August 29, 2021Ephesians 6:10-20 There’s a movie called “A Knight’s Tale” that came out about 20 years ago. Click here for service In the movie, a squire assumes knighthood when his knight master dies unexpectedly so that he and his friends aren’t left destitute. The new knight and his friends begin to travel to tournaments in an effort to gain wealth and…

August 22, 2021Ephesians 4: 1-16One of the effects that the pandemic has had on the church is that it has elevated the challenges congregations faced before Covid was a word in the world’s vocabulary. Click here for service Congregations that were on the edge in early 2020 have had to close their doors … others that were struggling financially are struggling even…

August 8, 2021 Pentecost 11 John 6:35, 41-51 Rev. Paul GehrsAssistant to the National Bishop, Justice and Leadership I live on Treaty One Territory: the land of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation. I am grateful for the historic and ongoing stewardship of water, land, community and spirituality offered by Indigenous Elders and leaders.…

God’s peace be with you, Below is a link to tomorrow’s service. Since I am taking a couple of weeks holiday, the guest preacher is Bishop Jason Zinko of the Manitoba Northwestern Ontario Synod of the ELCIC. Click here for service I hope that you find time in your summer schedule to take in the service and hear Bishop Jason’s lesson from…

August 1, 2021 Ephesians 2: 11-22 Huub Oosterhuis is a Jesuit priest in the Netherlands. Click here for service In the early 50s, he became inspired by Che Guevara, who said that churches have the potential to transform the social structure of society. From that time on, Oosterhuis combined his priesthood with political activism and became an advocate for co-operation among various…

July 25, 2021Ephesians 1: 1-14Has someone ever said something to you that had you thinking about it … digesting it … for weeks afterwards? I call it mental composting. Click here for service I’ve been composting a comment made by one of my former seminary professors during the second “OK … What’s Next?” session that was held earlier this month. The session…

July 18, 2021Psalm 146Last week, during its monthly meeting, I told congregational council that I was feeling more than a little Zoomed-out. Click here for service In a stretch of a week’s time, I had attended the Synod Assembly, the National Worship Conference and a session on post-pandemic worship … specifically how we’ll approach communion after we return to in-person services. All…

Psalm 40: 1-10July 11, 2021 During the late 1960s, as construction of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. was underway, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis commissioned conductor Leonard Bernstein to compose a piece of music to be performed at the centre’s official opening. Click here for service Commissioning music or other forms of expression to celebrate new buildings and honour the labour…

July 4, 2021Psalm 27Last weekend, Mary and I served as delegates to the Synod Assembly – a gathering that helps set the direction for the synod and the greater church over the coming three years. Click here for service This was the first assembly to be conducted online and it was an opportunity for more congregations and their members to see how…

June 13, 2021 Pentecost 3 Bishop Sid Haugen, Saskatchewan Synod The Holy Gospel for this Day is from the Gospel according to Mark, chapter 4 Jesus also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he…