Ralph Connor Memorial United Church

The Little White Church on Main Street, Canmore, Alberta

diversity

Sermon: Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022 – Acts 2: 1-21

At Pentecost we see evidence that diversity and unity can coexist.  At the first Christian Pentecost, two different groups gathered with Holy intent in Jerusalem, at the same time: the followers of Jesus, mostly from Galilee, anticipating the gift of the Spirit; and Jewish people from around the Mediterranean who had come for the festival of Shavuot.  Soon the Spirit was there as wind, as tongues of fire and as a variety of tongues being spoken and understood.  There was …

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the Cenacle in Jerusalem

Sermon: Pentecost Sunday, May 23 2021 – Acts 2: 1-21

Today we remember the first Christian Pentecost, an event that happened in Jerusalem.  At the time of this recording, a truce has been declared in Gaza and East Jerusalem, and we pause for a moment to pray for peace in that place. Watch at https://youtu.be/qJn5iQlYaT8     Download PDF:Sermon_23May2021_Pentecost I am an unabashed fan of Pentecost, to the point of saying this:  if the festival of Pentecost did not already exist, I think someone would need to invent it.  For when …

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Sermon: Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020 – Acts 2: 1-21

JOIN US ONLINE FOR COMMUNION this Pentecost Sunday: Pentecost Sunday, is widely regarded as the birthday of the Church, so today’s message starts with the not-very-liturgical words, Happy Birthday!   We won’t be having cake, but later in the service as we share in a socially-distanced communion service, we will have bread and wine or whatever celebrative beverage suits the occasion for you – and I hope that the mood of celebration permeates this time of worship.  This week, our focus …

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Sermon: December 1, 2019 – Advent 1 – Isaiah 11: 1-10

A shoot, growing from the stump of Jesse. How appropriate, in this year when we’ve chosen to build our Advent themes around the classical elements of wind-fire-water-and-earth, to begin with a vivid visual metaphor from nature, of the kind of tenacious, powerful leadership that we see in Jesus Christ. click here for PDF Rather than going immediately to words, let’s spend time “seeing” this stump and wondering about it, because the varied ways we visualize this stump of Jesse and …

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Sermon: Affirming Sunday, Oct 27, 2019 – Genesis 9, Galatians 3

Sermon: Affirming Ministry Sunday, October 27, 2019 Genesis 9: 12-17 and Galatians 3: 26-29 Ralph Connor Memorial United Church, Canmore AB – Rev Greg Wooley click here for PDF of this sermon This morning, we engage in worship, and discipleship, in celebration, and in covenant.  We acknowledge the brokenness of the world as it is experienced, and the unifying grace of the Divine which is at the heart of our existence.  We look to a God who gives and affirms …

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