Times of Change

Greetings to you one and all! I am glad to say that the Big Red Church has been a busy place this summer. At the heart of all the action was a small team of adults and youth. That team grew in size as the days went on. By the end of July the place was buzzing with creative energy. That energy focused on getting our building ready for a new future. The first step being cleaning out all the stuff filling rooms that once were filled with persons living and growing in faith. Something we imagine is possible for us as the future approaches.

It took about one month to empty many of the available rooms. This involved lots of heavy lifting and lots of climbing up and down the many stairs in our building. By the end of July we had filled a dumpster with tons of stuff no longer useful and simply wasting space. Not every thing went into the dumpster. One of our team posted items online and these were claimed by persons from the community. Other stuff went to various recycling depots and thrift stores.

While our Big Red Church team was working around the building a team of professionals was working in our kitchen. The floor was redone and the light fixtures were changed. This to get our kitchen ready for community gatherings. Included in the changes are a new refrigerator, a new freezer and a dishwasher. When the kitchen work is done another team of professionals will renovate our men's and lady's bathrooms. They will also add a new bathroom which will be accessible to persons with handicaps and such.

We are excited about the possibilities granted us by the grace of God. While change is not always easy, there are times when it is necessary. Right now the whole world is going through some remarkable changes. For some this may be the cause of anxiety. For us at the Big Red Church it is time to count the cost and take up the responsibility. Doing so we will grow in our faith and be supportive of our neighborhood and our world. We are well aware that not all are able to participate in the physical work involved. Even so, we are assured that each of you will be supportive of the change and keep the active team in your prayers. This will be much appreciated.

If you have any questions or comments, please send them my way. You can call me at 204-381-6286 or email me at george@geofeepub.com

Here are a few pictures I took as we went about our busyness:

Remedy For Our Time

Hello!

We are going through a time of uncertainty. Our regular routines are changed by outside influence. This may leave us feeling a little lost. Thank goodness for the spirit of God which dwells at the very heart of our being. Getting in touch with that spirit opens a way forward with confidence. This not only for ourselves but also for all those whom we meet along the way of our lives.

We had planned to prepare and publish online services for the month of August. I am sorry to say that this will not be happening for a variety of reasons. The primary reason being the lack of skilled technicians to record and post the services. With this in mind I am hoping you will explore the online presentations of other faith communities. This will offer you insight from perspectives other than those of the Big Red Church. Here is a link to a United Church page listing online services. You will find them in the left column of the page.

https://edgeucc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/00d5083bcaff4120863a8badb2d0928a

The service at the Big Red Church, for Sunday July 26, is posted below. The theme is focused on finding hope through prayer in times such as these. That hope being rooted in our faith in the goodness of God revealed by the Holy Spirit in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Separating Weeds From Wheat

Greetings to you each and all. We have passed through another week of uncertainty. So much about our lives is now up in the air. This is noticed in the popular media which is full of bad news. It almost seems that powers in high places are working to keep the population insecure. Even so, we who have placed our trust in the way of God are confident and secure. Even though we seem to be walking through the valley of death's dark shadow, we are not afraid. Living by faith we are made able to go forward confidently one step at a time.

Our recordings have been patched together and they are not always perfect. The video below has a small editing error which leaves a few words missing. The missing words are: "... in that parable we hear that God...". Then the message continues to its conclusion. Basically that message presents my insights on the separation of what is helpful from what is harmful. This based on the parable Jesus told about the separation of good seed from bad seed. Taking encouragement from the parable, we have opportunity to look at our priorities and make changes that will foster the growth of our caring presence in the Glenelm neighborhood and the world.

I am very grateful for the Called 2 B Band. Each week they choose songs which communicate insight and encouragement. Those songs are then introduced by various band members. Each having a personal faith and sharing that faith to further our common good. The selected songs offer opportunity for personal growth as followers along the way of the way of God. I trust that the Holy Spirit will inspire and motivate you to make a creative difference in our world.

Texts in which our service is rooted:

Matthew 13: 24-30 / Romans 8: 19-26 / Psalm 86: 11-15