Excerpts From: The Messenger |
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"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you."
For millions of people, the Christmas season means nothing more than parties, gifts, decorations, and time off work and have for good time. For Christians, however, this time of year is a happy reminder of the hope we have because of Jesus Christ. Before Jesus came, God seemed distant, hidden in the Holy of Holies in the temple, accessible only to the high priest. Worshipers wondered whether their sacrifices were acceptable. They doubted their salvation.
Christ means hope?to the person out of work, to the struggling single parent, to the dying believer. Even if you're just slogging your way through the disappointments of life, if you have Jesus, you have hope. And he is not a false hope, a childish fairy tale that we wish will have a happy ending. When Christ rose from the dead, that ended the argument. Our hope in him is solid and it is real. Christmas is a renewal of that hope. It reconfirms it for us if our vision has grown dim. It was settled long ago, so we don't have to doubt any more. Jesus is the fulfillment of our hope, our deepest longings come true. God has come to us hidden in the person of Jesus Christ.
One of the church fathers St. Augustine wrote: "What, then, is the God I worship? ... You are the most hidden from us and yet the most present among us, the most beautiful and yet the most strong, ever enduring; and yet we cannot comprehend you."
When the virgin gave birth to this Son, Immanuel was at last present among us, yet in so many ways he was still hidden from us. According to St. Paul Rom.11:33 it says, "Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!" I personally find the mystery of Christmas very exciting, yet in the back of my mind I wonder why God would want to live among us and even within us, when we cannot fully comprehend him? I ask myself?.. How can mortal comprehend the immortal, how can the unrighteous perceive the righteous God, and how can unholy eyes behold the face of a holy God? It is impossible, incomprehensible, and beyond our ability.
But the answer lies in the four letter word Love. For God so loved the world that He choose to cloth himself in Christ, so that we can behold his face, touch, and feel him. Yes! Truly God is with us. If you've ever gone to live in a foreign country, you've known the temporary loneliness and frustration of living among people who can't fully understand you. In spite of the hardship, most likely you endured because you knew that one day you would eventually be fully understood.
First Corinthians13:12 promises a day when we will no longer see through imperfect eyes: "Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely." Could it be that Immanuel?God With Us?is looking forward to that day just as much as we are ... that day when we see him with perfect clarity and know him completely? Then our Hope will be complete.
As we delve into Christmas activities may the Spirit of God guide each and every one of us not to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas is. Christ, our hope has come.
"We have lasting hope through the salvation we have in Christ ... Hope means that even when it looks like it's all over, it's not all over yet. That's why the Bible says we can rejoice even in our tribulations. God is working in our hard times to produce proven character and hope in us."
-Dr. Tony Evans, Totally Saved
Like Mary, we have received great value because of our relationship to our Lord Jesus Christ. It was for us that Jesus came into the world as Mary?s child. For us Christ gave his life on the cross and rose from the dead?. And because of all these we have eternal share in his greatness. May God?s presence fill our heart, our home and may the birth of the Christ-child be a sustaining strength throughout this festive season and the days to come. May we all be richly blessed by this wonderful gift of Christ, our Hope.
On behalf of St. Ansgar, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Ględlig Jul, Frohe Weihnacht, and have a Blessed, and prosperous New Year.
Your friend and pastor,
Pastor Samuel King-Kabu
It has been about six months since I last reported to you, following our financial crisis in April of this year. We have managed to hold our head above water since then, thanks in part to the generous contributions of those who answered our call. I work directly with the treasurer to monitor our situation, most notably our cash flow, on a weekly basis and Council examines the situation each month.
We have not sunk any lower, but we are certainly not out of the woods yet! We manage month-by-month, when we really should be at least a month ahead in terms of cash in the bank. This must be our first goal.
Quite a number of people have responded to our call and have adjusted their giving patterns, in the knowledge that it is their giving which supports our church. I have recalculated the required giving amount that I reported last time, taking into account our rentals; the funds we graciously acknowledge from the DLA, based in part on the Bazaar; and the fact that there are 52 weeks in a year. To break even on our annual expenses, we need a weekly contribution level of $925. Thankfully, our loan is paid off and the loan account (which was costing us a fair amount of money) has been closed.
Most now realize that, subject of course to personal circumstances, people need to budget about $20 to $25 a week for their giving. (Some, even though they may not be able to reach that level, have nevertheless increased their giving dramatically.) Most now realize that they need to think of us even on weeks when they cannot make it to church. We're still here and our expenses do not take a holiday. Even with all that, the burden cannot fall only on those who come on Sundays (though we all pray that more will come regularly.) Those members of our extended community, who hold St. Ansgar's dear to their hearts, and who feel comfortable knowing the Danish Church is here for them, must contribute towards its? ongoing existence. As, indeed, many have done. Continue to spread the word!
In the midst of this, even though we are in crisis, we cannot stand still. Four years ago the exterior walls of our sanctuary drastically needed repair and we borrowed money to make the repairs. This loan put a terrible burden on our finances, and we do not want to do this again. Nevertheless, you may have noticed the almost constant leaks in the ceiling of Beck Hall.
Makeshift repairs cannot go on forever; we will have to spend some serious money on the roof of this hall. To get us started, we have opened a 'savings' account with our bank, where we can keep funds segregated from the general fund and for only minimal cost. We have begun accepting contributions to our 'roof fund'. Hopefully, this time, we can collect the money in advance, praying that our roof will hold out for the next five years or so.
Do not be misled. Our primary need is to fix our ongoing financial situation. Think of that first and then, if you have extra to give, you may contribute to the roof fund. If people shift all their giving to the roof fund, we will be unable to meet our regular expenses and will have no choice but to dip into the roof fund. To avoid this, which none of us want, give first to St. Ansgar's regular ministry. Then, give to the roof.
With God's help, I am confident that we can get ourselves back onto an even keel financially and, at the same time, prepare to stop the leaks permanently.
Roger Kenner
Your Council President.
Web Page prepared by:
Roger Kenner
& Jette Blair.
Content-New Topics Last Updated: 2011/12/13
St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church - Montreal