Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia.
(Liturgical Text that’s part of the Introit for the Day of Pentecost)
Dear Friends of the Risen Saviour,
Easter greetings!
Wow! The videos were amazing and frightening. The speed of the wildfire encroaching on Fort McMurray was shocking.
Actually, I know about that first hand. Many years ago, my brother and I were fixing fence on a very warm, dry spring day. My brother remarked, “Boy, I bet this would really burn!” as we stood beside a hillside. Being a smoker, Dan had a lighter, and, whoosh, the hillside was a huge ‘V’ of fire. And so, the two of us moved up and down that hill with shovels faster than you’ve ever seen. Yeah, we got it extinguished and then my brother pondered, “I wonder if Dad will notice?”
Last spring, I was burning bundles of last year’s tall grasses in my backyard fire pit. I put the next bundle in too soon and I got my beard slightly singed.
We should all have a healthy respect for the power of fire.
But in a positive light, the liturgical text for this Sunday, The Day of Pentecost, (quoted above) is a prayer that God’s Spirit might fill us with the truth of the Gospel and in turn might ignite the love of Christ flashing forth from us into a world that desperately needs it. In a sense, we are praying for a Good News wildfire.
How does that happen? Well, it does not happen by setting our own fires of human frenetic activity (people just making something happen). No. Rather it is Spirit-driven zeal for God’s revealed truth and the conviction within human hearts to believe that it is true. That’s why we are still here! It wasn’t God’s plan that you and I can just do what we want in some self-serving way. The Spirit’s fire will inspire in us service to our God and to our neighbour. When that happens, opportunities will emerge where the Spirit’s fire will be kindled in other people. They too will get excited about new life through the forgiving and life-giving blood of Jesus.
It is a God-inspired thing. We do not manufacture it. That is why it is a prayer – “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia.”
We are asking God to make it happen – that Jesus would mean that much to us – that seeing His kingdom come among us holds a high priority in the way we use our time, energy, and passion.
The Lord be with you!
Coming Up at Prince of Peace …
Sunday, May 15, The Day of Pentecost
9:00 Sunday School, Adult Class
10:30 Holy Communion
PoP News …
Men’s Bible Study Breakfast – our men are invited to Pilgrim Lutheran Church for their monthly Bible study/breakfast get together on May 14th at 8:00am, 1054 Upper Sherman Ave., Hamilton.
Your Pastor Makes House Calls!! A sign-up sheet on the bulletin board has times that I am available to come visit. It is my desire to know you better and pray for your needs. Sign up whether it’s time for another visit or a first-time visit.
Exclusive Tour: Members and friends of Prince of Peace are invited to an event offered by the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation in conjunction with our Joyful Seniors. It’s a private Open House tour of the new JBH Mock Up Rooms located at 835 Harrington Court, Burlington, on Friday May 27, 5:30 to 7:00pm. Tour and learn more about the transformational change underway as our community hospital embarks on the largest and most significant expansion in its history. Please RSVP your attendance by Tuesday, May 24th to the office. (Please cross off the May 11th Joyful Seniors event on your calendar)
Mark your calendars now! Annual Golf Tournament . . . (Jun 6) {attachment} Concordia Seminary’s annual golf tournament is scheduled for Monday, June 6, at Sawmill Golf Course in Fenwick beginning at 11:30 am. The $100 per person registration fee includes BBQ lunch (sausages, hamburgers, hotdogs and a non-alcoholic beverage), green fees, golf cart, chicken/rib combo dinner, dessert and prizes. Registration due with payment by May 27.
The Seminary is also collecting prizes. If you would like to make a donation to the prize table, please send it to the East District Office at 275 Lawrence Ave. in Kitchener, or to the seminary at 470 Glenridge Ave. in St. Catharines. Prizes need to be in by June 3rd. If you would like your prize donation picked up, please contact Linda Lantz at 905-688-2362, ext. 22 (concordia@brocku.ca ). They are also looking for committee members for the tournament.
Online News …
What is Pentecost? Click here.
Please pray for residents of Fort McMurray evacuated due to wildfires: Please keep the residents, fire fighters and other emergency workers in your prayers. The residents of Fort Mac and surrounding area remain under evacuation orders until officials can determine that the infrastructure is safe for their return. Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) has set up a Wildfire Relief appeal to assist the rebuilding efforts. Emergency funds will be channeled through Lutheran Churches in Fort McMurray. DONATE TO CLWR WILDFIRE APPEAL HERE. ($23,000 donated as of May 6th—in just 3 days) FaithLife Financial has donated $10,000 in aid and made $250 available as a Special Matching Grant to those affected in Alberta through CLWR.
New Structures: Thinking and Praying: LCC President Robert Bugbee discusses the need for a restructuring of Lutheran Church–Canada. “I have become persuaded that our current structures in LCC have loaded us down so that we use up far too much energy maintaining our machinery, when we need to be freed up to get the Word of Christ more richly into people’s lives.” READ MORE
THEOLOGY FOR BLUE COLLAR, WHITE COLLAR AND CLERICAL COLLAR… Issues, Etc. is a radio talk show produced Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL and hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken. This weeks topics include: Responding to Liberal Proof Texts, The Augsburg Confession, Jesus Heals Ten Lepers, Christ in the Old Testament and more. You can listen to what you want when you want at www.issuesetc.org and on the Lutheran Public Radio mobile app.
LCC unveils logo for 2017 Reformation anniversary celebrations: Get your first look here.
In your prayers, please remember:
- Friends and family struggling with cancer
The Lord be with you.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Kevin Walrath
