Spiritual Accompaniment A three week Lenten opportunity to explore and experience Three Meditation Practices. A one-hour private appointment each of the three weeks to Palm Sunday: Feb. 28-Mar. 5 Meditative Awareness in Daily Activities Mar. 6-12 Breathing Meditation Mar. 13-19 Mantra (sacred word) Meditation A private one-hour appointment each week will include a brief learning time, 20 minutes practice in silence and a review of experience. To arrange appointments contact Flora Irwin or the office at 905-628-6396 Spiritual Accompaniment appointments will take place in St. Paul's. No cost involved.

Day 2 – Week 3 – Tuesday The Lost Sheep Read Matthew 18: 10-14 Here is the same parable but in a different form and with a different application. Matthew has located it in a completely different setting and maybe Jesus did too. Who's to say Jesus didn't use the same story in different ways? It is no longer about outcasts. It is about “little ones” and comes in a section of Matthew's gospel dealing with life in the community of disciples. Again, the comparison emphasizes the searching and care of God. Do you know who the “little ones” are? It is a term Matthew uses several times in his Gospel. The “little ones” are disciples. We are the “little ones”. Here in particular the “little ones” are weak or marginal, wavering or lost souls, on the fringe of community in some way. God's will is that none should be lost. The devil would have us ignore the weaker in our midst, not give them place or let them have place. The devil would have us let the “small” go. The devil would have us discount them and not miss them. Not so this shepherd. It is a call for us to care for the questionable, those who are not taking the Gospel to heart in our own community. Good Shepherd, help us be genuine in our attention to one another. Help us reach out to little ones in our community. Amen.

Tuesday, Feb. 23 Alms Giving In your own life list those things that are “needs” and those things that are “wants.” Notice who the wants serve. Donate a unit for each want.

Timeline Photos

Tuesday Lenten Communion and Breakfast 7 to 8 am If you love a quiet time with simple hearing of the Word, if you love to be at the Lord's Table, and if you love to join the ancient practice of chanting psalms...then please join us in the chancel each Tuesday in Lent. A hearty breakfast follows. This is sponsored by the Worship Committee.

Day 1 – Week 3 – Monday The Lost Sheep Read Luke 15: 1-7 This parable is found in both Matthew and Luke. Luke locates it as the first of a trilogy of parables, 100 sheep, 10 coins, 2 sons, all revealing the very nature of God as searching and caring. In Luke this trilogy is Jesus' response to grumbling. Some Pharisees (those genuinely trying to be godly) are uneasy with Jesus' ease in moving among sinners. So he tells a story of a flock of a hundred sheep and a shepherd going after one that is lost. If a parable is a comparison then this one asks us to compare the character or identity of God, as revealed in Jesus' ministry and actions (eating with sinners), with this shepherd seeking the lost sheep. The key point is that grace and caring and seeking are central to God's character. How powerful it is for me to know God is always seeking me! How powerful it is to know God is seeking us to bring us home! How we perceive God is all important because it affects how we perceive ourselves. If God is a caring and searching being how can I grumble about grace and am I not to be gracious too? The devil would leave me grumbling. Jesus calls me out of it. Dear Jesus, shepherd me that I may be shepherd-like.

The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12: 13-21) Monday, Feb. 22 Alms Giving Most of us don’t have “barns.” What do we have instead? Donate a unit for each “barn” you can list.

Timeline Photos

Mr. T and the Rich Fool It may seem odd to see Mr. T on the front cover of our bulletin. But parables are meant to jog thinking and so is this picture. The word fool was often on Mr. T's lips. It was on Jesus' lips too in this parable. The Rich Fool is wisdom teaching and wisdom calls us to be wise, not foolish. In this story in Luke Jesus uses strong words when talking about all forms of greed. He uses strong words in addressing the rich fool. Mr. T's glowering look captures the strength and feeling in Jesus' words. You might also note the gold chains. There's quite a story behind those in Mr. T's life. It seems he started wearing them in his days as a bouncer. He put on the gold that got left behind so the owners could retrieve it from him outside, as they were no longer allowed inside. In 2005 in response to the needs arising from Hurricane Katrina, he stopped wearing his gold chains. “As a Christian when I saw other people lose their lives and lose their land and property ... I felt it would be a sin before God for me to continue wearing my gold. I felt it would be insensitive and disrespectful to the people who lost everything, so I stopped wearing my gold.”

We invite you to join us at 10 a.m., Sunday, February 21, 2016 Lent 2 at St. Paul's United Church, Dundas for our continuing series, Parables to Foil Temptation. Please keep a silence in the sanctuary Gospel of Christ: Luke 12: 13-21 Parable of the Rich Fool Sermon: "Rich Toward God" Rev. Rick Spies

Timeline Photos

Remember! - to take home your 2015 income tax receipt - to take home your Home Devotion for this Lenten week: A Parable a Day Keeps the Devil at Bay - to use your Lenten Alms box to support Routes

Timeline Photos

Congregational Information Time on our Finances A year ago we received a bequest from Eleanor Jackson in honour of her parents, Mabel Scott and Francis Magee. We also decided to undertake a major renovation of our sanctuary building. Now, with a year under our belts, we need to sit together to understand where we are and how all the different parts are working together. An information session follows worship at coffee hour today (Sun Feb 21).

Day 6 – Week 2 – Saturday The Pearl Read Matthew 13: 45-46 Matthew has made a couplet of The Treasure and The Pearl. That is good Wisdom teaching practice. The two parables are similar but nuances are different. In this parable the merchant is searching. We might think about other sayings in which Jesus speaks of searching. “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things ...” “Seek and ye shall find ... Everyone who searches, finds.” “Does he not leave the 99 and search for the one ...” Pearls in that ancient time were considered to be of immense value. The parable is encouraging searchers (today we call them seekers) to recognize the value of Jesus' ministry, person, and work. It is a call to discipleship that recognizes our old ways, old world, old views will yield to this new pearl of great price. We Christians are called to be witnesses to and servants of the age to come. We don't bring in the kingdom, but we do demonstrate in our living with the help of the Holy Spirit the compassion, acceptance, forgiveness, justice and joy of Jesus himself. Fine pearl indeed! Dear Jesus, seeking let me find, finding let me live. Amen.

Saturday, Feb. 20: Alms Giving The Good Samaritan does a lot of things: notices, stops, binds wounds, cares, provides. Donate one unit for each way Routes Youth acts this way.

tuurkeybuunsyogaeverydamnday,yogainspiration,lowlunge,yogalove,churchyoga,turkeyyogas,warrior1

You are where you need to be 🗻 #yogalove #warrior1 #yogainspiration #yogaeverydamnday #TurkeyYogas #churchyoga #lowlunge

20two19urban,hamont,shoplocal,thankyoucanada,fullframe,sonyalpha7,sonya7,vividworks,a7,church,dundasont,sonyalpha,dundasontario,ontario_ca,canada,streetphotography,streetleaks,sohamont,vivitar,dundas_architecture,20two19,steeltownstreets,exploreontario,17mmf35,street,sonyimages,lifeincanada,dundasvalley

Sunday Church #20two19 #streetphotography #street #urban #dundasont #dundasvalley #dundasontario #dundas_architecture #sohamont #hamont #shoplocal #streetleaks #steeltownstreets #sonyalpha #sonyimages #a7 #sonya7 #sonyalpha7 #vividworks #canada #exploreontario #ontario_ca #ThankYouCanada #Fullframe #lifeincanada #church #vivitar #17mmf35

20two19urban,hamont,shoplocal,sonya6000,sonyalpha6000,street,vividworks,a6k,dundasont,sonyalpha,dundasontario,thankyoucanada,canada,a6000,streetphotography,streetleaks,sohamont,dundas_architecture,20two19,ontario_ca,steeltownstreets,exploreontario,sonyimages,dundasvalley

St Paul's #20two19 #streetphotography #street #urban #dundasont #dundasvalley #dundasontario #dundas_architecture #sohamont #hamont #shoplocal #streetleaks #steeltownstreets #sonyalpha #sonyimages #a6000 #a6k #sonya6000 #sonyalpha6000 #vividworks #canada #exploreontario #ontario_ca #ThankYouCanada

kristyleebeeexcitement,piccolo,lovewhatido,orchestra,flute

My view this afternoon. #excitement #orchestra #lovewhatido #flute #piccolo

kristyleebeemusician,orchestra,preconcert

Orchestra Life. #preconcert #orchestra #musician