Dear Congregation:
In light of the Government announcement to open up places of worship, as a congregation we certainly want to be open as soon as possible. However, it is important that we are ready with the necessary protocols in place. The Session of Oakridge Presbyterian Church will determine the timeline to do so. The Presbytery of London will also provide guidance in preparation for resuming in-person worship in the church. At this point in time we are looking at early July. More information to follow.
Blessings.
Pastor Ed
July 17, 2020
Waiting While God Seems to Hide
I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face… I will put my trust in him. Isaiah 8: 17 (NIV)
We all know that waiting is frustrating. We dislike waiting in the doctor’s office, in traffic, at work, at home, you name it. Many of us have also experienced that waiting for God can be difficult, especially after praying for help or healing.
Isaiah the prophet speaks to our impatience. He knows that for various reasons God may “hide his face,” or withhold the favour we are looking for. Isaiah also testifies and encourages that the people of Israel – and all of us today, can put our trust in God.
People in every generation will come up with complaints about the God who hides his face. Stumbling over the mystery of life and God’s hidden ways is a recurring problem that faces us in every season. The Israelites had to wait so long for the Messiah to be born. Jesus was born and it was not until he was 30 that he launched his ministry as the savior of the world!
How about you? Do we also take offense at the God who hides? When you have faced a disaster or disappointment, have you ever wondered, “Where is God? Why doesn’t God do something?” We are all affected by Covid-19. We want it to end quickly and we are growing impatient. We hear Isaiah’s words again, “I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face… I will put my trust in him (Isaiah 8: 17)!”
Isaiah encourages our patience and decidedly recommends to us through his own resolve, “I will put my trust in him.” Remember that we have the gift of God’s presence and daily help through God’s Holy Spirit. Though it may take longer than we are comfortable with, pray, trust and believe because God’s promises are true.
Prayer
Lord, it is so difficult to wait while we cannot see what you are doing. We do not entirely understand, but we know your ways lead to healing and joy. Please forgive us and accept our praise. Amen.
Announcements:
The session will meet this coming Monday evening on-line with the ‘zoom’ technology. More information on re-opening the church will be available in the next newsletter on July 24th.
Thank you for your prayers, personal support for one another and financial support as we look with anticipation to in-person worship and the renewal of church programs in the fall.
The live-stream services are into our third Sunday this Sunday! Though we have had a few technological wrinkles, the live-streaming team is working diligently to iron those out. A big thank you to the team!
A note of caution to keep in mind: In this time of increased online activity due to Covid-19 Self Isolation restrictions, there is the opportunity for increased activity in Spam email and attempted fraud through online tools such as email. Even familiar contacts may not be who they seem. If you are unsure of an email, even if it appears to come from a familiar source, make sure the underlying email address is valid. The name you see might be John Doe but the underlying email address might be abcd@xyz.be instead of jdoe@oakridge.london.on.ca. If you encounter this please ignore and do not forward this email on.
Please feel free to call me if you have any questions. My number at the church is: (519) 471-2290 Ext. 222
Blessings.
Pastor Ed
The staff is still working hard and wants to support you. Please call 519-471-2290 and our extensions are listed below.
