Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

Category: Ukraine

  • Easter Renewal

    Easter Renewal

    Easter Sunday is almost here!  This is the day we pause in the midst of all life holds and acknowledge the power of our great Creator to “do a new thing”.  It isn’t about knowing.  It is about faith.  We don’t know what “new thing” God is about to do but we have faith it will be good. Like the women who arrived to an empty tomb, we too acknowledge the wonder, confusion and even the trepidation that goes along with God’s “new thing”.

    If I have learned anything as a Country Preacher it is that country folks know better than most how to trust in God’s “new thing”.    As the muddy days of early spring turn into days of productivity the almost barren fields turn to shades of green as neatly planted rows of seeds bud.  The once barren trees begin to fill with tiny leaves and the mucky ditches are transformed by colourful spring flowers.  Yes, this “new thing” God is up to becomes evident with each new day.

    We will gather on Good Friday to witness the uncomfortable funeral of our Savior.  We will sing the hymns ‘The Old Rugged Cross’ and ‘Were You There?’ before snuffing out the Christ Candle and leaving the sanctuary in silence.  We will return in a jubilant mood two days later!

    Easter Sunday has always been a cause for celebration!  Extra decorations are placed in the sanctuary, the black cloth on the cross is replaced by white and folks arrive with an extra spring to their step and a joyful ring to their singing. 

    This Easter we will add a new decoration to our sanctuary; two Ukrainian blown Easter Eggs.  At one church I served there was a member who came from a Ukrainian family and he had the gift of creating these beautiful eggs. Over the years I served in his church he gifted me twice with these priceless masterpieces. They have a special place in my china cabinet, but this year, in honour of our prayers and concerns for the Ukraine people, they will be placed on the Communion Table.  May they be a reminder of those who are displaced and in great need of “God’s New Thing”.

    We will gather at sunrise on the shores of Georgian Bay at the base of a cross and together, with the waves and birds, sing of God’s newness. Later in the morning we will gather again in a stain glassed sanctuary ready to lift the roof with the traditional hymn, “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”!

    May the renewal of life at Easter bring new blessings of love, hope, peace, happiness and good health to everyone!

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Notes Of Humility

    Notes Of Humility

    Picture by Patrick Hendry/Unsplash

    There is a new rule in our house; no news after 7:00 p.m. !

    The last time I watched the 11:00 p.m. news I didn’t sleep a wink that night.  The softness of my bed and the quietness of my room carried me back to the underground garages where Ukrainian families slept on damp cement floors covered by thin blankets.    

    As  I tossed and turned my thoughts returned to the father standing outside a train as it pulled away holding his son’s toy car with tears rolling down his face; he sent his family away to safety while he stayed to fight for his country.  My prayers began to rise throughout that long night.

    I began to ponder, “What is power?”  Certainly from the news we can easily make the mistake of thinking missiles, bombs and instruments of war define that which power is.  Putin and his kind seem to have the upper hand, their brute force leaving us all feeling small, useless and vulnerable.

    Jesus knew what it was to feel vulnerable.  He lived his final days with the knowledge of what lied ahead; the fickle crowds, misled leaders, and the unimaginable pain of nails hammered by the hatred of humanity.

    Despite this he demonstrated the ultimate act of humility. Everyone except Jesus was caught off guard. With a basin of clean water and an ordinary towel he knelt down and washed the feet of every disciple; even washing the feet of Judas, knowing all the while that Judas was going to betray him. 

    Over 2000 years later this humble act remains an example of how to reach great heights by kneeling low to help others. As Saint Augustine writes, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes humans as angels.”

    Such an angel is Davide Martello who traveled 5000 miles to play his piano for the Ukrainian refugees.  This man knows a thing or two about what is truly powerful.  He traveled from Germany to the Ukrainian-Polish border with his piano where he played music to bring peace and hope to the refugees. He understands the power of beauty and melody to carry people out of the ugliness of war and to help soothe anxieties.   

    What a vision he created; sitting there at his piano defying the bombs, the soldiers and the devastation that surrounded him. His humble act of love and beauty has lifted the spirits of many around the globe.

    We each can do our part to add to the peace in this world; each bowing down to pray or reaching out to help.  We can share our resources; the Red Cross is accepting online donations as are most denominations.  Humbling ourselves to lift others up is the most Christ-like act any of us could ever do; it connects us to an eternal power that brings life out of seemingly dead situations.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel