St. John’s United Church

Called to Be Holy
Always live as God’s holy people should,
because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy.
That’s why the Scriptures say, “I am the holy God, and you must be holy too.”
1 Peter 1:15-16
In his book, Holy Days and Holidays, Edward Deems writes, “The first idea I had of heaven was […]

“HARVEST”
Tell the soil to celebrate and wild animals to stop being afraid.
Grasslands are green again; fruit trees and fig trees are loaded with fruit.
Grapevines are covered with grapes.
People of Zion, celebrate in honour of the LORD your God!
He is generous and has sent the autumn and spring rains in the proper seasons.
(Joel 2:21-23)

One day a […]

“Friend or Foe”
“Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast demons out of people.
But he wasn’t one of us, so we told him to stop.”
Mark 9:38
“Mom, Billy’s spraying things with the hose in the front yard!” “It’s ok. I told him he could water the flowers. It’s hot out. If he […]

Reeling in the FISH! Philosophy
If you hear the message and don’t obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.
But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free.
God will bless you in everything you do, […]

“Encountering the Holy”
Richard Fairchild tells of how one his instructors at the Vancouver School of Theology used to come and sit or stand near the members of his class and, as he talked, look at each student and then - finger raised to emphasize some point or other – fix his gaze intently upon someone […]

Seeking Wisdom
Solomon said: “Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then, I will know how to rule your people. If you don’t, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.” 10-11 God said: Solomon, I’m pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked […]

“Doing What Comes Naturally”
“Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Ephesians 5:1-2
Oscar Wilde once said that the worst advice one could offer anyone is: “Just be yourself.” And yet, that is the theme of my […]

“THE GRACE OF LETTING GO”
“Jesus called the twelve followers together
and sent them out in groups of two…
to preach to the people to change their hearts and lives.”
(Mark 6:7,12)
The Korean War was raging. A little village came under heavy artillery fire. In the village stood a Catholic church. Outside the church, mounted on a pedestal, there was […]

“Living and Loving”
I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me.
So remain faithful to my love for you.
If you obey me, I will keep loving you,
just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.
I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am.
Now I tell you […]

“Held Together by Love”

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God;
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
We love because God first loved us.
Let those who love God love their brothers and sisters also.”
(from 1 John 4:7-21)

Once there was a missionary in Africa, living in his central mission, that had […]