As we gather, we celebrate with Thanksgiving
that we share these lands with
the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves
to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building,
and in a spirit of reparation
with our First Nations neighbours.

 

Call to Worship:

A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one 
another as I have loved you.

John. 13.34

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!

Almighty God,
to you all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect for Today 

 Almighty God,
 your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.
 Give us grace to love one another
 and walk in the way of his commandments,
 who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
 one God, now and for ever.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

John 13. 31-35

May the words of my lips and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable to You, O Lord.  Amen. 

“ Dawning of a New Age ”

I’m going to attempt something a little new this morning—part of my opening will be sharing with you, hopefully, a recorded song that it will all work. Technology and myself are not always the best of friends!

 My title for this week is:

 

The Dawning of A New Age

How many of us remember these words?

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

Chorus (some very familiar words, I suspect)

This is the dawning of
the new age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius
Aquarius

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius
Aquarius

Or maybe ‘this’ (recorded music) will resonate with many of us:         

You may have guessed it by now, myself, along with others here and many who listen will be part of are Baby-Boomer generation.

 In our minds we believed we could change the world.

And, in many ways, we have, and, continue to (do so).

I know you are not in need of history lesson, but we can only recall some of the headlines associated with the likes of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and what about that gathering at Woodstock?         

The world was about to change as we knew it at that moment.         

Now, reverse 2000 years. Take a moment to think about what it had been like when Jesus arrived on the scene.

Think about that extreme change that Jesus brought to the world.

Think about that new commandment that he gave the world—a new commandment that we continue to work on and continue to strive for.         

Now, jump ahead to 2023 and the release of the movie: Jesus Revolution
 2023 production American Christian drama film directed by Jon Erwin and Brent McCorkle.

Based on the autobiographical book of the same name co-written by Greg Laurie. 

The film follows the life of this teenage Laurie (Joel Courtney).

Along with Laurie is his  hippie  friend, Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), and also the senior pastor in a local evangelical church, Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer)

as they take part in the Jesus movement in California during the late 1960s—similar to that same time when the dawning of a new age came on the scene.

The film was theatrically released in the United States in  February 2023.

Although it received mixed reviews from critics, the film grossed $54 million worldwide, against a production budget of $15 million. Percentage-wise, one of the best grossing movies of its time.         

Now—today—Easter season, 2025. This season when, for the first 3 weeks, we have been entertained, or introduced or experienced once again, the resurrection appearances of Jesus.

The following weeks, we encounter the mystical encounter of the mystical Jesus within our own humanity.

So we have this period of three weeks, of it experiencing Jesus’ appearances following the Resurrection, and now for a few Sundays, we consider our own humanity within the life of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.         

Now, if we thought The Age of Aquarius was earth-shattering, consider Jesus’ ministry, prior to his entry to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

And it might just make us think about the possible reaction, or the reaction that history tells us happened with Jesus’ arrival.

Think about a person coming into your midst and:

-turning water into wine

-about feeding 5 thousand people with a few loaves of bread and a few fish, and having multitudes of baskets left over

-or Jesus’ encounter with an outcast Samaritan woman at the well—something unheard of

-or a man’s sight to him or given sight as he was born blind

-or washing a stranger’s feet. How many of us have ever washed a stranger’s feet?

That’s a few of the encounters we have experienced in the last few months with our Lord.         

And, now this week, we sense there is something new about to happen.

At first, we may not understand these words, but Jesus says: “Now, where I am going, you cannot come.”

Jesus is preparing his followers for his departure.

All these things like ‘washing the disciples’ feet’ and his command ‘to go and do likewise.’

We know about Judas, and we know about Peter’s denial.         

All the time, though, Jesus is preparing not just those followers from 2000 years ago. But by our reading, understanding, and discernment, that we too, are being prepared.         

Throughout the centuries, Christian communities have debated membership – who’s in and who’s out.

Just how open are we?

I know I am preaching to the converted, while at the same time history to this day debates this very question.

Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, today, gives us a glimpse into the past,  but also a challenge for the future.         

What I find interesting, and at times disturbing, is how we continue to debate church membership.         

Reflecting to the metaphor in ‘The Age of Aquarius’ I see a direct link to this ongoing debate.

I cannot help but think the writers of that song may have just read the encounter between Peter and his encounter with the then-believers in Jerusalem, and how he was critiqued for creating an inclusive community.         

Often, the world reflects John’s vision of a new heaven and a new earth.

In his vision, John sees the first earth pass away, making room for a new earth.         

And we ask, “but when Lord? When?”         

At the same time, we journey on.

Our friend, the late Herbert O’Driscoll, put it best with his hymn, “Come and Journey.”

In our hymnal in Hymn 482, we hear these words written by Herb O’Driscoll:

Come and journey with a Saviour

who has called us from our birth,

who has washed us in the waters,

and who loved us on the earth.

 

Come and journey, come and journey

with a Saviour who has come.

We are all God’s sons and daughters;

in the Spirit we are one.

Come and Journey.

It seems that the lessons today are calling us to come and journey, to journey with our Lord.

And so, may we when we journey, may we find the new age of Christ everywhere. It’s like the dawning of a new age—Aquarius.  

Amen. 

Let Us Pray

God of resurrection and new life,
we come before you in prayer for the Church, the world, and all who are in need.

Fill the church with the spirit of your redeeming love.
Make us steadfast in our proclamation of your grace for all people without exceptions, especially those often overlooked in our communities.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

Awaken joy in the beauty and abundance of your creation.
Show us the wonder of your presence from the smallest flower to the tallest tree. Recommit us to preservation of wild places.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

Instruct all world leaders to protect the most vulnerable among us.
Guide those in power toward equitable and just economic policies, so that all might have sufficient resources to live safely and with dignity.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

Pour out your love on all in need of care:
those mourning losses, enduring trauma, experiencing broken relationships, yearning for companionship or facing illness. Wipe away every tear.
In our parish we continue to pray for John, Sheila and Geoff, and naming others who are on our minds, particularly we pray for our friend, Bonnie in Nanaimo. 
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

Abide with all who are victims of racism,
especially people who are doubly marginalized because of gender, sexuality, or ability. Destroy all forms systemic oppression, and renew our commitment to healing the wounds of our collective
body in this community and beyond.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

We give thanks for all the saints whose lives bear witness to your redeeming love.
Guide us by their example, until we join them in your eternal kingdom.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

We commend these and all our prayers to you, O God,
trusting that you are always with us; in the name of Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour.  Amen.

We pray:
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,
and the power and the glory,
forever and ever.  Amen.

In you, O Lord, we find one bread, one body, one Lord
One cup of blessing for us all.
May we in that eucharistic feast continue to experience your truth in our hearts. And may we share your life in the world, and bring into being ‘the dawning of a new age’.

Thanks be to God. 

And 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 the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you, and remain with you, always. Amen.