March 30, 2017
When I grew up, we had to say the Lord’s Prayer in school. We heard it said at every funeral, church service, and special occasion. It really was a part of our culture. That came to a screeching halt when Chris Tait who attended the same high school as me, decided to challenge the reciting of the Prayer. It was back in 1986 that Tait was suspended several times for refusing to stand during the reciting of the Lord's Prayer in his MacGregor Collegiate classroom. That led to a historic 1992 court case in which the Court of Queen's Bench struck down mandatory school prayer in Manitoba. From then to now Christian prayer has been banned across the provinces of Canada.
Today most people under 30 years would be hard pressed to recite the Lord’s Prayer. Actually it is not the Lord’s Prayer, but concepts Jesus taught us that we should incorporate in our prayer. If you look at the concepts of the Lord’s Prayer, you will see that there are two sections. The first section is about God, the second section is about us. In the first section, we see key words like your: your name, your kingdom, your will. In the second section we see key words like us: give us, forgive us, lead us not, and deliver us. What this tells me is that in prayer, we must first get our relationship right with the Father. Once that is on the right footing, we will be able to properly pray for the “us” in this model prayer. But let us not miss the significance of the little word “us” in this section. It is not, “give me” or “forgive me” it is about us. In other words, there is an expectation we should be praying together. While Jesus taught that we ought not to use public prayers as a way to impress, he still expected us to pray together. Jesus is teaching us the importance of praying together for each other’s needs. (give us our daily bread). To pray for each other, to experience forgiveness (forgive us our debts) and to be protected from evil (deliver us from evil). I have to confess that I have always interpreted these pieces in the Lord’s Prayer as for Me. Lord, give me my provision, Lord, forgive me, as I forgive others, Lord, lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil. But he is saying “us”. He is saying we are community. He is saying we are of the same family. He is saying that we are not an island. When we declare Our Father, it is just that, God is our Father, and we are intimately and communally connected to each other. Therefore, we should pray together. And when we do, we will see God’s Kingdom come. We will see God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven. How much are we missing because mom and dad don’t pray together? How much could the church do if only we would pray together? How much could our enterprises accomplish if only staff would pray together? You will never know, until we take the plunge and pray for and with each other as James exhorts us, James 5:16 (NIV)… pray for each other… The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
This Sunday, I am going to continue to speak on the discipline of prayer. I will be sharing specifically on why God expects us to ask, even when he already knows what we have need of.
The Renovation Bill is getting smaller
We want to thank all those who responded to the call for prayer and financial assistance to meet the last big outstanding bill on the renovation project for S.H.A.R.E. Since we have included this in our blog, many have responded. Last week we received, 800 dollars. If you feel the tug of God to respond, (any amount is appreciated) and are feeling led to give a special offering towards this, you can do it by interac, cheque, or by visiting our website. I know that moving S.H.A.R.E. to our building was the right thing to do. Please help us to get this cleared up, so we can continue to help the poor and give towards Our Daily Bread.
Resurrection Sunday
On Resurrection Sunday, we will have three wonderful events you can take part in. First, enjoy the Easter morning with the Christians from many different churches at 8 am at Lakeside Park. Then come on down to KCF for Brunch at 8:45 am. Finally we will celebrate the resurrection together at 10:30 am. What a great morning it will be. Each of the events is open to the community and everyone is encouraged to bring family and friends.
Family Camp at Dutch Harbour
Why not consider taking a part of your holidays to join us for family camp this year. This is an inexpensive opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, Kootenay Lake, beautiful mountains and beaches, plus be inspired and encouraged. This will all happened within the community of wonderful people. Pastor Glen Forsberg will be our guest speaker and Cliff Schneider will provide Children’s Ministry for the kids. Join us July 3 to 7. Contact the office to register or visit kootenaychristianfellowship.com.
PART (Pedal Along a Rail Trail) 12 – Early Date this Year!
This super fun bike ride with a purpose is set to happen on Saturday, June 24. Come and join us for this incredibly scenic 4 to 5 hour ride with trestles, tunnels and spectacular views from high above the Arrow Lake. It is a 54 km ride starting at Paulson Detour Road and concluding at the Celgar Mill parking lot. This is a fundraiser for Our Daily Bread. With sponsorships of $200 or more, your entry fee will be waived. Registration forms are available at the Guest Table on Sunday, at the office during the week or at kootenaychristianfellowship.com. Register now and start accumulating sponsorships!
Reading the Bible
If you follow the monthly reading program, you can successfully read the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice this year. I have attached this month’s prescribed reading to this newsletter. Start something new and watch God's word make a difference in your life.
Calendar of Events
Visit our website at http://www.kootenaychristianfellowship.com for all the news, sermons, and places to donate.
Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday.
Pastor Jim
E-transfers to office@kcfoffice.com
Kootenay Christian Fellowship520 Falls Street (1/2 Block up from Baker Street)Nelson, BC V1L 6B5