A Year End Message for the people of St. Mark’s
By Jonathan • Jan 4th, 2009 • Category: From the Clergy2008 was truly memorable in so many ways. I thank God that St. Mark’s has weathered unbelievable ’storms’. Many of us were hit hard by the financial, physical, personal, emotional, or spiritual ’storms’ and perhaps some of you have experienced all of these ’storms’. 2009 is our opportunity to discover our character (strengths and flaws) and to discover God’s character (love and grace). My prayer is that we will be able to say ’I will allow God to do a mighty work in me’.
Job in the book of Job had disaster meted out upon him in one day. Job decided to see his sufferings as a doorway to discover his character and the character of God. Many of you might ask the question “what redeeming part was there in the book of Job?” It is from the book of Job that we receive the timeless words:
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
(Job 19:25-26)
Let us use this coming year as a time for us all, as individuals and a parish, to discover God’s saving grace through all circumstances. May we, like Job, discover more about ourselves and about God.
I thank God that each of you has weathered the storms and may this doxology be for all of us in 2009:
Glory to God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.
God Bless!
The Rev. Jonathan Blanchard (Assistant Priest)
Jonathan is an associate priest St. Mark's. He joined the pastoral team at St. Mark's in August 2006. Jonathan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from University of Manitoba in 1990 and received an MDiv from Wycliffe College in Toronto in 1995. He was ordained into the order of priests in 1999. His wife Deanna serves as the music director at St. Mark's. They have two children.
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