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By Michael Wilson Pastoral Letters August 28, 2026

Watch this week’s service on YouTube by clicking:

August 30 Worship Service Video

 

 

Join us for Sunday morning worship at CUC at 10:00 AM
with the He/SheBrews Café following in the Van Roon Community Hall

 

 

  • School Supply Drive has begun – Our annual school supply drive for Westgrove School families who need support is on now and will run until next Sunday, September 6. Our Mission and Social Action Committee will then deliver supplies to the school. For a list of things to bring in please consult the worship bulletin or the website: School Supply List

 

  • September Start-Ups – Fall programs are around the corner. Here’s a few start-up dates:
    • Seekers Tuesday morning Bible Study, September 8;
    • Senior Choir Rehearsals Thursday, September 10;
    • Still Waters Grief Support;
    • ABC’s of Faith Confirmation/Membership Classes Wednesday, September 23 at 7:00
    • Senior’s Fellowship – Tuesday, October 12 at 12 Noon

 

  • With immense thanksgiving for her ten years of ministry to our children and youth, we are nonetheless sorry to announce that Rosalie Finch has resigned as Children’s Ministry Director to pursue other opportunities effective September 12. Rosalie has brought boundless energy, a creative heart, and deep faith to her responsibilities and we wish her nothing but joy, happiness, and success in her future endeavors. Our Ministry and Personnel Committee is already hard at work on ways to express our gratitude to Rosalie as well as planning for staffing for this essential part of Charleswood United Church.

 

 

Dear Friends

Welcome to worship for Sunday, August 30, 2026.

If given my choice, I wouldn’t write to defend Canada in a letter to a Christian community. At it’s heart Christianity is the faith of an individual lived out in a community of believers. There really isn’t such a thing as a ‘Christian’ nation, even among those whose majorities may claim to be followers of Jesus. For the most part, faith and patriotism don’t mix. They are largely at odds with one another. As Jesus famously says to Peter in Matthew 16 “What does profit a person to gain the whole world and lose their soul?”

But my soul is part of my whole self and my whole self has to live somewhere. I live in Canada and I feel more grateful for that fact than it is possible for me to say. It’s not that I think God loves Canada more than any other place or has blessed us in greater measure. But I believe it is easier to live out my faith here than perhaps anywhere else.

This odd introduction is my way of saying I am feeling…strongly…for Canada this week. I know that some people are bearing false witness against us and failing to recognize that for the sin it is. Most of us are powerless to do anything to change the present situation. But we can stand behind the people who represent us and we can prepare to stand arm in arm with our neighbours for the challenge that may lay before us. Even if that comes with a cost.

I am reminded that the testimony of scripture is mixed on the question of national politics. When presented with a coin and a question on the legitimacy of paying taxes to Caesar, Jesus didn’t condemn Caesar but simply stated the obvious, “if Caesar wants his coin back then give it to him, but do not give to Caesar the things that belong to God.” On the other hand, God speaks to Moses from a burning bush saying, “I have heard the cries of my people and have come to deliver them.” For Egypt, the biggest imperial power in the world at the time, this was bad news. God essentially tells Moses that the economics of enslavement are over and Egypt better get used to it

Do either of these stories inform us on what to think and what to do in this moment? I don’t know. But the common ground between them is the idea that God’s people have every reason to believe that our lives are a gift and they should be lived by the promises of the gospel and nothing else. God has made us to love and if our neighbour does not love us, then we should love them all the more. We will not turn our back on the things that make Canada such an extraordinary place to call home any more than we will turn our backs on the gifts with which we have been blessed.

 

Grace and peace,

Michael

P.S. It feels a good time to share what I wrote for Canada Day this year, a response to a different type of threat, but a peaceful defence of our country nonetheless. If you remember it and don’t need to read it, bless you!! 2026 Canada Day Letter

 

 

  • 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/   Thank you for your generous support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson / About Author
Michael’s involvement in the wider church has included ministry with children and youth, membership on the National Division of World Outreach, supervision of campus ministry, and the Ten Days for Global Justice National Committee. He has been blessed by the opportunity to represent the United Church of Canada in the Bahamas, Cuba, and Africa on different occasions. Michael has taught at the University of Winnipeg – Faculty of Theology and is past President of the Conference of Manitoba and North Western Ontario.
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