Worship – This week I am connecting scripture and The Bank of Dave, available to watch on Netflix. The scripture is selected passages from 1 Samuel 16, 17, 18, 19, Ester 2, and Acts 4: 32-37.
The biggest question I am pondering this week: Is God inviting us to imagine a different way of undertaking ministry in Dartmouth? We have 3 churches within less than 3 kilometers of each other, each of them with their unique flavour. Just as the Bank of Dave operates in a different way that normal banks, maybe it’s time for the three churches to explore what God is calling us to for the next 25 years.
What I’m up to this week:
Monday – I worked at home this week, getting the bulletin put together etc, doing some initial research for my reflection, watched The Bank of Dave again. I did some forward planning for September when we will celebrate a Season of Creation. Some conversation with the Regional Minister about a planned visit to a church in the Annapolis Valley. I also had my first rehearsal with the Dartmouth Players and their production of The Laramie Project! I’m not sure if you knew that I was going to play the part of a priest.
Tuesday – I pretended to be Dianne Cleveland this week at Food Bank! Responded to a request for a pastoral visit, put my first thoughts on paper for my reflection and then had dinner with a colleague.
Wednesday – I’m working at home again today, putting the Power Point together, working on some promo material for the Senior’s Wellness and the Contemplative Service, as well as some further work on my reflection. One of the benefits of working at home is I was able to hang my sheets out on my new clothesline!
Thursday – I’ll be working at home again. I’ll write the prayers, create my leaders copy and the announcement PP, deal with anything I haven’t dealt with during the rest of the week.
I trust you know that this is just a sketch of my ministry… the quantifiable things, it doesn’t encompass the impromptu conversations I may have with someone stopping in or calling, or more likely, messaging me. It doesn’t count the time I spend pondering the readings and trying to make connections and make it relevant for today.
Many of you will have heard about Then Let Us Sing, the new music resource that is going to be available sometime in 2025. The FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions have recently been updated and you can check them out HERE.
I realized sometime this week that we share summer services with Grace for 5 weeks, not 4 and so I’m adding another movie to the list! The Glass Castle; that’s for the Labour Day Weekend.
St. James United Church Dartmouth 