Being an Elder does not mean you're old!

If you have been around Amberlea Church, you will know that the Elders play a significant role in the life and work of the church. (Don’t let the name deceive you, being an Elder does not mean you’re old!)  You have, no doubt, met or received emails or a phone call from your elder. You have seen them in various roles in the Sunday morning service, or leading a ministry team. And did you know that Eldership is at the heart of what it means to be Presbyterian?

All of our Presbyterian churches are led by our ruling elders and teaching elders (Pastors). They are called by God to seek the Holy Spirit in a particular congregation and to follow that path sincerely, faithfully, and effectively. It’s one of the great strengths of the Presbyterian system and, when it is done right, it makes Presbyterianism a great light amongst Christian denominations.

I love being both a Presbyterian and a teaching elder in the church. I feel connected to the apostles like Peter because of the special, mysterious, and holy laying on of hands that is part of the ordination process. I feel connected to the elders around me as we share a great sense of team work, responsibility, and faith in Christ. I am grateful and blessed by each of our faithful Elders!

Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:1:

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:

Peter refers to elders as being witnesses to Christ’s suffering, which reminds me that being ruling and teaching elders in the church is never an easy process. We think, we question, and we struggle with our faith. We solve problems, seek answers, and look for guidance from the Holy Spirit. We try to keep the church on the right path, just as the world tries to distract our goals and diminish our effectiveness.

We are the gate keepers of the faith and are meant to be the visionaries of our churches. Elders are always looking at the bigger picture and what lies ahead. If we only concentrate on the here and now, we will never reach the blessings yet to come.

These are anxious times for our faith, but as our elders across the Presbyterian Church remain faithful to Christ, uphold Christ’s teachings, and live according to God’s Word, then we will not only share in Christ’s glory, but we will also be handing over a strong church for the elders yet to be ordained.

In early Fall of 2022, it is the hope of Session (which is what we call the group of Elders) to expand its number.  Would you prayerfully consider if God is calling you to this important role in the life and work of Amberlea church.

For more information on the role of elders please refer to the Equipping Elders Resource from the Presbyterian Church in Canada website.

May we all share in the glory to be revealed!

Are you hungry?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.

Have you ever been hungry?  I mean really hungry.  I don’t mean your tummy growling because you missed your  3 pm snack but a hunger that is long lasting and painful.  I am not sure that anyone reading this has truly experienced that kind of hunger and if you have, I am sorry.

As we travelled the streets of India on our trips to visit my family.  We saw that kind of hunger.  We saw what real hunger looks like and honestly, I don’t know that pain.

Mother Teresa shared in an interview about all the pain she had witnessed in her lifetime. The interviewer asked her what was the worst thing she had seen and she replied by saying that “nothing compares to the pain caused by hunger”. The worst thing she had witnessed was children struggling through the physical, mental and emotional pain that comes with real hunger. I saw a glimpse of that during our travels to India.  Hunger hurts.

And yet, Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”  We are to desperately pursue God in the same way that we would desire food if we were hungry, or water if we were thirsty. 

We get a real sense of that desperate longing when we read David’s words in Psalm 42:1 where he wrote, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.”

Do you long for God like that? Do you hunger for Him? Do you thirst for Him?

We have a tendency to fill up on things that don’t satisfy and leave us feeling pretty empty, don’t we?

Hunger for God is an interesting thing. It requires sacrifice. It requires seeking God first. But I think it also requires that we believe and trust that what God has for us is better than anything we would choose for ourselves.

This week, I encourage you to challenge one another to hunger and thirst for God.  Not sure how to start?  Here are a few simple things we can do:

• Make God a part of your regular conversations. Allow God to be a part of your regular vocabulary. When talking about a beautiful sunset give thanks to God. Likewise in times of need cry out to God for help. People in your midst should know who you worship and who you go to for strength, by the words you use.

• Look for God in the everyday things. When you take the time to look - you will be amazed as you see God at work in your life and the life of others.

• Make church a priority. We are all busy, I know. But I would encourage you to come or join us online regularly and be filled, as we worship the Creator and Sustainer of this universe, the One who sent His son, Jesus, for you and your family. We need the worship of our God to be a priority.

• Serve God. What an incredible blessing it is to serve.

Be hungry this week because those who hunger and thirst for God will be filled!

Spring Cleaning

I love spring!

I love how the days get longer, and how the sun warms the air.  With the windows now open, fresh air is blowing in and with it the sounds of spring. I hear people raking away the thatch off their lawns making way for fresh new green grass, kids outside playing, birds chirping and of course the sound of the Blue Jays game on the radio or TV (in direct completion with playoff hockey ;)) and of course there is spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning is a term that we all understand. It seems that as the sun streams through the windows it casts light on the dirt and clutter that’s gathered all winter long. And if you are anything like me you want to bring the newness of the season into your home by purging and cleaning in order to make it fresh and presentable.

But what about a spring cleaning for the soul? Sometimes we need to do the same thing with our spiritual houses. We all grow stale sometimes and need a spiritual freshening up. What if this spring as we are decluttering and cleaning our homes, we spent time cleaning up our spiritual house as well?

So here are a couple of ideas on how to get started:

Get rid of the clutter:  Take a look at what distracts you from making your relationship with God a priority. And if you can, get rid of it!  What is getting in the way of nurturing your relationship with God?  For instance, are you watching TV, or one more episode on Netflix when you could be outside walking and praying, or in God’s Word?

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)

Wash and cleanse - After you’ve gotten rid of the clutter it is time to cleanse. As you draw near to God - ask God as David did in Psalm 51:10:

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (KJV)

Scrub out nasty attitudes, like bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, fear and selfishness by asking God to help you clean up each one.

In God’s economy every day is a great day for some spring cleaning!

Join us on Sunday as we begin a new sermon series called In God’s House.

You can also join us online!