As we gather, we recognize that we
live, work, pray, and play in the traditional,
unceded lands of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves to
the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

Call to Worship:

Lord Jesus,
open to us the scriptures;
make our hearts burn within us while you speak. 

Luke 24.32

O, Come.   Let Us Worship.

Gathering:

Alleluia! Christ is risen. 
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia! 
May his grace and peace be with you. 
May he fill our hearts with joy!

Collect for Today:

O God, 
Your Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread. Open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in his redeeming work, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:
Luke 24. 36b-48

Sermon:  The Ven.  Brian Evans

“Theory versus Experience"

My first encounter with the Anglican Church, was with a minister who I would describe as highly intelligent, intellectual, and certainly, a scholar.

Myself, (on the other hand) I have grown up and learning more by experience, you might say, than academic.

Both have their place. This was in 1970, my first real job in a small urban/rural community. 

Move along 18 years. I arrived in Saskatoon to attend seminary, entering into the academic world. There were several changes in my life: moving from rural to urban; familiar friends to new friends. As a mature adult, I was moving from the known to the unknown.

In many ways my whole being was in shock.         

Early in the first year, we were introduced to contemporary theologian, Fred Craddock. One of his great contributions to preaching was his 1971 publication of, 'As One Without Authority'.         

Consider the time in history.

The world was changing or had changed: from a world of simple listening and doing, in according to authority, to a world of freedom.

I am sure most of us will remember (or have read of) ‘Woodstock.’

Woodstock is often seen as the one single event which changed the world. Those attending were the younger baby-boomers who were about to change the world.         

In 2023, there was a great Christian movie produced with the title: ‘Jesus Revolution.’ Not everyone would agree to its greatness. At the same time, we are all permitted to have our interpretation.

The main characters are three individuals who took part in the ‘freedom-movement’ of the late 60’s early 70’s.         

The “Jesus Movement” depicts a blended lifestyle of the free-love spirit, which is counterculture to the very strict evangelism (one with authority). It depicts the “do-what-feels-good” versus that of ‘dogmatics and morals.’

Woven into this mix, is the transformation of a very traditional, evangelical congregation who are transformed by this idea of “freedom of expression” in worship.         

Back to Fred Craddock.

In 1971, he suggested to the Christian Church, 'It was not enough to tell people what to believe. Authority was vanishing, or had vanished in the 60’s.’ Craddock says, ‘The way to connect 'life to scripture' is to begin with life.’         

This is all happening in my life over a period of approximately 20 years.

In our country parish, we have now moved from an ‘academic preacher’ to one who shared more ‘in the experience of life’ sermons—beginning with life—rather than theological theory and proof-texting.         

It was the era of introducing the Book of Alternative Services (BAS) to the parish.

I look back and think of the task for this ‘fresh-out-of-seminary’ priest--cast out into the world.         

I think of Graeme in his first parish, possibly feeling like the expression that Jesus shares in “foxes have holes and birds have nests” in Matthew 8, while our Lord referenced his lack of a permanent home.         

Here I am 40 years on…….         

Here we are, together. 40 years on….         

We have moved on from (we could say) back to the beginning. History has this way of repeating itself.                 

Today’s readings give us some clues.

In Acts, we encounter Peter and John as they are leaving the Temple. They see a man who has been crippled from birth. They stop, and through prayer, invite the man to get up and walk. We can only imagine the astonishment of the crowd gathered!

This is an example of how ministry first began.

It is first to be part of the experience, then to share in the spoken or preached Word. This is Craddock’s suggestion: we don’t begin with the theory, rather we begin with life.         

This is what Jesus is doing in his post-resurrection appearances.         

I have a picture in my office depicting that wonderful encounter on the road, where Jesus shared or came upon these two disciples. In that picture, and in that gospel reading, Jesus becomes “real.”

Jesus has arrived to be with the disciples. First, he must convince them that he is real, and so, he shows them his body. We could think, by reading the story, still they are not convinced.

Jesus can see doubt in their expressions. Jesus, once again shares those wonderful words, “Peace be with you.”         

It is obvious the visual was not enough.

Jesus says to them, ‘don’t you have something here to eat’? (They offer him some fish); he takes it and eats it.         

Food is one of the great roads to life, particularly the physical joy of sharing at table. It’s one of the great roads to 'hearing each other and believing in each other'.

When we would hold our diocesan retreats, sharing in the home of Fransicans', overlooking the Qu’ Appelle Valley, one of their mottos was ‘to feed the soul, you have to first feed the body.’         

For in feeding the body, you build security. When people feel secure, they are able to open their minds.         

This is why this meal that we will share in at Eucharist, together, is so much more than simply bread and wine. It’s also so much more than the simple sacrament. It is about “community”.

This is why this meal that we will share in together is so important—because we eat it together. We eat it and give security to each other--in believing in one another, with those around us.         

A contemporary theologian, by the name of (Rev. Dr.) Laura Holck, who (along with her partner), teach homiletics at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, shares these words of wisdom about our readings today:

      “Too often people live privatized, transactional religion, offering prayers and devotion, hoping that God will exchange them for a resurrected life. But Christianity is much more than that.

Christianity is living a communal life—of shared pain, sorrow, and hope, where breaking bread together transforms everything, and we experience resurrected life while we still live; where calling upon the name of Jesus-in-Our-Midst brings healing and new life—amid what formerly was only death, despair, and isolation.”         

So here we have, a theologian today, you might say, picking up where Fred Craddock introduced us.

This brings life to the often-quoted phrase, ‘you can be a good Christian sitting at home, reading your Bible, or listening to the electronic sermon’, EXCEPT, 'you can be an even better Christian when you share it in community'.         

Eating together is not just some cool idea that Jesus had. It is so much more!         

It is real-world proof that God’s love is manifested in the world and in our very lives when we do this together.

Experience proves theory.

Amen.        

Let Us Pray

Rejoicing that Jesus is risen, and love has triumphed over fear, let us pray for the Church, the world, and all those in need of good news. 

O God, our holy one, you feed our deepest hungers.
As we share the holy meal that is the body and blood of Jesus, given for us, lead us to share all that we have; that we might find abundant life in generosity.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer.

O God, our creator, you bring forth all life on earth. Calm storms and bring water to parched places. Enable the earth, our island home, to sustain life in all its wondrous variety. 
God of grace,
Hear our prayer. 

O God, our saviour, you offer wisdom beyond all human knowledge.
Encourage and enable lawmakers, judges, and elected officials to care for all, making decisions grounded in your justice.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer.  

O God, our elder, you care for all your children. 
Comfort and encourage those experiencing transition, with loss of familiar ways and routines, as they face the unknowns of change.

Comfort and guide all who journey in grief, and uncertainty.
In our parish this week, we especially pray for: Gail C.; Sue G.; John R.; Sheila S.; Tina & Mike M.; Tina’s mother, Dianna H., and her sisters and families, as they mourn the passing of John; and those on our hearts, naming them now aloud, or in the silence of our hearts.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer. 

O God, our centre, you bring all people together in you.
Help us to remember our identity and purpose in your Church. We give thanks this day for the ministries of Bishop Anna; Rev. Brian; and Rev. Trish.
May they be upheld in their vocations and service. 

We also give thanks for the love and leadership of Archbishop Linda Nicholls, our Primate, as she resigns the Primacy this fall, and follows you into another chapter of life.
We pray that you would enable us to follow you into further loving our neighbours as ourselves, so that we might share in beloved community.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer. 

O God, our resting place, your Son Jesus promised that we are held in your love forever. 
We remember those who have gone before us, giving thanks for their love and lives among us.
Particularly, we give thanks today for the life of John Henstock. 
God of grace,
Hear our prayer. 

We pray that our minds would be opened to the scriptures. Help our hearts to burn within us. May we see and trust in your promises, that we might serve you, and live with peace and compassion.
God of grace,
Hear our prayer.  

Into your hands, most merciful God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your abiding love; through Jesus Christ, our resurrected and living Lord.   Amen.

As our saviour taught us to pray, we say:

Our Father,
Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us fom evil.   For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen. 

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

And may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you, for ever.  Amen.  

And so, today, as we go about our work for the week, we give thanks for the Author of Life.

We give thanks that we have known our Lord in the breaking of bread, in the fellowship of the people that we share in life with.

We give thanks that You feed us in the mysteries of life, through Your bread, and Your wine.
Lord, let us go forth in Peace in the name of the Lord. Alleluia! AMEN.