Fall Back

Don't forget to set your clock back this Sunday!

Church Calendars

We haven't ordered the Canadian Church Calendar this year. After 40 years of producing a joint calendar the Anglicans and United Church have decided to produce separate calendars. It's a disappointing development and we didn't want to choose one or the other. If you would like to order a church calendar from one or the other denomination the links are below.

United Church Calendar order form

Anglican Church Calendar order form

or you could order a calendar from Mennonite Central Committee
it's free!

The Book of Job

Over two weeks I have been preaching the Book of Job. I'm generally wary about publishing a sermon. I always have a text but I view it as a script, an aid to performance. The written form is not really meant for any eyes but mine. I've had some requests, though, from folks who missed one or the other of these sermons so I'll post them here with this preamble.

Job Part One

Job Part Two

Imagining our reality

Over on United Methodeviations Dan Dick is imagining what the PCF has been living for Forty Seven years. He asks us to imagine what would happen...

"if when we woke up tomorrow morning, all our buildings and property were gone? How many of our congregations would carry on with hardly a disruption? How many “members” would we lose to churches with buildings? How long would it take us to get reorganized? Would one of our top priorities be to build new buildings or would we step back and, uhm, “rethink” church? What would our worship look like? Where would we gather? What form would our fellowship take? What about Christian education? What would we do?"

No need to imagine. Perhaps we should write up our experience as a controlled experiment and publish?

VBS

What a great week! I'll upload some pictures and give you a peek soon. This was the fourth year in a row we have cooperated with Pinawa Lutheran Congregation to offer Vacation Bible School. This year's them was "Discovery Canyon". With the help of various critters we explored the themes, Rejoice, Pray, Ask, Tell, and Seek. An average of thirty children attended for five mornings! (Pretty good for a town with about 95 children in the elementary school!) The enthusiasm was overwhelming and the support from adults, and youths, from both congregations was wonderful. Thanks, in particular to Rhea Galeschuk and Leslie Strandlund who got us organized. Barb Zetaruk remarked that on the second day she heard two little girls in the neighbourhood bouncing on their backyard trampoline with friends (who hadn't been at VBS) singing the songs at the top of their voices!

Typhoon and Tropical Storm Morakot

The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) – 11 August 2009
Typhoon and Tropical Storm Morakot

Following news reports in the international media the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) received several messages from overseas concerning the typhoon and tropical storm Morakot that struck Taiwan the weekend 7-10 August 2009.

Please know the PCT is very grateful for your expressions of concern and in turn wish to give you a brief update. Basically the typhoon itself proved to be quite minimal compared to what Taiwan normally experiences, and it was soon downgraded to a tropical storm but torrential rains came in its wake Saturday and Sunday.

The initial reports and investigations indicate the South of the country incurred most damage, in particular Taitung and Pingtung counties. As we know some areas had their equivalent of one year rainfall in two days and the worst flooding recorded in 50 years in Taiwan.

At the present time, under such critical conditions and until the water level decreases, it is very difficult to fully assess the true and total picture as to extent of loss of life, or damage to the land and property. Broken roads and collapsed bridges not to mention electricity cuts and telephone lines damaged are hampering communication and the assessment process. From what PCT staff have witnessed and based on the media reports there are bound to be villages swept away. It is really devastating - the clean up will be horrendous and it will be necessary to monitor and control any infections that could arise from dirty water, debris, dead animals and so on.

The PCT General Assembly is already active and involved in the national disaster response relief and rescue work doing their part as best as they can. We are coordinating with our numerous Presbyteries setting up relief centers, phone help lines, dropping stations for donations in kind and money. Some of you have expressed concern for PCT churches, again, it is premature to evaluate the loss of lives or the extent of damage to our church members’ homes and church property but as PCT local congregations are in many communities all over Taiwan this is inevitable. Information will be released in time.

On behalf of the PCT and the people of Taiwan we express our deep appreciation for your concern and ask that you hold the victims of this major disaster in your prayers as well as those involved in the daunting task of rescue and relief in the weeks to come.

Rev. Lin Tsung-Jeng (Leonard)
PCT Moderator, 54th General Assembly

Rev. Chang Te-Chien (Andrew)
PCT General Secretary

Harvie Barker's Good Word

Harvie and Liz Barker were in town last week and dropped by the third installment of A Good Word In Season. Harvie was minister here at the PCF from 1974 to 1980. This is a collection of 40 inspirational messages published in the Penticton Herald between January 23, 2007 and July 16, 2008. Proceeds from the sale of A Good Word In Season support the Pathways Addiction Resource centre and the "Be an Angel Fund" of the Penticton Herald. The previous two editions have raised just over $6,000. If you would like a copy call Rob at the church office (753-8439) - only $10.