Sermon by Shawn Newton.
Well, our move is fully underway. With our last service at 175 St. Clair behind us, the pulpit has been dismantled, the stained glass is being very carefully removed from the tower, and most everything else has, by now, found its way into a box or a recycling bin. Who knew that a congregation could have so much stuff?!
We owe a great debt of gratitude to Jane Larimer, Judy Clark, and Art Brewer for their truly Herculean efforts as the leaders of our On the Move Team. They and their wonderful group of volunteers have worked with incredible dedication to see that everything finds its temporary or permanent place in this time of transition. Particular thanks go to Craig Mahood, as well, for his tireless work to manage many hands-on aspects related to extracting ourselves from the building. We truly could not be making this move without the help of this extraordinary team. A thousand thank yous to them all!
As we turn to summer, I am delighted the congregation will be in wonderful hands for the coming weeks as Rev. Danielle Webber steps in to serve as our summer minister. Danielle will preach most of the Sundays between next week and the middle of August, when Rev. Lynn and I return from our vacations and study breaks. Danielle will be on call for pastoral care during this time, along with the members of our Spiritual Care Team. As always, in the event of emergencies or deaths in the congregation, Rev. Lynn and I will be notified so that we can respond.
This coming Sunday, as we return to meeting only online (as we will do through Labour Day weekend), I will take up the topic of rest and renewal, and the need for us to engage with all the gifts this season has to offer.
Wishing you all much rejuvenation over these next couple of months!
In faith and love,
Shawn
