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Here is the sermon I am hoping to preach on Sunday. If you have feedback for me, let me know ... I will probably read it and change things but this is what I have so far! It's both Palm/Passion Sunday liturgies .... so the Scriptures are:

Matthew 21.1-11
Matthew 27.11-54 excerpts

Any comments are appreciated!

Blessings, Graham

Sunday March 16, 2008 – Palm/Passion Sunday

The crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Ahead of him and behind him rose the song “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Every year, we try to re-enact this parade, this entry into Jerusalem … but we don’t have donkeys and colts … we don’t lay down our coats … we aren’t suffering the same sort of political agony that the people of their day may have been experiencing …

HOWEVER … we do take branches of palms and wave them around … we do sing out loud expressions of praise and exaltation … we cry out Hosanna! We sing great Psalms and scriptures that those people may have sung out or yelled or cried … these cries filled with hope, expressions of life and love … all because this man, Jesus of Nazareth had arrived.

In Jesus’ time, these cries and exaltations of Hosanna would have been similar to an exclamation of Help, I pray! Save, I pray! It came from the Aramaic language but soon became an expression in the worship life of the Jews and of what was to become Christians to mean great things. Hosanna!

Hosanna has become almost interchangeable with Hallelujah. A Hebrew word which means “Praise be to God!” I don’t know if it happens as much out here in Ontario, but at many churches I belonged to in British Columbia, we would box up the Hallelujah’s on the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday. We would make Lent into the somber time of the year by taking away that word which made it sound exciting and carried with it an air of greatness – Praise be to God!

I often helped the ministers I worked with write out 25 – 50 strips of purple paper with “Hallelujah” written on them and then hide them around the church. We’d have a “special box” which was usually purple as well – the colour of Lent – and during the Learning Together time, we’d have the children run around the church seeing who could find as many Hallelujah’s as we could. Then we’d have them put those strips of paper in the box and we’d close it up for the 40 days of Lent. It wouldn’t be until Easter Sunday that we’d let them out.

One year, Kathleen and I went to the store on Holy Saturday – got 20 white and yellow balloons filled with helium, took them back to the church, stapled the hallelujah’s to the ribbons attached to the balloons, stuffed them into the back of the communion table and on Easter morning when we had one of the children open the box – NONE of the Hallelujah’s were there! So we started another scavanger hunt to see where the joyful Hallelujah’s had gone and at the appointed time, I went to the table and let the balloons out with the Hallelujah’s streaming off of the ribbons as the choir broke into Handel’s “Halleljuah Chorus”.

All this because we had some idea in our heads that we couldn’t celebrate until Easter Sunday. Yet, the week before, we had sung our Hosanna, Loud Hosanna’s and we had marched our Palm Parade and we had sung out those exclamations of hope, love and life! We had celebrated with those in our story – but we hadn’t sung or said a Hallelujah – so we were safe.

Looking back on that, I realize that it was a bit showy, it had some merit but at the same time, we never really thought about how Hosanna, Hallelujah and Praise be to God were very similar; almost interchangeable – at least to my way of thinking!

At the Ash Wednesday service, the one that got snowed out and didn’t happen as completely as we had hoped it might – one of the things I shared with those gathered was that often during Lent we are encouraged to give something up for the 40 days. To give up a vice or something that is harmful to us. I shared with that group that night that often, I have changed my practice and instead of giving something up – I try to take something on. I try to take on a new Spiritual Practice or something to make my life better. This year I was determined to take daily Sabbath time – daily devotional time and that by the end of the 40 days of Lent, perhaps it would have become a habit as opposed to just “something I was trying to take on for Lent!”

I don’t think it’s happened. I haven’t really taken the time – EVERY DAY to take Sabbath for myself. But I think that I have really given myself the opportunity and the choice to be aware of the need for it. When I have been really sick or really stressed out in the past month and a half, I have recognized the need for myself to take on that Sabbath time. Perhaps not every day and not habitually, but in those other times when I might not have given myself the complete permission I needed to give it up to God.

And here at Trinity I have experienced something different as well. Rather than giving something up for Lent, I feel that this congregation has already “taken something on.” Rather than giving up the Happy, Excited, and Joyful Easter Story which is to come and becoming somber, sad and full of unhappy news, I feel that this congregation has taken on keeping Lent as a reflective time but also a time when we, when you, when all of us can take on a moment to really reflect on the Easter story and to continue to live out our praise to God. It hasn’t had to be a time of giving up the Hallelujah’s or the Praising God – it has been a time of shouting Hosanna and Hallelujah throughout this entire season. Keeping some of that ‘old-school’ confession and somber attitude of Lent but also taking on some of the new “always praising” attitude. It’s been refreshing for me! Plus, I don’t have to drive around with 20 helium balloons in my car popping as I drive! Eek!

You may have noticed in our scripture reading – the call to worship – that at the very end, it says that the city was in turmoil, asking Who is this? And the crowd answers that it is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee! There were many who knew who Jesus was, they were the ones crying out Hosanna! And there were many in the city who didn’t know and who had to be told.

That is our mission isn’t it? To continue to tell the story of who and what and how Jesus was? To continue to answer to people when they ask Who is this? To answer them this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee! Over the past 5 weeks there has been a group meeting to discuss faith and spiritual journey and one of the conversations we had was about who and what and how Jesus was. We continue to come to church to learn language to describe our answers to this question. We come here on a Sunday morning (or a Tuesday night or whenever) to hear what is believed by others in our midst. Sometimes it is in the midst of hearing what others believe that we realize that we don’t believe the same thing. Sometimes it is in hearing what others don’t believe that we say “I really do believe this!”

And we live in a place where that’s ok. We belong to a church where no one is told they’re wrong for believing one thing and not another. We belong to a community where all of these differences are held together and no one should feel bad about expressing their views because no one else should feel superior about their beliefs and be able to say – no you’re wrong. What we should hear is “I’ve never thought about it that way. I might not believe that, but thanks for sharing.”

In just a little while we’re going to hear that Pilate, the governor, asks Jesus a question when Jesus is arrested and brought before him. Pilate asks Are you the King of the Jews, as you have been charged? How does Jesus answer him but by saying You say that I am.

Jesus doesn’t tell Pilate he’s wrong but what he does tell Pilate is that, no matter what he believes, Jesus himself will allow Pilate to believe whatever he thinks or he’s been told. If Jesus had just said no, perhaps he would have been released. It was a custom to release a prisoner at this time in the year; Pilate had two, Jesus and Barabbas, a notorious prisoner. Pilate asks the gathered crowd, Whom do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus, who is called the Messiah?

The crowd responds, We want you to release Barabbas! Pilate asks them what he should do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah and the crowd responds Crucify him! Pilate asks again What evil has he done? Again they cry Crucify him!

How quickly the cries have turned from Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! … This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee – to Crucify him!

How quickly our joyful procession and profession of faith on Palm Sunday turns into the sad events of Holy Week. How quickly our cries of hope, life and love turn to cries of hate, death and destruction. How quickly we forget our happiness and become a community of sadness.

And how often do we do this in this community? How often do we move from the celebrations of our life together to the evil of talking behind backs and having people turn away from each other because of something small and often something very silly? How often do we change from being a community of love and acceptance to being a judging community when we see something that we just don’t think is right? How quickly can we change from being the most welcoming community to being the most unwelcoming by using language that causes hurt and pain? And how often do we just not even know we’re doing it?

Pilate takes water, washes his hands before the crowd and says “I am innocent of this man’s blood.” How often do we wash our hands of a situation because we just don’t want to have to deal with it? I know I do it. There are just times I don’t want to have to fight anymore and so I give in. I wash my hands and say – I know it’s going to be taken care of somehow and if not, it might not be worth it.

I think that for myself, I need to take these moments to realize how much I then am seemingly turning away from God. I become like one of those soldiers who mock Jesus because I am not living my life the way God intends. I am not living my life the way that Jesus would have. I am trying to avoid the things that might hurt me – and we know that Jesus never avoided them; in fact, he walked right into them, didn’t he.

He was mocked, he was stripped and mocked some more. He was hanged on the cross and his clothes were divided among the soldiers by the casting of lots. He was mocked even more with a sign above his head, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. And he never denied it; he said to Pilate, You say so.

In the heat of the day, from noon to three – darkness covered the whole land and then Jesus cried out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Then he cried again and breathed his last.

He might as cry My child, my child, why have you forsaken me? Why do we continue to live into the darkness of the whole land? Why do we continue to do things that hurt others? When will we learn that we do not stay unhurt when we hurt others?

May this Holy week be one that we live out of the darkness and into the light of the world. May this week bring us closer to an understanding of who we are fully in the light and life and love of God.

May we not move so quickly from the cries of Hosanna to the cries of Crucify. May we know that God has not forsaken us but given us life that we might live it abundantly – in community and in our own lives. May we live life continuously praising God – Hosanna and Hallelujah forever. Amen.

March 12 update

6.5 months are done!!! Wow, time is flying – I can barely believe that a) I’ve been here 6.5 months and b) I’ve been here 6.5 months! I truly believe it’s a reflection of Kairos vs. Chronos time! The time has been so full that I feel as if I’ve been with these people forever and yet, there is still so much to learn and to do – the reality of 6.5 months is now known!

What has happened in the past 2.5 months since I’ve updated – those things I should be telling you about? I’m getting great at funerals (un/fortunately) – since the beginning of February I’ve had 4 – and all 6 that I’ve done so far have been completely different.

I’ve been preaching quite a bit – in the 17 weeks of 2008 I’m here I will have preached 8, Paul will have preached 8 and one of them is intergenerational. I have really liked the preaching simply from notes – it’s been really great for me. The last two sermons however have been fully scripted and I think that I’m getting some great feedback on both types of preaching.

My parents came to visit for a weekend in February. That split up my last 4 months quite well. They were here after 2 months and then my friend Alison is coming the first week of April and my friend Jill is going to fly out at the end of April and drive back with me! YAY – good stuff!

I know that leaving here at the end April is going to be hard. It has been a great experience and I have made a great new “chosen family” – the Sharpes and the Stephensons. Nancee and Christine are the ones who invited me in the fall to Family Dinners each week and then Pam & Rob and their children Aaron and Elijah have gotten into it as well. They are really great people; ones that I will really really miss. Pam, Rob, Aaron and Elijah are in Nicaragua right now and so I’m house/dog sitting for them right now. It’s pretty fun to have cable and a whole house! It’s been good times.

I went to Toronto a few weeks ago to see a production of Cabaret. My friend Stephen was the director - it was FABULOUS - a very quick trip though - into Toronto on the Friday afternoon, show Friday night, hotel sleep and back on the train the next morning ... very short trip but very fun!

I saw a production of Barefoot in the Park last weekend with Dick & Kathy - that was pretty fabulous too!

I'm going to see Rent! with Nancee, Chris, Pam, Aaron and Kim and Jessica in a few weeks - that's gonna rock too - I LOVE Rent!!!!! It's one of my favourite musicals!!!

Hmmmm – anything else to say? I’m not sure. I hope all of you are doing well! Hugs and love from me!

I know it's been a long time since I last posted an update - I wrote on last week and then lost it - so I'm going to try to write another one this week. However, I preached this morning and it was the first time in about 5 months that I've scripted a sermon. People really liked it and thought it was one of the best sermons I've preached (although they seem to say that every week - maybe that means something!!! I keep getting better? Who knows??)

Anyways - the script below represents most of what I said - it's not everything of course because sometimes I just get carried away. However, it's a good outline of where I went with it!

Scripture:
Ezekiel 37.1-14
John 11.1-45

Prayer:

Our Ezekiel passage today is a little like a movie or a book isn’t it? We read it and hear it and our minds start to imagine what it looks like and how each sentence plays out. Each of us probably imagines the desert full of dry bones differently, but we experience, together here, the story unveiling itself for us.

Child, asks the voice of God, can these bones live?

Now, I ask you to take a closer look at the bones. What are they? Don’t imagine them to be the bones of people or animals, but imagine them to be the building blocks of potential and the stepping stones of our imagination to our dreams, our ambitions and our futures. Some of you might think that I’m going a little crazy, as you may think that you’ve lived those out already, but imagine that you are standing on this ledge looking out and you see all of these things – so many dreams and building blocks in this desert. And God asks, Child, can these bones live?

Can they? Can you manage to make out what is out there in this vast open valley of bones? This dry and parched valley? Can you make out what dreams and ambitions are buried underneath some of the ones there on the top? Maybe there are dreams, ambitions and other things in this dry valley that you have forgotten about. If I were to describe to you my valley it might be full of my dreams – I see these that memory of being asked what I wanted to be when I grew up and my replying “a mommy” – I see that memory over there of thinking of going to Law School or becoming an accountant. I see a memory over there that looks as if I may have wanted to be skinny and buff – Another one over there that tells me and reminds me that the dream of being a minister has been a long journey full of surprise, disappointment, joyful experiences and it is ever on going. I respond of course these bones can live!

In the reading we heard the voice respond to God – Oh God, my God – you know the answer to this question! The dreams and ambitions are not simply ones that haven’t happened or that I’ve let fall by the way side. They are dreams and ambitions that have made me who I am today and each of you have those same dreams and ambitions that have led you to being who each of you are; full of life, full of surprise and expectation and experience. Each of you have lived some of your dreams and ambitions and you have perhaps made some changes along the way. But that doesn’t deter God in the least. God still gives us the nudges we need in order to continue growing into who we are as humans, as children of God and as the people we are meant to be.

God says to the bones – I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. Our dreams and ambitions live – they have lived – they continue to live. Perhaps we haven’t lived them out completely, but that isn’t to say that they don’t exist. That isn’t to say that they haven’t helped to make us who we are. These gifts, dreams, ambitions – all of them are from God, given life and given that ability to grow and to expand upon.

The voice in our reading then does as commanded. The bones came together and God tells the one in our reading to prophesy to the four winds of Breath – to have God’s breath enter into them. The breath comes and the bones, now full of life and experience, fully ready to be taken into the world – stand. God’s Spirit given to each of us that we might live out our dreams and expectations, that they too might live and that we might count them exceedingly – that we can acknowledge the hurt of dreams not lived out and the ambitions that we once had that changed by various aspects of our lives.

God has put God’s Spirit in the midst of this valley full of dry bones and caused them to once again live. Do we trust that God is alive in the midst of our dry valleys and our dry and dusty bones? Do we trust that God’s Spirit is still alive in the midst of the disappointments and heartbreaks of life and that we are still living for something? Do we trust that we can still live out some of these dreams, ambitions and accomplishments – no matter how old we are? Perhaps we need to be reminded of this more and more!

I’m sure that Lazarus also had dreams and ambitions; as did his sisters Mary and Martha I’m sure. And for some reason, Lazarus falls ill and he dies. His potential is seemingly done. Nothing more for him to do, except be put in the tomb and be remembered.

Jesus, however, says that the illness of Lazarus is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. Hmmm, perhaps Lazarus’ potential isn’t completely finished – maybe there might be a bit more he can do in death that he wasn’t able to do in life. So off Jesus and the disciples go to Judea, where they had just been and there was an attempt to get rid of Jesus – but of course, it wasn’t really the right time for God’s plan!

When they arrived, they find that Lazarus had been dead four days. According to Jewish custom, the soul leaves the body after three, so on the fourth day he would have been considered completely dead – as opposed to just slightly dead!

Martha meets Jesus on the road and walks up to him “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” What a greeting hey? Thanks for coming to offer your sympathy and all, but you know – if you would have just come sooner – none of this would have happened. We’re not sure how she says it; maybe angrily, maybe sorrowfully, perhaps matter of factly. We know all about this don’t we? WHY GOD? Why did so-and-so die? They were so young! Why did the Tsunami happen and kill so many people? Why did George Bush get elected again? Why are there millions of children suffering from AIDS in Africa daily? Why God, why?

Martha and Jesus talk, he informs her that no matter whether a person dies or not, they will have eternal life. Heaven – cosmic swirls – the place where rainbows are – whatever that vision of life after death is – that is what Jesus is talking about. Her feelings are somewhat soothed and she goes off to tell Mary that Jesus has arrived and wants to see her. She too comes to Jesus and kneels at his feet, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Again, he is greeted in the same fashion – we’re still not sure of her tone of voice, except we are told she is weeping. Seeing Mary weep and the sadness of all those around her, Jesus was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.

So, Jesus cried. Shortest sentence in the bible and how much does it portray! Jesus wept. The Saviour. Of whom we sing great hymns of triumph, whom angels greeted in brith and whom we greet with loud Hosannas, he wept like an infant. Jesus, fully human and fully divine, feels what we feel. There’s nothing wrong, weak or un-Christian about feeling sadness. But Jesus wept, as we are wont to do when we experience the death of a loved one.

Then Jesus decides to take action. He goes to the tomb and tells them to roll away the stone. They try to dissuade him – “it’s going to stink – he’s been dead four days already!” But Jesus demands that the stone be rolled away. Great foreshadowing right? We know the story of the stone being rolled away – but wait, it’s not for Lazarus, it’s for Jesus. What do you mean Jesus isn’t the first resurrection story in the Bible? Lazarus? But – but – but he’s just a normal person!

Jesus looks upward and thanks God, asks for some sign to be given for the crowd and cries “Lazarus, come out!” Out of the tomb came Lazarus, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, his face wrapped in cloth and Jesus tells them to unbind him and let him go. Do you see the problem here? His hands and feet are bound by strips of cloth. So, obviously he can’t walk right? Obviously the astonishing thing wasn’t that he was raised from the dead, but that he floated out of the tomb. I mean, really, how much more movie-like can you get!

An ordinary person raised from the dead to show the glory of God. A person with dreams and aspirations and life to live. God has chosen more than once through history ordinary people to show the extra-ordinary love of God. Ordinary people that can do just about anything when filled with the Spirit, the breath, the love of God.

Look around you. No, seriously I mean it, look around you right now. Do you see all of the ordinary people sitting around you? Do you know what their dreams and ambitions are? Do you think they have any idea what your dreams and ambitions are? Perhaps you’re sitting beside a loved one – someone who does know some of them, but not all of them. Perhaps you don’t even know all of your dreams and ambitions, but God does! God knows all of the ones that exist now that may not have years ago. God knows the ones that existed once that you never gave another thought to.

When you are taken to that desert place, where you see those bones laying there and you are made aware of how deep God’s knowledge of you is – may you be awed. When you are asked, Child, can these bones live may you have the ability to say “Yes, they can and they are!” When you are standing there looking out at those bones, may you remember that God works through the most ordinary people and that we live our lives listening for God to say “Come out!” May we weep with Jesus and live our dreams, hopes, ambitions and aspirations every day. May God continue to use ordinary people to do extra-ordinary things in the world. And may we recognize that in our ordinary lives, we are extra-ordinary people. Amen.

Happy 2008!

I have been horrible at updating this the last little while and I've heard from a few friends that they're waiting for my next update so here it is - January 2nd!

I am now 1/2 done my internship - crazy how time flies! There is a lot of learning happening - mostly about my own role and presence etc ... It's hard to verbalize some of the learnings (although I have to of course for my mid-term evaluation etc)! I have been learning what it's like to work with someone who doesn't really like change .... Learning how to do a lot of really important work in a very short period of time (i.e. The bulletin for Christmas eve being prepared on the 21st of December) .... Learning how to do that work with someone who likes to simply re-use stuff that has worked - like last year's bulletin ... Again preparing a funeral with 2 days notice and on the morning of Christmas eve.

There is so much more learning that has happened - how to be the voice of reason when all that is happening around me is unreasonability .... Playing the part of mediator for various groups in the church and doing it effectively ....

There has been some conflict with folks re: communication (or lack thereof) and because I seem to have some communication skills I often am brought into those situations to help mediate.

My lay supervision team has been functioning at the lowest level possible and so in the new year I am hoping to facilitate them towards a greater mandate and purpose - we'll see if and how that works. Most of it will depend on if the co-chair (that is sort of bossy) will heed my advise and back off a bit.

I have been doing some fun stuff - went and saw a high school production of "High School Musical" and a live theater production of "Hairspray" - both were fabulous - I'm looking forward to going to see "RENT!" in March.

Christmas eve was hard - having a funeral in the morning. It was the attempt to bring the Christmas story into the reality of death ... The hardest part was having the husband ask me to wish the folks who gathered a merry Christmas on behalf of himself and the family. However it was lovely and was what the family needed.

The Stephenson family from my congregation invited me to join their family on Christmas eve (after the service) and to spend the night so that I was not alone on Christmas morning. What a blessed gift they offered me in that! Also my friends Nancee and Christine were present on both Christmas eve and Christmas morning - to be surrounded by chosen family - and good friends - on Christmas was a great gift for me.

Then I drove to Toronto in the evening of Christmas day to fly home to Quesnel to visit my family. My flight was at 7 am out of Toronto on boxing day and so I stayed at my friend Rick's and set my alarm for 430 and had a call into the cab company for 5 .... I woke up and looked at my clock thought I had missed my alarm and was only 1/2 hour away from missing my plane. I phoned the cab company and was looking for the phone number to the Toronto airport when the person at the other end of the phone told me it was only 1130 at night - I must have been so tired and so worried that I just imagined it!

In Quesnel I got to see my family (all of them) and see some great family friends and do some catch up. My family had spent the 23-26 out at a cabin resort about 100 km outside of Quesnel - I'm glad I missed that! On December 30, I was able to preach at my home Congregation of St. Andrew's in Quesnel. It was a blessing and an honour to share a message with those folks - along with my mom, dad, brother (trevor), sister-in-law (Melanie) and niece (Jasmine). Very cool to be able to preach an honest and vulnerable sermon including those people of my family and also my church family that helped to nurture me first into the church.

On New Year's Eve I went out with my brother Curtis his partner Melanie and their children Jasmine (11) and Emery (15 months) and was in bed by 1115 - didn't even stay up to ring in the new year! Must be getting old!

I left Quesnel this morning (Jan 2) and was supposed to fly prince George to Vancouver and then Vancouver to Toronto. For some reason, there were a bunch of flights cancelled out of Vancouver so I was bumped to a later flight. However, I talked them into a flight at 8 on the 3rd so that's when I'm going. I had a quick day of visiting - not a lot of people - and my friend Alison is fabulous to let me stay at her place and drive me to the airport in the morning.

Then I spend a night in Toronto and head off to Oshawa for my friends Maya and Adam's wedding. That should be great!

There might be more you want to know - if there is let me know! Only 4 months left of internship! Crazy! It feels like I just got here!

Have a blessed and faith-full year!

Hey,

So I’m not even sure where to begin with this update. It’s been a month since I last updated, and that’s just not good! I should be updating more, but I’m never sure what to write!

On November 1st I flew to BC to BC Junior Youth Conference at Naramata Centre. The co-chairs and organizing team had been seeking someone to do Environment for a while, and the first 8 people (local) that they asked were unable to go, so they asked if I might be able to take some time off and come and help out; a pretty unusual thing to ask someone from Ontario to come to Naramata and help out in leadership.

Highlights? Being able to see and hang out with some of my friends that I had been really missing since I arrived in London, actually some of them that I’ve been missing since I left Vancouver in June! So it was nice to have some catch-up time and some time to just hang out; it was good to take a break away from my ‘normal’ day-to-day life. I also got to spend a day in Vancouver and in that 24 hour period (pretty much) that I was there I saw close to 30 people; meals and drinks and desserts and hanging out, computer assistance, surprising folk, getting my hair cut. It was a blessing to just be able to see some of them as well.

Lowlights? Taking a week off to go and work 17 hour days at an event that I didn’t really want to be at was a lowlight. I know now that I went for the wrong reasons, I went in order to see people and hang out and I knew that wasn’t going to be all I got to do, but I didn’t go because I wanted to actually be there, I went for the wrong reasons. I had some words with a colleague that have been brewing for probably years, and it was good to have them, yet I still don’t think that I handled it completely well, I should have done a bit more and had a civilized conversation as opposed to yelling and crying. However, I think the main point was that it would be nice to have acknowledged that I’m no longer a 15 year old with some skills, I’m much more than that.

It was a great feeling when I arrived back in London to realize that I felt as though I was back in my space and a comfort level that I am not sure I was expecting – sort of that feeling of “coming home” but not completely. I was in talking with Paul last week one day, and one of the elderly members of the congregation poked their head into the office and said “Paul, we’re really going to be lost once Graham leaves here aren’t we?” and Paul agreed with him – it was odd, I had to break in and say “Hey! I still have 5 ½ months here and have only been here 2 ½ - don’t start talking about me as if my time is over!!!” It was nice and refreshing but also a realization that this is a really short time in my life and ministry.

I got to go out and have dinner with my friend Tara in St. Thomas last week; it was really nice! She and I haven’t seen each other in quite a while, so it was good to catch up and have someone to vent with, someone that understands the process but is well enough removed that she was able to give me some good feedback on some of the issues I was talking about!

It snowed here last week, and when I woke up and realized there was snow outside, I simultaneously realized that I hadn’t gone out and bought a snow brush yet! I had been putting it off, so I had to brush off the car with my scarf, sleeve and hand! It was cold and reminds me why, more than evil and sin, I hate snow! (haha)

While I was in BC, I got sick – long days, little sleep I’m assuming. So it wasn’t surprising that I was feeling low energy and then the day that it snowed, I had also woken up with a sore neck and the beginning of a migraine. The migraine continued to build over the weekend and after preaching on Sunday I went and tried to socialize for a little while. By 8 o’clock I had to go home and when I got home, I left all the lights off, crawled into bed and slept for the next 13 hours – the pain was just that bad.

But in the midst of that, I preached what I consider to be an awesome sermon! Since arriving in London I have gone from 5-7 page script sermons to one page of notes. I find that it’s an interesting feeling not to be confined by the pulpit or lectern and not to be confined to the script. It has been a very interesting experience and I think that I will continue to hone this skill. The first time I attempted it, I had about 2 pages of notes, and this time only one! It’s getting more and more interesting to see how it unfolds.

After my last supervision meeting last Friday I had a list of questions that I told myself I would not leave without having them answered – What sort of Advent Candle lighting ritual is there? Do we sing a song? Which one? What sort of Creche ritual is there? How about this one? Can we figure out who is preaching for the next two months in what order and what scripture is being used? What does Christmas Eve look like? What do the services look like on Dec 9, 16, and 23? I know what the second looks like because I’m doing it – other than that I’m so confused. It was good to be able to get some answers for these questions! I felt accomplished.

Tomorrow I’m going to have lunch with Michelle (the Chaplain at UWO) which should be fun – lots of laughter I’m sure will ensue! I have no other big plans over the next little while, so I will try to keep updated as much as possible!

OH – I am excited about Christmas! I leave from Toronto on December 26 and go to Quesnel until January 2. When I arrive back in Toronto I will be going to Oshawa for a wedding and then returning to London on the 5th – back to work on the 6th.

It’s hard to believe that I’m 3/8 finished my internship already! It’s kind of scary how fast time is going! Be well faithful readers!! Talk with you soon! ** hugs **

My sermon notes from Sunday November 18th
Scripture Reading: Luke 10.25-37 - The Good Samaritan

Sunday November 18, 2007

Prayer

Questions, Questions, Questions – where are the answers?
ANSWERS? Jesus never answers – it’s do what you know – follow what it already within you and do what is right; action on own understanding
What do YOU read? What is written?
Love the Lord Your God – Love neighbour as self – who is neighbour?

Good Samaritan story – beat up and left ½ dead – 2 pass (Priest / Levite) purity laws
Samaritan – moved w/ pity – helps / bandages him – on his own animal – innkeeper

“Take care of him, when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend!”

Who was a neighbour? The one who showed mercy – which one (Samaritan / innkeeper) - mercy = womb-love

All this to “inherit the kingdom” - Kingdom people are to act in love, love that has no drawn boundaries, and love which expects no recompense

Go back to the Priest / Levite – walking down the street / homeless people – VAN

Giving money – gift – can’t really dictate what to use it for

Samaritan – neighbour = hate - pity

How can we be all of these? How can we be filled with good intention AND moved with pity? Even for those who are different?

How do we start to love neighbour as we love ourselves?

Person beside you – in line somewhere – on the bus – in the pew next to you?
Do you love them as you love yourself? Do you KNOW yourself well enough?

Jesus says “go and show mercy” – that’s what he did – we ourselves come from God – in the image of God – treat everyone the way that we would treat God – reverence and respect – that is how to love neighbour as self – but we need to start by loving ourselves in reverence and respect first.

Questions – questions – questions – NO ANSWER
Only answer is to go and love God and love neighbour – most of all – love self

So I preached today - the whole bit about Daylight Savings Time and the wondering about Hallowe'en - I had to adlib, because when I woke up my cell phone had changed time automatically because it's the last Sunday of October! So I realized that in fact, everyone would have been late if they had changed their clocks .... I think ... so confused! And for Hallowe'en it would have been lighter later - so I had to talk around that too! Otherwise, a good service - and I led all of it - Paul was preaching an anniversary service somewhere else ... it was great!

And then tonight I got to go and have "family dinner" with some folks from the congregation who have started it each week for me and them and their friends in their neighbourhood ... while I still have it, I provide the Naramata wine! :) It's a great plan ... although my wine's going to be gone soon! oops!~

Blessings, light and love,
Graham

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

16“No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. 18 Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.”

Holy One, either through my words or despite them, may these ancient words of scripture offer us new thoughts on this day. Amen.

Who showed up here an hour early this morning thinking this was the week to change clocks back an hour? – No, don’t answer – it’s ok! I wouldn’t be surprised! For years, it has been the first Sunday of April we “spring ahead” and the last Sunday of October that we “fall back.” This is the first year that this ‘rule’ has been changed (and yes, I know that rules are made to be broken!) This year it changed to the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November – an attempt to “let the light shine” longer – all in order to shave energy – apparently the less we need our light and heat, the more energy we save – who knew!

As an effort to LET THE LIGHT SHINE! How great is it that this is the scripture for this ‘confusing’ Sunday. Instructions for letting the light shine – don’t put it under a bed, or under a jar, but, put it on a lampstand so that it sheds light over more and more space; everyone can see because of the light being out in the open.

I’m curious what sort of effect this change of Daylight Savings Time will have on Halloween … I guess that it means it will be darker earlier – we, I mean, the children and youth, shouldn’t be staying out as late, safety becomes an issue; less light since we haven’t ‘fallen back’ yet – it sure is confusing! But you know what they say, Jesus didn’t say to be cursers of the darkness, but be the light of the world! Well, at least the first three gospels tell us that Jesus tells ‘the people’ ‘Your are the Light of the World’ – John tells us that Jesus says “I am the light of the world.”

How do we let all people be the light of the world? How do we let their light shine into the world? The day after Halloween, also known as All Hollow’s Eve, is known as both “All Saint’s Day” and “All Soul’s Day.” Every ‘official’ Saint has their own day throughout the year, but one day a year, on November first, ‘we’ celebrate all of them – in an attempt to ward off the evil of All Hollow’s Ever perhaps. However, some folk have said, why not celebrate all the Saints, not just the official ones? Therefore, the creation of All Soul’s Day.

There was once a little boy asked who or what a Saint was. He was stumped, he looked around the room (you know how we all are when we’re asked a question we don’t know the answer to) and then he looked up, saw the Stained Glass windows which portrayed numerous saints and he replied with great gusto “Saints are those people who let the light shine through.” I pray that all of us might be saints in our own way – that we can find ways for the Christ-light to shine thru us to the rest of the world. That Christ-light being that which is given to each of us at birth – the fullness of who we are and the ability for others to know us and for us to know ourselves. A self-awareness and an ability to live out those lives of truth and respect that we are so committed to here at Trinity.

We don’t have to do a lot of digging to find a meaningful message in the first half of this reading, but the second part is much more challenging. Of course the light can’t shine as brightly if we put it under a bed or under a jar – it will continue to shine, but not as fully as if we had put it out in the open on a lampstand. Of course, if you put it under the bed you need to make sure it doesn’t catch fire either! And then there’s that second half …

for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.”

What do you mean? The rich will become more rich? The poor will become poorer? In some sects of the Jewish faith, there was this belief that God rewarded the good and punished the bad – but great portions of the First Testament denies this in an effort by the Prophets who say – “Friends, we’re all in this together, either we all perish or we all survive – it’s about all of us!!” This belief of God rewarding the good or punishing the poor exists still today doesn’t it? If you’re good – Heaven, if you’re bad – Hell. Or, if you pray for it and you’re good enough – God will heal you, or give you the right job or …

But take this whole scripture – let the light shine. There are two ways of spreading light: either be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” The light – your light – shines through the more you believe in yourself and show it forth and in so doing the more light that will come from you. Your whole self begins to shine through more and more and more until people really know who you are and really take and live out of the Christ-light that you show; whether you recognize, it or not.

But for those of us in the world that don’t believe in our own self-worth, we start to let that light be hidden, we put it under the bed or behind a wall and slowly it starts to diminish – people can’t really see our true selves and they aren’t allowed to witness to how amazing each and every one of us is. When we don’t put forth the light of our lives and put it on the lampstand so that all people can see it, it slowly becomes less and less, until even the little we had is taken away by our negativity and our lack of self-awareness. Darkness is the absence of light as being negative is the absence of being self-aware.

Do you know that there’s a connection between Halloween and Christmas? The calendar, which was devised by Christians, decided not to compete with the Pagans or with those who didn’t believe the same thing as them. They simply started to celebrate the big holidays close to the same time. All Hollow’s Eve was pagan festivity and therefore, to counteract it, we have All Saints/Souls Day. Christmas happens at the same time in the year as some of the biggest pagan festivals – a way to welcome the light back to the world. Wait, a second. A Pagan festival to welcome the light back to the world at the same time that we Christians celebrate the birth of the light of the world? Hmmmm – intriguing!

Winter Solstice happens on December 21; the pagan rituals would usually begin a few days later to make sure that they were in fact recovering from the longest night of the year. As the light started to return to the earth, they would celebrate that coming of light to the dark world. Christians began to celebrate the birth of Christ at that similar time in order to coincide with the pagan celebrations, but for similar reasons – to celebrate the light come to the world, through the birth of a baby boy.

As we continue to move into these longer nights and shorter days, all culminating in the longest night of the year, I encourage all of us to reflect on our celebrations of light. What is it that we celebrate about our lives? Where and when are we the most fully us? Where is it that we begin to show to the world and let those around us see the true nature of our lives? Where can that more be given to help us show ourselves to the world?

And where can we challenge ourselves to stop hiding our truth? Where is it that we have put up so many walls and boundaries and borders that no-one really knows us at all? That all they know of us is the false truth we have let them see? How can we begin to make these changes in our lives that the light that exists within us, that Christ-light, doesn’t diminish or completely disappear?

As I sang with the children and youth before they went downstairs This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, (x3) let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

I encourage, challenge and support each and every one of us taking that message into our lives and into our beings – let your light shine, let the Christ-light shine so that all who see you will be illuminated, will know you and will know and experience truth in their lives through you. May your light shine now and always. Amen.

Hi there! Thanks for making sure to come back and read my entries – you are dedicated!

Things have been progressing nicely – my office is now finished and I’m pretty excited about that – getting to work in my own space and all – books on the bookshelves and stuff like that!

I am pretty excited – I’m going to Naramata next Thursday (Nov 1) for Junior Youth Conference. When it’s over, I will have 24 hours in Vancouver; I’m pretty excited about having a chance to see some folks.

I have made friends with a couple in the congregation and they have begun to invite me to their house every Sunday for “family dinner” – they invite their neighbours and we all bring something. It’s been great and lot of fun! And since I don’t like to drink alone (not saying I won’t, just that I don’t like to) I’ve been supplying wine each week – they’re always surprised at the amazing wines I choose! YAY BC Wine!

I preached on the 14th (as per my previous post with the Sermon notes) – it felt really different not to be hidden behind the Pulpit – I enjoyed it! Some good feedback, some interesting feedback that folk admit is their own stuff they’re dealing with and some good suggestions for some bettering of myself – the kind of feedback I like (although I really like the whole “You’re amazing” stuff too!)

Hmmm – I met with the Chaplain from UWO (University of Western Ontario). She’s pretty awesome – and we’re talking about having a weekly or bi-weekly gathering to just have some “colleague-support” (i.e., Starbucks time). She’s new to her position there, although she’s been around the UCC for a bunch of years. She’s pretty funny and we both left our first meeting with sore cheeks from so much laughing and smiling. It’s good to have made some sort of connection – I enjoy that!

Two of my friends, Anglican Priests, are in London this weekend for some sort of Anglican event. So I think I’m getting together with them on Friday evening, that will be nice to hang out with some folk that I know from back home. It will be fun – maybe I’ll take them to the gay bar … maybe the new gay bar will be open. I went out dancing last week – the bar is pretty sad here … the drag show was pretty sad … and people don’t really dance. Lots of lesbians and straight women danced with me though … that was alright :P

I'm heading out to see Hairspray tonight with a bunch of the seniors in the congregation - that should be fun - I'm looking forward to their reflections after the movie. I have always known "integration" of some sort in my life, so for them to have some reflections on the early 60s in their own lives will be fun. Also, I’m preaching again this Sunday … trying to figure out where I want to go with it … but I’m pretty sure I’m going in a good direction so far.

What else is new … I’ve gone a few times to a Lectionary group with Paul and a few other minister type folk in London (including the other Intern). It’s an interesting group – lots of personality there!

I’ve been going to the gym on a regular basis – it’s good. Hmmmm … nothing else I don’t think. I’ll update when I’ve been to BC and back! I’m pretty excited about that!

Blessings and love,
Graham

I preached today at Trinity - it was the first time that I ever preached with just notes as opposed to a Script. I am attaching the sermon notes that I used - some of it might not make sense ... but who know :) your mind just might work the same way as mine! :)

Graham

Matthew 6.9-13
9Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread
12And forgive us our debt,
as we have also forgiven our debtors.
13And do not bring us to the time of trial,
But rescue us from the evil one.

Prayer (either through my words or despite them may these Ancient words of Scripture bring new understanding and insight this day and always)

Joke (Anyone know God's first name? Or Jesus' middle name? Jesus H. Christ? Well according to one little boy, it's Hal - you know - Our Father in Heaven - Hal would be your name?)

Water Skiing Story

Praying
The Prayer that Unites Christians around the world …
Everyday? Meals? What causes us to pray? Need something? Want something?

Scriptural
Pray in this way
- not ‘these words’
- contextual
- formulaic
Call on God
Recognize God’s place in the World/Life
Thanks/Ask for what is needed
Forgive us that which holds us back
Let us live in your way
Thanks! Amen


Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
- inclusivity
- intimate relationship
- communal prayer rather than individual
- naming / sanctifying “to make holy”
Your kingdom come, Your will be done
- kingdom/kindom debate – Monarchy/Familial
- want / need to be living in God’s way – love and respect for all

on earth as it is in heaven
- do we want earth / heaven to be alike? Want to look forward?

Give us this day our daily bread
- that which is sufficient – day by day in the Desert
- common food / lowest form / ‘poor’ people food
- burden
-each/every day
- a way to say thanks for the food of yesterday

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors
- debt = sin
- allow us to forgive those who have hurt us
- make the decision to forgive those who are hardest to forgive

And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one
- simply allow us to live the Christ-like way

For Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever.
- presented in later documents / “obvious”


joke – (deliver us some e-mail)

Jesus told his disciples not to make themselves sound too good in their prayers
- don’t just pray to be seen praying
- Doesn’t matter how you pray or how often you pray – THAT you pray is what is important

St. Augustine said “To sing is to pray twice” – as we move into this prayer song, let yourself pray – however you need to – feel the words, and live into the prayer – Come to my Heart Lord Jesus.

Amen

Dear Friends,

WOW – one might say that I am a bad blogger – and they’d be right.  It’s a hard habit to get into – I always think it would be great to Journal – and then this is what happens!

What has happened since my last update?  Well let’s see.  Preaching went well – people seemed to like what I had to say – although I still don’t have a very “booming” voice – I have started working on that with both a voice coach (i.e., Music Director at the Church) and my Supervisor who has trained for the stage.  Perhaps when I am done here, I will have the ability to speak, sing and preach from my diaphragm – I have always had trouble with that.  In order to practice, I’m reading the scripture this Sunday – today we had a practice session – in order for me to get my volume right and some voice dynamics happening … a few times Paul (my supervisor) would say “Yell that line” and I responded with “that’s NOT how I interpret this biblical story!!”  So we’re working on it!

My office is almost complete (I know I know I keep saying that).  The doors are on, my furniture is moved in – I just don’t have internet, a phone or electricity yet (I do have lights, just no plugins etc.).  Oh – and my bookshelves are up they’re just being finished.  I have been working out of my office as much as possible – until of course I need the phone or internet.  But I have places to work, so it’s good.

Have been having regular supervision meeting with Paul – they’re great, he makes me think and we are able to disagree sometimes – a healthy balance.  There are certain things that I don’t know we’ll ever agree on, but that’s good too – makes us each who we are!

OH – I went to Kitchener and bought some Clergy shirts – that’s exciting.  I got three of them … 2 are short sleeve tab collars (one maroon and one black) and then a Black with white french cuff (long sleeve) with a full collar (which I didn’t buy – I’m just gonna wear it with a silver shank and silver cuff links).  They’re pretty beautiful!

I’ve been doing the Power Point for the church – but am getting to a point where I want someone else to do it now that they have seen what can be done – it’s out of my hands!  WAHOO! (well – will be when someone takes it on!)

I talked to my dad and he agreed to let me use his Air Miles points to come home after Christmas – so I will be going home from December 26 to January 2.  I’m pretty excited about it … looking forward to getting some time away.

I also might be going to Naramata for Junior Youth Conference (Nov 2-5) … working on that to see if it can happen – it would be really great if it could.  I’d love to go there and see a bunch of people that I know and love!

I got to see my friend Jen R. the other day, she’s working in a town not too far away and she was in London, so that was good.  And on Sunday for Thanksgiving, she has invited me to come for dinner with her family – and our friend Nancy will be there as well.  That’s pretty exciting – seeing some BC folk – woot!

I've been watching quite a few movies - I've decided I love the following films - "Wedding Wars" "High School Musical" "Music and Lyrics" - I also really like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Desperate Housewives" - all great things to watch - I don't have cable so that's all I get!

Anyways – not much more for me to tell you  at this point – I’m heading out tonight with a friend of mine from the congregation (she’s also on my LST).  I think we’re going to go and see Good Luck Chuck … it will be nice to just escape – even if it’s in my head!

Peace, love and blessings – now and always!
Graham

Mark 10.13-16
13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Holy One, either through my words or despite them, may these ancient words of scripture offer us new thoughts and insights on this day.  Amen.

And he took the little children up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.  Can you feel those arms around you?  Can we feel that hand upon us blessing us?  Do you know that that blessing, offered to those children on that day, is yours?  Well if you don’t – perhaps you should. I’ve only been here two Sundays, but it is a message that I have heard in worship, it is a message I have seen in literature about this church and it is a message I witness around this church all the time.  The little children are not simply those are under the age of 12, the little children are each and every one of us here – Children of God.


May it be so.  Amen.

Hello Readers,

I am still settling into London - learning about the city - learning about the church - trying to find my way around - it will come soon enough.

I have done a lot since my last update - and yet, at the same time it doesn't seem like very much. I have learned to keep hours - I have joined a gym and have been making use of self-care time for me - I have been eating regular meals and trying to be healthy about my choices - it's been very odd - but a good chance to learn these things.

I have learned how to deal with people who drop into the church - often. I have learned how to establish some boundaries and I have learned to engage in some reflection with my supervisor - and that has been healthy and rewarding.

I told a Godly Play story (the creation one) in church last Sunday - but I didn't really follow the Godly Play format - in fact, I did it on Power Point - it was amazing and it worked really well for telling the congregation the story - they were awed and it was pretty cool.

I had my Internship Orientation today - there are 3 other interns in London Conference - one in the city itself and two an hour away - so perhaps the four of us will establish some sort of support network for each other? The three of them though are all from this area - no more than 2 hours away for any of them - I am the only "outsider" in the group.

I am preaching tomorrow / today ... I will post my sermon as a separate post - if you have comments - feel free to leave them ...

Today (Saturday) my best friend R. got married and it was really weird not to be there, but thankfully L. made a point of phoning me before and after the ceremony - in the pictures she will post on Facebook I will be tagged as her cellphone - cute, but in a way still really sad that I couldn't be there.

I have looked at options for going home for a week or so - but it would cost me $1200 or so to fly to Quesnel from London ... I don't think I can afford that.

I am really hoping that my office becomes ready this week - I would like to move in, settle into the office, unpack my books so that I have those resources ready ... and just - all in all - be ready to continue my ministry ... from my own space.

Hope you've enjoyed reading these ramblings ... they are ramblings but still - good ones! I would love to know if you have read this - so PLEASE leave a note for me, even just saying "hi" ...

love to all!
Graham

Hello everybody! Welcome to my new blog about my experiences here in London, Ontario at Trinity United Church where I am doing my 8 month internship.

I left Naramata Centre on Tuesday August 28th in the morning and travelled with my friend Anne to Calgary, where I stayed with my brother and sister-in-law. On WednesdayMy brother Brent helped me purchase and put together a car-top carrier for my 2007 RED Chevy Aveo5 LS. I then went and had lunch with some VST friends (soon to be the Rev. Wendy Adams and Betty Vaughan) on Wednesday and then went and had dinner / went out dancing with my cousin Manley.

I left Calgary on Thursday morning and went to Regina where I saw my cousin Laurie and her family and before I left on Friday morning I went and saw my friend, the Rev. Tricia Gerhard, her mom and her beautiful baby Sophie. I went from there to Brandon where I had dinner with my friend the Rev. David Cathcart and decided to continue on the 2 hours to Winnipeg. Three and a half hours later I finally stopped at Falcon Lake, it was the first hotel I found, because in Winnipeg I took the by-pass highway and there were no hotels as I first thought there might be.

I met up with my friend Kristen, a Lutheran Intern and we caravaned to her Internship site just outside of Thunder Bay, ON. I drove a bit further that night and stayed at some little hotel in Dorian, ON - I swear there were Hell's Angels staying next door and there were weird noises all night - I'm a bit of a worry wart!

On Sunday morning as I was driving through Marathon, I decided to stop for Church. St. John's United Church in Marathon is where the Rt. Rev. David Giuliano (current Moderator of the United Church of Canada) is the minister. However, David was not there that Sunday and instead I met the Rev. George & Joy Bott, parents of a UCC minister in the Lower Mainland that I sort of know.

I continued driving and passed through this heavy and horrific torrential downpour just outside Sault Ste. Marie and continued on to Iron Bridges, ON where I stayed at a cute little hotel for the night.

On Monday, I awoke early and started the last leg of my journey to London - 750 km left! Heavy holidy Monday traffic continued to haunt me until I decided to take some back roads - courageous as it was since I know nothing about Ontario and its roads! I arrived, unharmed, in good time and in London by about 5 pm on Monday September 3. I called one of the members of my LST and he and his wife came to give me my keys and help me unpack my car. They then invited me back to their house for dinner - since I had no food in my apartment and I wasn't quite ready to go shopping!

After I left their house, I stopped, got my car washed and then drove a little bit around to find the church - I couldn't - so I bought a Mapbook - those things sure are handy! I found the church, had a phone conversation with my supervisor and planned for breakfast at their house the next morning!

I went back to my apartment - which is furnished like the 60s or the 70s however it is furnished and it's lovely - and unpacked. I felt very accomplished after that!

Tuesday, I went for breakfast with my supervisor, went to the church and met some of the people, saw where my office will be when it's finally finished being renovated and then went back to my supervisor's house for dinner. He and his wife are funny and kind, welcoming and full of stories! It was great, but a long night and I was ready to get back to my house.

When I went into the office on Wednesday for a Worship Committee meeting, there was a message for Paul asking if he could do a funeral on Friday morning (that would be today) and he was going to be out of town, so he said he couldn't but "I have an intern here - he could come and meet with your family this afternoon if you'd like."

So I went and met with the family and prepared the funeral service and today led the service, without having much of a chance to prepare with any help or with anything else - and through all of it, I could feel the Spirit moving and the family was touched by what I had to say ... I really am ok at all this stuff!

Tomorrow, my friend Tara who lives in St. Thomas (1/2 hour south of London) is coming into town and we're going to hang out and have a fun day together! I'm looking forward to that - since it's going to take me a while to get to know people here in London - it's always hard to adjust to a new job, new apartment and new life all at the same time isn't it!

Sunday is my welcome to the Congregation (and they're having a shower for me!!!). I look forward to keeping you all up to date on what happens in my life while I'm on internship! Please keep me up to date on your lives as well!