Left to ourselves, we know we will repeat these sins for ever, so we ask you to set this world right, LORD. Purge it of hate and violence. Transform it with your love. And, LORD, recognizing our own weakness, we ask that you will send your Holy Spirit to help us serve you faithfully in that work. You are the world’s only hope.

We pray for those who died, trusting that you were with them in their last terrifying moments. We pray for those who survived - the injured, and the traumatized, and the sorrowing. We ask you to heal them. Be with them through the long days of recovery, LORD.

We ask all this in your name. AMEN

YOUR PRAYERS

An update on two people many of you have been holding in prayer:

• Bob Blackburn, our Immediate Past Chairman, has made a marvellous recovery from his heart bypass surgery. The doctors were reluctant to risk the operation – Bob’s in his 80s – but the prospect of having to live a severely restricted life led this irrepressible man to push the specialists until he found one he could convince to go ahead. Evidence of recovery? – Bob’s back to cutting his own grass. And he’s got lots of it!)

• Al Dowber, President of our Central Ontario Region, has now completed his 36 chemo-therapies for prostate cancer. He hasn’t yet had a definitive evaluation of how successful the treatments have been, but a preliminary PSA test indicates very considerable improvement has taken place. Other than periodic low energy levels, he feels well. (And Al says he was blessed by the informal but very rewarding ministry he fell into among about 20 other Canadians who crossed the border for treatment at the same clinic.)

Both Bob and Al wish me to thank you for all your good wishes, your emails of concern and support, and above all for your prayers. Commenting on the prayers, Al said to me on the phone yesterday, “Yeah, God answered them.”

PERSPECTIVE

With the NACC’s present membership just under a hundred, we often feel overwhelmed by what a small fraction we are of the United Church. Perhaps some data from the most recent issue of Faith Today will give us a different perspective on that. According to FT, we have more congregations than these Canadian denominations: Baptist General Council (93), Brethren in Christ (40), Church of God (32), Congregational (90), Evangelical Mennonite (80), Fellowship of Christian Assemblies (83), Foursquare Gospel (58), Reformed Church (44), United Brethren (11), Vineyard (63), and Worldwide Church of God (75).

VOTING NO

In the next months, General Council will be asking local congregations for input about a number of important matters. Likely the first to arrive will be a “remit” on the proposed restructuring of the United Church. A remit is a vote, asking for a simple Yes or No response. (That is, it’s a package deal. It’s all or nothing.)

While the proposal has some obvious strengths, the NACC believes it poses unreasonable dangers for Pastoral Charges. We are therefore recommending against approval.

Through you local congregational contacts, your Board/Council will be receiving an outline of the NACC’s reasons for recommending a NO vote. That statement and two fuller independent analyses are also posted at the NACC website at www.unitedrenewal.org/nacc/nacc.stm.

VERY BRIEFLY

• The UCC is proposing to develop a new statement of faith. Apparently it is to be tested with some Pastoral Charges. It would be good to have a number of our congregations apply for the opportunity to comment. Write Rev. Peter Wyatt, 300-3250 Bloor St. West, Etobicoke ON M8X 2Y4.

• Fretting over how things are going? Read Ps 37:5-9.

God Bless You All

Posted at September 20, 2001 11:49 PM

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