Watch this week’s service on YouTube by clicking:
November 17 Worship Service Video
Join us for Worship Sunday at 10:00 AM followed by fellowship and refreshments in the He/SheBrews Café
- The Church Council and our Care and Community Committee invite you to a community lunch after church on Sunday, November 17. We will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of our pastoral relationship with Michael Wilson. We hope you can join us.
- Dates for your calendar (information available on our website see: Life and Work)
- Saturday, November 30 from 2:00 to 4:30 Super Saturday Sundae (crafts day) Tickets available
- Monday, December 2 at 7:00 PM Women’s Advent Service 7:00 PM
- Sunday, December 8 White Gift Sunday (link to info) in support of Christmas Hampers
- Sunday, December 15 Advent 3 with the Winnipeg Brass Ensemble
- Sunday, December 15 Care and Community Bake Sale (after worship)
- Tuesday, December 17 at 7:00 PM Blue Christmas Worship Service – special service of healing for the bereaved
- Christmas Eve services at 5:00, 7:00, and 9:00 PM
Dear Friends
Welcome to worship for Sunday, November 17, 2024.
It may be true, maybe everybody really does have a hungry heart. At least that’s the testimony of Bruce Springsteen in the song of the same name. Like a river that don’t know where it’s flown, I took a wrong turn and I just kept goin’. Preach it bother!
Me and 20,000 of my best friends went to the Bruce Springsteen concert at the Canada Life Centre last Wednesday night. At least I supposed they were my best friends. After all, we had a memorable evening together. We sang together. We clapped together. We rose to our feet and swayed together. We were filled with joy together. That has to be a transformative experience, doesn’t it? Surely, I can count on those 20,000 people next time I need some help. We were a community, were we not?
I have to say that if that is not the case we can’t blame Bruce Springsteen. The Boss brought it and he left it all out on that stage. He brought an amazing array of talented musicians, the E Street band and Choir for those keeping track.
He brought fifty years of song-writing and music-playing experience. And he brought his heart and soul and put it out on display for everyone to see.
Bruce (I don’t think he would mind if I called him Bruce) is a wonderful storyteller and his songs open up the joy and sorrow, the trials and triumphs of love and life.
Here’s the opening verse of the opening song:
Baby, once I thought I knew
Everything I needed to know about you
Your sweet whisper, your tender touch
But I didn’t really know that much
Joke’s on me, it’s gonna be okay
If I can just get through this lonesome day
I mean come on!!! In a song called “The Rising” he sings, Can’t see nothing in front of me. Can’t see nothing coming up behind. Make my way through this darkness. I can’t feel nothing but this chain that binds me. Ouch!!! All of my 20,000 new friends were with me on that one.
I don’t know the religious practises of Bruce Springsteen but he makes a lot of overt references to things that sound pretty familiar. In “Darlington County”, he quotes a line from Battle Hymn of the Republic. In “The Promised Land”, he repeats the refrain I believe in the Promised Land over and over until you believe in it too. One song he introduced as “a prayer for my country” which is something he said they need. And as he made an announcement praising the Manitoba Harvest foodbank (which I’m sure he was asked to do) he said “they were doing God’s work” (which he likely was not asked to do).
But for three hours of shared joy, of grace-filled entertainment, of common experience, when it was all over the lights went on and the 20,000 people I thought were my new best friends, put on their coats and went home. No coffee time. No exchange of names and phone numbers. Not even a promise to come back together next week and do it all over again. Maybe we weren’t a community after all.
Bruce Springsteen sings in “Hungry Heart” Everybody needs a place to rest. Everybody wants to have a home. Don’t make no difference what nobody says. Ain’t nobody like to be alone. I think that’s true. We need a place where we are not alone, a place that gives the heart the nourishment it needs to be. But it isn’t going to be found at the Canada Life Centre.
It’s at church.
Grace and peace,
Michael
- For news and events please have a look at Life & Work on our website: Life and Work
- Did you know you can support this ministry by e-transfer, automatic withdrawal (PAR), and gifted securities, in addition to weekly or monthly cheques? For Offering Information please visit: https://charleswoodunited.org/support/ We have begun to receive donations for this summer’s Roofing Project which will be held separate from Operations and Mission & Service. Thank you for your generous support.
- Third Quarter Statements are available for pick-up during office hours. If you are unable to pick it up and would like it sent by email please get in touch with us by email finance@charleswoodunited.org or call 204-832-3667.
- Share the service with friends by forwarding this email or using this link: https://youtu.be/hHnQcIIKX_U
- Read this week’s scripture lesson here: Mark 4:1-12
