In 2004 as a meditation at a ministerial meeting, our local Catholic priest read us this powerful story. I often think of it and it challenges me and should challenge us all.

(Many unattributed versions of this story exist online; it was written in 1953 by Rev. Dr. Theodore O. Wedel, a canon of the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.) – Fred Stewart

On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur there was a once a crude little life-saving station. It was just a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea; with no thought for themselves, they went out day or night tirelessly searching for the lost.

So many lives were saved by this little station that it became famous. Some of those who were saved, and others, wanted to be associated with the station and give of their time and money to support its work.

New boats were bought and new crews were trained. The little station grew.

Some of the new members were unhappy with the crude building. They felt the rescued needed a more comfortable place as their first refuge.

The building was enlarged, with nicer furniture. Now the life-saving station became a popular gathering place, and was re-decorated beautifully and furnished as a sort of club.

Less of the members were now interested in going to sea on life-saving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to do this work.

About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boatloads of cold, wet and half-drowned people.

They were dirty and sick, and some of them had black skin, and some spoke a strange language, and the beautiful new club was considerably messed up.

At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club’s life-saving activities as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal life pattern of the club.

But some members insisted that life-saving was their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a life-saving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save the lives of all the various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own life-saving station down the coast. They did. And the same thing happened to them.

If you visit the seacoast today you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are still frequent in those waters, only now most of the people drown.

A great privilege and joy of my work with the Renewal Fellowship is that I get to have a lot of one-on-one conversations with our denomination’s ministers. There are many areas of discussion. I have shared some of the heartbreaking issues that many of our clergy face. What I am going to talk about now however is another common area of concern. There is some unique additional stress for clergy families, much to do with living highly visible lives.

Recently, in a discussion with a minister who was sharing his life and challenges, he revealed some of the specific issues of his ministry, especially as it impacted his kids. This was not a new experience for me. Many ministers with kids at home have issues with schools, moving, congregational expectations and constant scrutiny (real or imagined). This conversation took a different turn when my new friend proposed something he felt would go a long way towards helping families like his.

What he suggested was a gathering of clergy families, kids included, that brought together many of his peers going through similar challenges. He wasn’t too specific about the form of this gathering. He was focused on being able to connect with other families, with opportunities for the kids and spouses to share with others who would understand what they dealt with. What it meant to be a spouse or child of clergy.

Something in me resonated instantly. I have benefitted from friendships and regular gatherings with other ministers that had kids at home when Ruth and I were experiencing the same thing. I also have had ministers share with me how important Music Camp and Dorothy Lake Family Camp were to them and their kids.

Many of our clergy families have neither the resources nor the opportunities to make this happen. It would take a lot of work and money to make this happen. It would take the Holy Spirit igniting a movement in the hearts of many people.

So here is your challenge Canadian Presbyterians. Who is willing to serve in this type of ministry? Who would cook, clean, counsel, babysit or whatever is needed to give these families some time together without the weight of leadership or household tasks? Who is willing to financially support such a project?

I resist proposing anything more specific at this point. If there is interest from both the clergy families and the church at large, putting together a planning group will come. More importantly, I have often seen God’s people come together with the resources, the venue and the volunteers for an idea that serves those who labour daily in the King’s vineyard.

"Up! – Get up, look up, be up" is a daily e-mail devotional written by Rev. Matthew Ruttan, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Barrie, Ontario. It is published five days a week (Tuesday to Saturday), and is something you can read in about one minute. I started my subscription about a month ago, and I found the devotionals practical, easy to read, and creative. I wondered, "How and why does this busy pastor, with a young family and a dynamic church, find the time and energy to write five devotionals a week?" So… I asked him. He told me that he previously subscribed to some e-mail devotionals that he found helpful, but sometimes seemed vague or not connected to his day-to-day life. He also told me that he enjoys writing and that he thought God wanted him to write as a part of his ministry. It fit well with his overall ministry focus on teaching, some of which was firmly rooted in online ministry through a blog, website, and social media. Matthew reminded me that Jesus met people where they were – on hillsides, by the lake, at the workplace. Today the majority of people, and especially younger people, are spending lots of time online – sometimes in positive ways, and sometimes in unhelpful ways. It is Matthew's hope that his online devotionals will help people in very straightforward and practical ways to get on board with the reality of God's imaginative plans for our lives and our world.

UP! started in April 2015 with a few dozen followers. A year later, the daily subscribers total almost 300. Subscribers include members of his congregation, a wider group of people from Canada and the U.S.A., and even a few from elsewhere in the world.

I asked Matthew, "What is your motivation to continue?" He said, "Jesus and His kingdom are the motivation. Seeing people mature in their faith is the motivation. As the ministry grows, I personally know fewer and fewer of the subscribers, but from what I can tell, the readership is very diverse. There are devout Christians who receive it, as well as people new to the faith, and many who are just curious about this whole Jesus thing. It's energizing to see how a range of people can be helped in real, day-to-day ways in their faith. Plus, it keeps me growing as a leader. Just like a sermon, each devotional I write is first written to me. So writing this devotional keeps me "up" on my toes about living with integrity as a follower of Jesus."

I also asked him, "How do you find the time to write five devotionals a week?" He answered, "I get that question a lot! I'm disciplined with how I use my time. I set time aside each morning to read and write. I don't have an exact count, but I probably read between 20 and 40 books a year. And when you produce a lot of content like I do (blogs, devotionals, sermons, Bible studies), you very quickly develop a system for cataloging ideas, inspiring quotes, and helpful stories. That really helps. So if I want to use a story I heard Fred Craddock tell or a quote that C.S. Lewis said, I have a system where I can pull it up in about 30 seconds. Plus, I really enjoy writing, so it's a part of my day I look forward to, and that gives me energy for other things."

Wherever you are in your journey of faith, I think that you'll find these short, practical devotionals a great part of your day. Want to learn more and be blessed? Just visit www.MatthewRuttan.com/Up and you can sign up in 13 seconds.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:4-6)

About five years ago, I was visiting my sister at her cottage in the summertime. It was first thing in the morning, the sun was emerging beautifully from her slumber, the mist rising mysteriously and majestically from the water, and I was down at the dock with my Bible in hand and my toes in the water. It was then that I heard that Still Small Voice say to me, “You are destined for my joy.” That experience has long lingered with me—and I believe it’s a biblical message for not just me, but for every believer in Jesus Christ.

We live in dangerous, nervous times. The church is in flux. There’s much to be worried about. But we’re told not to worry (Matthew 6:25-34!), and we are told to be joyful. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” And then, Paul says, tellingly, “Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.”

Why are we to be joyful? Because the Lord is near, that’s why. And He is a God of grace. Think about it: We don’t do anything to deserve God’s love, God’s forgiveness, God’s salvation, God’s amazing life and eternity. It is all a free gift given at the precious price of the Lord Jesus himself.

In fact, that can be a fun way of recovering joy: Commit a random act of giving for someone else. One of the most hilarious things you can do is, when you come up to a toll booth on the road, or up to the drive-through at your favourite coffee stop, tell the cashier that your good friend is behind you and say that you’d like to pay for their bill as well as yours. If they catch up to you, you’ll get the most priceless, quizzical looks you’ve ever seen! I’ve done it, and I’ve chuckled for the better part of a half hour afterwards. But isn’t that what Jesus has done for us all? He’s paid our bill, and he is the Lord of Joy.

Every believer in Jesus has been destined for his joy. Our God is a God not only of love and power and grace and holiness, but He’s a God of joy as well. In his book, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God, Timothy Keller summarizes things better than I ever could: “We know of no joy higher than being loved and loving in return, but a triune God would know that love and joy in unimaginable, infinite dimensions. God is, therefore, infinitely, profoundly happy, filled with perfect joy—not some abstract tranquility but the fierce happiness of dynamic, loving relationships. Knowing this God is not to get beyond emotions or thoughts but to be filled with glorious love and joy.”

We look past our circumstances to Him … and we rejoice.

The Canadian vernacular has several expressions, such as paradigm shift, watershed or game changer to describe a significant alteration in life. Things will now be radically different.

The Christian Church has long contended that the historical shift in human existence is Jesus’ resurrection. Jaroslav Pelikan, a renowned historian, expressed this truth thus: “If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not—nothing else matters.” Paul expresses similar thoughts in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 concluding, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and … we are of all people most to be pitied.”

The resurrection is pivotal for faith and for hope—and also for the purposes of this article about renewal. Renewal can have many concepts or images. Some are essentially cosmetic in essence, like re-painting a room. Other expressions are more substantive, as in moving walls, adding a room and filling in the swimming pool. And still others are very thorough—the complete razing of the existing bungalow and building a two-storey house, with only some of the original foundation kept intact.

For all my time as a minister of word and sacraments, the theme of “Renewing the Church,” and in particular the Presbyterian Church in Canada, has been on the table. Prior to that period of my ministry, I was a member of the State of the Church Committee (perhaps the token lay and youth representative?) which identified areas for renewal.

If we were to use the resurrection of Jesus as a model through which to assess our persistent search for renewal, what might we learn?

Well, first, the cosmetic variety of change doesn’t appear to be an option. Even those close to Jesus (e.g., Cleopas and Mary) have some initial difficulty recognizing him, so something more than surface change has likely happened. Then there is the mysterious “now you see him, now you don’t” ability of the risen Jesus. He is among his followers one moment, more or less as he always was; and then, without an “Excuse me” or shifting in his chair or opening a door, he’s gone. Thus cosmetic change as a resurrection-shaped renewal option seems to be ruled out.

Setting the physical elements of resurrection aside for a moment, the core essence of Jesus seems little altered by resurrection. The deep compassion that typified his ministry continues to dominate his post-Easter interactions. See, for example, his deliberate and thorough embracing of Peter, who had denied him, and his gentle reaching out to Thomas, the doubter. The aura of enigma that tinged much of his teaching continues as he deepens the disciples’ comprehension of the scriptures, but leaves some things for future discovery under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

So to my mind, if the risen Jesus is the template we use to form the shape and goals of renewal in the PCC, we will pursue change that is substantive, and maybe even thorough, in its nature. Yet it will be change that maintains the root or core of the gospel, which is perhaps as succinctly stated in John 3:16-17 as anywhere else.

So how are we doing? How have we done? From my perspective, as well-intended as these decades of discussions and endeavours have been, I observe mostly cosmetic efforts. We tweak worship music, preach without a tie or collar, institute term eldership, even alter national committee structures, and though all those can be worthwhile, we continue to be essentially a Christendom-shaped church in attitude, approach, structure and practice. We are still rooted as much (or more) in our culture as we are in the resurrection.

Thus, after decades of what appears to be a fruitless pursuit of substantive renewal, I sometimes begin to despair, somewhat like Paul in Romans 7:21-24. Then I read on to verse 25 (“Who will rescue me … ? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”). This triumphant shout of hope is immediately expanded in the following Easter-themed verses of Romans 8. In that glorious portrayal of resurrection hope, I am reminded that God is bringing this groaning creation, this struggling denomination of mine and this wretched mass of brokenness known as Ian Shaw into greater and deeper levels of wholeness because Jesus lives, and because the Spirit is pouring the power of new life into our world through God’s holy, beloved and faithful children.

And maybe one day soon we will see and be part of a substantive, thorough renewal which will reflect and proclaim the joy of resurrection that we have sought for so long. Hallelujah!

As we are entering another new year, I am reminded of the apostle Paul's words, particularly in light of the Christmas story: the weakness of God is stronger than our strength and the foolishness of God is wiser than our wisdom. I can only imagine how weak and foolish God's response to this world appeared to so many: a baby lying in a manger. The troubles of that world were many and profound. Moreover, God's people were being oppressed by Rome and that was insidiously and blatantly infecting them with the poison of corruption. All the power and strength lay in other hands and God's people wondered how they might ever prove to be faithful, let alone survive the next year.

So too may we wonder as we approach the New Year. Nothing is certain and the powers of the world seem to be taking the world in a direction we would rather not go. No matter what we do we feel ourselves to be powerless about it all because, ironically, today we are the weakness and foolishness of God. God enters this world in us to do his saving work. Our task is simply to be faithful to God's own weakness and foolishness in Christ. We are called to love even our enemies. We are urged to lay down our lives for one another. "We are compelled to be faithful and to guard the good deposit entrusted to us" (2Timothy 1:14), even when the world crucifies the weakness and foolishness of God.

I have to admit that there are many times, when I look ahead, that despair seems stronger than hope. And so I am reminded of the weakness and foolishness of God lying in the manger, or as the apostle Peter put it: the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ! This weakness and foolishness of God overcame death itself and rose up far more powerful and glorious than ever before. This is the Lord's intention for God's people as well: that the weakness and foolishness of God would overcome this world again through us. So this year, in light of the One born of God and lying in a manger, I need to enter the New Year with the apostle's words in my heart. Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith, because the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom.
Continue to pray morning and evening at 7:14 for The Presbyterian Church in Canada.

The Lord's blessing to you in 2016.

Prayer is a Challenge

Renewal Fellowship Board Members meet in October 2015 in Simcoe, Ontario: Back Row – Fred Stewart (Executive Director), Doug Johns, Ian McWhinnie, Germaine Lovelace, Bill Harrison (Administrative Assistant). Front Row – Janie Robertson, Karin Cowan, Nan St. Louis, Charles Cook, Linda Shaw. Absent: Duncan Cameron, Leslie Ruo.

The Renewal Fellowship Board two-day meeting in October was held in my home in Simcoe. Yes, we all slept in one house, with some sleeping on mattresses on the floor in their sleeping bags. It was what you might call "a bonding experience."

As I was organizing the continental breakfast on the morning of the second day, the alarm on The Rev. Nan St. Louis' watch went off. I asked, "What's that all about?" Nan said, "It's 7:14 and that's my reminder to pray for The Presbyterian Church." I was amazed and somewhat embarrassed because even though I've been on the Renewal Fellowship Board for 13 years over my lifetime and am currently the Chair of the Renewal Fellowship Board, I have not been faithful in taking up the Prayer Logo challenge. Why not? Too busy with an assortment of other responsibilities? But that is not a good excuse, is it? I don't have an alarm on my wrist-watch and I don't even own a cell phone, but I do need to figure out a way to remember my commitment to pray for our denomination morning and evening.

Here's a less "jazzy" tech solution to the reminder problem: How about those of you who are praying morning and night email me and ask me how I'm doing? It would be encouraging to hear from those who have taken up the challenge and motivating for those of us who are a little too distracted with the other cares of the day. Email me and tell me you are praying for The Presbyterian Church in Canada. I won't publish your name, but I will let everyone know in our Spring Renewal News how many people have taken up the challenge to pray morning and night for The Presbyterian Church in Canada – the church we love and the church which needs renewal and God's wisdom at this time in our history.

As the New Year begins, may the Holy Spirit protect our church, and challenge us to be faithful and renewed in our witness and calling to follow Jesus in 2016. Let's take up the challenge of 2 Chronicles 7:14. May God bless us and make us a blessing to our communities, our country, and the world.

With thanks for your ongoing support of the Renewal Fellowship, and wishing you a "wonder-filled" New Year.

February is usually the coldest month for us in Central Ontario; though friends and lovers do have an opportunity to share a little warmth halfway through on Valentine’s Day.

Love is a pretty central theme to Jesus’s teachings and example. Not only was love commanded but it was set out as the primary factor for the discerning of true believers.

In our time and culture the word love is thrown around pretty loosely. It can be used in the context of food, art, momentary intimacy, music and almost anywhere else. So, as Christ followers, how do we know love?

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 gives the following tests (as translated by Eugene Peterson in The Message):

So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always ‘me first,’
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

It takes supernatural help to love like this. It is the kind of love all of us would love to receive. In honest moments we know this is extremely difficult to give. Yet I believe it is the gold standard for love that all of us should strive for.

Paul ends this chapter with these words: “But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.”

He has linked three commands together. It diminishes his meaning if we pull them apart. They call us to love as God loves by making sure we stay close to the source of this perfect love.

“Trust steadily” requires daily intimacy with our Lord and Saviour Jesus. “Hope unswervingly” comes from living in the atmosphere of hope we can be surrounded with as we experience God’s faithfulness from day to day and generation to generation. “Love extravagantly” calls us to love as the Triune God has always loved us. It is a love that is unconditional, unending and completely void of self benefit. Further, it is a love that takes no account of potential hurts and betrayals. It is love in its purest form.

Love God with our everything: heart, soul, mind and strength. Love our neighbour as ourselves. These are the greatest commandments and prescriptions for renewal.

Renewal of self and renewal of community will lead to renewal of our world. Thy Kingdom come.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.” — Galatians 4:4-5

We don’t want to miss Him.

Advent should be like a funnel that focuses us in on the most important part of Christmas: renewing our relationship with our Lord and Saviour.

However, Advent competes with so much that demands our attention. There is tremendous busyness and stress. We spend record amounts of money. We attempt to host and attend so many things. The church can be the centre of this activity with extra practices and set-ups and additional services and programs. The scheduling of special times with family, friends, and co-workers adds to the monstrous expectations all designed to be experienced in a few weeks of December.

It takes much care not to miss Him.

We don’t want to miss Him. Oh, we will have some special moments. A child’s delight, a heart-pulling special on TV, a special warmth from familiar music, and perhaps even a delightful amount of snowfall at just the right time. But often it all passes too quickly as we barely survive all the demands of the season, and it is possible to absolutely miss Him.

In an unlikely way and in an unlikely place, our God stepped into His creation and became one with His creatures. The God-Man was born. The timing was all His. The plan was His. The knowledge of God progressively revealed to His people suddenly became fully visible and knowable to all humankind. The future of God’s people was revealed as our adoption as sons and daughters of the High God was made possible.

We don’t want to miss Him. It will take a plan. It will take intentionality. It will take concentrated effort. But it will be worth it. Let’s start with the beginning of Advent. A good question we might ask ourselves during some time of reflection (which we set aside and protect religiously each day) might be this: “What difference did it make to the world that Jesus was born on earth 2,000 years ago?” This question can be made more personal when asked this way: “What difference does it make to me that God became human in Jesus?”

The faith and the faithful will be renewed if we make sure we don’t miss Him this Christmas season.

To never forget.
Around the time most will receive this edition of the Record, Canadians will take time to observe Remembrance Day. It is how we reflect on the tremendous sacrifice made by so many Canadian men and women and their families. It is a time to tell the next generations that the life we share together in Canada had a price; and that price was willingly paid.

“Lest we forget.”
As I write this, I am also preparing for World Communion Sunday. There are significant parallels between Remembrance Day and Communion Sundays. We remember great sacrifice willingly made. We remember our freedom is the result of that sacrifice. We set aside times to commemorate both of these remembrances. We share with the next generations how blessed we are so that we never forget.

“Do this in remembrance of me.”
As the memory of the great wars fade, with most of Canadians alive today born after the end of World War II, it will take much intentionality to keep the significance of Remembrance Day alive. With fewer living veterans and diminished Canadian Legion membership, our children and grandchildren must take on the promise made to never forget. It is our responsibility to pass along the great debt of gratitude Canadians of succeeding generations owe.

Again, there is a parallel with Communion. Fewer and fewer Canadians attend churches and participate in the Lord’s Supper. The Sacrament of Holy Communion is not known or understood by the vast majority of Canadians. Even in some churches, Communion has lost its power as people practice the ritual but have become theologically detached from the God-Man Jesus. They share at the table of Jesus while believing His death and resurrection, if Jesus ever existed at all, is a myth concocted in the early centuries of the Christian era.

In my visits to congregations across Canada, I couldn’t help but notice that Communion was often elevated in the churches displaying renewal and growth. Many of them, for example, celebrate around the Lord’s Table monthly instead of quarterly. I also have noticed that the observance is moulded to both be open to children and youth but also understandable by them.

Could it be that one of the impetuses of renewal is going back and “telling the old, old story”? Rehearsing again, sometimes in fresh and creative ways, the awesome truths that “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.”

“Do this in remembrance of me.”