New place, New perspective, New season and life...

This is the first blog post for me since a lot has changed in my life.  In June, we said farewell to our beloved River John, as our ministry called us to the communities of Bedeque and North Bedeque in Prince Edward Island.  We now call the manse in Bedeque home and are adjusting to life in these new places.  We have also become parents in September, to our beautiful little man, Ethan Stephen Lauchlin.  And what an adventure it has been.  

As we've been watching the leaves change color, so we've been watching him change and learn and grow.  It's meant a new way of learning for me too, as I've taken the full year off to learn how to be his Mom as well as a minister.  We're slowly getting the hang of it, figuring out what works and what doesn't, and taking it day by day...or as some might say, in baby steps!  It's been a fall full of firsts for all of us.  And so, my blog will shift perspective for a while as I reflect on what it means to be his Mom, in this new place, while the seasons change.  I'm genuinely looking forward to this coming year and all of the gratitude, love and joy it will bring!

My congregational letter for Lent...

Lent, 2012

Dear Members and Friends of the River John-West Branch Pastoral Charge:

Over the next forty days (not including Sundays) from Ash Wednesday until the Saturday before Easter, we will be on a journey in search of who Jesus is in our midst.  This is not a new journey, but one on which we find ourselves for much of our lives.  Lent is an intentional time in which we focus on this search and seek to grow closer together with our God and closer together as a Christian community.  And so we ask, “Who is Jesus for us today?” 

As a way of beginning, we might ponder a bit of our history as a Christian people.  The symbol of the Fish (as pictured above) has a long history of being a symbol containing the very early beliefs of what it means to be a follower of Christ.  The Greek word for fish is ichthus, which early Christians used to identify themselves, as well as to spell out their very basic beliefs. Each letter stood for a word in a sentence that indicated the belief held.  “Jesus Christ is the anointed Messiah, the Son of God and Saviour. “ Early Christians would use this to identify each other, for they were in fear of persecution. 

            In our time, it might not seem as urgent to declare who Jesus is for us in such a secretive way.  But during this time, it is quite important for us to continue to discover who Jesus is as we deepen our relationships with Him and with each other as a community of Christ followers.  Enclosed with this letter is a schedule of community events and worship opportunities to which you are invited and in which we can enter into moments of quiet contemplation and reflection as a means of furthering our discovery as we support each other in our search.

            It is my sincere hope that during Lent, as we journey to Easter, we will continue to more fully understand who Jesus is for us and who we are as a community of those who follow His way.

Wishing you a Peaceful and Contemplative Lent, and an Easter full of celebration,

The Rev. Catherine Stuart

Epiphany...Will We Come and See the Light?

Today is Epiphany--the day that celebrates the journey of the Magi, following the star that led them to find Jesus.  For so many of us, the Christmas season is over, our trees are down, our lights turned off, our houses un-decorated.  Our house, however is not.  Scott and I have chosen to leave our lights and tree up...while the star decoration on my office door and star lights in my office window, along with the other things, remind me that now, the work of Christmas is begun.  We must continue to follow the light--the light which comes from God, that is found within and continue to ask, Where is the Child?  Our lives, this time of year especially, can feel so dark because some of the feelings of Christmas, like happiness and joy seem to be gone.  But if we continue to celebrate this light well into the winter, the darkness seems bright.  And so this Epiphany (the season now continues until Lent!) will you come and see the light?  Will you follow the star?  It is my hope and prayer that the light of Christ will continue to shine deep from within. May it for all of us.