There goes another one, and another one. Just read on the internet that one of the big cathedrals in England is having difficulty paying its bills. They say it is now costing thirty thousand dollars a month to pay the bills. Another church just north of downtown Toronto has closed its doors and will soon open in December as condos. It was a large imposing structure of cut grey stone. It stands four or five stories high and taking up most of one whole city block. It has been standing on this prominent corner for more than eighty years. And now, it’s gone. The people could not afford to pay to heat the building. For most of its life, an office building next door provided the heat. Now that office is gone and so it the church.
Moving closer to home. A church in Brantford is buckling under the weight of a two thousand dollars a month heating bill.
A short drive down the highway brings us to another boarded up building. It needed so many repairs, they just sold the property to a developer and condo’s will be springing up on the manicured lawn by spring. Gone, gone, gone. One after another we see these wonderful buildings disappearing. Some have been transformed, standing as something other then what it was built for. The ones that have crumbled under the wreckers ball is replaced by;
“Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.”
On streets that have names like Bishop’s Gate.
For years, we as followers of Jesus, have said that the church is not a building on a corner. We have tried to tell ourselves that the church is people. It is each and every person who believes in Jesus Christ. Now, we are beginning to live out this reality. We can and should morn the closing of each and every sanctuary. And yet, as we walk away from those closed doors we need to rise up and cheer on the church that we know and love. For indeed it is, a group of people who are committed to having a relationship with a God who loves them and a commitment to each other.
God in Christ encouraged us to fellowship, a big word meaning that we should get together. It is you and I, coming together, helping, sharing and stepping up to the plate, with support, encouragement and a thousand other things the church has always done and needs to continue to be in a world that is experiencing so much pain.
And where there is still a building. Go there and make a joyful noise to God. After all, He is listening.
Something to think about
Rob

Music to My Ears

It’s music to my ears. Well, some would use different words for what we hear most Thursday evening. That was band practice that night. Most of the cadets were there and most of them sounded reasonable. Scattered amongst them is what we call, “Newbie.” Just starting. Giving it a try. Hopping beyond hope that what they learn will turn from noise driving their parents crazy to the sweet sound of music and recognizable.
I know most of them tried practicing. They would try this, try that and what a difference. But to be honest, it didn’t help much.
This meant it was time for me to spend some time with each student. While the others were talking or playing or just doing what teens do I focused on one student at a time. There is the very young trumpet player, or want-a-be. After just a few minutes of observation, things improved and onto the sax player, the flute player, etc. You get the idea. It was a chance to be one on one with young teens who really want to do this.
And it only took a few minutes of time to notice some things and help them. What a difference and what a wonderful smile when they hear themselves finally play a wonderful note. It was more then a light coming on. It was a milestone for one so young and full of desire to play.
It’s the same with us when we start the process of being introduced to this person Jesus. It takes those moments when someone introduces us to Christ. We see Him for who He is and who we are. Loved by Him. After this we are on the journey of our lifetime. We open God’s word hear He talks with us. From those printed pages we have one on one with Jesus. He directs our lives and we get better as the days go by. It takes time but the director of the universe takes time to reach down to me and you so we get better in the symphony of life.
Need some direction?
Just ask.
He is there to help.
Something to think about
Rob