HELLO!

Oops. I sent you yesterday’s blog by mistake. It won’t be my last one, I guarantee you. It’s been a long day; 33 of us gathered in the Woodlawn Cemetery to celebrate thin places at Easter. There was no rain, but it was mighty cold. Thanks to Kaitlin, Chelsea and Martha for hosting our hot beverages and hot crossed buns hospitality in the Brick Hall afterwards. Then 250+ gathered in the sanctuary for Communion, a rousing choir anthem and a special offering of song from Josy. Once again, and this time it was Dwight who spotted this, hardly anyone sat in our sanctuary until 945 am. Between then and 1015 am the place just kept filling and filling up. When we were offering Communion, I kept looking at Betty, hoping we had enough for everyone (we did, Betty is always on top of everything). I found Josy’s solo perfectly embodied my Emmaus sermon.

I write my sermons six weeks earlier. I put the bulletins together then as well. I do this because I feel preparation is essential to offering something substantial and worthy of consideration. I want to share with you what scholarship has to offer to our lectionary reading for the day. I also want a service that connects from beginning to end with a consistent theme. Yet…in the meantime things happen, in our church, in the community, in the world. I am always open to changing what I have prepared. BUT I never ever want to be in a place where, if it has been a busy week of unexpected events and challenges, I am writing a sermon on Saturday night, putting a bulletin together just before choir practice.

There is no contradiction between planning and being flexible, not for me. An excellent example was Maundy Thursday. We did not rehearse the dialogue portion of that service. And yet, it contained some of the most memorable moments this Holy Week. But the planning for that service goes back even further than six weeks, when I first envisioned the theme, asking participants to speak, to play instruments, to sit in tables. Planning and being open to fresh revelation worked well.

Likewise, I like to offer services that hold a theme throughout, but I also like to be open to suggestions. I am amused by those who assume the type of hymns they like, everyone likes (sidebar, they don’t). Still, I like feedback. Jerry asked me about using “Go Now in Peace”. We used that musical ending every Sunday, 1995-2002, when I served Fairview United Church. Jerry told me it was once a staple at Woodlawn too. Funny thing, when I reviewed the bulletins for the six months before I came in 2024, “Go Now in Peace” was not there. I heard a lot of people today tell me how much they missed it, yet no one is sure why it stopped being used.

The 230 pm service at Oakwood went very well, it was great to see Carolyn, Myrna and Fred there. The choir came with bunny ears. I paid tribute to the family members and volunteers who visit and sit with residents at these gatherings. David Watt, the coordinator of the pastoral care at Oakwood, was there today and was pleased we mentioned this.

I offer this photo of a church sign I composed after an experience on a transit bus, one I speak of in my Easter sermon today. If you want to understand it’s message, you will need to listen to the sermon.

I hope you are enjoying a restful and restorative Easter Monday.

Peace, Kevin