Good afternoon lovers of God and lovers of neighbours,

It has been said that love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage… but scripture more accurately reports that obedience is what is to be paired with love.  Obedience and love go together like gears in a clock, like spokes on a wheel, or like a hand in a glove.  Whichever metaphor you choose, wrestling with obedience becomes unavoidable if we are to follow the command ‘to love’.

Many of us bristle when we hear encouragements to obey.  Canadian culture teaches that we are accountable to no one but ourselves.  Although we may have purported allegiances to countries, provinces, cities, or families, individual preferences and freedoms and autonomy are to be the highest values, and it is to them that we are to offer our ultimate fealty.  We are encouraged to choose how we wish to live with consideration for the needs of those around us as a distant second afterthought.  God does not even make it into the top ten list, falling well behind other loyalties to hockey practices, work, dinner plans, hikes, vacations, and comfort activities.   

And yet we all see the mess of the world around us when we refuse to humble ourselves to God and to others.  We see the harm that comes from not living into God’s will for our lives.  We see what happens when we do not obey the commands of God.

The invitation this week through the gospel of Matthew is to discern what our lives would look like if we really did make the command to love God and others our primary focus in life.  Would our daily rhythms change, or our daily tasks be different?  How would this affect you personally?

Please find attached to the email the bulletin for the week.  Note that for the month of November, there will be a Grief Group at 9:30 AM on Thursdays at the southern building.  Everyone is welcome, as – without exception – we are all wrestling with various griefs in each of our lives.  And taking time to honour our losses and our suffering matters.

For those who feel ready to step into deeper conversations with God for visioning our future as an amalgamated church, including naming of the new congregation and actively discerning and participating in tasks for amalgamation, please speak to Joy Augustin or myself to discuss how you can demonstrate your love of God and your love of neighbour in this way.  Perhaps you are called to serve on the Vision Task Force?

I pray you each stay warm as you prepare to worship on Sunday together.  It will be a pleasure to worship with you.  And may you each be blessed to hear and follow God’s plans for your life.

In warmth and peace,

Rev. Chandra Mannix

Good afternoon friends and family of Knox / St Giles Amalgamated Church,

It is the season of gratitude and thanksgiving to God.  The abundance that surrounds us incites us to praise and worship and serve the One who gives us everything.

This week, our own Rev. Tom Brownlee will be preaching on Matthew 22.  Jesus is asked if it is right to pay taxes.  And his response is fascinating… “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

Do you belong to God?  How do you give yourself to God?  At the Bible Study this week we looked at the Book of Ezra, and asked ourselves if our priorities were right.  What does it look like to put God first in our lives before anything else… even taxes or elections or our own plans?  

It is hard to be a faithful follower in a world distracted by worship to the false gods of culture, philosophy, and autonomy.  It is hard to remember that the things of Caesar are always secondary to the things of God. And discouragement and opposition will always present themselves to those who faithfully follow Christ to test our faith.

So do not lose hope. Know you have been stamped with the image of God.  You are the children of God called to serve and sing and worship to God.  And God has blessed us all lavishly.  Respond with a gratitude to God that mirrors and pairs with the bounty we have been given by God.

This week, God has provided financial security (through a loan from the Presbytery of Calgary-Macleod) of up to $10,000 per month until the sale of our southern building concludes. This money will help us continue with ministry, and help us to prepare for the next steps in our amalgamation.  But just as we need this money (and more besides, frankly) to help actualize the vision for the new church, we need people.  Specifically you.  

God’s church is an actual, visible, localized gathering of believers who meet regularly at a specific place for fellowship, prayer, and worship.  So…. after worship this week in the northern building, we will meet just outside the sanctuary with the committee conveners of our church.  The gathering of leaders will include the convener of the new vision task force, Joy Augustin.  And we will invite all members of our church to talk with them and offer gifts of time and talent given to you by God, back to God.

Please pray for God to show you where you will contribute.  We encourage every pair of hands that is attached to a heart for God to participate.The bulletin for our weekly worship is attached, and within are announcements for activities and ministry of our church.  
But better than this, please come in person to be with your brothers and sisters in Christ this Sunday to hear all about these plans and events from those who love God as much as you.  And together we will praise God, whose love embraces the whole creation, and who finds a place and a purpose for us mortals.  
May God’s spirit give us the energy and insight we need to serve, praise and worship God.  May God bless us all.
Blessings,

Rev. Chandra Mannix

Good evening members and adherents, friends and family of the newly amalgamated church.

The fall colours clothe the world around us. In the splendour of the harvest season, we are blessed to begin our week tomorrow by eating and drinking at the Lord’s table.  We are not only recipients of the bountiful provisioning of the earth, but we receive food for our soul through scripture, and salvation for our lives through the sacrifice of Christ.  God is good!

As we step into the season of Thanksgiving, we remember the journey of those who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon 2500 years ago.  We remember the rebuilding of the foundation of the temple of the Lord.  In bible studies on Wednesday nights, and in the service tomorrow, we remember the stories of the lives in Ezra.  And we hold gently the tension between the remembrance of what was, and the hope for what will be.  

For us here in 2020’s Canada, embracing the time between what has passed and what will come allows us to step into worship and fellowship and ministry in a spirit of gratitude, curiosity, and awe as one body in Christ.  We match our steps, young and old, from many nations, to answer the call from God on all our hearts to build the newly amalgamated church and share the gospel message to our neighbours.

The attached bulletin contains the announcements of the many activities of the week to come.  Of special note at the northern building will be the funeral of Isa Tieken on Wednesday, communion on Thursday, and the Labyrinth Cafe on Friday.  At the southern building on Thursday, there will be yoga, a community cafe, and sandwich making for at-risk youth.  And last but not least, bible study Wednesdays continue in person and online.

Please receive this email as an invitation to come and worship and break bread with your brothers and sisters in Christ tomorrow at 10 AM to celebrate the first communion as the amalgamated church.  And may your gratitude and praise be heard by God.

Blessings,

Rev. Chandra Mannix