Blog for Saturday March 08th, 2014
The first full week of March was a busy week. I often try to set the March Break week aside for time off (since it’s in my contract) but that wasn’t going to work out very easily this year. I did however manage a visit to Fredericton on Tuesday and Wednesday. My son and I travelled to the provincial capital to celebrate the 88th birthday of my Mom and we went out to supper – the Shrove Tuesday Pancake supper at St. John’s Anglican Church in Nashwaaksis. We went to supper with my Mom and Dad and my Mom’s first cousin. Being away on Tuesday and Wednesday meant that there would not be an Ash Wednesday service this year at Central United. (As you can imagine hundred’s of people were disappointed J.)
Returning home late in the week resulted in a scramble to attend to a number of things which had accumulated during the first half of the week, including Presbytery responsibilities which a great deal of time from a small number of very-hard working volunteers these days. So often these volunteers are investing their time on behalf of congregations which they are not members of. It’s very significant and sobering to observe the number of hours which lay people from particular congregations will invest with care on behalf of another congregation or another pastoral charge or on behalf the wider Church. In these days of great change I am frequently concerned about the amount of volunteer time which a small number of people contribute to the wider Church.
Lent is a time to think about where we commit out time and energy and perhaps to think, as well, about the kind of time and energy which other people invest on our behalf. Even though I did not offer an Ash Wednesday service at Central United Church, I did read a good message for an Ash Wednesday service which spoke about the Season of Lent and some of its history along with a possible meaning for us today. I read this Ash Wednesday message in my scramble to prepare a message for the first Sunday of Lent. The message was prepared by a Presbyterian minister – the Rev. John Shuck and can be accessed at the following link. I found this link thanks to someone else who is always doing things for the wider church. His name is Rex Hunt and he lives in Australia and each week he has material available for helping people like me prepare for Sunday. Please have a read of the message offered by the Rev John Shuck which I found thanks to the assistance of Rex Hunt. I think this Ash Wednesday message is a most helpful reflection on things to consider during the 40 day Season of Lent as we remember the ‘one wild and precious life’ (phrase from a poem called “The Summer Day” written by Mary Oliver- referred to in John Shuck’s message) which we have each been given.
Jim