A pastoral message from our minister Rev. Joan Pell.
Welcome to our website and to Chantry Methodist Church. We hope you enjoy looking around and we would love to meet you in person.
The picture of a heart that I chose to feature at the top of this page has the words you are not alone. We are all beloved children of God and God loves each one of us. The apostle Paul in Romans chapter 8 says:
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
At Chantry Methodist Church, with God’s grace, we live out our life as disciples of God by reaching out in love to our neighbours. We know that many are lonely and we welcome you to join us at our midweek activities where there is time to chat and to have some fun together. We have had to get creative with other ways to connect during this pandemic, but, the message has remained the same: you are a beloved child of God and God loves you.
In January 2020, at the first worship service for the new year, we celebrated Epiphany Sunday. That is the the day when we remember the three kings following the star, and then visiting Jesus and giving him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. I gave the congregation the gift of a star word to guide them through the year. Everyone received a different word. Mine was hopefulness. Little did I know at that point, how much I would cling to that word over through the pandemic. It is through my faith that I have hope that God’s steadfast love will prevail.
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21-23
As I trust in God, I am able to give over my fears and receive the peace of Christ, a peace that passes understanding. I pray that you too will be filled with that hope and peace. I leave you with this quote about hope:
Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up.
Anne Lamott (American novelist and public speaker)
In Christ,
Pastor Joan