Good morning,

My hope is that you have had a good week and that you are well.  And that you have found new ways to engage life during this time of forces solitude and isolation.  I was amazed this week to learn of some of the things that some of the members of the congregation are doing. Just for fun, you can give Ken a call to see what he has been up to … Robert you may find it particularly interesting!

Today’s worship will once again continue along the theme of how God calls us and invites us to be part of God’s mission.    The first song is a contemplative song that reminds us of the new commandment – to love one another.  I believe it is a beautiful hymn that will help to prepare us to open up to hear God’s word for us today.

The second is the hymn we know as “Will you Come and Follow Me.”  A couple of weeks ago, I invited you to engage with the song, taking each line in turn and reflecting upon your readiness to respond.  Today, I invite you to listen to the hymn once again … and then listen to the music – played in a very different way.  For me it opens up a whole range of possibilities and adds a different level of excitement to responding to God’s call.  I have attached the lyrics of the hymn below in case you want to sing along!

A New Commandment 

Will you come and follow me

Alternative Music: will you come and follow me 

Announcements:

Public worship:  As per public health directives, public worship has been suspended until further notice.  Session has taken the decision to revaluate when public worship will be reinstated at the monthly Session meeting: our next meeting is February 12th.

Annual Meeting: The date for the Annual Meeting has been set for March 14th.  As we do not know if we are going to be able to gather as a large group, we have begun to make plans to hold the meeting using Zoom.  I would invite anyone who is not familiar with the platform to reach out to me over the next few weeks so that we can assist you in learning how to use the technology.

Candles for Worship: Our weekly worship services are a time when we draw closer to God and to one another.  As you prepare to listen to the service, I invite you to have a candle ready to light that reminds us of God’s presence with us as well as the wooden Knox 16 candle that reminds us that we are all connected together.  I also invite you to pray out loud the Lord’s Prayer.

Preparing for Easter:   The traditional time of preparation for Easter is the 40 days of Lent.  To help us in our preparation and guide our contemplation, I have selected 2 books.  The first, Create in Me a Clean Heart: Ten Minutes a Day in the Penitential Psalms by Sarah Christmyer, will appeal to those who gravitate toward contemplation and prayer as a way of engaging with God.  The second Entering the Passion of Jesus: A beginners Guide to Holy Week by Amy-Jill,  will be interesting for those who come to God through study and understanding the history of the time of Jesus.

We will begin meeting together on Wednesday February 17^th, via Zoom and will continue to meet for the 6 weeks of Lent.  We will meet from 7:00pm – 9:00pm.  The first hour will focus on Create in Me a Clean Heart, and the second hour on Entering the Passion of Jesus. If you are interested, in either or both of the sessions, please reach out to let me know.  There is always room for one more – so consider inviting a friend.  Both books are available through Amazon.

Staying Connected: We are all connected, and we will be stronger & healthier when we are intentional in nurturing our relationships with one another. So I encourage you to connect to people for conversation and companionship.  Even a short conversation will lift the spirit of the person you call … and miraculously, it will lift your spirits as well!

Blessings,

Patrick