Ha Na Park

Greeting and Welcoming Come in, my friends – and welcome home. Home of our children’s stories. Home of the family’s spiritual growth together – of mother and son, grandmother and granddaughter, father and mother, in love and faith. This evening is home to the story of the birth of baby Jesus, the crowded inn, the singing of the angels, the haste of the shepherds with the good news: Jesus is born! Here, in the warmth and light of the candles, in music and with children’s drama, the story unfolds again. The story makes room for us again. The wings of the angels – the wings of our children – welcome us again. In the waning edge of the year, we will create a time that will reveal the holy in our midst. With glory, with wonder - Welcome everyone. Welcome home. (I am Ha Na Park, the minister in title at Chemainus United Church, where we all are ministers in Christ. For those of us who are not familiar with our church building, you can find the washroom at the left s

Sermon: We Don’t Spring Back Text: Romans 13:11-14 Today’s scripture from Romans tells us, “Know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you. … For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers.” Buddhists believe that there is no permanent substance that we can call “Self” with a capital S. Between the former self and the next, who are we in transition? We Christians believe and profess that we follow Jesus – the crucified and risen one. We bear witness that our lives as Christians should follow the example of Jesus – not just the selfless love, but the crucifixion, death and resurrection, as well. It is the journey in which we are all invited to participate from the moment we are baptised. Now let me ask a question for us to reflect on as we begin our journey of Advent – What time is it for us now? Is it now the moment for us? Recently I had a conversation with a church member. In the midst of our deep sharing, she asked how she could find