Lost sheep and coins, I have to tell you only in a church will you hear someone talk about the spiritual and metaphorical meaning behind coins and sheep, well maybe on a farm you’ll hear about sheep. For many of us lost keys and phones might be more relatable metaphors. Who hasn’t at one point another taken part in the frantic and frenetic search for house or car keys, or in my case church keys.
With kids heading back to school, you may find that their clothes no longer fit. We are all in the same situation, so we are organizing a neighbourhood (Covid safe) clothing swap. Here’s how it works: kids in your household outgrown their clothes? Keep the kids, pass on those clothes to others in your neighbourhood! Need some clothes for quick-growing kids? We’ll have lots to choose from
This is the fifth in a five part series called “In the Beginning,” exploring various creation stories.
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What does it mean to be people who have bodies, created in God’s image? Genesis tells us that we are made in the image and likeness of God. I thought it might be helpful to dig a little into what these words actually mean in their original language. The Hebrew word for image tselem has the sense of a cut out or something constructed. I imagine the craft where you cut out a paper people chain. The Hebrew word for shadow tsel comes from the same root. The word likeness can mean similar in manner or pattern. Perhaps we are the shadows of God – not exact but similar. We were created to act in a manner like God, though we often do not act as such.
Song: We Are All One People, MV 141
We are all one people, we all come from one Creation way on high.
We are all one nation under one great sky, you and I.
We are all one people, we are all one colour in God’s eyes.
Now that the daylight fills the sky,
We lift our hearts to God on high
That She, in all we do or say,
Would keep us free from harm today,
“All praise to You, Creator Lord!
All praise to You, eternal Word!
All praise to You, O Spirit wise!”
We sing as daylight fills the skies.
“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.” ― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath Sunday Worship Schedule Sunday August 21, Creation Series: Land, HaudenosauneeSky Woman and Turtle IslandOutdoor service, Read more
This is the second in a five part series called “In the Beginning,” exploring various creation stories. Psalm 121 – A Song of Ascents I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help Read more
All of creation, sing to the Maker,
sing a new song of jubilant praise.
God who has sung us, still is among us,
let us give thanks in the song we raise.
If you are new or newish to the Christian faith, interested in learning more about membership in The United Church of Canada or if you want to re-discover the faith you grew up with, think about joining our book study beginning this Fall. We will be reading “Building God’s Beloved Community: Discipleship in The United Church of Canada.” This book was written primarily with those new to the church in mind (the language is very accessible) yet is still relevant for wherever you are in your faith journey. The book features contributions from a wide theological and cultural spectrum within The United Church of Canada.
This is the first in a five part series called “In the Beginning,” exploring various creation stories.
Why creation stories you may be wondering? Why look to the stories we have told of our origins for thousands of years? When Glebe’s Music Minister and I began to plan services for the summer, we knew we wanted to focus on a creation theme. It is no secret that there is a climate crisis. Part of the United Church of Canada’s new creed proclaims that we are to live with respect in creation. We live in a beautiful country, blessed with natural resources that we take for granted will always be there. One of the things I discovered and I think many of us did over the course of the pandemic was a new appreciation for the outdoors, of being able to meet outside with friends when we were not allowed to meet indoors. The importance of green space never became so relevant living in the city.
