"God So Loved the World..."

Over the past year, faith communities around the planet (of which the parishes of the Diocese of New Westminster would be included) have displayed: creativity, resilience, strength of spirit and determination ensuring that worship and ministry continues during this protracted period when we are unable to gather indoors in groups for religious services.  Lent IV, March 14, 2021, was just a few days shy of a year since the decision was made to close the churches of the diocese to onsite public worship and gear up for online versions. Using the phrase of my good friend and colleague, Cliff Caprani, this particular Sunday was our Pandeversary. (Follow this link to view Cliff's film that covers the online liturgies he prepares for All Saints', Ladner)

Pandeversary Sunday was also marked by the first onsite episcopal visit of Bishop John Stephens since his installation as the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster, February 28 and the second onsite episcopal visit since his consecration on January 23. The faith community which greeted +John as he visited one of his parishes, was St. Helen, West Point Grey.

St. Helen, West Point Grey is a parish in transition. Their long-term rector, the Reverend Scott Gould completed his ministry there on December 31, 2020, and the Reverend Liz Hamel was appointed Interim Priest-in-Charge at 50% time in late February, 2021. Led by wardens and with the help of diocesan leadership, the people of St. Helen’s are entering into a period of discernment and prayer when and where they will listen to the Spirit and determine God’s call for their future mission and ministry. Worship continues and St. Helen’s has embraced the Zoom/livestream hybrid where clergy are present with leaders of the music ministry in the sanctuary and the community gathers via a Zoom meeting. The readers, intercessor, children’s program leaders are comprised of people attending via Zoom and a parish officer is also present online to augment the information given by the Celebrant during the welcome and to update the parish on mission and ministry progress during the transition process.

Music is a big part of the worship life of St. Helen’s and that was certainly evident during the March 14 liturgy. The parish musician, Emilia Boronco accompanied the hymns, psalm, Gospel Acclamation, Canticle (that followed the homily)and the Postlude using the parish’s baby grand piano and long time St. Helen’s chorister, baritone, Dale Throness led the SATB quartet consisting of soprano, Deeandra Miranda, alto, Liz Hodgson and tenor, Justin Cho. The quartet is positioned in the nave, physically distanced and they remain masked as they sing which is different than many of the other livestream liturgies that involve a choral component. A webcam positioned at the chancel entrance covers the nave, broadcasting an image of the quartet.

The livestream component of the Zoom meeting was operated by Will Sparling, who does a stellar job of producing the worship with a variety of mics both wired and wireless, the Zoom and two integrated cameras, the previously mentioned webcam and a cell phone in the chancel where the clergy officiate.

Bishop Stephens took the Gospel John 3:14-21 for his sermon text with a focus on the well-known verse 3:16. He began his sermon saying:

Embedded in the gospel passage you just heard was the famous quotation that gets referred to in a vast number of places, including billboards, shopping bags and on that eye black ink that athletes put on to help reduce the glare on a sunny day.  It is seen as an evangelical tool all on its own, in that, it seems, one just has to read John 3:16 and your life will be transformed and changed.  “For God so loved the world that God gave God’s only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”  Martin Luther, that famous Church reformer, is quoted as saying that these 27 words are “the heart of the Bible, the Gospel in miniature.”  If they are the gospel in a nutshell, perhaps there is not much else to say and I could end this sermon now… but since I am here let me offer a few words.      

Bishop John examined the text, focusing on God as  being the centre of the quote.

He also turned to the writings of Dutch Catholic theologian Henri Nouwen.

In his examination of 3:16, Bishop John quoted Nouwen:

"Introspection and contemplative prayer is the ancient discipline by which we begin to see God in our heart. Interior prayer is a careful attentiveness to the One who dwells in the center of our being. Through prayer we awaken ourselves to God within us. With practice, we allow God to enter into our heartbeat and our breathing, into our thoughts and emotions, into our hearing, seeing, touching, and tasting, and into every membrane of our body. It is by being awake to God in us that we can increasingly see God in the world around us." [1]

(Bishop Stephens’s sermon is available here on the diocesan website; video,audio and text.)

The Office of Morning Prayer continued after the homily with the Affirmation of Faith, the Litany from the BAS, Prayers for the People offered by Bob Carl, the Collect for Lent IV, the Lord’s Prayer, Sending Forth of the Community with Bishop John leading the Doxology, the Closing Hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and following the Dismissal a Postlude, Mendelssohn’s “O For the Wings of a Dove” sung beautifully by soprano Deeandra Miranda, ably supported by the other three members of the quartet.

Many thanks to the folks at St. Helen’s for their hospitality and for allowing diocesan communications to share the experience of their worship. The ease and grace with which this service was celebrated and shared was uplifting and a fitting tribute to the Pandeversary.

IMAGES

• Prior to worship, while the quartet rehearses, Interim Priest-in-Charge, the Reverend Liz Hamel approaches the chancel to prepare for the liturgy
• Rev. Hamel welcomes the Zoom community
• Bishop John preaching
• Will Sparling runs the hybrid Zoom/livestream
• Parish musician, Emilia Boronco
• Baritone, Dale Throness rehearses the quartet prior to worship
• Soprano, Deeandra Miranda offered a moving rendition of Mendelssohn's "O For the Wings of a Dove" which was the Postlude. Ably supported by the other three members of the quartet, Deeandra gently pulled one side of the mask to allow for more air to come in more sound to exit. Her breathing and phrasing were excellent and the top of her range was rich and perfectly in tune.
• Tenor Justin Cho and alto, Liz Hodgson
• Interim priest-in-charge and bishop pose for a photo

[1] In Spiritual Direction by Henri Nouwen