This long week-end offers us a grace-full opportunity to step aside from our work … and consider the work of others. We live in a universe beyond our measurement, we inhabit cities we did not build, we did not choose to be born and yet we have life.

In the midst of resting from our labours, we gather to reflect upon God’s works of creation, salvation and inspiration. With the psalmist, we pray ‘Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children’ (Psalm 90:16). With Paul in his letter to the Philippians, we consider all we know in Christ and declare ‘To our God and Father be glory forever and ever’ (Philippians 4: 20). And together we will sing, ‘Lord of light, whose name and splendour far outshine the suns of space, deign to make us your co-workers in the kingdom of your grace; use us to fulfill your purpose in the gift of Christ your Son: Abba, as in highest heaven, so on earth your will be done’.

Have a look at the Order of Service below. We warmly welcome you to join us. During the service there is a nursery offered for infants and young children. There is free parking available on the streets around the church and in a public surface lot just behind the church off Queen Street.

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The word most often accompanies a shrug of the shoulders, a tone of apathy if not of cynicism. When a question is asked, asking for a choice between here or there, this or that, now or then, the answer can so easily be … ‘Whatever’. Quite different the use of the word by the apostle Paul in his letter to the church of Philippi (Philippians 4:8).

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This phrase is presented in a detail of a window of the sanctuary of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Ottawa, executed in 1926 by James A. Ballantyne of Edinburgh Scotland. Three heavenly visitors are portrayed, representing Love, Truth and Justice. They appear to a man at his devotions, Bible open, with the phrase of Revelation 2:10 highlighted ‘Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life’. How is one faithful in life and even unto death? The answer is given in the words of the apostle, ‘whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things’.

Far from the ‘whatever’ of a shrug, the word here is used to emphasize the active, discerning, disciplined Christian endeavour of identifying the good in this world of grace, and ‘thinking upon them’, celebrating them, encouraging them, sharing them. I am always struck how open ended is this exhortation – ‘whatever’ as in ‘everywhere’, ‘with every opportunity’ and ‘at all times’. Seen in a stained glass window, our first thoughts are of the saving ‘things’ and ways of God. But what is begun in the sanctuary is to be continued in all the spaces and relationships of the world beyond. The ‘service’ of the Christian is to hold back the powers of darkness by participating in the good of our world, whatever it may be – in the realm of art and music, or community service and advocacy for justice within the nation.

Join us this Sunday as we hear the words of Paul, rejoicing in the things of God known in Christ Jesus, and considering how each of us might better respond, to the glory of God and the good of neighbour. There is free on street parking and in a public surface lots on Queen Street just behind the church. During the service a nursery is offered for young children. Have a look at the Order of Service below … and start humming some of the great hymns in preparation!

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I am returning from a time away. Béatrice and I spent wonderful days away with our family, and visiting her gathered family – we were sixteen in all. Now I return to my church family. I look forward to the congregational year ahead, beginning in a few short weeks with the 200th anniversary celebrations.

More immediately I look forward to completing our summer exploration of Paul’s letter to the Philippians … and us. This Sunday the focus is upon his declaration ‘I press on’ (Philippians 3:10 4:1). The amazing thing is that Paul, imprisoned and isolated as he is, makes this declaration not out of grim duty but with great joy. The point he makes for us as Christians is that, however full our heritage, we need to allow the future to shape our lives. In Jesus Christ we know what lies ahead for us by the grace of God, and it is that which provides lives now with strength and joy. ‘Press on’ is less an exhortation to discipline than an encouragement to turn on the power that flows from the Holy One into our lives!

If you are in the area, we warmly welcome you to join us. Have a look at the Order of Service below. There is ample free parking on the streets around the church, and in the public surface lot just behind the church off Queen Street. During the service there is a nursery offered for infants and young children.

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Summer! As the rivers sparkle in the sun, as the markets fill with produce of garden and field, as friends visit or are visited, these are days in which gratitude arises spontaneously and deeply. We warmly welcome you to gather with us to give thanks … to God, ‘the Lord who provides’. The Rev. Nancy Hancock will be leading worship. A nursery for infants and young children is offered during the service. Have a look at the Order of Service below, and join us!

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‘The Three Servants’ by JESUS MAFA – A Christian community in the Cameroon

If you are in the Kingston area, we would welcome you to join us in the worship of God. Our preacher this morning is the Rev. Dr. Karen Bach. Karen was the first Ecumenical Chaplain of the University of Toronto, and has also served as Director of the Evergreen Centre of the Yonge Street Mission, focusing upon additional pastoral services for young people on the streets of Toronto. The sermon theme is ‘Wise Investing in 2017′ based on Jesus’ parable of three servants from Matthew 25:13-40. Another special guest is violinist Doug Handforth. During the service a nursery is offered for infants and preschoolers. Have a look at the Order of Service below, and please join us!

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We concluded our July study evenings listening to a TED talk about the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel of Rome. It was fascinating. Curator Elizabeth Lev reminded how radically Michelangelo re-interpreted the Christian gospel with this art. Dispensing with the usual custom of setting biblical stories in a contemporary, 15th century Italian context, Michelangelo presented the human beings in a timelessly accessible manner, without clothes or scenery at all! Which is why, perhaps, 5 million 21st century human beings make the pilgrimage to see this ceiling every year. It speaks strong and deep across the ages. I would encourage you to take in the lecture yourself – https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_lev_the_unheard_story_of_the_sistine_chapel

In the scene above, Adam lies languid – robust in physique but obviously without much energy or spirit, reclining, with his arm hanging limp upon his knee. The artist draws us into the expectation of that instant, when the Man receives the divine touch that makes life meaningful and deeply interesting. (And notice that Eve is not an after-thought of the Holy One, a mere help mate of the Man, but already fully formed and held lovingly in the other divine arm!)

As Christians, a scene like this leads us to think about the transformation of human life by the ‘touch’ of Christ. As we continue through Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we arrive this Sunday at his wonderful declaration ‘I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord’ (Philippians 3: 8). Knowing Christ transforms life, and even death.

Have a look at the order of service below, and join us if you are in the area!

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These warm and wonderful days of summer we continue our journey through Paul’s letter to the Philippians with our Minister. The words this morning are of great encouragement (Philippians 2:1-18). There is a healing and a hope waiting for us to explore (further) and enjoy (more fully) … in Christ. This is not a matter of achievement or accomplishment, but is all gift … of God. ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you’ (Philippians 2:12-13).

There is assurance but also exhortation in this passage of Paul’s letter. As I was preparing my words for the sermon this Sunday, I remembered a parable told by William Barclay. It focused on a child who chose to continue playing in a small sand box when the joys of an entire ocean beach were just steps away. The Scottish Presbyterian Bible commentator was pointing to the fact that so many Christians seem to become content with what they know and resist growing into faithful maturity, perhaps with struggle but for good. Not one of us can be satisfied with anything less than the fullness of life promised, the salvation of God.

Since May, a group of Queen’s students associated with InterVarsity Fellowship have been living in the heritage manse of St. Andrew’s, creating an intentional missional community at the corner of Princess and Clergy. This morning Deirdre and Alix will be with us, and share some of their hopes and prayers.

Have a look at the order of service below, and if you are in the area, you would be welcome to join us in the worship of God. A sanctuary of beauty. Classic hymns of praise. A time of reflection and renewal. Even some special music from the St. Andrew’s recorder class! There is ample parking on the streets around, and in the public surface lot just behind the church off Queen Street. And during the service there is a supervised nursery for infants and young children.

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