Thursday 13 April 2017

Holy Week...Be Present for the Journey

When I was a child, I would get very excited about events or special things that would be coming up (ok, let's face it, I still do...).  But I remember my grandfather and sometimes my mother, telling me, "Don't wish your life away!" As a child, this advice used to leave me puzzled because I couldn't understand why the adults didn't want the exciting event to come faster too.  But now, as an adult, I see the wisdom in those words that enables me to be still and have a bit more patience for noticing and waiting.


As people of faith, it would be very easy for us to stand in the middle of Holy Week, after experiencing the excitement of Palm Sunday, to wish that it could just be Easter, and we could avoid the whole betrayal and death of Jesus.  Those things don't make us feel very good because it is very hard to look death in the face.  It is very hard for us to sit and wonder if it could be one of us who would give Jesus over to the authorities in return for a few pieces of silver.  It's even harder for us to think that we might be the frightened disciples who scattered because we like to think about ourselves as those who would have the courage to stand up for what we believe to be right.

But then we think about what the mystery of resurrection means, and realize that death needs to happen in order for new life to be known.  Jesus can't rise again if he doesn't die...New life and new ways of understanding who we are can't be known if the old ways aren't shown gratitude and then put to rest.  Many seeds cannot bring forth fruit or plants if they don't first go into the ground to die.  And each of those steps must be taken in order for us to fully experience the unfolding of the process.

So on this Maundy Thursday, the day that Jesus shows us what it means to be servant to each other, the day that he eats with his friends for the last time, the day that he gives us a new commandment--let us be patient.  May we truly be in the moment and allow ourselves to feel the sadness and rawness of what it means to give up what we know.  May we have courage and strength to stay awake with Jesus, to walk with him to the Cross.

There is, however, the ultimate catch--we know the end of the story.  And that's what makes it hard not to skip all of the parts we might not like. We are indeed an Easter people, those who believe in Resurrection and New Life, in all of it's mysterious hope.  So as we look forward to that, may we know that God is with us each step of the way. May we be present for the Journey, for in many ways, it is just beginning.

May the reality of God's love be yours. May the newness of the Easter Season surprise you in ways that you never thought possible!

Wednesday 8 March 2017

International Women's Day!

Today, on International Women's Day, I want to reflect for a moment, to give thanks for all of the women whose faith has shaped, and continues to shape, their lives, and without whom our church would not be the same.  We don't have to look too far in our collective memory or turn our heads to look around our communities to realize the impact that women have.  Scripture contains many stories of women who realized that things needed to change and courageously worked to make sure that those changes happened.  Even when they are not front and centre, women have supported and sustained families and communities, movements and uprisings for centuries and throughout history.

Within our own United Church history, women have worked to sustain communities of faith by answering the call to ministry (even when they couldn't formally), by educating our young, by raising countless amounts of money to make sure that God's light and love were shared for all.  I give thanks for women who fought tirelessly to make sure that future generations would be able to be ordained and commissioned...those who served as missionaries, as Deconesses, and as ministers' wives (who had and have a ministry in their own right) inspired many to let their own lights shine.

Finally, on this day, I give thanks for the continued work of women all around us.  For those who seek equal rights and financial compensation, who teach our children to love fiercely, who strive for a world without racism, class-ism, sexism, homophobia/transphobia, xenophobia, and anything else that seeks to divide communities.  Today, I proudly wear my clerical collar to acknowledge and remember the privilege that I hold because of the tireless and unconditional love shown to me by generations before me, those strong and faithful women who surround me, and the girls who will become the women who already love and will continue to love the world.  On this day, may we all remember that we are fearlessly and wonderfully made in the image of God, who loves us beyond our knowing.

Love and Blessings to all of you,
Catherine


Monday 30 January 2017

Peace and Light: Prayers for Solidarity and Unity

Below is my letter of solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters:

Dear Maritime Conference,

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this letter in response to the attacks on our Muslim brothers and Sisters at Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec (Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec) in Quebec City.  Words seem inadequate to express the grief, heartbreak, and sorrow being felt here in the Maritimes and across our country.  This hate-filled action not only infringes on our sensibilities towards those of different faith, but also shatters our understanding of the right to worship safely—our very ideals of sanctuary and refuge from the outside world. 

As a result of recent events, my words are no longer enough to express our solidarity with our neighbours.  We can no longer afford to watch as our ideals and beliefs are pulled away.  So I write this letter to encourage you to reach out to your neighbours, as United Church congregations, Presbyteries, and individuals:  If you have a local mosque, write them a letter of solidarity.  Hold gatherings where you can get to know each other.  It is in these times that we must know one another so that we can offer support and encouragement as people who not only speak of what we believe but as those who live it.  If a mosque is not in your neighbourhood, I encourage you to write a letter to the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City, to ensure that they feel loved and supported by the wider community.  Communities of faith are strong, important parts of society, places of safety and community, and we cannot let these events change that. 

Please do not let fear trouble your hearts—be vigilant, yes, but not fearful—for as we know, fear brings out the very worst in humanity.  Continue to work to make our places of worship safe and welcoming for all, places of sanctuary and prayer, fellowship and community.  For it is in these places that we will continue to learn what Jesus meant when he told us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

May Peace and Light be yours this day.

The Rev. Catherine Stuart,

President of Maritime Conference 

Thursday 5 January 2017

Happy New Year! Happy Epiphany!

Happy New Year to all of you across our Conference! And with that, Happy Epiphany!

Over the past few days, I've been checking out what a lot of my colleagues are doing to mark the new year, and am paying particular attention to how they are celebrating Epiphany, both personally and in the congregations they serve.  One practice in particular caught my eye and my heart.  The Rev. Catherine MacDonald, who is no stranger to our conference, and is currently serving Riverview and Nine Mile River United Churches in Halifax Presbytery, posted on her blog about Star Words that she has given and will be giving to her congregations as they gather on Sunday.  You can check out her awesome blog at https://mywindowongodsworld.com/2016/12/24/star-words-starwards/ 

It particularly struck a chord with me because I like the idea of having a word on which I can reflect on its meaning over the course of a year.  She offered to give out words to those of us who asked, so my word for 2017 is Grace.  This word already holds a lot of meaning for me, as I am keenly aware of God's grace, both in my ministry and in my life as a Mom.  It's a gift that I often wonder if I take for granted, but as I travel around the conference, hearing stories of both joy and sorrow, I am realizing that grace comes in all shapes and sizes and is so abundant and extravagant and beautiful, even if it is found in tears and grief.  Words hold a great deal of meaning that changes because of circumstances and experiences, so I am very much looking forward to finding what this word will hold.

So today, I don't have much to say about it, other than thank you to Catherine for this opportunity to reflect upon this gift, as I come to the next few months in my term as president, and look to what God is calling me to do and be beyond this time.  I hope that 2017 will show me how much the gift of grace is a star in my life that calls me to follow with courage and in love.

May the light of Epiphany shine brightly for you all.

Love and Blessings!