O God, whose Son's death begot life, give us grace to let go of our lives, 

like a seed, and fall to the ground that your life might be rooted in us.   Amen.

It’s that time of year when those with a green thumb (and those persistent in their hopes of acquiring a green thumb) start to think a little about seeds and upcoming...

But if God is love and loves the whole world,

how can anyone perish?

If God is all love for all,

how can anybody be excluded?

The ashen cross points to resurrection and eternal life.

Use four sentences.

Sentence one begins: I’m sorry for… (fill in the blank)

Sentence 2 begins. This is wrong because… (da-da-da)

Sentence 3 begins: In the future I will… [gesture]

Sentence 4 is simple: Will you forgive me?

The grace and peace of our Lord be with you. Amen

The olive trees in Jerusalem at the garden of Gethsemane were a sight to behold. I could have stood there for hours gazing at the trees with ancient trunks gnarled and knobby - dated to be nearly 1000 years old. From them new shoots were grafted. Olives hung the branches heavy. Abundant. Of great...

Mary and Joseph

Forty days had passed since that night in Bethlehem. The angles sang, the shepherds saw, a child was born. On hay Jesus cooed with an animal lullaby around. In the night sky a bright light shattered the darkness. That night, the stable transformed into a place fit to receive a king. A life came into being, against all odds. Born...

From our bell tower the church announces good news to the community.  The organ can be heard by those walking on the nearby...

1.

Our Gospel reading from Luke about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem is perhaps the most famous and most popular Christian story. 

We hear it year in, year out on Christmas Eve. 

Sunday School Pageants retell the story of how God so loved the world,

that God came to earth, and was born a human child, just like any of us,

and we...

The opening of this passage in Matthew’s Gospel jar us with words about God’s judgement. The sheep and the goats will be separated, the blessed and the cursed will be at God’s right or left hands. The picture painted is - that our life together on earth matters. Caring or neglecting the needs among us impacts our relationships...

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

I’d like to once again introduce myself as Pastor Sebastian Meadows-Hemer, esp. for our radio listeners. Hello out there, wherever you are! It’s a great honour to be invited into this pulpit in this most beautiful church of St. Matthews,...