March 20, 2026 Newsletter
FROM THE MINISTER’S STUDY
Honestly, this cannot be the first time you are hearing this.
Now about gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed……there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone is the same God at work.
- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
When the scriptures or I refer to spiritual gifts, it’s not like Christmas morning when a child opens a present, and gets what they had been pestering their parents to buy them all year. Nor is it inferring some natural ability you were born with; that somehow God had blessed you with the remarkable ability to do crossword puzzles or sudoku.
While natural abilities can be used for God’s service, like the ability to fix a leaky roof, the gifts mentioned in scripture are special, and bestowed on a believer not before faith, but after coming to faith. The word in scripture that is translated from the Greek to Spiritual gifts is charisma (plural: charismata). And while we can show our love and compassion for humanity and each other by using our resources and natural abilities, such as, giving our time, helping with our hands, knitting mitts, scarves and hats for less fortunate children, spiritual gifts are different. They are something added by God to our skill set by the Holy Spirit to enact the work of the Holy Spirit among us. In 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 the list is as follows and all are not natural abilities but spiritual ones intended for the building up of the church: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues and interpretation of tongues. Add to this from vs 28: apostles (that is spiritual leaders/authority), helping. All these are for the building up of the church. Without these gifts present, the Spirit of God cannot do the work of building up the body of Christ. If we all claim only one gift, the church cannot function. For the church to function, we must acknowledge that all these gifts must be present in some shape or form.
If a survey is done asking what your spiritual gift is, often the default is the gift of helps, without thinking that God may be bestowing on you other gifts. You do not choose your gift or get what you want. This is not Christmas, but it is Christ mass (gathering of the body of Christ). God has already determined what gift you should have, if by faith you have come to God through Jesus Christ, and you only find it and develop it by leaving your comfort zone, which is to not rely on your natural inclinations only. Yet whether leader, teacher, preacher or parishioner, we all are equipped to manifest the Holy Spirit among us, and it may not even be what you expect. 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that while we should eagerly seek what God has gifted us to do, the greatest spiritual gift is love. Add that to the top of the list.
You may not think you have any of these spiritual gifts, but in fact you may have several of them, but you may not have served the church in a capacity where they would manifest themselves. To be an Elder for instance, but not know how God has gifted you to serve or lead, is to be an Elder in title only. On the other hand, how unfortunate, that a member of the church could be serving gladly in one capacity for decades, but be held back from serving and using their gifts in other capacities. But if you have just one gift, may it be faith exercised in prayer, and love. I cannot possibly elaborate on the meaning and value to the church of each spiritual gift in a short article. I will pick up this subject next newsletter. 😊
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
KINSMEN CLUB OF LINDSAY DONATION
Representatives from the Kinsmen Club of Lindsay (Kin Canada) recently attended the Community Soup Kitchen at St. Andrew’s.
They enjoyed some soup and conversations with volunteers about the Community Soup Kitchen and our Sunday Supper program. We are truly grateful for their $5,000.00 donation. They conveyed their appreciation for this visit as being one of the rare occasions where their members could experience firsthand the much needed volunteer programs that are being provided in our community.
Thank you Kinsmen Club of Lindsay!
A REMINDER FROM YOUR ROLL CLERKS…
Please print your full name (first and last) on the communion cards. This enables us to identify those who have taken communion which makes it easier to maintain accurate records. Thank you!
Linda Rutherford & June Widdis
Some of the congregation may not be aware that approximately one third of the local IB Dragonboating team are members of, or affiliated with, St. Andrew’s. In appreciation of the amazing support provided by our church family, IB Dragonboating invites you to attend a complimentary light breakfast (8:30 am to 10:00) prior to the Easter Sunday service on April 5.
On this special Sunday, let us come together in fellowship as we prepare to celebrate the risen Christ.
