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A breath of fresh air…

Ursula Andrade2020-03-26T15:42:33-07:00March 26th, 2020|

Photo taken by Rev. Dan Chambers

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St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church
Suite 100, 1022 Nelson Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6E 4S7

T/ +1 604 683 4574

(Parking available off the lane. Free parking for Sunday services. Wheelchair accessible.)

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The Bible is filled with questions that point us t

The Bible is filled with questions that point us to Life. The questions may befuddle, but they’re meant to liberate. If you’d like to hear a response from today’s question, be in touch with me at rev.chambers@standrewswesley.com. #allinthistogether, #hopeintheheart, #saltandlight, #uccan, #standrewswesley, #staw, #revdanadventures

This week we have a challenge from your Parish Nur

This week we have a challenge from your Parish Nurse – do something outside of your comfort zone.

“Teshuva” Here’s the scene: two children g

“Teshuva”

Here’s the scene: two children glare at each other in anger; each one is hurt and offended and feels wronged. An adult talks them through the situation and then says, “Now say you’re sorry,” and the children grumble a barely audible apology, “sorry” to which the adult says, “Say it like you mean it.”

Sound at all familiar?

Whether you’re five years old or fifty-five, saying “I’m sorry” doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t mean it, and you can only mean it if you see the hurt your words or actions have caused in another. “Sorry” needs to come with a feeling of empathy and a desire to correct it. “I’m really sorry but I really might do the same thing again very soon,” is not an effective apology.

Though terribly loaded with baggage and therefore not very inviting, repentance is the word from our tradition that is all about restoring relationship and healing so respect, love, friendship, the Spirit of God can once again flow and all can thrive. In Hebrew, the word and practice is teshuva.

This Sunday Rabbi Birnham will be with us and will take us through the 5-Steps of Teshuva, of repentance (the 5 R’s):

Recognize: notice the wrong
Regret: feel the wrong and confess
Repair: if possible, make amends
Resolve not to do it again
Repeat not

Teshuva literally means to return: return to a restored relationship with self, other and God. It means to return home to your true and best self. It’s a call to authentic life.

As you can see, teshuva is highly relevant for our personal relationships but also extends to our communal response to wrong-doing. Our country’s ongoing work for reconciliation is very much a work of repentance, and the 5-stages of teshuva as delineated by Rabbi Birnham will be directly relevant for our Orange Shirt Day service on September 27th when we remember the children forcibly sent to residential schools.

So tune-in this Sunday, at 10:00 - https://youtu.be/i8T5GErfrvU (or whatever day and time works for you) to hear Rabbi Birnham offer this teaching, Dawn Pemberton sing and Curt Allison on piano. You won’t be sorry you did (pun fully intended, with no apology).

Dan

PS Join me for Coffee Hour after the service via Zoom

Benedictine nun Joan Chittister deepens the meanin

Benedictine nun Joan Chittister deepens the meaning of the practice of kindness.#gentlefriends#practicing kindness#simplegifts

Second Beatitude - Every time something terrible

Second Beatitude -
Every time something terrible happens, we can be left feeling abandoned. But the second beatitude promises we will not be alone. Rev Rhian asks whether that idea brings you comfort?
#beatitudes #revrhian #whatbringsyoucomfort #standrewswesleyunitedchurch #radicalinclusion #affirmunited #weareinthistogether

GOT QUESTIONS?... about the restoration, worship,

GOT QUESTIONS?...

about the restoration, worship, the music minister search or when we might reopen? Got great ideas about programs, children and youth activities or social justice projects?

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Dan, Diane and Roger will host fireside chat TONIGHT at 6:30pm via zoom then on the third Tuesday of every month.

Email for Zoom invite

caretakers@standrewswesley.com

Some questions are meant to be solved, others have

Some questions are meant to be solved, others have a different purpose: they’re meant to liberate. This fall, Rev. Dan lifts questions that arise from the Bible and invite us into the fullness of life, where we belong. #restored, #vancouverbc, #allinthistogether, #fulllife, #uccan, #standrewswesley, #unitedchurch, #revdanadventures

Remembering Terry Fox as he reminds us that we too

Remembering Terry Fox as he reminds us that we too can live our own marathon of hope.

Welcome back Sunday via zoom means you can wear an

Welcome back Sunday via zoom means you can wear anything (yes, anything!). Contact caretakers@standrewswesley.com to join us at 11:15am for games, connection and friendly faces!

Welcome back! Ok, some of us never left, and this

Welcome back! Ok, some of us never left, and this has not been a typical summer, and some of us are frankly still adjusting to a church experience that doesn't involve us physically gathering together. But still, on behalf of your ministry team, we are saying "Welcome back!" because in the rhythm of our life together, this would be "Welcome back Sunday."

Traditionally, we would gather together after church for cake, cookies and coffee, share what we were up to in the summer months, and learn about all the ways we could get involved in the work of the church. Maybe we would sign up for the refugee committee, catch up with Word is Out, look into a faith study group, or get a flyer on a health program offered by the parish nurse.

While we can't gather the same way, this Sunday we still want to be together via zoom to share some stories and memories, play some games and have some all ages fun! We do this because we know that "When two or three gather in my name, I am with them." (Matthew 18:20) As a people of faith, we experience God in our relationships with each other, in our opportunities to love each other, care for each other, and grow together. From this fertile ground, we find hope for change, hope for a brighter day, hope to begin again.

Despite all the uncertainty and suffering of the world right now, it is helpful to remember that God has built for us a foundation of hope that is bigger than what we experience in our daily lives. It is a hope that includes all of us, and one we can model in the world. So Fall just might be the time to be audacious about our hope. This might be the time to show the world what we are made of, and surprise our neighbours with actions large and small that show compassion, caring and justice.

So come join us this Sunday or any day. We are looking for folks exactly like you to bring hope to the world...

In Christ's name,
Rhian

PLEASE NOTE: Due to some Youtube issues, worship will be starting at 10:15 am this week via our website, facebook or youtube channel. Thank you for your patience!

‘Its a Gift to Be Simple...”#simplicity#compas

‘Its a Gift to Be Simple...”#simplicity#compassion#thelittlethibgs#barebonesliving

All Ages Worship at 7:05pm tonight for back to sch

All Ages Worship at 7:05pm tonight for back to school. Nicole, Lorraine and I will be leading and we will of course be holding our beloved Jen in our prayers in these days after her second knee surgery on Tuesday. Email me at c.beck@standrewswesley.com or caretakers@standrewswesley.com for the link.

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