safe (and semi-dry!) during the recent typhoon.

__________________________

Sunday’s Readings:

• First Lesson: Ezekiel 33:7-11
• Second Lesson: Romans 13:8-14
• Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

__________________________

Children’s Time: “No Matter What, God Loves Me”

• Children’s Song: Allen Williams “Building Bridges and Living in Harmony”
• Children’s Message: Byron Peterson

_______________________________________

Sometimes we want to build fences between people after fighting with them.

But…

… we must remember that Jesus wants us to build bridges instead.

Adult Message: Lowell Sheppard

Some key things from the sermon:

Today’s readings and message focused on how to live ethically with one another. God calls us into a community of love. He wants us to reach across barriers and chasms that divide us. Our gospel reading for today gives good practical advice on what to do when someone has done wrong. It goes up in steps. First tell the person alone, then bring a few witnesses, and finally bring them before the church if necessary. Only after that, does Jesus tell them to treat the person as they would a ‘pagan or tax collector.’ Our pastoral leader, Lowell mentioned that hell is where we are cast out of the community of love, however, it is not just that you are cast out but that you put yourself out of that community.

Satan tries to divide us from each other, but God wants to heal those divides. He wants us to love our neighbor as ourselves, as today’s reading from Romans directly commands. Jesus calls us to love one another unconditionally. In earlier verses of Matthew 18, the disciples ask who is the greatest amongst them. To this Jesus replies by telling them that they must become like a child if they are to enter the Kingdom of God. Children love unconditionally.

Let us remember the Prayer of St. Patrick this week to guide us everyday in our daily relationships.

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation

__________________________

This week, let us all focus on tearing down fences and building up bridges!

God Bless.

We at MCIC Pray Health and Happiness in Your Life for the Next Year

For the Children: ‘Are you paying too much for your whistle?’ from Benjamin Franklin

(Do you know the story of Benjamin Franklin and a whistle?)

First Lesson: Jeremiah 15:15 – 21

Second Lesson: Romans 12:19 – 21

Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:21 – 28

Children’s Message: Byron Peterson

Adult Message: John Janzen

Let’s Think About: Heliocentrism and Geocentrism

Here’s a bit of astrology for you: Did you know that long long ago (before the 1600s) people believed that in our solar system the Earth was the center with the Sun, Moon and other planets revolving around it? Um….interesting. Well because of a revolutionary theory by a very smart astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, we now know that the Sun, in fact, is the center of our universe and Earth and other planets encircle it. You may wonder, why people assumed that the Earth was the center. If you think about it, the Sun rises in the east, sets in the west, seemingly disappearing under the Earth to rise again the next day. However, it took one man to rethink this theory and change what we thought we knew about the world and solar system. 

Let’s Think About: Repent and Rethink

In Sunday’s message John Janzen challenged us to take this same approach to ‘rethink’ or ‘repent’ on some of the teachings of the Old Testament. Most people know ‘Eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.’ (Exodus 22:24 AMP) This was one of the ordinances given the Israelites as rules to live by. However, in the New Testament, Jesus tells the people that they must repent their way of thinking. Rather than take an eye for an eye, ‘…Never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God's] wrath..’ (Roman’s 12:19 AMP) and ‘…Do not resist the evil man [who injures you]; but if anyone strikes you on the right jaw or cheek, turn to him the other one too.’ (Matthew 5:39 AMP)

To take revenge seems so natural, from a child who hits another child back or countries in war who kill one another’s citizens in retaliation. Our unconscious ‘tit for tat’ response, no matter how ‘justified’ we think it is, snowballs a minor problem in to a major situation. Revenge doesn’t work and always creates an even bigger problem. God wants us to love one another without discrimination and in order to do this, we must repent, changing the way we treat those who hurt us. By practicing revenge we will be overcome by evil pushing ourselves away from Kingdom, ‘Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but (master) evil with good.’ (Romans 12:21 AMP)

God, understanding our human limitations, calls us to leave the revenge to Him. He absorbs all pain, all revenge. Jesus took mankind’s pain on the cross, receiving it arms stretched wide open. In turn, we don’t need to worry about revenge, but focus on love only.

Half the work is already done understanding the the Good News, the next step is to put into action. John made a poignant statement in that, the gospel is really easy to understand and difficult to do. By taking small steps everyday in walking through faith with God’s guidance we come closer to the kingdom and God’s good plan for our lives.

This week’s challenge: Have an ‘unnatural’ response of love when someone hurts you!!!

Petra

Petros

FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 51: 1-6

SECOND LESSON: Romans: 12 1-8

GOSPEL READING: Matthew 16: 13-20

Children’s Message: Byron Peterson

Adult Message: Lowell Sheppard

Throughout His ministry, Jesus was known for choosing the unlikely characters of society. Peter, an everyday common man, was one of the closest people to Him. In a poignant moment, Jesus declares that it was Peter who would lead the Church. What we know about Peter was that (1) he was apart of the movement of John the Baptist (2) had a strong northern accent (3) a fisherman (4) known for being a vocal disciple and blurted out what he wanted to say a lot (5) awkward and sometimes over confident (6) had even denied Christ three times after Jesus was arrested (7) he was a member of Jesus’ inner circle, a leader among the disciples. But why did Jesus chose this individual to lead the Church?

To find the answer we could look at the nature of Peter’s response to Jesus’ question “…but who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15) Peter’s response, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), has two important factors. First, the response itself was a revelation not given by any of the other disciples. Revelations are manifested from a deeper place within ourselves, than from superficial cognitive processes. They are a spiritual enlightenment and for Peter to be the first to have this revelation could have only been divine. This is why Jesus commented “…flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:17).

Secondly, when examining Peter’s name, Simon Peter, we can see there is a symbolic connection between Jesus’ declaration and Peter’s subsequent role in the early Church. Peter in Greek is Petros (masculine) or Petra (feminine), a common name meaning ‘rock’. These two spellings have slightly different connotations. Jesus had given Simon a new Aramaic name Kepha and when translated into grammatically correct Greek language it means Petra (f) – foundation rock which cannot be moved. Since the feminine version was not appropriate when translated into English, Petros (m) – a heavy stone that can be moved, was adopted by the Catholic church.

It is therefore the belief that Peter was the foundation of the early Church, which was reconfirmed by Jesus’ blessing “…and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18). However, from another perspective, Jesus might have been referring to Himself as the ‘foundation rock’ and from Him (his inner circle) He would build the Church (i.e Peter being sent out into the world and becoming Petra).

Jesus not only declared that Peter was the chosen ‘rock’ but also that he would give him ‘the keys of the kingdom of heaven’. Keys are powerful devices. Have you ever lost keys? Can you remember the sense of panic, stress, anxiety you felt? How about when you found them and the sensation of immediate relief? Keys can lock us out or in. Before the early Church, Israel had been locked out of the kingdom of heaven. After the fulfillment of the coming of the Messiah, the keys of the kingdom had been released on earth and first given to Peter (the disciples) to share with the world. Now, through Peter, we can walk with authority knowing that as believers in Christ we have the power to unlock eternal life.

Understanding the full power of keys is important. Having keys is important, also using them is just as important. We have strong assurance that our faith, like the foundation rock that cannot be moved, but what about our everyday living? Are we utilizing the everyday keys to kingdom, practicing our faith in all circumstances? Or are we just religious devotes going to church on Sunday and then locking Christ out of the rest of the week?

This week’s challenge: Do a foundation check of your faith!