R-W Sermons

The key element of survival -- Prayer

2012-01-29T11:28:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 18:15-20 God will raise up a prophet after Moses
1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Concerning food offered to idols
Mark 1:21-28 The man with an unclean spirit is healed in Capernaum

"Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit." An unclean spirit, a feeling of being unworthy, a fear of being struck down by lightening, feelings of inadequacy, feelings of being weak in spirit, not understanding or knowing enough. For many people in our community, these are the feelings that keep them from ever entering a church, these are the feelings that we all struggle with at different times in our life. In these moments let God be your guide.

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Life Beyond Fear

2012-01-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Conversion of Nineveh
Psalm 62:5-12 My rock and my salvation
Mark 1:14-20 Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Jonah was angry with God for forgiving the people of Nineveh. John the Baptist was arrested for his ministry of baptism. How can people be so resentful or resistant to God's blessings? What are they afraid of? What are the fears that block us -- and how does God's love shine through them all?

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The answer is found in 3 words

2012-01-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

John 1:43-51 Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 God has searched and known me
1 Samuel 3:1-20 God calls Samuel

3 words can mean significantly different things depending on what order they appear in, or in what order they are said. "I am here," "Am I here?" "Here I am" How present are you when you enter this sanctuary? How present to God are you? In our scripture today these are the words that Samuel speaks to God, when he hears his name being called - "Here I am, Lord."

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Good Enough - God's power nurtures and sustains

2012-01-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

Genesis 1:1-5 Heaven and earth
Mark 1:4-11 Baptism of Jesus
Acts 19:1-7 Paul's baptizes in the Spirit

The baptism of Jesus reminds us of the importance of being named. After Jesus was baptized he was named "the Beloved" "God's Son". We also hear how God named the light "day" and the darkness "night." Names are important. Our name stands for the unique person and purpose that each of us embodies. God knows us by name, we belong, we are special. The act of naming has power. As we start this new year it is time to reaffirm our faith, to proclaim who we are and what we are being called to do.

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Imagine John Joyful!

2011-12-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Announce freedom to all captives
John 1:6-8, 19-28 Thunder in the desert

John the Baptist knew Isaiah's ancient words about liberty to the captives and good news to the poor. He also knew the kind of message Jesus was about to proclaim: a light shining in the darkness. So imagine the joy of that moment -- and John, just bursting to share that news with the world!

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The Kiss of Light

2011-12-04T11:41:00.000-08:00

Psalm 85:1-13
Mark 1:1-8

What does it take for God to get our attention these days? Perhaps what we are longing for isn't the perfect home, the perfect Christmas, the perfect job, the perfect family. Perhaps what we are longing for is the joy and peace that comes from moving through the challenges and difficulties of life, perhaps we are longing for God to give us a swift spiritual kick in the pants, perhaps we are longing for a message that isn't expected, so that we are caught off guard, so that our emotions, thoughts and spirit are stirred. Advent is a time of waiting and anticipation, what will we hear today as we wait? Will we finally sit up and take notice that and hear what God is saying to us today?

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We are God's ribbons

2011-11-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

Matthew 25: 31-46 When you helped the lease of these, you helped me.

We have inherited God's Kingdom which means we are called to participate. We come to God's Kingdom as children, with a sense of openness, curiosity, hope, and a willingness to help. We will explore how God's spirit works through us and others in the world, bringing us together in one accord.

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God's Trust in Us

2011-11-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Keep awake
Matthew 25:14-30 Parable of the talents

So much is entrusted to us. Just as the master in the story Jesus told entrusted his wealth to his servants, so God has given us hearts, minds, bodies and souls; the world and time, wisdom and love -- all entrusted to us for a purpose. What does it mean to you to be trustworthy in God's eyes?

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Wisdom Radiant

2011-11-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-20 Wisdom is radiant and unfading
Matthew 25:1-13 Parable of the ten bridesmaids

The wholeness we seek, the freedom from care, the nearness to God -- the fulfillment of our longing: all this is there for the taking, graciously and freely given, longing for us as much as we long for her. Will you rise early, bring your deepest longings, and come into her presence?

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Occupy Basileia

2011-10-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 Lead a life worthy of God
Matthew 23:1-12 The greatest one will be the servant

Paul pleads with the people of Thessalonia to lead a life worthy of God. What does a life worthy of God look like? Have we become preoccupied with things that are not important? Are we simply preaching the gospel of God or are we living it? In our day to day decisions are we carrying the load so as not be a burden on others? Or are we like the Pharisees placing heavy burdens on others? The movement has begun are you occupied or ready to occupy? And where will you choose to occupy?

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Holy Love

2011-10-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18 Ritual and holiness
Matthew 22:34-46 The greatest commandment

Holiness, Torah, justice and love come together in these biblical teachings from Matthew and Leviticus. Justice and love are the way to live holiness. And justice is no more that "love writ large". Love is also the focal point of torah. It is all about living according to the direction of the Spirit. All of this is so practical and rooted in real every-day life.

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We Are Not Alone

2011-10-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Exodus 33:12-23 Moses' intercession
Matthew 9:35--10:4 Harvest is plentiful

The Exodus series over the past few weeks has taken us with the Hebrew people from their bondage in Egypt to the promise of a new life. It is a time of wilderness, a time of hope and promise, a time of jouneying where we have never been before. The message this moringing will be in dialogue form, with Karen Bridges and Jim Allan reflecting together on Robertson-Wesley's exodus journey: the promise and the challenge.

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The Turn Around - Hearts Transformed

2011-10-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Exodus 32:1-14 The Golden Calf
Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always

Today is a day to give thanks, but not simply for all that we have. The scriptures today remind us that our actions have consequences, like the Israelites there are times when we become restless and begin to doubt that God is truly with us. At times we fall victim to the allure of success and possessions, but Moses and Paul remind us that if we repent, if we turn around and walk in a different direction, if we turn back to God, our hearts and our lives will be transformed - we will experience peace. What new direction awaits you - awaits this congregation?

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At Our Best

2011-09-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 Ten commandments
Matthew 7:24-29 The one who hears these words and acts on them

What does it take to be at our best? And what difference does it make in our lives; in the lives of the people with whom we share life? In the life of the world? We are given the wisdom and direction that is needed -- and the choice to live it out or not -- our choice!

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Manna Management

2011-09-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Exodus 16:2-15 Bread from heaven
Matthew 6:25-33 The birds of the air

We live in a world that is obsessed with "security", yet our anxiousness only makes us less secure. In the wilderness, Moses' people learned a new way of security, based on trust instead of storage. Jesus taught his followers to see God's care for all creation. Today, we are still learning that we have everything we need for the fullness of life for which we all long and which is God's purpose for all.

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Liberation Power

2011-09-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

Exodus 14:19-31 Crossing the sea
Exodus 15:1-18 Song of Moses

The story of the Exodus defines life as emergence from captivity which can be understood in a myriad of ways. In what ways are we captive ourselves? With whom do we feel called to stand in solidarity in their freedom struggle? How is the church called to be a channel of God's liberating power in the world?

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Soul Survivor

2011-09-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

Exodus 12:1-14 The passover
Romans 13:8-10 Love for one another
Matthew 18:15-20 Reproving one who sins

Behind the legalistic sound of the story of the passover lies a celebration of life emerging from disaster and captivity. Even though in a different form, we live in a world of disaster and captivity still today -- emotional and spiritual, as well as physical. And so we also look to our faith for a way to cultivate true life and the strength and wisdom to follow. What brings life to fullness for you?

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Becoming a Movement

2011-08-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Exodus 1:8- 2:10 Moses is adopted by Pharaoh's daughter
Romans 12:1-2 Present yourself as a living, holy sacrifice to God
Matt 16: 13-20 Jesus asks: "Who do you say that I am?"

When we proclaim out loud our belief in Jesus we are taking a chance, a chance that we will be judged, that we will be lumped in with other more fanatical Christians. We need to be reminded of why we are here, and what we are called to be. The church is not just some moral improvement society, nor is it simply some helpful volunteer organization designed to help make the city a better place. The church is about Jesus, the church is a place for reconciliation and transformation. So who is Jesus for you and what are you compelled to proclaim?

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Curses turn to Blessings

2011-08-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

Genesis 45:1-15 Joseph is re-united with his brothers
Matthew 15:10-20, 21-28 A Canaanite mother challenges Jesus

Life is messy and there are more times then not when our actions and attitudes hurt others. The scriptures today speak to the fact that God calls us to reconciliation and forgiveness. Faith can lift the curses of life, leaving us with blessings. Where does reconciliation and forgiveness need to happen in your life and in the world?

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Faith Beyond Faith

2011-08-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

1 Kings 19:9-18 Elijah at Mount Horeb
Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus walks on the sea

The life of faith is not static, achieved once for all time. We never graduate. Today, we catch a glimpse of two people, Elijah and Peter, who were pushed to take the next step on their faith journey. We learn from them and, more importantly, we can draw courage from their openess to follow beyond anything they had known.

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Transformation through the Spirit of Adoption

2011-07-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Psalm 139: 1-12 God you have searched me and known me
Romans 8:12-25 Creation Groans with Labour Pains
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 The parable of the weeds scattered among good seed

Like creation, we are groaning with labour pains as we navigate in a world that focuses on material things, which give us a false sense of comfort and contentment in life. What will happen if we are spiritually adopted? What is the "Spirit of Adoption?" To belong, to be known, to be loved - that is what our world is groaning for and that is what the Spirit of Adoption offers.

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Be the Garden

2011-07-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 55:10-13 Watering the earth
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Parable of the sower

Every gardener knows how to prepare the ground for seeds and water. Our spiritual life is about being the ground -- ready to receive the seeds of God's word (Matthew) and to be watered by the showers of God's love (Isaiah). So our spiritual life is about cultivating, being fertile and receptive -- and the exitement of what grows in the garden of our lives.

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What Comfort?

2011-07-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Zechariah 9:1-12 Promise of restoration
Matthew 11:25-30 My yoke is easy

Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you...for my yoke is easy..." How can it be easy to bear a yoke? Perhaps it is all based upon acceptance -- of our life circumstances, rather than wasting energy on how things should be different -- and of ourselves, as we are, adequate, loved and given the courage we need to live our lives faithfully. Imagine having this wisdom and the pain of watching others flounder without it! What would you say?

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Walking in silence-- a risky call

2011-06-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

Genesis 22: 1-14 The sacrifice of Isaac
Matthew 10:40-42 Welcoming and offering a cup of water

We don't always know why God has called us, and we don't always know why God has asked us to make these difficult decisions but what we do know, as Abraham found out, is that God will provide. Walking together in silence is what we are being called to do as a church, both within our congregation and within the wider United Church, we are called to practice discernment. What has God provided, what have we received and what will we offer?

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Whole Family of God

2011-06-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

So much of our story is about drawing lines of judgement and hatred between favoured ones and the rest. But throughout our tradition and in our world today, there is the thread of another story -- one about the whole human family learning to find its wholeness together. As we learn to live this story of wholeness, we discover that this is central to the Way of Christ -- and thus the church itself comes to a truer understanding of its own purpose and mission.

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Ending Beginning

2011-06-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

Acts 1:6-11 The ascension of Jesus
John 17:6-11 Jesus prays for his disciples

The last time Jesus was together with his disciples, he prayed for them. It is an ending moment, but it points forward to the new beginning sybolized in the ascension. Through the eyes of the soul and in the light of the Spirit, we can see beginnings in all our endings, light in every darkness, and hope in our bleakest moments. Moments when everything changes. A vision of the sacredness and the unity of life.

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We are Not Abandoned

2011-05-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 3:13-22 . Do not repay evil for evil
John 14:15-21 . The Advocate, the Spirit, will be with you

Guest preacher: Carol Loewen, LWL

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Gate of Life

2011-05-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 2:19-25 You have returned to the shepherd
John 10:1-10 The gate for the sheep

Jesus presents us with a "way" of life -- a "way" to life, lived in fullness and wellness. This points us to practical questions: "how then shall we live?". What does it mean to live in Christ? What is the "way" of true life for you?

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Save Yourselves

2011-05-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Save yourselves from this corrupt generation
Luke 24:13-35 The walk to Emmaus

Peter enjoins the people to save themselves from the "corrupt generation". None of us has any trouble identifying the corruption of our generation. The challenge is to recognize the solution in the way of Christ. Where does the corruption take hold of you? And how does this faith in Christ set you free?

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If Your Forgive

2011-05-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 1:3-9 A new birth into a living hope
John 20:19-31 Receive the Holy Spirit

When Jesus speaks of forgiveness, he seems to give the disciples a lot of power -- the power to forgive others their sins. Forgiveness is powerful. It is also a dilema for many. Some find forgiveness too heavy, others find it too light, too trivial. How do we truly let forgiveness flow in our lives? How does it free us for life?

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Led from Beyond

2011-04-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 31:1-6 Grace in the wilderness
Matthew 28:1-10 He has been raised from the dead!

In his dying and rising -- living beyond death -- Christ goes beyond all of the limitations of this earthly life to be the one who leads the way wherever life leads. How does Christ lead you beyond the limitations of your life?

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Love Is Our Resistance

2011-04-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29 The stone the builders rejected
Matthew 21:1-11 Jesus enters Jerusalem
Isaiah 50: 4-9a The suffering servant struck and insulted

The beginning of Holy Week is a mix of emotions - celebration, joy, a sense of fear and immanent doom, political strife, uncertainty and resistance. The week begins with Jesus entering Jerusalem and the crowds crying out "Hosanna," but who this man that they have travelled so far to greet and to honour? How do these events fire us up and inspire us to make love our resistance? Have Canadians, have Christians, have we as a congregation stood silently too long?
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Life Happens

2011-04-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 37:1-14 Valley of dry bones
John 11:1-45 Raising of Lazarus

From the valley of dry bones and the grave of Lazarus -- life happens! Life actually is like this: it has power to renew itself. Therefore we are enjoined to trust the life-energy at the heart of Creation. These stories touch us, because they convey this power; they bring it to life in our hearts and souls and thereby bring us to life!

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Unlikely Favour

2011-04-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 16:1-13 Annointing of David
John 9:1-41 A man born blind receives sight

Imagine being the weakest and smallest, then chosen to be King. Imagine being blind from birth, then chosen to receive sight. Imagine a God who would act so unconventionally. Imagine a world with a God like that!

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Living Water -- it will quench any thirst

2011-03-27T11:40:00.001-07:00

Exodus 17:1-7 Water from the rock
Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42 The Samaritan woman at the well

As each year passes our hearts tend to harden from the wear and tear of life. Things happen to us that hurt us, make us more cautious, cause us to fight back, and cause us to build up walls of protection. These things also tend to leave us thirsting for something more in life. God quenches our thirst and provides us with living water that often comes from places we'd least expect. Be prepared to experience the unexpected
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Beginners

2011-03-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

Genesis 12:1-4a The call of Abram
John 3:1-17 Nicodemus visits Jesus

Jesus' words to Nicodemus about being born again, like God's call to Abram, represent the offer of a beginning. It is not the beginning that is long past, nor is it starting over again; but a perception of life that awakens and enlightens. What it is in our life and world that we miss just because we are asleep?

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Karma Bending

2011-03-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 First sin and punishment
Matthew 4:1-11 Temptation of Jesus

Theologians have called it "Original Sin", this feeling of curse or "bad karma" that seems inevitable in human nature. Matthew Fox says that before original sin came original blessing. These thoughts are the background against which to understand Jesus' response to temptation. Together it is the story of bending human destiny. Where do you think human destiny needs some bending?

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Now I SEE you -- Face to Face!

2011-03-06T11:40:00.001-08:00

Exodus 24:12-18 God calls Moses up the mountain
Matthew 17: 1-9 Jesus transfigured on the mountain

Both Moses and Jesus are transformed, transfigured and changed by the presence of God. The events are spectacular, illuminating, dazzling and awe inspiring. So what do we do with this? Has your heart been set on fire? What do you want to proclaim from the highest mountains?

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Inscribed on the Hands of God

2011-02-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 49:8-16 Yet I will not forget you
Matthew 6:24-34 Do not worry about your life

Envision your name inscribed on the hand of God. Envision God holding you so dearly that it would never be possible to forget you. Here is a truly relational view of the Sacred. What is the difference between feeling alone on your way through life and feeling the Holy Presence with you and accompanying you every step of the way?

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If I had a hammer...I would make a table

2011-02-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18. Living the holy life
1 Corinthians 3:10-23. You are God's temple
Matthew 5:38-48. Turn the other cheek; give your cloak

Our foundation is solid, our foundation is Jesus Christ. We are the builders called to build upon this foundation that God has given us. I believe we need to use good materials and we need to have a good plan and together we can build a home for all people. It's time to get to work.

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But I Say to You

2011-02-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

Matthew 5:21-37 Anger, Adultery, Divorce and Oaths
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 The great choice
Sirach 15:15-20 Wisdom of the Lord

Why is the Old Testament important to us? Because it was Jesus' Bible: the background code against which his life and teachings are understood. He refers to the tenets of the Hebrew scriptures in a way that both affirms and transforms. His teachings are a spiritual intensification of the principles that have guided his people through ages.

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Instruction Manual for Life

2011-02-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 58:1-12 The fast that Yahweh chooses
Psalm 112 Bessings of the righteous
Matthew 5:13-20 Let your light shine

In Isaiah's words, the prophetic demand for justice, for the end of oppression, is direct and unequivocal. And the consequence is just as clear: a good life, blessed and shining as a light to the world. So there is an element of self-interest here -- it is not entirely altruistic -- it is simply the way life works. This is the instruction manual for life.

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Steven Johann

2011-01-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

Micah 6:1–8
Matthew 5:1–12

Message presented by the Rev. Steven Johann, of Knox-Metropolitan United Church.

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A Story to Live By

2011-01-23T11:29:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 9:1-4 The people who walked in darkness
Psalm 27 God is my light and my salvation
Matthew 4:12-23 Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee

Jesus ministry begins with a declaration of the fulfillment of the ancient promise. This is the fundamental story that shapes our perception and experience of life in Christ. The call to discipleship is a call to all of us, to the church to live this promise-fulfillment story. What are the ways our world needs to hear this story?

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Waiting, I am waiting, and now I sing

2011-01-16T12:34:00.000-08:00

Psalm 40:1-11 I waited patiently for God.
1 Corinthians 1:1-9 I thank God for you.
John 1:29-42 Simon and Andrew become disciples

In the gospel according to John, Jesus asked two of the disciples the following question: "What are you looking for?" There are times in our life when we are waiting for something special to appear, where we are looking for something, waiting for it to come to light and to provide us with new hope, new direction and new meaning in our lives. God has come to us in human form (the word made flesh) in Jesus Christ. The time has come to sing a new song, a song about how God's love for the world became incarnate and fully embodied in Jesus Christ.

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Robertson-Wesley Anniversary: 40 Years

2011-01-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

Psalm 27:1-6
Matthew 5:13-16
1 Corinthians 12

Our guest preacher for today's anniversary service is the Rev. Dr. Gordon J. Oaks who was a Minister of Robertson-Wesley from 1969 to 1976. Today, we warmly welcome him back to the R-W pulpit as our Anniversary guest speaker.

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New Light Time

2011-01-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

Sirach 24:1–12 Praise of Wisdom
John 1:1-9 Word becomes flesh

Christ takes form in the midst of the world -- the light of all people, shining in the darkness -- offering the wisdom and inspiration we need for the living of our days. What wisdom will you pray for in the coming year?

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Mia Farrow video with refugee children and John Lennon's song, "Imagine"
(referred to in the sermon)

Joseph and Mary ... and Herod

2010-12-26T11:37:00.001-08:00

Isaiah 63:7–9 The angel of His presence saved them
Psalm 148 Let the whole creation cry
Matthew 2:13–23 Massacre of the innocents

Imagine the joy of Mary and Joseph with their new-born child, and gifted by magi. Imagine the cruelty of Herod and Rome -- the brutal hatred of a world in darkness. Imagine fleeing to save this new-born child -- and God watching over them, even as far away as Egypt.

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Open Our Hearts

2010-12-19T11:30:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 7:10-16 The sign of Emmanuel
Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph’s Dream

We hold the things that are most important to us deep in our hearts. God invites us to open our hearts to the unexpected, the unseen, the unheard, the untouched. There are moments in life that challenge us to embrace the unknown, embrace the unexpected, embrace our fears and open our hearts to being transformed, to finding fulfillment, to finding love. Are you open and prepared to meet Jesus, our Emmanuel?

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Open Our Hands

2010-12-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 35:1-10 The desert shall rejoice
Matthew 11:2-11 Are you the one who is to come?

What is the source of our strength for mending the world?
How do we act without feeling alone?
How do we open our hands with love?

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Opening Our Mouth

2010-12-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 11:1-10 A shoot from the stump of Jesse
Matthew 3:1-12 The voice of one crying out in the wilderness

A vision of justice and a message to proclaim. Waiting in the light of promise. Ancient promise; holy light; prophetic message and Divine justice -- this is the spirit of Advent. When it is time to open our mouths, what is it we have to say to our world on God's behalf?

(this sermon was not recorded -- sorry about that)

Open Our Eyes

2010-11-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 2:1-5
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44

It’s time! It’s time to wake up, and open our eyes and see beyond the usual mundane tasks of life. What is holding us back from seeing this new vision; a vision that holds out hope for justice, healing and peace in this world? Be prepared to look at life in a different way.

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Annointed One

2010-11-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

Jeremiah 23:1-6 A righteous branch for David
Luke 1:68-79 Zechariah's prophecy
Luke 22:33-43 This is the King of the Jews

When they called Jesus "the King of the Jews" it was meant to challenge the brutal power of the Roman Empire. Today, we do not need Jesus to be our "King", but we still need the authority of the "Annointed One" to stand against the brutal powers of our time.

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The End

2010-11-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

Malachi 4:1-2a The great day of the Lord
Psalm 98 O sing a new song
Luke 21:5-19 Signs and persecutions

Stories of "the end" are metaphorical ways of describing the "purpose" of life: we live our lives "to what end"? We are tempted by simplistic explanations, but it is only in the holistic view that we see our true "end".

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The Gordon Brown Story

2010-11-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

Psalm 23
Psalm 103
1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Guest Speaker: The Reverend Gordon How
Rev Gordon Brown was a minister of Robertson-Wesley who went over-seas with the Canadian Armed Forces and was killed in action in 1944. Gordon How tells the story of his long and personal interest in Gordon Brown's story, including a visit to his grave in Antwerp, Belguim.

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I Never Imagined

2010-10-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 1:1-18 Yahweh condemns injustice
Luke 19:1-10 Jesus and Zacchaeus

A portrait of Zaccheus through dramatic monologue: "I never imagined that such a transformation could happen to me. I never imagined my heart could change after all these years. Then Jesus came to my house!"

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Reframing Hope

2010-10-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

Genesis 1:1–5 · In the beginning
2 Kings 2:13–35 · Elisha succeeds Elijah

"Creating a future is different from defining a future. The difference is focused in the distinction between valuing gifts and possibility vs. Defining needs and solving problems."

Reflections shared by Rev. Lynn Maki at the Covenanting Service for Karen Bridges.
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Feels Right

2010-10-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

Sirach 35:12–17 Divine justice
Luke 18:9-14 Pharisee and the tax collector

Jesus tells a story about two people, both trying to be faithful. One goes home feeling right about what happened, but not the other. What makes the difference? What leaves us feeling right and what leaves us just not feeling right?

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What Are Your Ears Itching For?

2010-10-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

October 17, 2010 Stewardship Sunday

2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:5 "People with itching ears will turn away"
Luke 18:1-8 "The parable of the widow and the unjust judge"

I will say it again: the body of Christ is nothing without you. You are all God's stewards called to live a life worthy of the calling. Our strength as a community is found in the diversity of people who participate here in the ministry and mission of Robertson-Wesley. I tis time to refocus, recommit, reconcile, and reclaim our faith in this secular world.

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Gratitude First

2010-10-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 26:1–11 First fruits and tithes
Psalm 100 Make a joyful noise
Luke 17:11–19 Jesus cleanses ten lepers

Sometimes, expressing gratitude---simply giving thanks---is the last thing we think to do.That is tragic, because when we begin with gratitude, it transforms---blesses everything that follows, like a light that illuminates our way ahead in the darkness.

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Active Hope

2010-10-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Habakkuk 1:1–4, 2:1–4 Complaint and reply
Psalm 37:1-9 Trust in the Lord
Luke 17:5-10 Unlimited faith and the willing servant

The prevalence of evil and apathy in the world seems to extinguish hope for our worldly existence. But hope is not so passive -- rather it is an active choice to trust in the Creator of our world, to embrace a world of truth, goodness and beauty

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Hope for a Rich Fool

2010-09-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

Amos 6:1a, 4-7 Ignoring the ruin of Joseph
Psalm 146 Put not your trust in princes
Luke 16:19-31 The rich man and Lazarus

A story of a rich man who refuses to help a poor man and then confronts the dilema of his own salvation. What a universal story! The answer is so easy to see, but the rich man's folly renders him utterly blind. Jesus offers the wisdom to open his eyes.

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Outrageous Steward

2010-09-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Amos 8:4-7 Condemning injustice
Psalm 113 Praise to the Lord
Luke 16:1-13 Cannot serve two masters

This manager cheats his master to help his friends. It is outrageous behaviour that shatters our sense of decency and propriety. Why would Jesus tell a story like this? Maybe for exactly that purpose: to shatter out static view of life, thereby opening our hearts to the Sacred in a new way.

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True Follower

2010-09-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 30:15–20 Choose life
Psalm 1 The two ways
Luke 14:25-33 The cost of discipleship

We all want to be followers -- disciples -- of something ultimate, something wondrously true. Something to which we can give ourselves without reservation and for ever. Something that warrants allowing ourselves to be remade, reshaped and reborn.

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Humble Greatness

2010-08-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

Sirach 10:12-18 On pride
Psalm 112 Bessings of the righteous
Luke 14:1, 7-14 Humility and hospitality

How do we rightly understand humility in a world so bent on rising above the rest and cultivating an artificial self? Jesus offers a paradoxical truth. And it is just this contradictory twist that breaks us free of the dilema and liberates the soul.

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Faithful Wanderers in the Global Cities

2010-08-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 5: 1-7 The unfaithful vineyard
Psalm 80: 1-2, 9-19
Hebrews 11:29-12:2 Great could of witnesses

In this secular, globized city it is easy to become discourage, to go with the flow of that which marginalizes and isolates so many people. We are being called to trust in God and in what the future holds and promises. We are called to run the race of life with patience, perseverance, and steadfast endurance.

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The Promise of Life

2010-08-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

Genesis 15:1-6 • Abram's trust in God
Luke 12:32-40 • Watchfulness and trust

There is so much in our world that is frightening, frustrating, discouraging; cynicism and depair are so near. Yet at the heart of our faith is a simple, vigilant trust. We are offered a way to see life differently: filled with promise and hope.

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Wise Wealth

2010-08-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23 All is vanity
Psalm 49:1-12 the foolishness of trusting wealth
Luke 12:13-21 The parable of the rich fool

Conventional wisdom directs us to get ahead and to achieve as much wealth and power as possible. But in truth there is a fatal error here. There is a very different set of virtues that lead us to the true fulfillment of life.

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Entertaining Angels

2010-07-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Genesis 18:1-10a • Angels' visit to Abraham & Sarah
Luke 10:38–42 • Jesus visits Mary and Martha

If we truly and deeply respect every person whom we meet, offering hospitality and listening, we will find the angel -- or the Christ -- in each one. Hospitaltiy is welcoming another safely into the space of our lives. Listening is the way we let God speak to us through others.
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Freedom to Care

2010-07-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

The twist in the "commandment" to love our neighbour is this: it sets us free! It takes us from being wrapped up in ourselves and bound by social conventions -- all of which separates us from others and therefore from God -- and liberates us truly to care for another human being, or for the whole human race.
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Life for the Taking

2010-07-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus sends the seventy out to proclaim the gospel -- to offer the gift of life to any and all. Some recognize what is being offered and receive it, others just don't get it. That is how it is today -- some get it and some don't -- and both of these are, in their own way, truly amazing.
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Living Truth

2010-06-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Here are Elijah and Jesus living the truth they bear. Truth is not just a set of ideas or doctrines. It is a living expression of that which gives life -- an expression which cannot even be "translated" into ideas. Rather, it forms us, shapes us, fills us with a new spirit -- and it can be expressed only by our living.
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All Truth

2010-05-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

The notion of "truth" is so central to the gospel, but we live in a time when the notion of absolute truth seems naive and old-fashioned. We cannot go back, but there is a way forward, into an experience of truth that truly gives life in our time.
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Spirited Knowing

2010-05-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

How do we know the Holy? It is a spirited knowing -- a knowing that moves from the centre of our being. It is the experience of being known by the Holy. It is communication that uncovers life at its essence. It is knowing life in all its fullness, wonder and beauty.
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Evolving Faith

2010-05-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will "teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you." So with the leading of the Holy Spirit, our tradition continues to evolve, and in each new form, rediscovering the power of Jesus' teachings for our life in our world. What are the growing edges of Christian faith today, and how do Jesus' ancient words speak truth afresh to our time?
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Love Unleashed

2010-05-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus speaks of love as his "new commandment" to the disciples. Is this not something of an oxymoron, to speak of love with the authoritarian language of commandment? Yet, even understood to be more freely given than commanded, love still makes a claim on our lives, makes a powerful impact on the lives of others, and gives life meaning and direction.
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Living Unity

2010-04-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus spoke of a unity with the Father. He also prayed "that all may be one". Three essential affirmation: it is a mystical union, not a simple identity; it is a unity in which we can share, not as a belief, but spiritual experience; and it shapes the way we live our lives, not esoteric, but practical: the practice of Sacred Unity.
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Seashore Encounter

2010-04-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

There are moments and places in life where we encounter the Sacred, we feel the presence of God, we enter the Holy. These can be anywhere and any time, but in the stories of Jesus, the shores of the sea have special power. The risen Christ invites each of us to a seashore moment in which the depth of our love can be called forth.
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Walking the Way of Life

2010-04-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

After walking the Way of the Cross on Good Friday, we continue to follow Christ, "walking the Way of Life" -- seeing the sacred and new life in the ordinary things of the world, and experiencing the "resurrection" of the ordinary to the sacred -- all of creation, fully alive!
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The Stones Would Shout

2010-03-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

With Passover approaching and the people singing their praises, Jesus rode into Jerusalem, knowing that if the people were silent, the very stones would shout. Perhaps, as he rode along, he contemplated the stones of history shouting their truth: the stone at Bethel, the stone tablets at Sinai, the stoning stones, the stone in David's sling, the living stones...
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Already Anointed

2010-03-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Mary anoints Jesus. This anointing is what would happen to Jesus' body when he dies. But Mary does it now, while he is still with them. In the mystical spirituality of John's gospel, this story suggests an invitation to live beyond death -- now, not just after death. New life: flowing like a river in the desert.
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Turning It Around

2010-03-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

Each of us is called to consider a change of values, attitude, and perception in order for our relationship with creation to become truly respectful. This is beyond just learning to recycle. It means waking up and facing the truth of how we have squandered the inheritance. Then comes the really hard part -- to find the courage to receive God's grace!
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Everyday Enlightenment

2010-02-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

In this picture of Jesus, transfigured on the mountain-top, the unearthly light marks the presence of the Sacred -- and especially Sacred Wisdom. Here is a picture of who Jesus truly was -- this one who embodied the wisdom and the presence of God. Our life and world is transformed as we learn to recognize the sacred presence in our world and to embody sacred wisdom.
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Disciples on Call

2010-02-07T11:40:00.001-08:00

Discipleship is God's version of volunteer management. Imagine God as our volunteer recruiter. We could trust that, by making ourselves "recruitable" we will be matched with the particular part of the church's ministry that is right for us -- that gives us a fulfilling place in the "body of Christ".
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Married to Life

2010-01-31T11:40:00.000-08:00

Corinthians 13 is so often read at weddings, because it expresses the transformative power of love. Marriage is also a biblical metaphor for spiritual fulfilment. We are called to dedicate ourselves to life with the passion and devotion of a married couple whose love is strong enough to transform all that they are.
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The Way of Community

2010-01-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

Paul's metaphor of the body in Corinthians is his challenge to the church to pull together. It is about team-work, understood not as all running after the ball in a clump, but each playing their own position in complementarity and communication with each other. And this is the caring community -- a kind of caring that is life-giving. And all this taken together is the model of life that the church has to offer to the world.
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Endless Diversity

2010-01-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

Our gifts differ more broadly than most of us imagine. It is challenging for us as a human race -- and as a church! -- to be so diverse. The challenge of inclusion is to affirm our own gifts humbly, to affirm others gifts graciously, and to recognize the one spirit in them all.
(not recorded, our appologies)

This Same Holy Spirit

2010-01-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

The Spirit that cones upon us in our baptism subsequently leads us throughout our life. In so many moments of our lives, the waters of our baptism touch us, cleansing us, return us from death to life, reminding us of the presence of the Sacred, and touching our hearts with the blessings of all those who love us.
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Blessings for a New Year

2010-01-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

The Ephesians reading refers to the array of blessings which are ours in Christ and John refers to the ultimate blessing of the presence of God in our world and in our lives. These blessings are the spiritual equipment that we need for living well into our new year.
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A Pregnant World

2009-12-20T11:30:00.000-08:00

A birth is anticipated. It is the birth a a child. It is the birth of the child -- the promise of life. It is the Spirit of God, at work in our world, exciting our minds and hearts with all the potential in this world. There are so many people doing so many wonderful things in the world today. A new wind blowing, a new day approaching -- a world pregnant with possibility and hope.
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Changing Course

2009-12-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

In this gospel reading, John the Baptist recognizes the potential God has planted in this world and in this time. We are called to recognize that potential, to discern it, to perceive it. And when we perceive it, we find ourselves looking in a direction that is at least a little bit different from looking straight ahead. To move toward it requires a change of direction. Thus repentance.
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Covenant Mercy

2009-12-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

We need to take mercy out of the narrow context of wrongdoing and expand it to the difficulty of life. Scott Peck says that life is difficult, but once we accept that fact, it is no longer so difficult. We also speak of life in contentious, belligerent terms -- "how goes the battle?" Mercy makes life gentle -- eases the burden. Jesus says, "My yoke is easy and my burden light." Mercy is rest from our labours and the restoration of what we have lost.
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Human Destiny

2009-11-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

What lies ahead ultimately for the human race and indeed for the whole creation? In our time, we are offered an array of differing visions. How we choose makes all the difference.
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Eternal Soul

2009-11-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

What threatens our soul in the life and this world? What do we resist in order to preserve our life for eternity? We die at peace when our life has been given to something beyond our life. To what would we "lose our life in order to save it"?
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For All the Saints

2009-11-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

All Saints Day is a time for celebrating all those who have died-- all of "the saints"-- by welcoming their spirits into our presence. In true Christian faith, the presence of the spirits of the dead is a blessed presence-- neither a morbid view of death, nor a denial of death, but a celebration of life beyond death.
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Affirming Stewardship

2009-10-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

How do we do stewardship in an Affirming Ministry? We value our church in a diversity of differing ways. But above all, it is an opening of our hearts to one another. As the heritage passes from one generation to the next, it is cherished both in the receiving and in the letting go.

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Rest in the Promise

2009-10-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving Sunday.
It is so easy to let our anxiety about the future take hold of us. But gratitude for all that God has done in our lives, makes us able to embrace God's promise for the future. It is in this simple and pure faith that we rejoice today.
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Fighting for Life

2009-10-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

(Ethics Series, Part 6)
When, if ever, is it appropriate for states to take military action against another state for the purpose of protecting people at risk in that other state? Here, we are challenged to join together as a global community to forge a consensus on how to prevent violence, and cultivate dignity and respect for the whole human family. The Christian tradition has its contribution to make along with the multicultural mix of people of good will throughout the world.
Responsibility to Protect United Church
Decade to Overcome Violence World Council of Churches
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Caring for Life

2009-09-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

(Ethics Series, Part 5)
We have very difficult decisions before us about how much money should be spent on Health Care and how available resources should be allocated. It appears that we cannot satisfactorily resolve these questions solely on the basis of scientific, economic and political direction. Hence the present movements to reclaim the art and the spirit of health care practice.
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Responsibility for Life

2009-09-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

(Ethics Series, Part 4)
Stem-cell production and the prospect of human cloning represent another new frontier in technology which brings with it enormous possibilities for good and for evil -- for blessing and for curse. And we are rightfully wary. It challenges us to look at life differently: to change our perception in some ways, yet trusting God's touch, we need not fear having our eyes opened in new ways. It also places enormous responsibility in the hands of the human family, yet trusting in God, we do not need to be overwhelmed by the choices, but only to proceed faithfully.
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