Slideshow image

Hi everyone! I trust that you’re all having a good week. Hopefully it’s been fairly restful, too, since these next 7 days are likely to be quite busy for many of us!

It’s the Family Day long weekend, and long weekends tend to be busy. Some of us will be out doing things with the family, in the official spirit of the holiday. Perhaps some will be traveling. Others will use whatever sunshine we get to do stuff around the house. Diane and I haven’t made big plans at the moment, but we are conscious that even without special plans in advance, long weekends quickly fill up with stuff to do that’s been waiting until we have a few extra hours to do it.

The weekend also brings Valentine’s Day on Saturday. (That’s a reminder to all of you in relationships that should include some kind of Valentine show of affection. Don’t forget that card, those flowers, chocolates, that date, walk in the park or whatever it is that works in your relationship. We don’t want to have a bunch of unhappy people showing up at church on Sunday, still grumbling over a disappointing Valentine’s Day!)  Valentine’s has different implications for different people, and even those of us who celebrate don’t always do it right on the 14th. But for many of us, it does add another (delightful) item to the calendar. So, it tends to be busy.

And then there’s Chinese New Year, which will be a busy time for lots of folks in our congregation. The official celebration doesn’t start until next Tuesday, but I know preparations have already begun in many households. Some of you will be traveling—maybe you are already. There will be a lot of cooking, cleaning, organizing, decorating and all the other things that go into the turning of the year. And, by the way, a big “Thank you!” in advance to the many who will welcome our church into the celebration this Sunday morning with decorations, food and other elements of the holiday to share.

It will be a busy weekend for many, on multiple fronts. May plans go smoothly, may your visits and events be filled with joy and warm fellowship, may your celebrations be reminders of the goodness of our Heavenly Father, and may you sense God’s presence with you, whether the weekend is hectic or restful.

I’m conscious that in the midst of the various celebrations that are coming up, our community also carries its share of worries, grief, and difficulty. Some of the things on our hearts are very public and widely known. Our hearts continue to go out to the people of Iran and to our brothers and sisters who have friends and family and other connections in that country, who feel the unrest in a very personal way. Some of us carry very specific burdens for other countries where there is turmoil. And of course, people across Canada are grieving for and with the community of Tumbler Ridge after the shooting there this week.

To these we could add a whole lot of less public matters that weigh on our hearts and minds. For all of us who are grieving, struggling, worried, or carrying the weight of other concerns, may God grant a powerful sense of His presence, grace, comfort and help. He is present with us, and always will be, whether the weekend is busy or quiet, whether our minds are filled with thankfulness for current blessings or with concerns over prayers not yet fully answered. May we all sense that presence, and may we find ways to be the hands and feet of Jesus to bring encouragement to one another as we bump into each other this weekend and beyond.

I know we are a praying church. Thank you for all the ways you stand with one another and with us as a pastoral team at WVBC through prayer, individually and in groups. It’s much appreciated—and it does make a difference. May prayer continue to be a prominent part of our DNA as the body of Christ. Please do remember to pray for us as we come together to worship this Sunday. And, as you think of it, I’d appreciate your special prayer for the upcoming Family Ministry Forum, now scheduled for March 1, and planned to kick off after our church service and a light lunch at 12:15. It’s just one of many things we’re doing these days, but it’s a strategic gathering at a strategic time, and it’s important for us to be clear that it’s in God’s hands and not dependent on our own skill or wisdom.

That captures the main news on my mind this week. One other final quick, random thing, I learned this morning that the internet hackers have been busy again, finding ways to send out fake emails pretending to come from me or from others at the church, asking people to purchase gift cards, etc.  As we’ve said before, just a reminder:  no one at church will ever send you an email asking you to send them money directly, or to buy gift cards or transfer money in other ways. If you get a message of that sort, even if it pretends to come from me, flag it as spam, let the office know, and delete it. It’s a message from the spirit of “Anti-pastor.” 

Have a wonderful week and weekend. Enjoy Valentine’s Day. (Don’t forget!)   Enjoy New Years! Enjoy the long weekend! Enjoy God’s richest blessings, and hopefully we’ll see you soon.

—Pastor Ken