Revs. Smith – Guildwood Community Presbyterian Church

The Heart Garden – December 2024

white sign with black lettering and an orange heart. Feathers hang from the heart — Heart Garden sign in December 2024

In the summer of 2020, Maggie Donnelly was looking for possible opportunities for community service. The Session granted permission for her to create a Heart Garden, a project that could be carried out within the restrictions of pandemic times.

The concept of the Heart Garden came from The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. It encourages people of all ages to plant Heart Gardens in memory of children lost to the residential school system, to honour residential school survivors and their families, and to support the legacy of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Many Heart Gardens have popped up all over Canada. Some are as simple as paper hearts on popsicle sticks inserted into soil in a flower pot. Maggie wanted something a little more permanent.

painted small stones on the ground with wintering low plants behind Above a sign on a brick wall. Small tree trunks at left — The Heart Garden in December in 2024 with the painted stones in the foreground

First Maggie did her research on the residential schools run by the Presbyterian Church in Canada. She compiled a list of names of children who had died at the schools. With help from her sister Miriam, she collected rocks and they painted them, writing the name of a child who had died on each one. Elders Sandra Robertson and Kay Galbraith weeded and prepared the soil. With the help of Elder Cindy Similas, Maggie planted white sage, bee balm, bleeding hearts and other native plants. Steve Lynette built two signs so the neighbourhood would know what the garden was about. Each rock was carefully placed in the garden. Maggie also gave a reflection in worship on working on the garden and wrote an article about it for Presbyterian Connection.

In 2022–23, the Youth Class gave the garden a touch up, repainting some of the rocks that had faded, and rewriting the names which Maggie had carefully recorded. This year Otto Pallek created a new sign to replace the originals which had deteriorated.

The Heart Garden is on your left as you approach the Guildwood Parkway main doors of the church. We hope you will visit it and remember the children.

— Rev. Helen Smith

Rev. Moon’s Message for October 27, 2024 – Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost and Reformation Sunday

Dear Friends,

We welcome Rev. Dr. Bob Smith to the pulpit this Sunday as I have been assigned to visit another congregation on behalf of the Presbytery of Pickering. During the fellowship hour, we will take a moment to celebrate with Rev. Gordon Beaton, who will be relocating to be closer to his family.

On Wednesday, October 30 from 7:30 to 8:00 PM, we will hold Listen and Listen, a quiet prayer and communion service at the church. The service is open to all who wish to deepen their awareness of God’s grace and cultivate a greater sense of peace. We live in a busy world, and we are often expected to stay busy. We constantly think, “What’s next? What do I need to buy next?” This quiet prayer and communion service aims to help us silence the demanding voices of the world. Come and deepen your prayers for peace.

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Sunday, October 27, 2024, edition of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s Message for November 26, 2023

I’ve been reading the work of Rev. Dr. Angela N. Parker, a highly regarded womanist theologian and assistant professor at McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University. Her book, “If God still breathes, why can’t I? (Black Lives Matter and Biblical Authority),” and a public lecture at United Theological Seminary have profoundly impacted me. As a person of color, her experiences as an African American womanist theologian have been instrumental in expanding my understanding of who I am as a person. Through her writings, I’ve been challenged to think deeply about the essence of preaching and reading the Bible.

One powerful statement from her lecture resonated with me: “As long as we are alive, we have hope.” This message was a timely reminder that, regardless of the challenges we face, there is always hope as long as we are alive. It’s a sentiment that I believe everyone can benefit from incorporating into their daily lives. Despite the darkness that may surround us, the fact that we are alive signifies an enduring wellspring of hope. We each serve as ambassadors of God’s love and hope, capable of making a positive impact every day, no matter how small it may seem.

Rev. Helen Smith and Christmas tree decorating – this Sunday, November 26

This Sunday, November 26, we are very blessed to have Rev. Helen Smith leading the worship service. Her sermon is titled “A different kind of king” and is based on John 18: 33–37. Following the service, we will come together to decorate the Christmas tree. (We apologize in advance that the livestreaming of the service on November 26 will not be available.)

Quiet Prayer and Communion Service – Wednesday, November 29

On Wednesday, November 29 at 7:30 PM, we will host a quiet prayer and communion service in the sanctuary. In the midst of our often busy and hectic lives, finding moments for prayer and listening to God can be challenging. Our communal silence and prayer provide a space to enhance our connection with God. Please, come and pray with us.

Monthly or Biweekly Evening Bible Study

I’m currently in talks with a few of you about initiating a monthly or biweekly evening Bible study (or Lectio Divina: Divine Reading) in the upcoming year. Please let me know if you’re interested in joining a monthly or biweekly evening Bible study.

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Friday, November 24, 2023 edition of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s Message for June 11, 2023

Dear friends of Guildwood Community Presbyterian Church,

In the fall of 2021, the Future Directions Committee (FDC) was established to carry forward the efforts of the Big Things Committee (BTC). The BTC had been exploring options to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of our congregation, prompted by the deteriorating state of our stained-glass windows and the significant cost associated with their repair.

We, as Session, would like to inform you that the Future Directions Committee has completed their report and recommendations, and the report is ready for the congregation to consider. To facilitate this, we are planning to hold a congregational meeting in June. The proposed date for the meeting is Sunday, June 25 (12–1 PM). Please note that the purpose of this June meeting is solely to present the report of the Future Directions Committee. While you will have the opportunity to ask questions about the report, no decisions or recommendations will be made during this meeting. We want to allow sufficient time for prayer and reflection on the report’s contents. Two additional congregational meetings will be scheduled later this year. The first one is tentatively planned for Sunday, September 24*, where members of the congregation may bring their questions and share their thoughts on the report. The second meeting is tentatively planned for Sunday, November 19*, and we hope to make recommendations during that gathering. *Dates to be confirmed later.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the members of the Future Directions Committee for their diligent work on this report. We humbly ask for your prayers as the congregation prayerfully discerns how we can continue to serve the Risen Christ through our congregation for many years to come.

Please take note that there is a Prayer and Communion service on Wednesday, June 28 at 7:30 PM.

In Christ,

—Rev. Chuck Moon

Absence of Rev. Moon June 5–19

Note that Rev. Moon will be absent from the office from June 5–19 (for reading and vacation weeks). The Rev. Helen Smith preaches this week, and the Rev. Dr. Bob Smith will preach on June 18. Rev. Moon will return from reading and vacation weeks after June 19, and the Livestream will return then also.

A version of this message appeared in the Saturday, June 10, 2023 version of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s Message for March 12, 2023

Dear friends of Guildwood Community Presbyterian Church,

Revs Helen & Bob Smith

Just a reminder to turn your clocks ahead this Sunday morning for Daylight Savings Time, and please note that there is no livestream this week, as I am away on study leave. We welcome the Rev. Dr. Bob Smith to lead the worship service this Sunday.

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Friday, March 10, 2023 version of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s message for October 9, 2022

On September 30, 2022, Rev. Helen and Rev. Dr. Bob Smith visited the Taber Hill Ossuary to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I asked if Helen could write about her visit to the site with us, and she kindly agreed to share her experience and thoughts.

granite stone with bronze plaque on a low flagstone plinth — *Taber Hill Ossuary commemorative stone with bronze plaque, September 30, 2022. Photo by Rev. Helen Smith; used by permission.*

On Truth and Reconciliation Day, Bob and I visited a spot not too far from our home, the Taber Hill Ossuary, marked by a large stone at the top of an unusual smooth mound. The Iroquois prayer on the east side of the stone is well worth the trip up the Hill. It is on the east side of Bellamy Road, just north of Lawrence. It is not a natural feature. The mound contains the remains of nearly 500 Iroquois buried sometime during the 13th century, well before the settlers from Europe landed on mainland Canada. Six centuries later, corn fields were being bulldozed for new homes and the 401 was making its way around the then-northern limits of Toronto. While digging up earth in 1956 for a 401 overpass and to make way for new housing, the shovel operator noticed human remains in his shovel. The land was quickly declared a cemetery. Remains of an Iroquois village were unearthed close by the Taber Hill site.

As I read the plaque on the large stone, I thought of how the land had been cared for hundreds of years before the settlers came and claimed the land and the colonization of the indigenous people began. It is good to be reminded of this as we seek to move forward together in truth and reconciliation.

Our prayers continue.

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message first appeared in the Saturday, October 8, 2022, edition of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s message for June 26, 2022

Dear Friends,

On Sunday, June 26, we would like to celebrate the faithful ministry that both Rev. Dr. Bob and Rev. Helen Smith offered our congregation as interim moderators. Due to the COVID restrictions, we briefly acknowledged their faithful ministry with us in October 2021. But we never had a chance to celebrate their time with us by sharing laughter and stories. Not to mention that there was no food! Like many of us who were unable to celebrate a significant birthday, anniversary, funeral, wedding, or party with our loved ones, we are grateful that we are starting to gather and celebrate together as a community with stories and laughter.

Revs Helen & Bob Smith

We are trying to celebrate the presence of God we experienced through them and each other during the challenging vacant years. We want to observe how God allowed us to work, pray, and grow as a church family. By celebrating, we would like to recognize the sacredness of our time together. It is also an opportunity to deepen our awareness and sense of gratitude in our human spirit.

I don’t know about you, but I feel I can do a far better job of allowing “thank you” to nurture my soul. Sometimes I am (and some of us are) so quick at exchanging words, “Thank you” and “You’re welcome”, but I think it is perfectly okay to hold onto our feeling and awareness of “Thank you” a bit longer and let it guide what we do and believe.

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message first appeared in the Saturday, June 25, 2022, edition of Tidbits.

The Revs. Smiths’ Message for August 29, 2021

Dear Friends,

So, the time has finally arrived, and in a few days we will officially welcome our new minister, the Rev. Chuck Moon. I can sense the excitement in everyone I talk to, and like everyone, can hardly wait to see Chuck’s ministry take shape in our midst.

The Revs Helen & Bob Smith

As central as Chuck will be in our church community’s life, it might be good to remember that we are all a part of a collection in which each of us has a role. In Ephesians 4 Paul reminds the people in the early church that we are all given gifts by the Spirit for building up the body of Christ in the work that it has to do in the world. Each of us has a role, a part to play, and it is in the drawing together of all those gifts in order to see God’s work in us move forward.

With our minister, we are all Christ’s ambassadors in the world, proclaiming to the world the good news of the love of God. Chuck’s work in our midst will bear fruit as we encourage him in it, and offer ourselves and our God-given gifts, to be co-workers with him under Christ.

Together, may we see our church grow and reach out, to God’s glory.

In Christ,

Revs. Bob and Helen Smith

A version of this message first appeared in the Saturday, August 28, 2021, edition of Tidbits.

The Revs. Smiths’ Message for August 22, 2021

Dear Friends,

In our neighbourhood it is a delight to watch the children play, not street hockey, but street cricket! We certainly have trouble figuring out the rules. We got some help, sort of, from the Yorkshire County Cricket Club Rules of Cricket:
You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that’s in the side that’s in goes out, and when he’s out he comes in and the next man goes in until he’s out.

“Lords-Cricket-Ground-Pavilion-06-08-2017.jpg” – Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, England. CC BY-SA 4.0 International. Photo by Yorkspotter. Full credit below.

When they are all out, the side that’s out comes in and the side that’s been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out.

Sometimes you get men still in and not out. When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out, he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in.

There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out. When both sides have been in and all the men are out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game.
Fortunately, it is much easier to follow the rules of discipleship. You just have to, in theologian Paul Tillich’s phrase, “accept the fact that you have been accepted.”

And then you are in, and the game is amazing, and it goes on forever!

In Christ,

Revs. Bob and Helen Smith

Photo by Yorkspotter . Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Taken from the Wikimedia Commons.

A version of this message first appeared in the Saturday, August 21, 2021, edition of Tidbits.

The Revs. Smiths’ Message for August 15, 2021

Dear Friends,

Some advice from a butterfly, as recently seen on a T-shirt:

Let your true colours show.
Get out of your cocoon.
Take yourself lightly.
Look for the sweetness in life.
Take time to smell the flowers.
Catch a breeze.
We can’t all be monarchs!

In Christ,

Revs. Bob and Helen Smith

Photo by Fesoj. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Taken from the Wikimedia Commons.

A version of this message first appeared in the Saturday, August 14, 2021, edition of Tidbits.