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

We are calling today “Jersey Sunday,” in recognition of the Grey Cup.

I found it interesting this week listening to a comment on one of the local radio stations where they talked about ‘this is Canada’s Grey Cup’ and the announcer said, “Actually, the NFL are the ones that should use that language because our Grey Cup, our CFL, is much older than their NFL. And they said, “Maybe the Americans should be saying this game is our NFL, because they came long after our football team did.”

Call to Worship:

Watch at all times,
praying that you may
stand before
the Son of man.

Luke 21.36

O Come. Let Us Worship. 

Gathering

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,
you sent your Son Jesus Christ
to be the light of the world.
Free us from all that darkens and ensnares us,
and bring us to eternal light and joy;
through the power of him
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

Mark 13.1–8

We read these lessons at this time of the year as we come to the end of the Church year and look forward to Advent.

" Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me." 

This Sunday, our deacon is preaching.

So, I thought I would share with you in our recording (as we don’t “live stream” here at St. John’s) parts of my Friday Focus that I send out to our parish email list. 

I share this with you today, partially wearing this jersey as a remembrance of generations from the past.

Just to share it a little bit with you about Emmanuel St. Chad—and the participation in sports that they had on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan. 

Being one of the smallest colleges, they were often seen in envy by other colleges because of particularly their winnings in soccer and in other field sports, and particularly cricket as well.

As many of the students came from the United Kingdom to study theology. They came with those professional or those abilities in particularly soccer to play. Often, the coveted trophy remained in our trophy cabinet year by year.

Also, this week, we began on Monday with Remembrance Day in our country. 

As I have done on may occasions, led some of the service for the City of Nanaimo.

This year, in my opening prayers, I spoke about peace—a theme of peace for all people. I ended  the prayer with these words:
“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”

Many of you will recognize these words from a popular gospel hymn that came out of the “baby boom” period (of which, yes, I confess, I was a part of.) I remember well singing that hymn over and over and over at so many gatherings in youth years. 

And so, this jersey I wear in remembrance of the generations that have gone before me, and also in remembrance of the many chaplains that were graduates of our college—chaplains in WW I and WW II, and their many contributions that they made. 

Well, these words come from that ‘folk song movement’ period of the 50’s and 60’s and 70’s—a movement that was renowned for easy singing, straightforward texts, and prophetic messages.

In 1950, Sy Miller and Jill Jackson Miller wrote a song which became a signature composition devoted to peace.

Kind of interesting that that came to mind this week as we prepared for worship this week, and we hear that wonderful section of Mark’s Gospel, where we see this emphasis that Jesus places in the community--about a time in the future in which we may be searching for peace.

We live in a present time when we search for peace in the world; but we also live in a time of hope and a time of prayer, a time of encouraging each other. The words to this hymn go like this:

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that must be
With God our Creator
Family all are we
Let us walk with each other
In perfect harmony.

Those three decades—50’s, 60’s, and 70’s—were a part of the lives of those whom we refer to as the “baby boomers.” They were a time when youth camps were all the fashion. 

I remember going to many—from 4H to Co-op Camp to Credit Union Camp, Boy Scout Camp—a lot of camping programs were available, and they were filled with young people. 

And they were a time to get know other people, to share in other peoples’ traditions.

They were a time when young people of every stripe (you might say) were attending together, regardless of religious, ethnic, or socio-economic situations—a time when we came together to share our hopes and our dreams for the future—and our leaders were phenomenal in giving us such a message!

There’s a story of a camp that met up on the mountainside, and where they were taught this song—and how it inspired them to create a time and a message of peace for the world. 

It is said that when they came down from the mountain, they were singing the lyrics to this song. 
They had captured the vision of the writers!

And they returned to their communities with a focus on peace—a focus and a belief that if they could share this song around the world, there would be a theme of peace amongst all the nations.

They could create a climate of peace—an understanding that would “infect” the world.

And yes, they were right! And yes, today there continues to be a quest for peace.

At the moment, our world is facing many challenges.

Many of these challenges have been created out of a desire for power and supremacy in the political world.

For Christians, our focus will soon shift to Advent—only a couple of Sundays away!

Advent is one of the high points of the Christian year.

I know…we all think about Easter, and we all think about Christmas, but really, it begins (in my mind) with Advent—a time of preparing for that Prince of Peace—when our focus will be about the coming of the Prince of Peace—about Jesus Christ.

May we keep our eyes, then, looking to the east. (You know that great hymn—Look Up—Look Up!)

As we begin it, as we begin a season of preparation, may we remember the Patriarchs, the Prophets, John the Baptist, and the blessèd Virgin Mary.

May we think about those themes of peace and hope and love—those characteristics of a world that is so desirous.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let Us Pray

Holy God in the waters of baptism, you claim us as your own.  
We are your people not bound by nation, race or political affiliation but by our shared identity as citizens of heaven.
In you, help us see hope.  Open our hearts for service and a passion for justice in our bishops, priests, deacons, and all who lead in our churches.  

God of Mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We come to you today with a full range of emotions-
gratitude, grief, hope and longing as well as joy and celebration.
Be with us where we are today whether in celebration or lament, and through it all call us back to the work of your church:
to love, to serve and to lift up the poor, the oppressed, the stranger in our midst, and those who feel unseen.  

God of Mercy,
Hear our prayer.

For families, friends and neighbours-
especially as the holidays approach we ask for grace.
Give us courage to have hard conversations, to speak with gentleness, and love, and to remember that we are still neighbors--still called to love one another.
Guide us to see the face of our families friends and even our enemies--to see the face of Christ. When we see Christ in them, love can turn enemies into friends.  

God of Mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We lift up our elected leaders-
our parish council and all who serve these great lands.
May they strive for justice and human decency, and listen to the hurts of the world, and act with generosity and hope. 

God of Mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We continue to lift up and pray for and honor our Veterans-
we give thanks for thir courage and sacrifice as we hold them in our prayers--and still hope and strive for the world you have envisioned:
a world where guns and weapons will be turned into plows and pruning hooks and into farming tools.
Although this may seem idealistic, we lean into it .

God of Mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember those whose lives continue with their own challenges-
we lift up those awaiting medical results;  those recovering from surgeries; and those who are waiting for medical care longer than expected.
Strengthen their bodies, and surround them with your healing presence.  
We continue to pray for: John, Gail, and Shelia.
We lift up the family of Sue Gray, Paul, Colin, and Ronaye in the loss of their mom. 
May her soul rest in peace and rise in glory.

God of Mercy,
Hear our prayer.

For those struggling in relationships-
bring your reconciling grace.
Where there is hurt bring forgiveness; where there is distance bring closeness; where there is brokenness bring restoration.

God of Mercy,
hear our prayer.

As the dark days of fall and winter are upon us-
remind us that your love remains the same.
You are the light of the world.  As we wait, we see visions of redemption, visions of feasts, visions of hope, safety, and salvation.  
In your love we have decisions to make of what kind of people we will be -
Let us live a season of gratitude and walk humbly with the Christ who taught us to pray saying, 

God of Mercy,
Hear our prayer. Amen.

As our Saviour taught us:
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.

As we have shared in this time together,  
as we have been nourished through the Word of God,  
and as we receive the Sacraments in the Church,
may we continue to bear the light of Christ in the world. 

Amen.

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.

May we go in peace this week to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.  Alleluia!