High River United Church of High River, Alberta
        

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  Date: Sunday, September 02, 2018       Teacher: Rev. David L.S. Robertson     Duration: 15 mins 24 secs    
  Description: On August 20, CBC reported about a fleet of 20 combines in formation along with more than 100 volunteers in Milestone, SK. They were harvesting the crop of durum wheat belonging to the family of Brian William, who died after being hospitalized during the onset of the harvest season. The grieving family was reticent to ask for help, but after some consideration they relented. Family friend Jeff Brown organized an event of grace and gratitude that he will never forget. 258 hectares of crop were harvested in a matter of hours. This image has stayed with me because it tells me that humans have such capacity to offer compassion and generosity in ways that heal the human heart and show the world how to make a difference in the lives of those who are vulnerable. In gospel terms, compassionate and generous acts are the embodiment of the Kingdom of God. The gifts of generosity and compassion in Milestone, Saskatchewan are not predicated on the colour of one’s combine, the amount of horsepower and capacity, how long one’s been farming, or any other form of inherit merit. All that fades away in order to create room for the profound gifts of compassion and generosity which, according to today’s gospel story about the vineyard, surpass even fairness. The landowner hires labourers early in the day, then at 9:00 AM and again at 5:00 PM. Here’s a landowner who is trying to make a difference. He see’s people standing idle—because there’s no work to be had. In fact, idleness is a theological and moral issue for the people of Jesus’ time. It is something to be addressed and solved because the Judeo-Christian tradition values meaningful, joyful and purposeful work. As the writer of Ecclesiastes says, “There is nothing better for mortals than to eat, drink, and find enjoyment in their toil.” As I read Matthew’s story from the vineyard, I found myself connecting with those standing idle in the marketplace enduring unemployment or underemployment and likely the dulling absence of enjoyment in their toil. During the day, the landowner’s generosity and compassion show up 3 times in the market place and provide work for those standing idle. At they end of the day they are all given the same wage which causes disgruntlement. At first the issue seems to be one of fairness and to be honest it’s understandable. Yet, this is a story not about fairness. It’s about helping us realize that God offers compassion and generosity to everyone who works in the vineyard regardless of the number of hours worked. The gospel’s wisdom goes beyond convention and invites us to fix our gaze on the goodness of God who is generous to all.
  Date: Sunday, August 26, 2018       Teacher: Rev. Susan Lukey     Duration: 20 mins 57 secs    
Passage: Luke 18:1-17    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: A widow, a tax collector, children, and a rich young ruler. These are the characters of four of Jesus’ parables that the gospel writer, Luke, places together to share what he believes about Jesus. Like any great storyteller, which he was, Jesus would have told these stories on many occasions to many different audiences. But you don’t write a book or a gospel by repeating the same stories over and over, so Luke chooses this point in the gospel to share these stories and he groups them together, along with a story about a rich young ruler. Luke ends this group of stories with the disciples asking a question: “Then who can be part of your kingdom?” Let’s back up to the previous chapter (remember the chapters and verse were added later and are not in the oldest manuscripts – they are one person’s idea of what stories go together, so it is good to look beyond the chapter we are reading to get a broader view of the story.) In the verses leading up to these stories, we hear this introduction: (Luke 17:20-21) Once Jesus was asked by the pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” And then, after a bit longer explanation of this introduction, we are presented with the stories: a widow, a tax collector, a group of children, and a rich young ruler. What an interesting collection of people. The widow, the tax collector and the children are ones who were on the sidelines of society at the time. They wouldn’t count for much or have any status or power. In fact, the tax collector would be considered a traitor of his faith and his people. Yet, each of these – the widow, the tax collector and the children – are honoured and valued in these stories. They are held up as models for what it means to be part of the kingdom of God.
  Date: Sunday, August 19, 2018       Teacher: Rev. David L.S. Robertson     Duration: 20 mins 21 secs    
Passage: Luke 10:25-37    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: Do this and you will live. Go and do likewise. These are Jesus’ words as he responds to the young lawyer. I think we need to pay attention to Jesus’ very flat, plain speak. Referring to the transaction between the young Lawyer and Jesus, one commentator says, “Asking questions for the purpose of gaining an advantage over another is not a kingdom exercise. Neither is asking questions with no intention of implementing the answers. The goal of witnessing or of theological conversation is not to outwit another…” (Craddock, Luke: Interpretation, p. 150) But of course that is what the young lawyers is trying to do. He is posturing. He trying to spar intellectually with Jesus and turn the whole transaction into an academic game. And of course, he is bright. He knows the wisdom of the Law and in fact answers his own questions… correctly. Jesus doesn’t disagree with him. However, having the right answers doesn’t mean that this young lawyer knows God. Jesus stops the banter and gets the young lawyer off his high horse by telling him to go and do likewise. It’s fine to have the right knowledge. It’s not fine to do nothing with it. Jesus chooses not to engage him at the level of academics. Instead he says, do what you say—love your neighbour, be like the one who shows mercy. Do this and you will live.
  Date: Sunday, August 12, 2018       Teacher: Rev. Susan Lukey     Duration: 14 mins 36 secs    
Passage: Isaiah 25:1-8    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: We need a vision for our individual lives, for our life as a faith community, for the community in which we live, for our country and our world. Without vision, we are lost and scattered, we get pulled in too many directions. As Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a Harvard business professor says, “A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.” That’s what vision does for our lives – calls us to become something more, calls out our gifts and our skills, challenges us to learn new skills and try out new possibilities. Vision is the inspiration to create in own lives, our communities and our world a place of hope, justice, peace and compassion for all people. In today’s scripture, we read of a vision – a dream, a hope, a picture of the best of what can be.
  Date: Sunday, August 05, 2018       Teacher: Rev. David L.S. Robertson    
Passage: John 6:1-13    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: A boy, some fish, some bread - and 5,000 to feed. What do we make of this miracle story? It's not the miracle that's important - it is the meaning and the message of the story. A mountain, a boy and plentiful grass. It’s these three rather understated details that drew my attention as I read through today’s text from the Gospel of John. And partly that’s due to my increasing awareness that little details, which often go unnoticed, are not arbitrary. The writer of the text has placed them there for a reason. Mostly we don’t know why, yet they spark our curiosity around how the little details contribute to a deeper awareness of what the text is trying to convey.
  Date: Sunday, July 29, 2018       Teacher: Rev. Susan Lukey     Duration: 16 mins 2 secs    
Passage: Hebrews 10:22-39    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: The spiritual journey is not a solitary journey. We can't do faith alone. We need to be supported and challenged within a community that accepts us unconditionally. We need to gather regularly to encourage one another in faith.
  Date: Sunday, July 22, 2018       Teacher: Bob Gibennus    
Passage: Job 18:1-21    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: Bob Gibennus continues on suffering: Selected verses from Job: Chapters 18-22; 38,39 & 42
  Date: Sunday, July 15, 2018       Teacher: Bob Gibennus     Duration: 16 mins 58 secs    
Passage: Job 2:11-13 & Job 11:1-6    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: Bob Gibennus continues to speak about suffering. The scriptures he refers to are: Job 2:11-13 Job 3:1-7 Job 4:1-2, 7-9 Job 8:1-7 Job 11:1-6
  Date: Sunday, July 08, 2018       Teacher: Bob Gibennus     Duration: 19 mins 50 secs    
Passage: Job 1:1-22 & Job 2:1-10    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: Bob Gibennus is guest preacher - a three week series on the book of Job and suffering. Gracious and loving God We come to this holy place today seeking time with you And our sisters and brothers in faith. We bring our joys and our sorrows; We seek your comfort and reassurance. We bring our blemishes and our failings; We seek your grace and renewal. May our time together during this sacred hour be a blessing. And may we leave this place changed. Amen.
  Date: Sunday, July 01, 2018       Teacher: Celia Peman     Duration: 16 mins 9 secs    
Passage: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15    
  Series Summer 2018
  Description: Celia Penman was guest preacher today!

 

 


Can You Spare One Afternoon Per Month?
Created On Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Extend the Table is looking for volunteer kitchen help. Our Extend the Table, simple supper is...
The High River United Church "Life Size" Advent Calendar Returns This December
Created On Thursday, 21 November 2024
Come and check the drawers each day, December 1 - 24, to find an Advent surprise! Every day will...
Prayer for Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine
Created On Monday, 16 October 2023
God,you are our hope, we shall not let go.You help us seek peace, justice, hope, and dignity for...
High River United AFFIRMS the Full Spectrum of Diversity
Created On Tuesday, 19 September 2023
And we also believe that God has created and loves all people in the full spectrum of diversity....

 

SUNDAY MORNINGS @ 10AM

123 MacLeod Trail S.W. High River, Alberta.

(403) 652-3168

hruc@telus.net

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