Pastor's Word - July 19

Pastor’s Word for July 19, 2020
 
During the summer months I would like to foster conversations in our community about our faith, which touches on the most profound matters of our lives. To help get the conversation going I’m providing a weekly set of questions that you can use to help tell parts of your faith story.
 
I invite you to pick a question and share your answer with a family member or friend, and, if you would like, write it down and share with me. I would love to hear your story! I would also love for our members to hear each other’s stories, so be sure to let me know if you’d be willing to share in the weekly newsletter. I will never publish your story without your consent.
 
Here are the questions for July 19:

Memories: Do you remember anyone ever praying for you? What was the occasion? How did you feel about it?
 
Etchings: What is one of your favorite Bible passages? Why is it significant to you?
 
Values: Is going to communion meaningful to you? Why or why not?
 
Actions: Tell about a time when you could have helped someone and regret that you failed to do so.

 
Do you remember anyone ever praying for you? What was the occasion? How did you feel about it?
 
It was a long moment of transition in my life and the life of my spouse. We had been married only a couple of years and already moved four times – twice within Saskatoon where I was going to seminary (itself a long period of disruptive change to one’s faith life – another story), and twice to different cities. As part of my seminary education I was doing a 3-month practicum in Camrose before heading to Vancouver for another stage of training.
 
Karen and I were on a long, slow journey that was both literal and figurative. In each new location we had tasks of figuring out again who we were, who God was for us, what God was calling us to do, and how God was calling us to be together as a couple. It was a whirlwind of a time when nothing felt permanent or enduring, and the usual securities of home and place were missing.
 
I remember so clearly the day we left our temporary home of Camrose and friends invited us over for supper. As we left their house, prepared to hit the road for Vancouver the next day, we lingered on their doorstep for a moment and my friend asked if he could pray for us. It was a simple prayer, from the heart—not scripted—but I remember he talked about Abraham and Sarah in their wanderings. He said how they had been blessed, even though their journeys were hard and they didn’t always know where or how God was leading them. Still God brought good to their lives and the lives of all their descendants. And he asked God to also bless Karen and I as we headed out into an unknown next stage of our journey.
 
I was so moved. It felt like my friend had discerned so clearly where Karen and I were at, and how we were feeling; and he recalled for us the blessing and promise of God. I was in tears, but after his prayer I felt renewed and strengthened. I’m so grateful for that friend and that moment.