As we gather, we recognize that we live, work, pray, and play
in the traditional 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:  

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening:
you have the words of
eternal life.

~1 Samuel 3.9; John 6.68

O Come, Let Us Worship

Collect: 
Almighty God,
 you have taught us through your Son
 that love fulfils the law.
 May we love you with all our heart,
 all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength,
 and may we love our neighbour as ourselves;
 through Jesus Christ our Lord,
 who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
 one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

Luke 9. 51-62 

Sermon:  The Venerable Brian Evans  

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of
our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord.  Amen. 

"Unwavering Commitment"

If there was one thing instilled in me by my parents, it was commitment.

Two or three stories for you:

This past week, our Church has been gathering in London, Ontario for General Synod — a gathering of 240 delegates from across the country.

As one who witnessed this gathering 15 years ago, I have a feeling for the movement of the Holy Spirit in this gathering.

This year, the opening sermon was given by Archbishop Curry, the retired Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the USA.

Bishop Curry is widely known as a gifted preacher.

When I chose the title for today, I had no idea—in fact, I did not even know that Archbishop Curry was giving the opening sermon, nor did I have any idea what his topic, or what direction he might take

Curry recalled biblical figures who were not always sure where they were going but followed their faith in God.

Some of those that Curry referred to were:

• Noah, not knowing what was about to happen, built a boat on dry land—warned to do so to save his family.

• Abraham, who gathered his people together, heading for a new land as promised by God.

• Moses, equipped by God, a Hebrew raised by Egyptians who learned the necessary knowledge to lead people to freedom.

• And, even the disciples, Curry says,are among these people.

Curry has a great ability to intersperse humor in his preaching.

He suggested that the 12 were not among the “A-Team”.

Curry said, “And look what they did! There are followers of Jesus all over the world because of them – they changed the world.”

The Scriptures are filled with people who did not know what was next for them but followed anyway.

They followed even when they didn’t know the outcome.

One incident from my own years of ordination comes from a centenarian parishioner.

This lady came to our country as a young woman—as she was engaged to a man who had come ahead to prepare the homestead.

When she arrived in Montreal, the immigration officer asked where she was going—well, of course, she was heading out to what was then called the ‘wilds of the prairies.’

He suggested to her that she should actually get on the boat and return back to England, because ‘the man may not even be alive since she last heard from him.’

And she said, “But I looked him in the eye and I said, “but Sir, I have faith.”

In these uncertain times, Bishop Curry urged the General Synod delegates, and all of Canada, to follow their faith.

God’s way — even when we don’t see the outcome, or don’t know what the outcome may be — whether we have all the answers or not, follow anyway.

There is the story of a legendary hardware salesman who, in the 1940’s, by the name of Harry Jamieson, was asked, “So how long do you keep calling on the same customer before you give up?”

His response was, “It depends on who dies first.”

It is reported that he called on one client 125 times before he got his first order.

Jesus said to a certain man, "Follow me."

But the man replied, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." And, Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (9:62)

That same advice was shared with me by the Bishop when appointing me (us) to our first parish.

One of the Great Secrets of Success in Life Is That of Perseverance.

We, St. John the Baptist, here in Duncan, are about to embark on — not just one journey, but two!

(Yes, I have used the term “We” because I can assure you Flo and myself will be looking back!)

Although we may be setting our hands on the plow, like Jesus, we will be keeping an eye on the sparrow. In Sunday School, this was one of my favorite hymns.

The first journey will be to welcome a new priest.

Your new priest will transform the parish in new, and exciting new ways, I am certain.

Don’t be afraid.

God will still be among you, just as he was with Israelites, travelling for 40 years in the wilderness.

The second (journey) will be to witness the transformation of this property.

In this transformation, there are many unknowns.

I reflect on the report from of Archbishop Curry’s words to our Canadian Church, I quote:

“They followed anyway, not knowing where the promised land was,” Curry said. He urged General Synod delegates to learn from their example of “following God’s way even when you couldn’t know the outcome—whether you have all the answers or not, follow anyway.”

And he goes on to say, “What was true for them in the first century is true for us, in this 21st century. What was true in Jerusalem is true in London, Ontario.”

The power to be “who God dreamed and intended us to be” in the first place.”

It is no secret that we live in the midst of God.

“And when we live that, the Anglican Church of Canada (I would add the Anglican Church of St. John the Baptist, here in Duncan) it is no secret what God can do.

“What he did for Moses and Esther, what he did for ‘[not] the A-Team of apostles, he’ll do for you.”

“Audience members interjected with shouts of “Amen” throughout Curry’s sermon, which anchored a worship service characterized by celebration of the cultural diversity within the Anglican Church of Canada.”

The Christian Church is well known for our unwavering commitment.

Travelling around the world, we encounter this unwavering commitment to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is unwavering in his commitment to his mission in Jerusalem and was never swayed otherwise.

We have such a great company of witnesses who have shown each of us this commitment and we are called to march on with the same spirit Jesus marched in his journey to Jerusalem.

Last Sunday, we celebrated our Patronal Festival.

As we did that, we skipped over the Collect for the 2^nd Sunday after Pentecost.

Some of the words that we missed are so reflective of this time and place and we heard words like “storms rage about us, causing fear. Then we petitioned our Lord to rescue us from despair, deliver us from fear, and preserve us from unbelief.”

May we never waver, or as the Acting Primate of our Church, Archbishop Anne Germond, called Synod members to put aside their differences and come together amid a time of change and uncertainty for the Church.

Thanks be to God,  Amen.

Let Us Pray

Drawn into the embrace of the holy Trinity, we lift our prayers for the wholeness of the church, the world, and all creation.

Guide your church, O God.
Anoint us for service and make us messengers of your peace. Emboldened by the witness of Christians throughout history, send us to proclaim your reign come near.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Counsel our leaders, O God.
Make them steadfast in seeking justice and unable to be shaken as they pursue peace. Lead them by your Spirit to listen and respond to the people they govern.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Uphold all who suffer, O God.
Give refuge to those of us who know rejection, and shelter to those who have nowhere to lay their head. Bring any who are sick into your healing presence.
We continue to pray for Sheila; John; Geoff; and those on our hearts.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Set free this assembly, O God.
Grow your Spirit’s fruits within us and within our congregation’s ministries. Set our faces always on you, that we might live in the freedom to which you have called us.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Embrace all your saints, O God.
We thank you for the faithful departed. Let us rejoice that you do not abandon us to the grave but lead us on the path of life.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Gather all our prayers in your mercy, O God, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen. 

As our Saviour taught us,

Our Father 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 we forgive those who tresspass against us.
And lead us  not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

May we celebrate in thanksgiving that we have been nourished in the richness of the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

And may we continue to live the new life in celebrations of Jesus in our lives. 

And may we give thanks for all that God has given to us and for his power that works within us each and every day.

The Blessing

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.

Just a note at the conclusion of this recording: this possibly will be one of my last recording of sermons for some time as I begin to prepare to, you might say “retire for the second time.”

For those of you who watch this on a regular basis, we began recording these services during COVID and have continued since 2019.

It’s been my pleasure to serve and do this, but also more, to serve here in the parish of St. John the Baptist, Duncan.

In the next couple of weeks, I will go into, I presume what is going to be called “full retirement”, knowing  very well that there will be calls for ministry in the future, and I look forward to those opportunities.

It has been a blessing to serve in this community that is filled with “faith-filled” people.

Thanks be to God. Amen.