The Rev. Victor
Li
Pastoral Message
for Sunday, June 13, 2021
Hi everyone,
We continue with the sermon
series on the "Imperial
Connection".
This week, I have summarized
the story of king Saul, up
till the selection and
anointing of David as the
focus of my
reflection. I invite
you to read further or take
a listen to
"Did God Make
a Mistake?"
We continue to pray for
change of heart and
attitude, as we deal with
Islamophobia, hate crimes
and racism in all forms.
For those who wish to join
in worship via Zoom together
at 10:00 am this Sunday
(live),
please refer to the
instruction on the second
page of the Order of Service
at the link below. Do join
the meeting earlier to visit
with one another -- the Zoom
meeting will be open after
9:40 am.
As a bonus for attending the
live worship via Zoom, you
will get additional
commentary on the other
scripture readings.
If you cannot join us on
Sunday morning live, please
follow the Home Worship
materials at your
convenience. Do click on the
links for the hymns to
listen & sing along!
We are grateful for
technology and the Internet,
allowing us to stay
virtually connected to each
other and united in the
Spirit of God, despite our
physical separation.
God's Blessings and Peace be
with you all!
Fr. Victor
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3rd
Sunday after
Pentecost
Sunday, June
13, 2021
To follow the Order of
Worship, please
click here →
Homily: “
Did
God make a Mistake?”
To read
the homily, click here →
To listen to the
homily, click here →
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
The
Right Rev.
Andrew Asbil
Bishop
Andrew's Latest
Message to
the
Diocese
posted on Friday, June
11, 2021
"Dear Friends in Christ:
For the second year in a
row, the COVID-19
pandemic has rained on
the Pride parade. Most
of the public Pride
celebrations have been
moved online again this
year, and that has meant
grief and sadness for
many within the LGBTQ2S+
community who look
forward to being
together for
..."
Continue
reading here →
_______________________________________________
Margaret Black
Tri-Churches Parish Nurse
Your
latest Parish Nursing
Health Tip
posted on June 12, 2021
A Different
Pandemic
As
if COVID-19 weren’t
enough, we now have a
new pandemic of hatred
and destruction.
Within 2 weeks we have
learned of a mass grave
at a former Indigenous
residential school
containing the remains
of 215 unidentified
children, and a family
out for an evening walk
murdered by a
20-year-old white man
with a truck due to
Islamophobia. I feel as
if I am swimming in an
ocean of grief for those
who have been
irrevocably hurt and
guilt because I am a
white person with a
British heritage.
So I am seeking answers
and a way forward.
First, I am very
grateful for family
members and friends from
different backgrounds.
In my family are
children who are part
Asian, part Black, and
Metis and they are all
wonderful people whom we
dearly love. And I have
Muslim neighbours who
are very good friends,
always bringing me food
when they have a family
BBQ and waiting to
invite me over again
when COVID is gone.
Having all these people
in my life is a truly
enriching experience.
The residential school
system is a more
complicated matter that
weighs all of us
down. The fact
that these things were
happening at the
direction of the
Canadian government
without our awareness,
and worse still that the
churches were involved,
is beyond terrible.
How can these things
happen?
I believe that hatred is
the offspring of fear.
We are afraid of things
we don’t understand, of
changes that may
negatively affect us, of
not being in control. So
we build up terrible
negative stereotypes in
our minds and seek to
destroy the things we
feel threatened by.
Hatred and
discrimination destroy
not only those who are
the objects of hatred
but also the haters.
Regardless of whether
they ever face legal
justice, the haters live
in self-imposed prisons
for life. This is
not the Canada I
understood as I was
growing up, and not the
Canada I want to
live in now.
So how can we change
things for the better?
I think the key is
working hard not only to
recognize our potential
hidden biases, but also
to ensure we open
ourselves to learn about
those who are different.
Under the skin we are
all children of God. The
Bible is full of stories
about helping others
(e.g. the Good
Samaritan). Jesus
summarized all the law
and the prophets into
the Two Great
Commandments: Love God
first with all our
heart, soul, mind, &
strength: and second,
Love our neighbours as
ourselves. This may not
be easy but it is the
way forward.
Even if we have never
had negative thoughts
about others, terrible
wrongs have been done in
our society and we need
to acknowledge that to
the victims and to work
hard to change a culture
that allows these things
to happen. Only then can
begin to heal and go
forward in unity.
Let us all pray for
God’s guidance, strength
and patience to help us.
Margaret Black
Tri-Churches Parish
Nurse
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