TO THE LIFE AND WORK OF OUR CHURCH .

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES

St. James United Church,

5540 Osgoode Main Street,

Osgoode ON  K0A 2W0

Regular Service: Sunday 11:00am

All are welcome! Please join us.

Good morning to you on this lovely, beautiful autumn day.

As many of you may know, Monday is the one day of the week I try my best (mostly) to take completely off from ministry as my Sabbath day of rest. Some weeks it works. Others, not so much. But without fail, every Monday is also the day I iron shirts for the coming week. Maybe it's an age or generational thing but I do enjoy ironing and I do like an ironed shirt.

A few weeks back, perhaps late September or early October I brought down my storage bins that hold all my long-sleeved fall/winter shirts. They are in boxes because we have limited closet space in our small house. A few weeks back I ironed all my long-sleeved shirts knowing that cooler/cold weather would be here right soon (or so I thought). Wouldn't you know it. I have not worn a single one of those shirts save for the long-sleeved clergy shirts I wear on Sunday morning since we returned to in-person worship. I am so appreciative of donning short-pants and short sleeve shirts as I have started my day of late although after my morning walk and before heading out and about to the pastoral charge, I do swap my short-pants for a pair of jeans. This is all to say that as I iron, I think of that task as taking place in a holy place, holy space for wherever we are and whatever we are doing, God is present. So, if you're ever dreading having to iron, think of it as occurring in a holy space, holy place and God might just be peering over your shoulder to make sure you got that last wrinkle out! And if you don't, God will smile with you for we are loved by God just as we are - wrinkled or pressed clothes does not matter in God's eyes.

This coming Sunday is our third Sunday of being back to in-person and hybrid Zoom worship. It is, as I've written previously, so good to be back and to see so many smiling faces. We had about 33 or so folks in the pews last Sunday (Thanksgiving) and upwards of 13 or so who joined via Zoom. As Roger and I chatted preparing our Thanksgiving dinner last Sunday, he remarked, I am going to miss you all. Indeed I will, we will. But enough of that for now.

If you have not already done so, if you are thinking about coming to in-person worship, please let us know in advance as we adhere to capacity limits (maximum of 40 in the pews) and COVID protocols (physical distancing, wearing of masks, hand sanitizing and the capturing of names and phone numbers for contact tracing).

In our words, prayers and music this Sunday we shall as we do every day, give God our thanksgiving. You will be greeted by the best greeters you've ever met as you arrive at church and Connie Bazil is our Zoom host, Paul Arnold will offer the gift of music (his guitar playing and voice are beautiful) and Ronda Griesbach will offer our scripture readings. I, of course, will have a word or two to share for our reflection. Please plan to attend in-person or via Zoom. The worship liturgy is here for folks joining via Zoom or worshipping solely at home. Do know, however you worship, on your own, in-person or via Zoom, you are in a holy place and a holy space.

Virtual Service connection details will be emailed.

This day and always, may God bless you and those you love.

P.S. If you're a Sens fan you must celebrate this sure fact: as of last night's game, they are one step closer to the Stanley Cup!!!

Rev. Grant McNeil