July 25, 2010
Meditation - Pastor Emily Toews
Worship Leader -Joanne k. Bergen
This Week at North Star:
Thursday, July 29
2:30pm - North Star service at Nokomis Lodge. Everyone welcome.
Coming Events at North Star
Sunday, September 19
Ordination service for Pastor Emily
Friday, October 8-Monday, October 11
Photo sessions for the church directory
Sunday, October 24
Mission Sunday with Eric Olfert
North Star Notes:
Congratulations to Bryce D. Bartel and Danica Krysa who were married at
North Star yesterday, July 24. May God bless your marriage.
Congratulations to Allison & Justin Rempel on the birth of their
daughter, Brielle Renae, on July 2 in Abbotsford. Grandparents are Terry &
Hilda Dyck and Great-Grandpa Frank Dyck
Help Needed: Sunday
School teachers for Preschool, Multi-age K-Gr.8, and Youth classes for the
fall. Please contact Mary Jean if you are interested in teaching or
assisting.
Next Sunday
Meditation - Pastor Emily Toews Worship Leader -
Harold Regier
A Message From Pastor Emily Toews
Hen and Chicks
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the city that kills the prophets
and stones those who are sent to it!
How often have I desired to gather
your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
and you were not willing!
Luke 13:34
The name “Jerusalem”
~Øil;ªv'Wry
is a compound of two Semitic roots, meaning wholeness, peace, harmony
or completeness, (Salem) and "y-r-h" a verb meaning to show, direct,
instruct, teach, to rain, (yarah).
Basically, Jerusalem means "Rain of Peace.”
What a contradiction that one of the
places in the world that has the most conflict is called rain of peace.
What a contradiction that a secular political faction of a people
that were called to be examples of wholeness for the rest of the world has
ostracized its neighbours – building up a dividing wall 4 times as long (403
miles) and 2 times as tall (25 feet) as the Berlin wall (96 miles and 11.8
feet).
Can't you just hear the cry of Jesus then and now echoing
through the valley? "Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem..." These are grief-filled
words that are spoken to the human heart. The human heart - the new temple
of God - not built of mortar or stone.... but of love, and a desire to know
and live and be a part of the New Jerusalem - the new reign of Shalom -
wholeness.
We sometimes think that religious and cultural conflict
exists only in the Middle East... or at least, not in our neighborhood. But
we are sorely and blindly mistaken. It is so easy to close our eyes to the
needs of our neighbors. It is so easy to paint all people with the same
brush.
I've been thinking a lot lately about Koinonia Partners in
Americus, Georgia. Koinonia Partners is the birthplace of Habitat for
Humanity, Jubilee Partners, Prison Jail Project, Fuller Center for Housing
and other ministries that have helped to transform God's people. Koinonia
Partners was instrumental in the 50's and 60's in supporting equal rights
for all people - be they women, men, black or white. This was not always
welcomed by their neighboring community and yet Koinonia Partners survived
"bullets bombs and boycott."
According to their website they are "Still growing pecans
and peanuts, welcoming visitors, and living the 'demonstration plot for the
Kingdom of God.'"
www.koinoniapartners.org/
One of the founders, Clarence Jordan translated much of
the Bible into common Southern language. He calls this "The Cotton Patch
Gospel."
Jordan translates the Luke 13 text into a language that
the people of that time (60's) and that place (Southern Georgia) would
understand. He replaces "Jerusalem" with Atlanta - as the place of God's
holy city. He says, "O Atlanta, Atlanta, you who crush the life out of your
men of God, and ostracize those who try to show you a better way, many a
time I've wanted to bring your citizens together, as a hen gathers her
biddies under her wings, and you would have none of it."
I just love the image of Jesus gathering us under his
wing. It is a comforting image - and it is a protective image. But - we
would have none of it.
While I know Jesus was speaking to the people of Jerusalem
at the time, I also think he speaks to us today. Oh, Lanigan / Drake /
Jansen /... how I have longed to take you up under my wing - and you would
have none of it.
We could look at this many ways - the protective nature of
a hen who is willing to die for her chicks; God as "the Great Mother
Hen"; us as the chicks who refuse to come under Her wing - and the list goes
on. But today, as I write this, I'm struck with the last phrase - "and you
would have none of it" or "and you were not willing."
I wonder why are we not willing? Is it because we want to
do this life on our own? Is it because we don't like the other chicks that
are there under the wing? Do we feel welcomed by the other chicks? Are we
blocking the shelter of God's wing... to those whom we think don't "fit"? Do
we have a "pecking order" of who's in and who's out and who's closer to the
heart of God?
"Surely the Great Mother Hen wouldn't call THEM under her
wing?"
Ha!
The Good News of Jesus Christ is ALL PEOPLE - be they
white European or First Nations, be they men or women, or children, humble
or arrogant, Jewish or Palestinian, slave or free - ALL PEOPLE are called to
rest under the shelter of God's wing. It is our job, as fellow chick not to
elbow out the willing.
Can we do this? It would certainly make our lives more
uncomfortable - sharing the Kingdom of God with the people whom we have
often disregarded or feared. Jesus loved even those who crucified him. I
hope that through Christ, we can have even a measure of this love
