Where Faith meets Food

From Cathy Russell

Being involved with kids' programs always renews my respect for teachers.  Being with a group of kids all day, teaching them, helping them, settling their disputes, focusing their attention and shaping their behaviour for six hours a day is stimulating, rewarding and EXHASUTING! 

Last week, I was helping at Bridge Street United Church's Kids' Camp- a Christian day camp program.  The theme this year was Hometown Nazareth: Where Jesus Was A Kid.  It was a fabulous program, well organised and run by terrific volunteers.  The front of the sanctuary was transfromed into the front of a typical home in Nazareth Israel, the gym into a Market Place complete with wool shop, bake shop, olive oil shop wood shop and stable.  Every day the kids heard a different story about the young Jesus- a boy who was at once just like them, and also the Son of God.  There were wonderful crafts, catchy songs, fun games and interesting science experiments, all of which reinforced the theme.

Bridge Street Kids' Camp also includes an element new to my experience of these programs- community service. Part of each afternoon was dedicated to "doing something while getting nothing in return" as my young friend Isaac said.  One day it was visiting seniors at a retirement home.  One day it was picking up garbage outside in the neighbourhood.  And one day it was making bag lunches for the local food bank.  Each group of kids contributed something to these lunches- the four year olds decorated the brown paper bags, others made rice treats, others filled small bags with raisins, others spread egg salad and tuna salad on bread to make sandwiches.  My group's job was to assemble the completed lunches, ensuring that each bag had a sandiwch, a rice treat, a bag of raisins and an apple.  It was chaotic at first, but they really got into it after a couple of minutes.

In fact they did so well, that I wanted to congratulate them later on in the afternoon.  So I told them "You guys I was so proud of you this afternoon with the way you worked together to get those lunches ready.  You did a great job and the people who get those lunches are really going to be happy to have them."  One child asked "Who did we give the lunches to again?"  "The Gleaners" I said, naming the regional foodbank for our area.  At this another child piped up innocently "We go there all the time with my mom."  I looked at this child seriously and said "So you know how important it is."  "Yeah"  the child said.  "We don't have a lot of food in our house.  We have like, less than ten food at home."  

Less than ten food.  Do you know how many 'food' you have at home?  I have no idea, how many we have, but I know for sure, that even when I haven't done groceries for two weeks, even when I think to msyelf "There is no food in this house!"  if I were to open the cupboard I know that I would find far more than ten food.  In that moment, it occured to me that this child must have COUNTED all the food items in the house- the cans of soup, the packages of pasta, the tinned tuna.  This child has counted them and has not got past ten! 


When we give to the foodbank or to any program that works with "the poor" we often think they are like an alien people- we don't know them, we have no contact with them- they are not like us, they don't look like us or act like us.  This child in my group at kids' camp looked no different from any of the others- you would never have known that this child and the child's family  had to go to the food bank "all the time".

This Godsome Moment reminded me once again, that the neighbours who need us are closer than we know, closer than perhaps we would like to think, and that Jesus calls us to reach out to them in compassion and friendship- to honour their stories, and stand with them in their struggles. I am greatful for this Godsome reminder. 

Words For When There Are No Words

From Cathy Russell

I haven't been in what we call "paid and accountable" ministry for all that long, but I seem to have done a lot of funerals- especially during my settlement years in northern Ontario.  Every one is different of course, and some are harder to get through than others.  

Those who are left behind are buffeted by waves of highly charged emotion grief, confusion, regret, shock, sometimes even anger.  The emotions are so strong and so active that they are almost impossible to articulate in any coherent way. 

People have often remarked to me "I don't know how you can do a funeral for someone you don't know."  What I tell them is that doing a funeral for someone you don't know is actually far easier than doing a funeral for someone you do know because you were not connected to this person in life.  Although, hopefully, emotions such as respect, and sympathy, possibly even admiration for the deceased are almost always present, there is no loss of a relationship to endure, no memories of words exchanged or experiences shared to bring a tear to your eye and a lump to your throat.  

Last week I buried someone I knew.  Someone who died suddenly, far too young.  Someone whose death made a widow of a woman who became an orphan less than a month before.  So the emotions for her and her family were like a tsunami followed by a hurricane.

Although the family's tradition is Roman Catholic, because of my connection to the deceased, I was asked to take the funeral.  It was a honour, but it was also one of the hardest funerals I've had to do, in terms of keeping my own emotions in check.

Something happened right before we went in to start the service. I always pray with the family immediately beforehand, and this time was no exception.  However, on this occasion, one of the family members asked if we could do what they always do when they are together on important occassions, which is to say the Our Father (Lord's Prayer) the Hail Mary the Glory Be, and what she called "a little family prayer we always use". "Of course."  I said "I may be a little shaky on the Hail Mary..."  "No problem, you just start us off with the Our Father, and we'll take it from there."  So I did as she suggested, and sure enough, close to thrity people offered these ancient prayers with one voice. And to my surprise, carried along by the power of their devotion, I was in fact able to say all the words to the Hail Mary without pausing or stumbling. 

There was tremendous energy in that room and tremendous emotion- but not the tsunami or hurricane kind- more like gentle rolling waves of love and longing and tenderness carrying us along and holding us up. 

I am not a Roman Catholic, but I have a deep respect for the ritual use of these Christian prayers, these words for when there are no words, these words which give you something to cling to when the waves go over you head and threaten to pull you under. Those words and the praying of them  in a circle of love gave me the peace and the blessing I needed to bury this good man I knew.

Our Father
who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name
thy kingdom come
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive thouse who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptaion
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace
the Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.

TWR RIP

DANCE AND SONG - A 24 CARROT MEDLEY

From John Duggan
(also posted at dugganvoice.blogspot.com)

We're on the GO project, an initiative of the United Church to give youth a sense of what mission might mean in the context of the United Church. It's early in our time, only the third day, but already we are experiencing blessings from this well-prepared program.

The first day, we visit Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. Our group of 6 participants and 2 leaders separate into groups of 4 and are given different tasks.

 

One group sorts donations into boxes. The other group, the one I am with, are shown a large bin of carrots and asked to stuff the edible ones into 5 pound bags and to discard the ones that are no longer edible. We discover carrots that have grown 2 and 3 legs. They remind us of dancers. The young people take up the task with energy and with humour. We decide that we will be selecting an elite group of carrots to be allowed into a carrot dance school. By the time we have worked our way to the bottom of the bin we have discovered a full bag of prospective carrot ballerinas.

I feel the touch of the divine dancer in the good humour with which we carry forward our volunteer work. These United Church youth are intelligent and playfully serious people.
The memory of carrots carries on into our second day. Our group visits a L'arche community project. During the lunch break we revise some of our best loved songs replacing key words in the songs with the word 'carrot.' We are inspired by the L'arche community members who welcome all creative efforts with smiles and laughter. We learn from the good humour of the people in these social projects.

Godsome Helpers

From Cathy Russell

It was sooooo hot in the gymn, even with the back doors open and all the lights off.  I was sewating in my clerical collar, but it was going to be well worth it.  Prince Charles School was gathered together for a last assembly before the summer break.  Every month schools across Ontario celebrate an element of good character like helpfulness, patience, a sense of humour, etc  Students and teachers who display the chosen trait are nominated to receive an award at the monthly gathering.  When a name is announced, the individual comes forward to receive a handshake, and a small token of appreciation amid loud applause and cheers. 

Because it was June, Prince Charles included end of the year staff changes in this celebration- the principal, a few teachers and the custodian are all moving on.  And then they got to the part I was waiting for- recognising the volunteers from the community.

The four individuals pictured here are all active members of St. Matthews.  They also help with school fundraisers, with the breakfast club, as classroom assistants and as reading buddies.  Many of the other volunteers named had a church connection as well.  I am convicned that this is not a coincidence, not because church people are "better" than other people, but because the message of Jesus was and is to be about loving God and loving neighbour in deeds as well as words- our whole lives. If we are doing our job, our folks should have absorbed this message and be attempting to live it out.

I was so proud to see the caring and dedication of these four honoured by the children and staff of Prince Charles, so touched to hear the assembly's heartfelt applause and cheers, to see the warm hugs offered to these generous and gracious folks, so impressed at see how a school takes the time to reinforce good character and service to others as well as reading writing and 'rithmatic. 

When the apostle Paul wrote about good character in his letter to the Galatians,  he used the language of the Fruit of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  May these fruits, through the grace of God ripen in all of us, making life sweeter for us and for others.

Family Reunions Rock- in Parry Sound

From Joe Culp

I had a very fabulous time in my Hometown of Parry Sound and the Weather co-operated well for all of us at our Family Reunion although Sunday the threat of a thunderstorm was on the minds of all of us including yours truly.   Fortuneately that all Blew away from the community and I say Amen! It was especially great to meet our newest member of the Family- Brayden who was recently adopted by my Cousins.  Believe it or not it wasn't too long till she really took a shine to me and really stuck by me most of the time- especially at the breakfast table!

Our Saturday Night Talent show was also a very great one and believe it or not I was Emcee of it all over again!  The kids were especially awesome with their performances and some even sang out Katy Perry's Firework and after they got done that act I jokingly said to them...I've just decided something "I'm getting you all into our Church Choir"  

Otherwise besides our reunion I had a very marvellous time taking, a Breathtaking Cruise on the Island Queen on Sunday. I went on 2 Cruises that day...the Cottage Cruise in the Morning and the Island Cruise in the afternoon...

I also visisted the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame at the Charles W. Stockey Centre and I tell you it was magnificent looking al all the Bobby Orr Memorabilia there... I also took a tour of the downtown core while I was waiting for the cruise, and checked out the outside of St. James Centenniel United Church and took photos of it.

I even had a lot of Friendly 'Good Mornings!' from those out for their morning walks along the Trails of the Georgian Bay as well...very nice!!! That is something I don't get here in Belleville!!! And in the end after the Cruise ended I got a very lovely surprise given to me from one of the employers on the Cruise.  I felt like Royalty after I was given a Bobby Orr Ballcap from believe it or not Bobby Orr's brother Doug and he even thanked me for my support for the people of Parry Sound and his Brother Bobby!!! It almost brings a tear to my eye thinking about it...now I got something to add as my prized possession in my place in Belleville I dub The Official Parry Sound Embassy!!! Even the snack Bar employers were giving me Free Drinks as well!!!

Got home yesterday at 7pm and already I'm missing it up home but I did miss you all a lot as well!!!  Anyways I will be back in Church this Sunday and I will see you back then!!! God Bless!!!

Surviving and Thriving

From Linda Lowrie

Both of my children were born with major health defects.  My daughter required multiptle heart surgeries- beginning at 2 weeks when a shunt was installed, followed by two more open heart procedures, one at about 2 and another at 5 and a half which gave her a 3 chambered heart with 1 pump. 

My son was diagnosed with kidney problems in utero  but they didn't find the problem till Dec 24, when he had to have immediate surgery at three months of age, to burn out an improperly functioning valve which left him with one half of one functioning kidney. 

Throughout all of this I prayed, the congregation of Eastminster prayed, and so did many, many others.  Both kids have ongoing problems that will never really be solved for them, even if they get transplants.  However, they are fantastic special people, that I thank God for every day. 

They are doing well, and I believe God watches over them and guides them in their daily lives.  So to me they are both examples of GODSOMENESS.