Pastor's Corner

That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent me.
(John 17:21)

What is the greatest power that allows the non-Christian to make a decision for Jesus Christ or come to the house of God? It isn't prayer, though this is important. It isn't food deeds, though deeds indicate a fruitful relationship with God. It isn't good behavior, though Christ commands us to be obedient as sons. The greatest power God's children have over darkness is unity. Jesus talked a great deal about His oneness with the Father and the importance of unity in the Body of Christ. It is the most difficult command Jesus gave to the church because it wars against the most evil aspect of our sin nature - independence.

In the last few years I have noticed God's Spirit working in the lives of members of St. Ansgar's. I am also seeing God move between each and everyone with His healing. It looks though, that we are being changed daily from glory to glory, and praise be to God. When God sees the competition and the pride of ownership and weeps for people outside of God's family who cannot come to him because they cannot see God in His body. When his body is one, the unbelieving see that Jesus was sent by God. It is like a supernatural key that unlocks heaven for the seeking soul. The key is in the hand of Christ's Church.

When there is unity, there is power. Scripture tells us five will chase a hundred, but a hundred will chase ten thousand (see Lev. 26.8). There is a dynamic multiplication factor in unity of numbers. We are a hundred times more effective when we are a unified group. Imagine what God could do with a unified church.

Jesus prayed that we all might be one, as the Father and He are one. He wanted the same love God has for Jesus to be in eash of us. And because this movement of God. We are seeing new faces at worship almost each Sunday.

When this love is in us, we are drawn to each other with a common mission. The walls gall down. The independent spirit is broken. Competition is destroyed. Satan's accusations are thwarted. Our love for each other is manifest to the world around us. Lost souls begin to seek this love that is so foreign to them. I want to thank you all for your contribution to healing spirit within his Body at st. Ansgar's. There is much work to be done. Until we walk in the spirit of unity, we will hinder those in whom God has reserved a place in Heaven. Pray for the continuous healing, unity, and purpose of his church.

Have a blessed summer.

Your friend and pastor,
Pastor Samuel K King-Kabu.
Pastor@st-ansgars-montreal.ca

The Royal Wedding

The invitation was in as soon as the engagement was announced and the date of the wedding set. It was slated to be the wedding of the century. HRH Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, was going to marry his sweetheart, Mary Donaldson of Tasmania.

My mother invited her children to see the wedding on her tv on May 14. I decided to make it a longer stay and arrived in time for my mother's 84th birthday. A few days later the TV went up in smoke with a loud bang.

This was very serious, as we were all going to watch the wedding on that tv. The sick tv was hauled off to be repaired just hours before we set off on the train to Austria.

Upon our return we heard the tv could be repaired, it was the electrical system. Another week passed, and the tv was back home and was working splendidly . Then we went off to Bornholm to spend a lovely week there despite the chilly weather.

The countdown of the wedding had arrived: May 5, Denmark's Liberation Day, the Danish Defence paid tribute to the couple. May 7 a rock concert. May 9, Frederik and Mary had a match race in the port of Copenhagen. Mary and her sailing crew won. It was all in fun.

A reception at City Hall, a reception in the Folketing, the Danish parliament, an all party with friends and family, a gala concert at the Royal Theatre, receiving gifts, etc. Everything in the week preceding the wedding. We could spend all day in front of the TV if we wanted, but we opted for the highlights at the end of each day.

The day of the Royal Wedding arose. Downtown areas were cordoned off and people were warned not to try to bring their cars into the area. The streets were decorated with flags, Danish and Australian, flowers and banners congratulating the couple.

At 3:30 Frederik arrived with his best man, Joachim, his younger brother, at Vor Frue Kirke, the Copenhagen Cathedral. As Fredrick waited for his bride to arrive, he got emotional, Joachim did what he could to cheer Frederik up.

Finally Mary arrived with her father. He was wearing the dress kilt of the McDonald clan, probably the first time anyone wore a kilt to a Danish Royal wedding. The bride wore Queen Ingrid's antique lace veil and a gorgeous wedding gown of satin silk in the same colour, with a 6 metre train. It was a magnificent wedding, the bishop officiated and gave the young couple a splendid speech.

Afterwards, the young couple went outside as the sun broke through the clouds, and got into the open horse-drawn chariot for the ride to Amalienborg Palace, the royal residence, throngs of people lining the streets everywhere. The newly weds came out on the balcony at Amalienborg to cheers by 25,000 people assembled in the palace square.

Family photos were taken before the newly weds left for Fredensborg Castle for the wedding dinner and the bridal waltz. Most of the way they travelled in a limousine, but when they aarived in the city of Fredensborg, they got into another open horsedrawn carriage for the remaining trip. We heard moving speeches by Henrik, the prince-consort, Queen Margrethe, John Donaldson, father of the bride, and Crown Prince Frederik. In the wee hours of the morning, the wedding day was over and Frederik and Mary set off for their honeymoon.

Prime ministers and Royalty from many countries attended the wedding. Although security was high, it was not oppressive. Where else in this world could a royal couple travel in an open carriage through downtown in a major city, passing within inches of millions of people? This constitutional monarchy is beloved by the Danes and it shows.

Web Page prepared by:
Roger Kenner & Jette Blair.
Content-New Topics Last Updated: 2005/11/09
St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church - Montreal