Ride to Survive!

Upon arriving in this congregation, it did not take long to discover that there were several motorcycle enthusiasts like my husband and me.  We all decided to go for a day's cruise as mutual friends in Christ.  It was a glorious day in terms of scenery, great conversation and the thrill of the ride.  The day also birthed an idea.  Let's do this for a good cause.  So on Sept. 10th, 2001 we will all be riding to raise funds for a motorcycle ambulance for James Village in Malawi.  What a win win situation!  We get to ride together and we help others at the same time.  A quiet competition has sprung up between three ministers who are in the event to see who can raise the most amount of money.  I am ahead so far but not by much.  I refuse to be beat!

Should you want further information, a poster or a sponsor sheet for you to take part call our office at 705-325-5183

Pray for us that we will have decent weather that day.

Karen

karenhorst@rogers.com

Count Each Moment a Blessing

This past week I did a funeral for a 57 year old woman who went for a walk and did not return home.  She had just finished a lovely chicken dinner with her mother and went for a walk with a friend to work up room for dessert.  Not one block from her home, she was hit by a driver who may have been blinded by the sun and this woman was killed instantly.  She was loving and kind and lived a life filled with friends and family and it was all gone in an instant.

Such tragic moments remind us to savour every minute we are given in this life.  Jesus said it was not up to us to know the time or the hour and yet we live our lives as if we had all the time in the world.  We obsess about the urgent and forget to tend to the important.  We put off important time with loved ones because we will always have tomorrow.  We chase after finer homes and wonderful possessions always assuming there we will be time in the future to finally sit still and enjoy them.  Tragically, some us will not have that pleasure.  Our earthly life can come to a shocking and abrupt end.

How important it is for all of us to constantly reflect on our priorities and to make important choices.  Often we mean well but we say yes to too many engagements or committees or events.  Our intentions can be right but our actions speak the truth.  Spend time examining where all your time has gone in this last month.  Would it all have been worth it if your life were to be ended abruptly?

Most of all, we need to spend regular time with God instead of always assuming we can make it right the next day.  Now is the hour because there may not be a tomorrow.

Karen Horst

karenhorst@rogers.com

We are an Easter People

Easter is an amazing time of the year for Christians.  It’s when we recognize the length to which God is prepared to go to express love for us.  No matter how many times I think about Christ’s death on the cross, I am both repulsed and overwhelmed with joy all at the same time.  How tragic that human sin was and is so capable of such an injustice to someone so innocent.  How amazing that God would love us at all given our weaknesses and indifference.  What does it take for us to clue in to the wonderful love and grace God so freely gives?

Sad to say, it often takes a huge set-back in life for us to humble ourselves before God.  It may be a disintegrating marriage, or the loss of a loved one or our own threatened health to make us realize that we cannot travel through life without God.  On fair weather days, we are quick to ignore God.  On stormy days, we realize that we cannot control our destiny.  Our only hope is in God.

Easter Sunday draws out many people to church.  It is always exciting for ministers when a crowd appears but it is also a point of sadness.  If we truly understand the gospel and what was offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we would be flocking to church every Sunday to honour and worship God. 

We are an Easter people.  May the world see what that means every day as we worship and serve Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.