Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12: 1,2)

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;  if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. (Psalm 139:8)

“Pray that these hands do God’s work”  (Rev. Alan Tysick, from a talk given at St. John’s Cardinal, September 5, 2025)

Yesterday, I had the great privilege to hear Rev. Alan Tysick speak at one of our sister churches, St. John’s United in Cardinal.  Rev. Tysick served in this Region quite some time ago and founded the House of Lazarus; an amazing program that our Mission and Service funds continue to support.  He has retired from a 35+ year career doing, well, basically, street ministry, in Victoria B.C.  His love and devotion for those people who find themselves unhoused and living on the margins was beautiful, and he spoke poignantly about how he encountered the living Christ in his everyday encounters.  He told several quite moving stories; sharing communion on the street with a bottle of gin and a borrowed sandwich, seeing people sharing food when they had very little to eat themselves (and even sharing dentures!  But you need to read his book Muddy Waters to hear that story), and seeing love and care for your neighbour in the most unlikely places.  He didn’t paint a completely rosy picture and spoke candidly about being physically hurt, about encountering violence that we never worry about, and about the ‘chaos’ that was a companion to his ministry for his whole career.

The whole talk, Rev. Tysick reminded us that God was in the places of glory as well as the places of horror.  “If I ascend to heaven, You are there;  if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.”

One of the encounters that he spoke about was with a man who was the ‘debt collector’ for drug dealers.  Rev. Tysick joked that there was “money in dope, for those of you considering a career-change”, and talked about this man incongruously driving a Mercedes and wearing a whole lot of jewelry.  This man approached Rev. Tysick, and asked for prayer.  A little thrown by this request coming from someone so well-off, Rev. Tysick asked him what he needed prayer for, and the man simply held up his hands and asked

“Pray that these hands do God’s work”.

He was asking that his hands be used in the service of God, rather than in the service of drugs and profits and violence.  A radical shift in outlook.  A potentially dangerous shift in outlook.

The prayers were made, and Rev. Tysick told us that the man sent him a postcard some time later indicating that he was volunteering and helping people in another setting.  We weren’t given any more information about this man’s story, or the extent of the transformation, so it wasn’t like one of those YouTube inspiration-porn stories of dramatic redemption.  Instead it was a quiet, maybe almost imperceptible change in understanding of who he was and what he was meant to be.

And all of it left me wondering.  Have we, in the organized church somehow stopped claiming the simplicity of the Gospel message?  Have we forgotten the ‘why’ of our identity as Christians and the idea of “ fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.?”  Have we, in our quest for ‘relevancy’ and ‘bringing in young people’ and even ‘keeping the lights on in our sanctuary’, forgotten that this has nothing to do with us?  Nothing to do with our comfort, with our legacy, with our identity or even our faith?’

“Pray that these hands do God’s work”.

On Thursday last week, at Prayer and Share, we were reminded that we have had to dip into our reserve funds so that Sandra could make payroll; as in, pay me.  This, honestly is not unexpected if you look at our financial reports.   The Trustees have always been clear that we have money, but that it isn’t limitless, and that each dip into our reserves points that truth out.  I had a moment of dismay; I am more than aware that my salary is the biggest budget line in our accounts.  I often find that difficult because I love Bethel, and I want to see things like longevity, and comfort and even keeping the lights on in the Sanctuary for the rest of time.  But the bottom line, is that’s not the ‘race that’s set before us.’.  The stories of Jesus remind us that we are living a life of difference; a life that entreats us to service, to love and to justice.  A life that is led differently from the rest of our society.  A life that says, in honesty and humility:

“Pray that these hands do God’s work”.

So my beautiful Bethel friends, lets claim this prayer together.  Because that’s the race we are running.

Blessings today and Remember you are Loved.

~Rev. Lynne