Slideshow image

Dear Glen Morris United Church, 

Peace be with you! I hope that you are enjoying the Glen looking like a true winter wonderland lately. I absolutely love the powdery snow that looks like a million sparkles laying on the ground, especially after the sun has gone down. 

I wanted to take a moment to talk to you about the protests currently happening in Ottawa this past week known as the “Freedom Convoy” as I’m aware that this may be a topic of conversation that is difficult to avoid right now. As it has been since the start of the pandemic, it can be hard to find the right balance between feeling informed and overwhelmed. Just last week, our lectionary reading shared with us Jesus’ first sermon, where he read the words of Isaiah: 

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free”

As Christians, we know that we are followers of the One who not only was concerned about our souls, but about the kingdom here on earth; about the consequences of oppression in our daily lives. So how do we make sense of this national conversation we see unfolding that speaks to such large and complex ideas such as freedom, human rights, public safety, and more?

I find it helpful to pay attention to the way the Spirit’s liberating presence operates throughout the Bible: helping enslaved people become free, chasing Jesus into the wilderness for a time of challenging discernment, calling for a world where prisoners are free. I also find it helpful to pair this understanding of freedom with the image of the Body of Christ - where we are all seen as indispensable and interconnected.

As a Christian, when we are asked to engage in the work of freedom, we must ask: does this work contribute to our collective freedom? Does this definition of freedom account for the needs of all or is it selfishness disguised in the language of freedom? I know that these few questions will not provide all of the answers to the ways you may be having difficult and emotionally charged conversations with loved ones right now. 

Please remember that pastoral care is not just about receiving support when you are facing medical challenges, but about all the ways we may be in loving community with each other in all the challenges we face as disciples. If you are feeling isolated, working your way through a conflict, or just wanted to share with someone some recent wonderings about faith, I hope we can connect soon! 

May the Peace of Christ ground your brave and courageous conversations you are having this week, 

May the Peace of Christ offer you wisdom in our shared work of collective freedom, 

 

Yours in Christ, 

Rev Michiko

 

Engage 

KAIROS presents: Empowering Temporary Foreign Workers Project Information Session

February 16th, 2022 3:00 PM 

This webinar is part of a series of information and resource-sharing webinars to strengthen capacity and build solidarity during this difficult time.

Join us to chat about:
•    Services for Temporary Foreign Workers, in particular migrant farmworkers
•    Increasing awareness amongst Temporary Foreign Workers of health and safety precautions related to COVID-19
•    Services and benefits available during the pandemic
•    Gaps in existing supports and services within the current COVID-19 context
•    Strengthening capacity of the network to accompany Temporary Foreign Workers in accessing services and benefits, and to exercise their rights

Click here for more info and to register! 

If you are unable to attend, you can watch the video of a workshop hosted by KAIROS last year on the topic: