Reflections

Advent and Christmas are seasons of hope. The birth of a child in any family brings with it the expectation of the continuation of life. With the birth of the Christ Child, the hope of the world is centred on the reconciliation between God and Man. Angels, shepherds and Wise Men from the East, representing the diversity of the created order, all come to pay homage to the Prince of Peace. Hope is not something always in great supply in our world, but one place with a surprising amount of hope is St Michael’s Mission. The stories of people’s lives are not always easy, but with the strength of encouragement of the Mission volunteers and staff, many are given the extra support to carry on and turn things around. Tomorrow can be a better and new day.

This autumn, the Parish of St John the Evangelist has begun a process of strategic planning and reflection on our future. We have a solid base from our past to build into the future, as the wonderful historic series by Peter Harper indicates. This past Dedication Sunday, we had a visit from the Davison family, and Canon Peter Davison, son of our third Rector, gave an inspiring sermon.

There have been few times in the history of the Parish that things have looked so bright just beyond our doorstep. We are surrounded by modern temples of art and culture, the new Symphony Hall, Place des Arts, the Musée d’art contemporain, the Espace Danse, and soon the new National Film Board headquarters. As well, new condos arise monthly in the neighbourhood. How can we as a parish interact with this new reality? There is certainly a far greater opportunity here than when we sat on the edge of a parking lot for 40 years. But these things will not happen by themselves. If we are to take advantage of our situation, we must be open to God’s calling to us, and have willing hearts and minds to work in our part of the Lord’s vineyard.

Keith +