Persist Because of the Promise

On Sunday, November 18, 1827 worship was conducted for the first time in “The Adamson Church” for the parish of St. Peter’s Anglican Church Erindale, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The description of record reads, “The Rev. James Magrath, while nearly sixty, boasted a day’s work … within two and one half hours he had married a couple; buried an elderly man; christened a baby; and churched two women. His parish, he contended, “was bound by the Rocky Mountains and the North Pole.”

190 years and 1 day later, I was able to join a dear friend for worship (and celebratory cake!) at St. Peter’s, the Church where I grew up, sang in the choir, served at the altar, attended and taught Sunday School, rang bells, and ultimately answered God’s call to Priestly ministry. It was providential that my Thanksgiving break from EDS coincided with this celebration at “home,” and it was an incredibly beautiful occasion, filled with the fondest of memories and much hope for the next decade and century of preaching the Gospel and loving the neighbors on that holy ground.

The Bishop happened to be there for Confirmation (so we were doing the same thing as you were at Good Shepherd!) and she preached with both grace and challenge about the true cost of following Jesus as individuals and as a Christian community. Reflecting on the final Beatitude (from the first Gospel ever preached on that spot) the Bishop reminded us that our faith and following set us apart in a way that will turn others against us, just as the “others” once turned against Jesus, but that the promise far outweighs the pain and so persist we must.

In that moment I realized the important impact for me of being raised in a parish that consistently persisted in preaching the Word, teaching the Truth, and loving all, no matter the cost, the opposition, or the challenge. St. Peter’s raised me up on a strong foundation that has sustained me through plenty of challenges, and the people there met and greeted me with the same love and support that I have consistently received there a
s a sweet child, complicated teen, and often-overtired adult. And so, when the Bishop explained to the newly-confirmed that they should never hesitate to “lean” on the parish as they navigate their lives of faith, I wanted to simultaneously stand up on my pew and cheer AND embrace the dear friend and mentor next to me with tearful gratitude. The Bishop, newly consecrated and visiting St. Peter’s for the first time was SO RIGHT … and I’m living proof of what she was saying.

- Lisa +