EIGHT SCORE & +/- 10 YEARS…

It had been my intention to step away from the pulpit last year after being in the pulpits of St. Peter’s, Madoc and St. Andrew’s, Tweed – the two churches in my father’s pastoral charge while I finished high school. Then a surprising invitation came from the new minister at St. Peter’s. She asked if I would be willing to preach the 150th Anniversary Service early in November. After some personal reflection and a few discussions about time and the like, we agreed on November 3rd. I felt I really couldn’t turn this invite down; in fact, when I had been involved in the 133rd Anniversary I had said that if I were still alive, I would very much like to be part of the 150th – but then I forgot about it. Moreover I had been back a couple of times in the interim and I figured that they may well have had enough of me.

The service was more than very nice. They have a joyous sounding choir and their energetic organist is still hale & hearty. Their new minister is a gem! {She has the most interesting emotional comfort dog} And, for this service, a number of people who knew us (including friends of my sisters) when we lived there came which was special. To add to the moment, descendants of the minister who led the building of the church 150 years ago also were in attendance. It was a unique moment in time and I am so glad that I went; that moment will stay with me for the rest of my life…

I tried to set up a ZOOM broadcast but that didn’t work, however an audio recording did result from my less than stellar technical efforts. I have yet to be able to upload it to this platform; perhaps my techie will be able to by early winter (after I return from my next trip)! My rough notes from the sermon are available; if you are interested in reading it, I am attaching it below.

Reflectively
g.w.

Sermon Title: Eight Score +/- 10… {03/11/24}

May the words of my mouth &
the meditations of our hearts
Be acceptable in your sight, O Lord
our Rock & our Salvation (Amen)

What is age — other than a number?
What is legacy — other than a thought?
What is an anniversary — other than a date on a calendar

Since we are celebrating a very long time this morning I thought it might be helpful to start this sermon
By going first to the Old Testament

{Read Job 42: 16 & 17}
After this, Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four generations. And Job died, old and full of days.
&
{Read Psalm 90: 10}
The days of our life are three score & ten [seventy years], or perhaps four score [eighty], if we are strong…

How does one properly address an anniversary as significant as this one?
– 150 years for this magnificent building
– at least 170 years for this enduring congregation

Do we re-issue one of Dad’s core sermons?
Perhaps one he might have used at the 100th Anniversary:
• Boots, boots, boots – there’s no discharge in the war
• The Cattle on a Thousand Hills
• Aromatic Christians
OR

Reminisce about Special Services Dad always looked forward to such as
the Christmas Candlelight Service, & the New Year’s Eve Watchnight

OR

Do I get personal and reminisce about the fact that sixty-two [62] years ago
the Kirk Session of this congregation certified me for ministry in the PCC
(A certification that lasted four [4] years)?

OR

Maybe celebrate that my first sermon was delivered at St. Peter’s
and today my last sermon will be delivered here!
A wonderful bookend to my connection to the pulpit

OR

Do we turn to our local, Presbyterian-raised historian, Gordon Pitts
and alongside his ancestor Uriah Seymour & that indefatigable A. F. Wood
celebrate the early ministry of David Wishart (whose descendants are with us this morning)
acknowledging the incredible perseverance of that young congregation, when,
in spite of their pretty little church burning to the ground, re-built a magnificent edifice called St. Peter’s
Continuing on the historical front, Gordon chronicles a rather tumultuous story of Madoc
Ups & downs / good times & lean years
In many ways the story of this congregation mirrors that history

Interestingly enough, if one takes time to read the history of the people of Israel
from Abraham, Isaac & Jacob — through Joseph, Moses & Aaron
on to David, Solomon & all the prophets — to Christ himself and since
there have been ups & downs / good times & lean years

The story of faith has never been linear
never a paved four-lane highway
It has been about perseverance
Job to Joshua to James
Jean Calvin / John Knox
David Wishart to Bob Sinclair to Rev. Rebekah

To gain some perspective on the state of our denomination 150 years ago I decided to read an old theological history book my Dad gave me a long time ago:
The Presbyterian Church Throughout the World: From the Earliest to the Present Times
actually published in 1874 (150 years ago)

There are some remarkable stories that in themselves could be the basis of several sermons

In discussing the church in Scotland & the development of Presbyterianism, the book notes that Tertullian, a Roman authority, commented in the third century, those parts of Britain which were inaccessible to the Romans had become subject to Christ due to Eastern & Greek influences (p. 20)
moreover
…in it’s earliest traces of religious faith and order are unmistakably and distinctively Presbyterian

And, Presbyters were the form of governing for the religious community founded by Columba at Iona

Even more intriguing is a comment on p. 27 about a 1543 trial & subsequent burning at the stake of a distinguished scholar & preacher of noble birth, greatly beloved for the unction & winning sweetness of his ministrations…

This man was George Wishart

I’m quite sure an ancestral relative of our own Rev. Wishart (& his two descendants here today)

This book also discusses the Presbyterian Church in the Dominion of Canada
pointing out its first General Assembly was in 1870, after the congregation of St. Peter’s was formed
& just before this building was erected

It also highlights the challenges of early Presbyterians in the Dominion…
The visits of ministers, like angels, were few & far between, but when preachers came near the toil-warn settlers, they and their message were hailed with delight. (P. 145)

Ironically today many of our churches, including St. Peter’s have experienced times without a regular minister

In fact,
if it were not for ordained women & non anglo-saxons the PCC would be in dire straights

So be very thankful for the radical, risky decision several decades ago by the PCC to ordain women as ministries — It was a chance worth taking

Now, of course, Professors of Homiletics will tell you that any good sermon will have as its foundation
references to learned scholars

So maybe we should consider
The Institutes of Religion by Jean Calvin of Geneva
or
Reinhold Niebuhr that famous intellectual at Union Theological Seminary in New York City

I could give you many good quotes from either if I thought it would truly make this sermon great

But for now, I’ll only make reference to one – Niebuhr
man is made in his created freedom so that he comes to fruition only in covenant with others and in steadfast love for them. His transcendent freedom is “in order to” love, and love is ordained as the law for his life in freedom…love is the chief part of natural moral law… (p. 84)

Remember this emphasis on LOVE
For I think it may be one of the most important themes
for this anniversary
for this congregation
For each of us going forward

I say this because…
Quite recently I had an intriguing ZOOM conversation with a former moderator of our church…
We were discussing a series of road trips I have made over the past couple of summers to churches where I was either a student minister or interim lay minister.

I had noticed that about fifty percent [50%] are either closed or disappeared…

In response he said
• firstly, much of what the PCC was in 1925 came out of anger – hardly something to sustain us
• we are currently selling fifteen [15] church buildings a year across the country…
• from Northern Ontario to the Rockies we may have only a couple of churches left by the end of the next generation
• 130 congregations have about 20 members and 20% will never call a minister again
• we, as the PCC, are bleeding 3,000 members a year…

BUT, he also said
• the church should start risking again & it is okay to risk
• try new forms of worship, often around meals or other joyous activities
• new times of worship, to fit with local working patterns & community life-styles
• focusing again on being a neighbourhood church, re-learning how to welcome the new people in our community, no matter where they are from or what they look or sound like
• most importantly, a fundamental ingredient of success is HOPE
And remember this emphasis too!
OK,
back to this moment,
this anniversary celebration
So what are all these examples & quotes saying?
How am I going to pull it all together so we can feel this Anniversary is truly meaningful

The past is past — but there is something very positive we can learn
Through it all — the good, the bad, the indifferent
St. Peter’s has survived

We are here today as part of that legacy

But more important, it has done so because of two
key ingredients
HOPE & LOVE
HOPE for the future
LOVE of each other
And these combine to found a FAITH that surpasses congregation and denomination

We should celebrate we are still here
We should celebrate that the past has made us strong & interesting & enduring
We should celebrate that with a new minister we can & will go forward
We should celebrate that we are demonstrating HOPE
We should celebrate we are capable of LOVE

As Paul said to the people of Philippi
(And let me paraphrase it now from me to you in Madoc)
I thank God for you whenever I think of you. My constant prayers for you are a real joy for they bring back to my mind how we have worked together for the Gospel. I feel sure that the one who is beginning her good work in you will go on developing it until the day of Christ Jesus. It is only natural that I should feel like this about you all – you are very dear to me…
My prayer for you is that you many have still more love – a love that is full of knowledge & wise insight. I want you to be able always to recognize the highest and the best… to see your lives full of true goodness, produced by the power that Christ Jesus gives you to the praise & glory of God.

Enjoy today…
Be thankful for your new minister
Be eager to share in her leadership

But remember
that Hope & Love require ALL of us to have Faith
all of us to demonstrate FAITH

Be willing to try new things –
continue to be hopeful
Be eager to experiment
Remember that, in spite of everything,
we are all parts of God’s kingdom
so let Him do with us what He wills
it’s worked for eight score +/- ten years
just keep it working
in HOPE, LOVE & FAITH

Let us pray…