Hardly hidden God of the desolate.

You dreamed me, God,

Practicing walking upright

And learning to kneel down

More beautiful than I am now,

Happier than I dare to be

Freer than our country allows.

Don’t stop dreaming me, God.

I don’t want to stop remembering

That I am your tree,

Planted by the streams

of living water.

~Dorothee Soelle

Homily - Feb 16

Jesus’ blessings and woes can be seen as a primer for Jesus’ ministry – if you ‘get’ this, if you ‘hear’ this, then you have the foundation for the rest of what Jesus says and does on his way to Golgotha & Easter. This is Luke’s Sermon on the Plain and while similar to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount in that they are both a collection of related teachings rather than a coherent argument, Luke’s version has subtle differences such as the number of blessings (4 to Matthew’s 9) and the accompanying woes. Interestingly, Luke’s version fails to mention the peacemakers!

Blessings & Woes

Jesus speaks directly to the crowd which contains those who have benefitted from the status quo (and who will hear the woes as being directed to them) and those who have been harmed by the same status quo (and who will hear the blessings). Theologian Sharon Ringe notes, each blessing and woe announces ‘…a truth about the divine agenda rather than a mandate for human morality.’ This is more about what God intends than a commentary on human behaviour. Yet it is also a call for balance, change and renewal, by us, and all who hear. It becomes preparation for the inbreaking of God’s realm.

A blessing for ‘you who are poor’ – economically or spiritually – you will know the jubilee of God’s realm; it is coming and it will be yours.

A blessing for those who hunger – this is the promise that all who struggle with hunger, whether it be empty bellies or hollow souls, God’s realm on earth will see you filled.

A blessing for those who weep or mourn – the time for sadness will pass and the promise that you too will laugh again.

These are real promises; they are not spiritualized (though some versions of Scripture try to do so). In God’s realm, people do not go hungry – this is not ‘be ready for a banquet in some heaven light years away’ – this is on table, food for everyone. The images are stunning and they are heartening BUT it is not here yet.

And the woes? Jesus is not castigating those who have wealth or status, he is not promising damnation for those who are full – he simply reminds them that God’s realm is fair and balanced and having had your fill of good things, it is time to move aside and let others feast and make merry. Again Ringe reminds us that the woes are not ‘…behaviours to be avoided or changed in order to avert disaster. Instead it states facts: People who are rich, well fed, laughing, and enjoying good reputations will also experience the alternative. They are not being punished for their actions; rather, they have enjoyed the blessings, and the turn passes to others.’

The Message Bible, which I do not refer to often, has an interesting ‘take’ on the woes. Listen:

…It’s trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you’ll ever get. And it’s trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long. And it’s trouble ahead if you think life’s all fun and games. There’s suffering to be met, and you’re going to meet it. There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.

I think it speaks the truth in a cheeky way – if you’re content with what you have, you are not working for God’s kingdom. If you are not compelled to help others, happy to sit and watch others ‘do for others’ then you’ve missed what the Kingdom means. As I said earlier, the blessings are God’s agenda for the world to come and the ‘troubles’ are for those satisfied with the imperfect and crumbling world we live in.

It is time for each of us to pay attention to these blessings and woes. For those of us with broken hearts and yearning souls, we are offered a new reality – not overnight, not with a wave of a magic wand but a promise that the night is not endless and dawn will come. For those of us who have lost it all, God’s kingdom is there for the finding. When we are hungry God’s banquet table has a place for us.

When we rely on possessions or status to define us, the woes are a reminder that these offer no stability at all, that our foundation is better based on love and compassion, our connection with each other and our world. Possessions are ephemeral, our relationship with God is not. We are blessed when we practice restraint, we who already have so much. We are blessed when we don’t cram ourselves full of things that cannot truly feed or free us; things like drink, pride, sex, food, fancy clothes & cars – anything that we use to fill the holes in our soul.

As theologian John Foley notes: ‘a person has to be open and empty in order to let God and others in. In order to love and be loved we need to have space at the centre of who we are.’ We are blessed when we let ourselves empty of the world’s toys and promises to become ‘spacious homes for God, for other human beings, for our long-suffering earth. We are built to be quiet receivers, people who know they feel empty and yet are patient.’ It’s really a give and take, we experience both the abundance and the emptiness and by clinging to God’s promises, working for the realization of the kingdom, our bellies & souls will be filled as will those of the rest of the world and we will be the disciples we are called to be.

This is none of it easy but there is only One who can give us the bread of life, the water of salvation, only One who can satisfy our deep capacity and yearning for love. To let go, to let ourselves be embraced by God’s ever-lasting love, is the clearest and first sign of discipleship. To work for the kingdom is the 2nd. I end my homily with this – Dorothee Soelle’s ‘Dream Me, God.’

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St. Augustine's Marpole · 8680 Hudson St · Vancouver, BC V6P 4M5 · Canada

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