Perspectives by Pastor James Tripp

Blessed Easter Season

In four more days we will be hunting for “Easter eggs” probably hidden outside in the snow this year! Maybe we will be having Easter breakfast of hot chocolate and hot cross buns with our sweaters on, as opposed to spring clothes. 

Whatever the weather brings the traditional celebrations of Easter will be as it always has been.

Most of us have traditions for certain celebrations during the year. Customs, information or beliefs that we pass on to our next generation that aren’t necessarily written down anywhere but that are passed on by thought, action, or word of mouth. 

What are your traditional celebrations of Easter?  We don’t always know where these traditions have started, but we know that we always do them.

Our communities of faith all have traditions too. There are 11 churches in Morrisburg inviting you to come along and be a part of the spiritual and religious celebrations of Holy Week and of Easter Sunday. Easter comes every year to make sure that we don’t forget that all we are is transformed in and through God. The only thing that limits our Easter joy is our reluctance to believe in the risen Christ.

I personally invite you to join us by coming to church with us to celebrate.  

May God bless your Easter Season!

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Oops! About 32 days left until Christmas. That’s scary, if, like me, you haven’t actually begun shopping. But I mean to get started. Any day now. Really. And speaking of shopping, be sure you check out all the gifts and gift ideas right here in South Dundas. Our local businesses have lots of wonderful products for under the Christmas tree.

All the fun and celebrations of the holiday season are definitely underway as we count down the days to Santa’s visit.

This Saturday, November 26, the Morrisburg & District and the Iroquois-Matilda Lions Clubs are co-hosting the 6th annual South Dundas Senior Christmas Concert at the Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. with a concert featuring Ron Whitteker and his band, Good Time Country, providing the entertainment. The event runs at the Hall from 2-4 p.m. and is absolutely free to area seniors. There will be plenty of great food and plenty of fun at the party, and rumours are that a certain Jolly Elf, himself quite a senior, is planning to drop in. For information, or to book free transportation to the Concert, call 613-652-2307 or 613-543-3292.

The Upper Canada Playhouse debuts its annual Christmas production this week as Dear Santa opens at the theatre. Written by popular Canadian playwright Norm Foster, Dear Santa is a show full of laughter, music and dance, just made for the whole family. With Doug Tangney in the role of Santa, (who has just discovered several major North Pole crises three days to Christmas!), this will be a real holiday treat. By the way, 30 local children are in the choir in the show. Don’t miss it.

Another must see holiday special coming on December 4, at 7 p.m., is a dramatic reading of Charles Dickens’ beloved classic, A Christmas Carol. Lakeshore Drive United Church Outreach Program in collaboration with Upper Canada Playhouse is staging the holiday classic at the Church. It will feature five performers in traditional Victorian costumes, as well as wonderful music and refreshments. The funds raised will go to purchase new cardiac monitors for Winchester District Memorial Hospital. Pick up tickets at area Scotiabanks.

Don’t forget, Santa is planning to make his annual visit to Morrisburg on December 3, and he’s bringing floats, bands, elves, candy and a whole lot of fun with him. The Santa Claus parade is just two weeks away. What better way to celebrate this delightful season of joy and giving.

Speaking of giving, the South Dundas Christmas Exchange is counting on friends and neighbours to make this the best Christmas ever for many families in our area. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone had a delicious dinner on Christmas Day? (If you are a South Dundas resident who needs a Christmas dinner basket this year, contact 613-543-2005 until November 26.) 

Please think about donating some money or some gifts or some time to one of the many good charities in need of help this holiday season.

And on a bit of a sour note, we have just learned that computer scammers have been bilking some local people.

If you receive a phone call from some one claiming that there’s a problem with your computer, it may be part of a scam to get your credit card number. Computers with either Microsoft or Windows programs are being targeted in this area. If this phone number comes up, 1-888-495-8501, on your phone display, when you receive a call, be warned. This is a scammer. Immediately contact info@phonebusters.com who are equipped to back trace the phoney company.  

There will be a full story on this scam in next week’s Leader.

Meanwhile, celebrate. Christmas is coming.

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They shall never hold their peace day or night.

You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, 

– Isaiah 62:6

How refreshing to hear a Christian speak appropriately and freely about their faith, not as a challenge or imposition but as the true expression of their beliefs and commitments.

We live in a world that encourages the silence of the believer, seeking to establish and maintain a barrier against the faithful words of the one who cares about people and has genuine faith in Jesus Christ; which is a combination that always results in telling people about the salvation that is in Christ.

Through tacit social pressures Christians are often intimidated by an unbelieving world; bullied into silence and disobedience, not speaking appropriately and freely as our Lord requires of us.  

We are all missionaries…Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ, or we repel them from Christ. – Eric Liddell Jesus desires and requires that we confess Him before people. (Matthew 10:32-38) We confirm Jesus when we acknowledge the reality of His person, the quality of the life He lived, and the eternal value of His accomplishments. (John 10:10)

We confess our Lord when we proclaim to sinners the salvation that may only be found in Him. We confess Jesus when we believe in His testimony of the quality of His teaching and the bible, and therefore govern our lives by them. (John 8:31-36; Matthew 22:29)

How do you feel when someone whom you have loved and made great sacrifices for does not acknowledge you before others? We do not cause Jesus to feel that way after the things He’s suffered for us? (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)

As believers we are uniquely enabled witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Spirit and having new life in Him, (John 3:5-8; Acts 5:20; Romans 6:3-4) and filled with the Spirit to be witnesses for Him. (Acts 1:8 > 2:38-39)

Of course a faithful witness must live a qualified life, but also by definition a witness must speak. As freely as you speak about the accomplishments of family, friends or a favorite hero, even initiating the subject unrequested; so freely we must speak of Jesus’ accomplishments, their meaning, value and hope. Freely must we tell the truth of the salvation that may only be found in Him. Freely must we lift Him up each day that all people may be drawn to Him, and that those drawn may become genuine disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Let us who have put our trust in Jesus, persist always in “turning new acquaintances into lasting friends in Christ!”

Rev. George Frey

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