As I travel
through Lent
this year I am
reading a
daily
devotional
from a book
called "Lent
for Everyone"
by NT Wright,
a Scottish
theologian and
biblical
scholar. He
gives me
wonderful
insights and
different ways
to think about
things.
Today’s
reading is
from Matthew
16: 21-28,
where Jesus
tells His
disciples that
He will be
going to the
cross soon.
Peter angrily
tells Jesus
that God does
not want this.
Jesus responds
by
reprimanding
Peter (“Get
thee behind
me,
Satan”)
and goes on to
say that you
have to lose
your life in
order to find
it. And that
their
generation
would see “the
Son of Man
coming in all
his glory”
in their
lifetime.
Wright
explains that
generations
have
misunderstood
this passage,
fighting
against the
thought of “losing
our lives in
order to find
them” and
“seeing the
Kingdom of God
here on
earth”.
Then, as now,
the world was
filled with
war, poverty,
hatred,
disaster,
inequality,
etc.. How do
we lose our
lives and see
the Kingdom of
God on earth
in our time?
Wright says “Following
Jesus
means…“saying
no to the
things that
you imagine
make up your
self and
finding, to
your
astonishment,
that the self
you get back
is more
glorious, more
joyful than
you could have
imagined…and
that’s how the
Kingdom
spreads
today”.
As I look back
over my
increasing
involvement
with the
church, from
just singing
in the choir
to parish
nursing and
clerk of
session, I
find this to
be absolutely
true.
The clock and
my “to do”
lists are
always my
enemy, feeling
that I have to
accomplish
everything in
order to feel
good about
myself. Daily
I have to
remind myself
that God is in
charge (not
me,
thankfully),
and that all I
have to do is
follow His
direction for
my life.
My increasing
responsibilities
have given me
so many
opportunities
to reach out
and help
others not
just in the
church but
neighbours,
friends,
family, and
the joy I
receive from
seeing them
happier and
coping better
is truly
amazing! Not
only does that
make me feel
so much
better, but
now, thanks to
Wright, I can
also see it as
part of the
Kingdom of God
here on earth.
What an
incredible
blessing to me
and can be to
all of us!
Of
course we all
have either
too much to do
or feel that
we can do
nothing and
that life is
meaningless,
but we can all
do something.
None of us is
perfect and
certainly the
world is far
from it, but
each of us can
call someone
who is lonely,
depressed,
afraid, or
overly busy
and needs
emotional
support.
Reaching out
can make each
of us feel
better
personally and
bring the
Kingdom of God
one act at a
time each day.
Margaret Black
Parish Nurse
_____________________________________________
"Thank
You" from
Northwood
Montessori
Daycare
posted
September 4,
2021
In
July 2021,
Northwood
Montessori
Daycare, who
rents space in
the Tri-Church
building,
received an
appeal from
Mademoiselle
Louisa asking if
they could help
with supplies
for Cuba
urgently needed
due to the COVID
virus.
Through the
generosity of
Northwood
Daycare, people
in the
surrounding
community,
and the people
within the
Tri-Church
building,
including the
Iona, St
Cyprian, and
St. Christopher
congregations,
Northwood was
able to send
over 300 face
shields,
200 boxes of
masks for both
adults and
children, hand
sanitizer, boxes
of gloves and
much more.
Medicines and
needles were
also included in
the shipment.
Also, donations
of over $2,000
will be used to
make more
purchases.
Our Northwood
staff, families
and friends have
‘stepped up to
the plate’ and
hit a grand
slam.
We are thanking
you so much.
_________________________________________________
Tri-Churches Pastoral Message
posted February 28, 2021
Dear members of the Tri-Churches congregations
We are deeply saddened to share with you that our
beloved minister, the Rev. Robert Reid, died last
Sunday on February 21, not being able to recover
from the Covid-19 complications.
We are so grateful for all the prayers that were
offered not only by this congregation, but by so
many friends, along with the Presbytery of East
Toronto - prayers for healing, for peace, for
courage and for comfort.
Robert himself knew that his life was safely in
God's care, and though this is not the outcome we
had prayed for, we too trust, as Marg Black puts
it, God has chosen to heal him in a different
way. We grieve together with the Reid
family, our family of faith here at Iona, and all
our friends of the Tri-Church. We give
thanks to God for Robert's life and witness to the
Risen Christ, for his ministry and wonderful
friendships in our midst.
We ask that you continue to pray for the Reid
family.
