April 24, 2026 Newsletter

FROM THE MINISTER’S STUDY

    Think you the Force is with you strong do you?

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge, by means of the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one same Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to  another prophecy, to another speaking in tongues, and still to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one as he determines.     1 Corinthians 12:8-11

As I mentioned in my previous article: The word in scripture that is translated from the Greek to Spiritual gifts is charisma (plural: charismata). And each one of us who has been adopted, and sealed by God’s spirit will discover or should discover how God has equipped each one of us to serve God in the church. The most important thing to emphasize is that it is within the body of Christ, the church, that these gifts become apparent when we faithfully serve God in the community of unity. If you think you can be a spirit filled, holy, go-it-alone Christian, you are deceiving yourself, for without you or anyone else, acting together in unity, you cannot consider yourself part of Christ’s body. If you don’t agree, then by all means live a life believing in a way of being a Christian that simply does not agree with what Jesus and the apostles taught. Why on earth would the Apostle Paul write about spiritual gifts especially the more overt and showy spiritual gifts if not to make the point: Whatever spiritual abilities that you think the Spirit of God has given you, if it is not for building up the church, and used in conjunction with other people’s spiritual gifts, to fulfil the Gospel as Christ’s body, in unison, together, then it is doubtful that the special giftedness you claim is real.   We may like to think spiritual gifts are some kind of holy superpower. We may understand wisdom and knowledge as less significant than miraculous powers, healing powers or prophecy. Let us leave speaking in tongues aside for the moment. Ask yourself what value any of these gifts have for the building up of the body of Christ. Wisdom is very useful, because it means you have deeper insight as to what is God’s will and how to live it out. Knowledge is useful, especially with regard to understanding scripture to direct, correct and keep us from error. Healing is more far reaching than just praying and waving your hand and curing an illness, but in fact, healing souls, hearts, and bringing reconciliation, has far more significance towards building God’s kingdom and bringing wholeness to the body of Christ than a one-off miracle. And while we are on the subject of the miraculous, while being bitten by poisonous snakes or jumping out of a boiling pot of oil unscathed would be considered miraculous, the one who leads and guides someone from a life of slavery, evil and despair to a new life of freedom in Christ is far more miraculous. The forgotten, broken and discarded becomes remembered, purpose filled and precious to God. That’s miraculous! We can be miracle workers without the show, fanfare or hubris of a TV evangelist.  As for prophesy, it is not about soothsaying or predicting the future, as if that would have any value to what we need to do in the present, but it is a kind of vision that sees what God is already doing in our midst and what God is leading us to do. But when any spiritual gift becomes “look at what I can do” and “I am more important than you” and leads to tension, dissension, and disunity, then it most likely cannot be the Spirit’s doing.  I always wrestled with the gifts of tongues or their interpretation, whether the tongues of humanity or angels, for the simple reason: that other than a sign to those who do not know Christ at the time the early church had a hard road towards convincing others of the risen Christ, it is hard to see how it would unify or aid the body of Christ to be Christ to the world in our present day. Not that I doubt tongues existed, but that I fail to see their importance or significance in light of other spiritual gifts. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3: “And yet I will show you the most excellent way”, that is if I have any spiritual gift whether overt, and seemingly important, but it is not accompanied by love, “it is a clanging symbol”, void of value, and if your expression of spiritual gifts does not include the greatest of all spiritual gifts: Love, “(you) gain nothing.” After all is said and done, when the mask of self-promotion and self-importance is stripped away, “these three remain, faith, hope and love.” (vs 13). Eagerly foster and grow these seemingly modest spiritual gifts in yourself; gifts not only bestowed on you but gifts you may ask God to increase, the greatest of these being love.

EASTER SUNDAY BREAKFAST HOSTED BY THE IB DRAGON BOATING TEAM

What is it about food that brings everyone together!

It was a pleasure  for our IB Dragonboat crew to put together an Easter Sunday morning continental breakfast for the congregation. Over the past few years, St. Andrew’s members have been very supportive of our crew and the breakfast was our way of thanking them.

We were delighted to see about sixty “ hungry” folks come to join us for breakfast. Great culinary choices, lots of good fellowship and the odd chocolate Easter egg…… who could ask for more!

Thank you St. Andrew’s!

 Dianne Dalton, Team Manager, IB Dragonboating

GOOD FRIDAY AT THE LEX

MINISTRY & COMMITTEE LEADERS

Behind each ministry and committee is a dedicated leader helping things run smoothly - here are the people serving in those roles.

Building Usage Coordinator ~ Dawna Mahood

Christian Education ~ Cathie Caverly

Coffee Social ~ Linda Rutherford

Congregational Life & Growth ~ Ian McKechnie

Daughters of St. Andrew’s ~ Jane Avery

Finance ~ June Widdis

Kitchen Coordinator - Donna Chatland

Mary Marthas ~ Sheila Davidson

Newsletter ~ Deb Smith

Personnel ~ Vern Avery

Prayer Chain ~ Evelyn MacKinnon

Property ~ Ron Hutchinson

Outreach & Missions ~ Maureen Beaton

Roll Clerk ~ Linda Rutherford

Soup Kitchen/Sunday Supper ~ Donna Chatland

Technical Team ~ Deb Smith

Trustees ~ Judy Allan

Worship ~ Susan Wallace