WildWords: Sermons from Wildwood Mennonite Church

This is a suffering world and so much suffering is rooted in power. Jesus transformed how power is understood by coming to earth in human form. He was someone who dared to lower himself to raise us up! Using the image of vessels at sea, what are the privileges and responsibilities of speedboats? What does Jesus, the one who rode a donkey, teach us about how we use our power?

The familiar parable of the “Prodigal Son” contrasts being “pious” or “religious” with the "prodigal" inclusive love of our welcoming God. Who are we within this story of the feather brained fugitive child, the faithful and faultfinding brother, and the fond forgiving father?

Biblical writers remind us, tenderly, so many times - in liturgy, letters, and the mouths of angels – fear not, do not be afraid. How will we wrestle room in our imaginations, in our hearts, away from fear to make room for compassion? How might heavenly citizenship teach us about open-heartedness and open-handed living? Can beauty shape us into more compassionate people? 

from Eileen Klassen Hamm

What do you do with a fig tree that doesn't produce figs? Cut it down because consequences matter? Or give it extra care and attention because that might just be what it needs? And beyond good gardening techniques, what about humans--do we get what we earn, or do we receive what is given?

Feeling surrounded, back-against-the-wall, with no way out of whatever situation you're in? Name your crisis--personal conflict, international war, pandemic impacts, natural catastrophe, systemic failure... there's more than enough of that feeling to go around these days. Moments like this have long been part of the human condition, and our spiritual ancestors (often? sometimes? occasionally?) chose to pursue hope and trust and transformation over inevitability. What might we learn from their voices?

This season of Lent begins with... a call to shift our priorities away from personal security. Umm... seriously?? Have you looked outside lately? This is no time to relax on the security side!!! A fair assessment of current events, true. And yet, our first glimpse of Jesus as an adult finds him in the desert, by choice, facing his vulnerabilities. What's he doing there, and why would we want to join him? Come and see.

Our Food Security series wraps up (for now) with a call to action. We've heard lots of good ideas, from changes to our personal food habits to volunteerism and advocacy to potential church projects. But let's be real: change is hard, and there are a few humps we'll need to get over if we're going to take action. Let's take a look at those and consider a few simple rules at the core of food security for all.

We welcomed Lisa Martens Bartel from Grovenland Farm near Drake, SK as our guest this Sunday.

From Lisa: “As a farmer, my entire life is connected to the land, but it's not a love for physical labour that drew me here but a calling for justice. The concerns over food security and food justice are not just a political concern but a theological one as well, one that challenges us to reconnect with our food.”

Food is interwoven into all parts of our community and our lives. Food Security is the the idea that "“all people, at all times, [should!] have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life" (The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization). As our congregation continues to partner with the work of the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre, let's learn together more about how we can contribute towards becoming a Food Secure community!

This week's sermon calls our attention to an unusual parable in Luke 11---it seems that Jesus is in favour of waking your neighbours up in the middle of the night? The homeowner's association is definitely going to hear about this one! Actually, Jesus has a typically upside-down message about the nature of satisfaction and the purpose of prayer. Tune in for a decidedly un-satisfying experience!