McPhail Baptist Church
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Prelude: "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind"
Sue Sparks
Favourite Hymns
Ernie and Lynda Cox
“Sing Praise To The Father”
Sing praise to the Father, Creator and King,
Whose mercy has taught us a new song to sing;
Who made us, and loved us tho’ rebels and lost,
And planned our redemption at infinite cost.
Refrain:
Bless the Lord, bless the Lord, Bless the Lord, O my soul,
For the grace that redeems, for the love that makes whole;
O come and adore him, his glories proclaim,
And worship before him—the Lord is his name!
Sing praise to the Father, sing praise to the Son,
Sing praise to the Spirit, great God three in One;
The God of salvation, of glory, of grace,
Who wrought our redemption—my soul, sing his praise!
“Can a Little Child Like Me?”
Can a little child like me thank the Father fittingly?
Yes, O yes! be good and true, patient, kind in all you do;
Love the Lord, and do your part; learn to say with all your heart,
Refrain:
Father, we thank Thee! Father, we thank Thee!
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
For the fruit upon the tree, for the birds that sing of Thee,
For the earth in beauty dressed, father, mother, and the rest,
For Thy precious, loving care, for Thy bounty everywhere,
For our comrades and our plays, and our happy holidays,
For the joyful work and true that a little child may do,
For our lives but just begun, for the great gift of Thy Son.
“This Is My Father’s World”
This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings, the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought,
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas—His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair,
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world, O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done;
Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heaven be one.
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Luke 15:11-32 (NRSV)
11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father[d] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”
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"Father Figures"
Rev. Ernie Cox
Special Music: "Canzone"
Margot Lange and Ernie Cox
Margot Lange and Ernie Cox
Announcements
-We are excited to now offer an e-transfer option for McPhail offerings. If you would like to make use of this option, offerings can be sent via online banking to offerings@mcphailbaptist.ca If possible, please include your envelope number in the memo line. A special thanks to Steve Sparks and Samantha Helman for setting this up for us! For those who would prefer mailing in their offering, funds can be sent via post to: McPhail Baptist Church, 249 Bronson Ave, Ottawa, ON. K1R 6H6 We are deeply thankful for your ongoing support of this ministry!
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Matthew 2:13-23 (NRSV)
13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”
The Massacre of the Infants
16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
The Return from Egypt
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”
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"Flight Into Egypt"
Rev. Steve Zink
Our reading from the Gospel of Matthew relates an episode commonly called “The Flight into Egypt.” In a dream, Joseph is told to take his wife and child and head directly into Egypt. The rationale for this sudden migration is the avoidance of the temper of King Herod, who would shortly "Massacre of the Innocents” in Bethlehem, in a frenzied attempt to eliminate the infant messiah.
Some have wondered if this is based on an historical episode in the first century CE. However, there is no record of such an occurrence. If such an unimaginable horror took place, there most certainly would be some mention of it by a contemporary writer. Moreover, no other gospel author makes any mention of this episode, an unthinkable oversight for such a significant event. What, then, are the origins of the story?
An inevitable habit of the human mind is to find “prophecies” of the present in retrospective glances at the past. We look back in time and read what we find in the light of what is happening now. We all do this. The gospel writers were no different. They searched older writings and read them in ways that bent them to shed light on new issues.
In our story, the author quotes Hosea 11:1, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” Our writer read this old passage and seized upon the reference to “my son.” It is very clear from the context of the original passage that the reference was to the nation Israel. The concern was the deliverance of Israel, patterned after their earlier deliverance from Egypt. The author of Matthew, however, chose to repoint the reference to Jesus. For that reason, he needed to get the Jesus of his narrative into Egypt in order to get him out, and thus fulfill the ancient words anew. For this he was able to make use of a story from the book of Exodus.
In Exodus, a "Massacre of the Innocents” is set in motion by the Egyptian Pharaoh. His goal is to destroy the Hebrew offspring, as he greatly fears the birth of a rival kingly figure. This sets in motion an effort to send the holy child (Moses) into a perilous journey to escape the impending wrath.
We move now from a brief overview of the story and its origins to a very practical question: Divine dreams, perilous journeys - can this ancient story, with even more ancient roots, shine any light upon our path today?
The idea of that dreams are means of divine guidance was common in the ancient world. I have a book on my shelf by Philo of Alexandria, a contemporary of Jesus, called “On Dreams, That they are God-Sent.” Although we have somewhat moved beyond this point of view, the idea that dreams are still somehow revealing is a key conviction of modern Depth Psychology.
If we broaden our sense of the word dream to include vision or idea, many would encourage us to “follow our dreams.” The most famous of the great orations of Martin Luther King Jr. is his “I have a dream” speech. Nobody who hears this message can fail to be moved by it. In its day it animated many to work courageously towards racial equality. The dream demanded following. If we would grow as individuals and as a people, there are more transforming dreams to heed.
The motif of a divine child entering into a time of great threat and danger is a common one. We find examples of the same idea over and over in ancient writings. Dionysius, Perseus, and Moses are just a few of the countless examples. What lay behind this recurring motif is a valuable insight into the human condition: The birth of anything new and worthwhile in our lives will be immediately threatened by unfavourable conditions.
We must be prepared for a precarious and challenging beginning to any worthy advance in our lives. If we would grow, if we would advance our spirits, we must be prepared for a time of opposition by factors we can’t control.
Maintaining the status quo is more naturally easy than we normally realize. One only discovers its power when it is opposed. Last summer, when COVID-19 didn’t bar amusements from opening, we took the kids to a water park. One of the attractions they particularly liked was the “lazy river.” It wasn’t as immediately exhilarating as the waterslides, but the relaxing, flowing river was addicting for all of us. Even the name, “lazy river” suggests something quite tranquil. Occasionally one of the kids would try and get away with the disallowed practice of swimming the wrong way up the “lazy river.” They were surprised by the difficulty they met with. There was more power in continuing to conform with the flow than they realized. It was only when opposed that the strength of the status quo becomes apparent.
Who hasn’t found that pursuing the brave idea was costly? Who hasn’t found that giving up the impeding addiction was hardest at first? Who hasn’t found that making something new within meant that the path was steepest at the beginning? Many have found that making a fresh venture of oneself burdened friendships or even cost them altogether.
To make something of ourselves is to risk something of ourselves. Ultimately everyone must decide to enter into or refrain from the following transaction: growth at the cost of comfort or comfort at the cost of growth. If you would become something more, there will be an inevitable “Flight into Egypt.”
To make something of ourselves is to risk something of ourselves. Ultimately everyone must decide to enter into or refrain from the following transaction: growth at the cost of comfort or comfort at the cost of growth. If you would become something more, there will be an inevitable “Flight into Egypt.”
Hymn: "Sing Praise To The Lord"
Sue Sparks
Sing Praise to the Lord; sing praise in the height,
Rejoice in God’s word, all angels of light.
Now worship your Maker by whom you were made,
Adore your Creator in brightness arrayed.
Sing praise to the Lord; sing praise on the earth,
In tuneful accord, you heirs of new birth;
Praise God who has brought you rich grace from above:
Praise God who has taught you with mercy and love.
Sing praise to the Lord, all things that give sound,
Each jubilant chord re-echo around;
Loud organs God’s glory forth-tell in deep tone,
And sweet harp the story of what God has done.
Coping with the Corona Crisis
(A series of responses from our McPhail congregants)
John and Bonnie Benesh
When all of us were confined to our homes, how did you spend your time?
John and I arrived home from vacation early in March. Our first week home, we had the family and grandkids arrive from Vancouver, and our Toronto family arrived as well. Everyone was thrilled to have time together and spend time with Dad- papa and grandpapa. How blessed we were to have had that week together, for at the end of the week, Dad’s residence went into Lockdown and the family all quickly headed back to their homes. As we all hugged goodbye, we had no idea when we would be able to hug, hold a hand or stroke a cheek again. It had been a rich time for all , especially my dad.
During the week, just prior to lockdown, Dad at 96, had decided to move residences. During February, his original residence had been taken over by a new company and in the process had cut 22 staff members, severely impacting the level of care. We were fortunate that he was able to secure a place in a new residence that offered a high resident/ nurse ratio, and had an excellent reputation.
Moving during a pandemic, has its challenges. It was a five -step process with lots of moving parts! As we were not allowed inside the facility to pack up Dad's furniture and belongings, we have had to move his apartment in dribs and drabs. Fortunately, he was able to move in to a furnished apartment until his own belongings arrived. Van load by van load, as his old residence permitted, we would pick up furniture and boxes at the front door that the staff had packed up when they could find time. We would bring things home, wash and or sterilize, then take them to his new residence, for staff to unpack, and we would help organize, or place, with the assistance of FaceTime. We have a couple of more loads to move and then I think we will be finished. Dad has been incredibly resilient through it all, and has adapted well to his new residence even in the face of residence covid cases. We didn’t hear any complaints about having to stay in his room. Instead, he focused on how good the food was, and that he was gaining weight.
Now that the weather is so nice, we have been able to visit Dad in the garden a few times a week, chatting through the fence. It is a real treat for us to be able to have the face to face connection.
As well, we keep in close touch with my aunt who is 98 in a nursing home in Kingston. She is blind, hard of hearing, and in a wheel chair, yet is incredibly sharp and positive. It has been particularly hard on our elders being confined and isolated from friends and family for such a long period. Yet we continue to learn lessons of resilience, fortitude, love and grace from them.
We are so grateful that they have done so well, through this period. As my aunt says “We lived through much worse than this. All we’re being asked to do now, is to stay at home.” That certainly puts it in perspective.
Now that we have finished our elders’ taxes, we are turning to unpacking our boxes. We had to pack up much of our house to have renovations done while we were away in February. However, now that the weather is so nice, we’ve opted to do yard work and gardening instead. With a park across the street, we can get out for daily walks. A few weeks ago when restrictions were lifted, John was able to launch his canoe, much to his delight.
How have you stayed connected?
What an amazing period of time we are in, with technology - not that John and I are the least bit competent! How different this isolation would have been if we didn’t have the luxury of e-mail, FaceTime and Zoom. During this period, we are especially grateful that we have family - siblings, children, grandkids, nieces, and elders to connect with. We have had lots of fun sharing time with friends and family through FaceTime. Our niece is doing her degree in business and media. For all of the family birthdays during covid, she has collected greeting videos from all family members and puts them all together as a birthday present. It has been delightful to share the love and joy for the birthday person in this way.
John and I are fortunate to have a few communities and former classmates that we have Zoom calls with each week. It gives us the opportunity to see people and still feel that we’re part of a world out there. With the nice weather here, we are now delighted to see friends and family - at a distance - pop by for a visit on the tailgate, in our garden or on the front porch. What a thrill to see people, mask to mask, and give them airhugs.
How are you handling all the news we hear on the covid crisis?
John is a news junkie. He is never too far from a radio, iPhone or TV. Being from a political refugee family ,he keeps a close eye on what is happening in the world and looks for balance and a variety of perspectives. He treats the news as information, and balances it with appreciation for all that we have - especially living here in Canada.
I check in daily, enough to know what is happening. I do not find the news uplifting so keep it at a minimum. What I have found to be heartening, are all of the commercials (and videos of people coping with covid) that reach out to put a smile on our faces. It is inspiring to see the creative ways that people are working together and building community to support each other. How amazing the love and joy that radiates in a 30 second covid commercial!
Have you been able to find a Silver Lining in the current situation?
This time has been a time for all of us to slow down - well maybe not slow down, but to re-focus, reflect on what is really important, let our hearts speak and quiet our minds.
I love being in my garden in the morning - to reflect, to savour the stillness, the quiet and the peace,
People recognize how important it is to be connected, to hug, to touch, laugh, smile, talk, cry and support each other. It is beautifully inspiring to see how people have found different and unique ways of ensuring that we stay connected with our small and broader communities. The love, support, kindness, care, appreciation, gratitude and compassion amidst the pain, heart-ache and loss, have been expressed expansively in ways that I have not seen before. It makes my heart sing! It feels like this is not only a time of change, but of re-birth.
What are the things you miss?
We miss all of our friends at McPhail,- the community- singing, praying, reflecting, and being inspired together. Ernie ,Steve, Lynda, Sue, Terri Anne and Margot have provided such great services of inspiration and music, that we have felt very connected and supported. During this period it has been greatly appreciated.
We miss our family, being able to hug them, cuddle our grandchildren and play with them. We recognize how fortunate we have been to have had the freedom to travel, by air, sea and land. When we can visit family again it will be with such gratitude.
We miss the spontaneity of getting together with friends, and not having to be conscious of distance or touching.
Bonnie misses sharing time with friends in painting and pilates classes.
John misses canoeing with friends and going to stores- especially the bird store.
We miss many things, but we also recognize how blessed we have been during this period. We have had food, shelter, and connection albeit at a distance. Our family and friends have avoided the corona virus, and remained healthy. We have so much to be thankful for.
Benediction
Ernie and Lynda Cox
During this quiet time, Lord Jesus, speak to me,
Fill Thou my heart with love divine,
Thy Spirit let me see.
And in the coming week, be with me every hour,
That I may bring Thy love to all,
And spread Thy healing power.
Postlude: "Stand Up and Bless The Lord"
Sue Sparks
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