Bible Text: Genesis 1:20-25; Psalm 148; Matthew 6:25-29 | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo

Bible Text: Proverbs 9:1-6;Psalm 111;Ephesians 5:15-29; John 6:51-58 | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo Greetings Friends: The sermon presents biblical views on Wisdom inspired by the lectionary texts for the day “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.Psalm 111 Lots of wisdom there! Eucharisteo is the beginning of wisdom. We can sit in church for years and never experience it, until the day that we learn to “give thanks in everything” ( 1 Thess 5:18)

Bible Text: 2 Samuel 7:1-14a | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo We started this month with the narrative of Jesus’ sending out the twelve disciples. They’re all pumped up with their ability to preach and heal the sick and cast out demons. But they were also exhausted. And Jesus senses  that, he felt how they needed a break (don’t we all?) And so he says Come away with me to a quiet place and rest awhile. The first question in the old Westminster Catechism was: What is the chief end of man? And the proposed answer was: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. My friends. Enjoy your day. Better yet enjoy your life. And let’s enjoy God together. If the Westminster Catechism is correct, that’s what we’re here for. That’s what life is all about. Amen.

Bible Text: Psalm 1 | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo Today begins our preaching series on the book of Psalms. Whatever is going on in our lives we can usually find psalms that echo what we are feeling inside us. The image presented to us are two roads, two paths. Down one road walk “the wicked” (those who do not depend on God), sinners (those who rebel against God's will), and “the scoffers” (those who mock God) Down the other road walks the righteous (those who depend on God). One road leads to blessing and happiness while the other leads to curse and unhappiness. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live (Deut 30:19 ) we choose to follow this path we will be like trees planted by streams of water Those who depend on God (the righteous) are like a tree, whose roots are sunk deep into the earth next to an irrigation stream. We are told not to stand with or take the path that sinners tread. don’t go there. Why? Because God watches the way of the faithful one, but the way of the wicked will perish. (v 6) On a side note, I was preaching here in a memorial and half of the people were not from Toronto. The family was from Newfoundland and some came all the way from Calgary. I told them that they were facing south to the water. And that the word “Toronto” in the native language of the Iroquois means “Trees growing in the water”. Coincidentally, yesterday June 6 was the day the City of Toronto opened nine of our beaches to the public to enjoy...

Bible Text: John 3:1-17 | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo Today is Trinity Sunday . Our sermon focuses specifically on God as Trinity. Christians as you know speak of God in three ways: as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe in one God, not three. What is important to realize is that it really is not about doctrine but about our experience of God in Jesus that is important here. Jesus speaks of God in three ways. Trinity is code for the God we worship. And it is also the story of God’s dream for the world. Trinity is about the God of resurrection and re-creation and re-conciliation Trinity doesn’t just tell us about who God is, but about what God does and what God is like! “Three in one” teaches us to speak about God in terms of relationship and community: first and always. The nature of God is to be in relationship. We pray it when we say “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done”. The transformed world ( the kingdom of God) reveals a gracious God who walks among us in Jesus and is present inside us and companions us through the Holy Spirit. This is the God who yearns to draw all of us into relationship and community. It is who God is. It is what God does. Amen.

Bible Text: John 15:26-16:15 | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo Pentecost is that time when we remember Jesus sending us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The sermon talks about what it's like to be "filled by the Spirit" and calls us to be open to being "surprised by the Spirit." Today is Pentecost Sunday. In a very real sense, the day of Pentecost is a celebration of the Spirit of God breathing life into the world. Just as the Spirit of God breathed life into God’s creation in the beginning, at Pentecost the Spirit of God breathed life into the first Christian communities, enabling them to do amazing things, and to bear witness to all that Jesus had done for them and meant to them. The ancient prophecies had been fulfilled: In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Notice it says “on all people”: not just those who call themselves Christian. the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Let us be completely persuaded that God is still speaking, God is leading us to a new place and the Holy Spirit is walking alongside each of us as promised by Jesus himself. Jesus has given us his word: I will send you the Holy Spirit, the comforter,advocate,paraclete who will walk alongside you and lead you to all truth.

Bible Text: John 15:9-17 | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo We have all been blest because of  Mothers who carried us in their wombs and people who became Mothers for us by giving us courage when we most needed it. And we have all been blest by  every person that is born of mothers and have received the gift of friendship with God.  (John 15:9-17) May all of us be blest with God’s unceasing love today and all days. Amen. (From the Benediction of May 10, 2015)

Bible Text: Mark 16:1-8 | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo

Bible Text: Matthew 20:1-16 | Preacher: Rafael Vallejo