The Church Mouse

 (This week I’m straying from my normal blog format and publishing the sermon I preached at St. John’s United Church in Cardinal, Ontario, on Sunday May 3, 2026.  The scripture for this sermon was the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10: 25-37)   I am so delighted to be here this morning.  In many ways it feels like I’ve come to a family reunion and I’m staying for lunch at my cousin’s house.  You all are part of who I am as a Minister, as a rural minister, and as a life-long learner.  You see – way back many … Read more

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1) “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34) Since returning from knee surgery, I’ve had a steady stream of inquiries about weddings at Bethel. Without fail, the first question is about cost. Not theology. Not vows. Not the meaning of covenant. Cost. We don’t actually have a formal wedding policy, so I borrow from our funeral guidelines and explain the basic fees. I also mention, gently but clearly, that we can’t accommodate large crowds, we … Read more

  28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us[a] while he was talking to us on the … Read more

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” (John 20:19–21) A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were … Read more

After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:12–15)  Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went out to the Jews … Read more

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;  they brought the donkey and the colt and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd[b] spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!     Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who … Read more

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.  He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”  (John 11: 32-35) You have turned my mourning into dancing;     you have taken off my sackcloth     and … Read more

“They all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces – twelve baskets full.” (Matthew 14:20)  One of the unexpected privileges of being off on sick leave is the chance to “church‑surf” from the comfort of my couch. In the past few weeks, I’ve tuned into streamed worship from New York City, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Smiths Falls, Brockville, and of course, our very own Facebook livestream with all of you. I love this! I love that our virtual congregation each week sits somewhere between 120 and 140 people—more than double what we … Read more

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” (John 4: 13-15) It’s feeling a little like Spring these days. The weather is warmer. We morphed from a snow storm to freezing rain and … Read more

“While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.” (Matthew 17:5–8) “Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain…” (Exodus 24:17) … Read more