Last night many of us watched a football game that was won with 3 seconds to spare.
Some of us may have watched the clock and counted the times each team had possession of the ball. Others of us may have watched for how many times the camera shifted from the field of play to Taylor Swift - who who crossed at least five time zones to get to the most commercialized sporting event of the year!
And, as one who rarely watches live television, I (like many others I am sure) was counting the minutes of commercials – ugh – what a WASTE of time – I for sure, for one, couldn’t afford any of the cars they were advertising!
Anyways, that is my rant, by way of an introduction into the time of Lent – a time of reflection and reconnection to what matters. Yesterday, with the assistance of many, as part of the All Ages Lent Event, we introduced our Lenten theme: Wandering Heart, which uses the story of Peter to invite us to reflect on our own wandering heart.
All of the resources introduced yesterday are available on our website. If you do not have a printer and wish to obtain a printed copy of one or more of the resources please email me and I will get it to you as soon as I am able.
Time - it is a precious commodity. The Chinese mystic, Law Tzu reminds us, “Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is to say, ‘I don’t want to." Time is a simply a unit of measure. There is not more or less of it - it simply is - how will we use it? Will we use it to broaden community and deepen relationship? Will we use it to avoid and escape or will we embrace it, to enter in, and go deeper, into our understanding of our self and the world we inhabit?
In an attempt to use my time more effectively, I have set up an Appointment Schedule which is connected to my calendar. If you would like to see me, simply click on the Appointment Schedule and you will see when I am free to meet. Select a time that works for you, enter your details and click 'Book'. I will then send you an email to confirm our meeting time. And of course, I can come to your location or we can meet at the Church or via Zoom. I will ensure that a link to my Appointment Schedule is on the webpage and in the signature of my email footer for ease of reference.
Might Lent be a time of inward blessing for you, and outward service!
Lloyd
PS - the half-time show was ok but really, over $6,000 for a ticket to the game!?!?. Give your head a shake! I better stop there or I'll end up launching into another rant!
Looking Ahead
I am working from my home office this morning, writing this reflection, responding to messages that accumulated over the weekend and booking some visits for later in the week. Later today, after a service appointment for the truck, I will be in the office after which I will be visiting at the hospitals in Sackville and in Moncton.
.On Tuesday morning I will gather with the Lectionary Study Group over Zoom and explore the first of our Peter stories for the Lenten season!
Our Community Pancake Dinner is scheduled to take place from 5PM to 6:30PM - and unfortunately there is a Winter Storm Watch for all of Nova Scotia (where I live) and for Sackville, while the is no storm watch, it is noted that "A hight impact 'nor easter will sweep Atlantic Canada with heavy snow and high winds on Tuesday and Wednesday....Best chance for the heaviest snowfall is across Nova Scotia, extreme southern New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island..."
Does that mean we won't be able to gather for the imposition of ashes on Wednesday at noontime as well? I don't know.
I am presently in conversation with the co-chairs of the Executive and we will make a decision before 4PM today regarding both events. Watch for an announcement on Facebook and an email - and when you get the word, please share it with others!
Thursday will be a work from home day as I finalize the liturgy for Sunday and prepare a reflection based on the call of Peter and the huge catch of fish (Luke 5:1-11).
Friday and Saturdays will be days off and on Sunday, and after we gather to begin Lent with communion, I will go and celebrate with others, Lid Haugen-Strand's birthday at St. Mark's Anglican Church at 2PM. I can't believe you are 75 either Lid! Happy Birthday!
Finally, a heartfelt thanks to all who made yesterday's All-Ages Lent Event possible! Especially these two who gave me my first valentine card of the season!!
