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Archbishop Anne Germond,
Acting Primate

“His Name shall stand forever, the changeless Name of Love.”  (Hail to the Lord’s Anointed)

It is a joy to be ...with you...and with those of you who are joining us online on the very first day of 2025.

Happy New Year!

Thank you, Bishop Shane, (The Right Reverend Shane Parker) for your warm welcome and for the generous hospitality of this city, (Ottawa) which holds a special place in our family’s hearts, having welcomed two fearful strangers from South Africa in 1986... the Feast of Pentecost, May 31, 2020, was the day of Shane’s consecration as the 10th Bishop of Ottawa.

With the (Covid) restrictions that were in place and only 10 people allowed in the cathedral at the time...I can tell you, this space felt full. The Holy Spirit seemed to hover above us, flaming with life, as the words of the Gospel echoed through the cathedral.

The gospel that day was the moment from John’s gospel where the resurrected Jesus stood in the upper room, his wounded hands fully extended to his fearful disciples, offering them his peace, not once but twice—a double peace.

It was as if, in that sacred moment, Jesus was speaking directly to us, saying, “Whatever the fear that surrounds you, there is a peace that is greater than it all—my peace.”

This is the same peace and blessing offered to us today, as we gather again in a very different time and space, looking ahead to 2025 with all that awaits us in unexpected blessings and surprises, new adventures, new resolutions, new hopes and dreams....

Here we are, the body of Christ, ready to offer this year to the Lord, to pray for the church and the world, and to take Jesus into ourselves.

...“They will soar on wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40.1) will be the theme for the General Synod gathering this year. The theme has a strong focus on hope, strength and renewal.

We will be electing our 15th Primate, who will lead us--prayerfully with strength and courage and a healthy dose of realism--into a new and exciting, but unknown future.

The political, social and economic crises seem to be deepening around us. The church is not immune to these challenges. We all know tough decisions lie ahead, and in some ways, it feels as though the very foundations of our world are being shaken.

Where shall we go, or to whom shall we turn?

Look up, I say. Do not be afraid. Your Redeemer has come, and today, eight days after the Feast of the Incarnation, we mark the day He was named Jesus—Emmanuel, God with us.

The One who stood with us in our fear--to whom we have prayed in every moment of darkness and despair--stands with us still, offering everything the world cannot give.

The One whose “name is above every name” has come as one of us in great humility into the very depths of our bondage and despair to bring us hope.

This Jesus, named today, is the One who is totally and utterly trustworthy.

What’s in a name? A great deal, according to many cultures.... 

...In Indigenous cultures, naming a child is an act of revitalization, resistance and resurgence. Names are sacred, and the individual carries the responsibility to honor and carry the name forward.

In the First Nations Version of the New Testament, Jesus is named Creator Sets Free, revealing perfectly his purpose for humankind...

“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”...

When Jesus is actually named in Luke’s Gospel, it comes across almost as a whisper, a side comment:
“On the eighth day, he was named Jesus … the name the Angel had given him before he was conceived” (Luke 2:21).

But never underestimate all the authority and all the strength and power and wisdom and love that name holds.

And what about that much loved hymn, “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed?” We sing of Jesus:

“From age to age more glorious,
All blessing and all blest.
The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove;
His Name shall stand forever,
His changeless Name of Love.”

This Love is a doing kind of love that is inclusive, embracing all of humankind, and invites us to do the same.

It is a love that is a forgiving kind of love, asking us to be the same.

It is a love that never gives up and asks us to hold firm, even giving thanks in all circumstances.

As we reflect on that Name of Love, the name we bear as Christians, Paul’s letter to the Philippians today gives us much to ponder.... It beautifully captures the essence of Paul’s message--focusing on the communal nature of the Christian faith and the call to embody Christ’s love through actions.

Paul’s instruction to “let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” urges the Philippians—and us—to adopt a mindset not rooted in self-interest but in mutual care and humility, looking out for one another’s well-being... 

The emphasis on community is crucial, as Paul recognizes the challenges the Philippians face, from persecution to internal divisions.

Yet, he reminds them that they have everything they need in the gifts of Christ—encouragement, love and fellowship. These divine gifts equip the community to weather life’s storms together, knowing that the church, though fragile at times, is always supported by God’s presence and faithfulness....

Paul’s letter incorporates what is believed to be one of the earliest Christian hymns. I wonder why (he), who was never ever at a loss for words, let a hymn speak for him? Perhaps it was, as one writer said, “because the very act of singing is itself a way of supplanting fear with audacity.”

The act of singing together has always been a powerful act of faith and solidarity. It transcends mere words, offering a communal expression of confidence in God...

“Let us speak the unsearchable riches of Christ, through our singing, our praying, our stories,” goes the hymn by Jan and David Buley ( "Let Us Speak the Unsearchable Riches"), found in Sing a  New Creation. 

“With delight in your will, as we walk in your way, may we love you, may we know you, may we show you.”

Amen.

Adapted
Acting Primate, Archbishop Anne Germond,
2025 New Year’s Day Eucharist.
Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa.
Photo credit: The Ven. Christopher Dunn