My life radically changed on this date in 2010.

I was finishing up lectures at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA when I received the worst phone call.  It was my wife, Rhonda. “Davey, I’m in the hospital.  I have a brain tumor,” she said.  I rushed to the airport and flew home.  Ed Lewis met me at Toronto Pearson airport and we drove to Hamilton General hospital.  It was the saddest day in my life.

Rhonda died less than a month later, on May 26th.

Today, I write this blog from London Heathrow airport.  I am flying home, again, having spent the week with leaders in the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.  The theme for the conference was The Sufficiency and Uniqueness of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

I am committed to walking honestly through this journey of grief and pain, so I will not lie to you; the past year has held times of deep pain and sadness for both Matthew and me.  Having said that, not every day is sad.  In fact, more and more, I find myself able to engage memories of my wife.  I am better able to process my loss.  On this... continued

It has been my honour to represent Canada and St. George’s, in particular, at the leadership conference for the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.  Today is the fourth day of the conference.  The days have been packed with solid biblical exposition, reports from around the world, and strategic planning meetings.

Over 200 Anglican leaders from nearly 35 countries have gathered here in London around one theme; The Uniqueness and Sufficiency of Christ.  It has been challenging, moving and encouraging.

During our morning worship sessions we have moved through parts of the Letter to the Colossians, focusing our attention on the uniqueness of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Then our plenary sessions have looked in Hebrews and Ephesians, expounding the themes of Christ’s Lordship over His creation and over His Church.  I can truly say that we have feasted upon rich fare as able bible teachers have led us each day.

From these plenary sessions, we have broken out into smaller groups to begin defining the terms of our fellowship in the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.  I have shared on the working group labouring to define the gospel in its own biblical terms.  This has been hard work, but rewarding. ... continued

Thursday, April 5^th

But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site. And David built there an altar to the LORD and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. (1 Chronicles 21:24-26 ESV)

Yesterday, we saw Paul’s admonition to give joyfully.

Today, we see David’s example in giving sacrificially.

David raises an altar for the Lord and Ornan offers David the use of his land, his oxen and even his firewood.  But David knows better.  He knows that the offerings that please the Lord are costly and sacrificial.  So, he responds to Ornan’s generous gift saying, “I will not … offer burnt offerings that cot me nothing.”

How does this apply to our week of prayer and fasting?  How does this apply to our new church home?

There... continued

Wednesday, April 4^th

But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:7-9 ESV)

You ask, ‘How much should I give?’

St. Paul answers, ‘Excel in the grace of giving.’

Let Jesus be your template and example.  Consider his condescension, giving up his heavenly riches for your sake.  Our giving is in response to his great gift of himself.  Jesus gave until it hurt.  He gave sacrificially.

The context of this passage is important. Paul is asking the Corinthian Christians for a special gift for the poor in Jerusalem.  This special gift implies that it is beyond their present customary tithe.  This entire chapter speaks directly to the question, “How much... continued

Tuesday, April 3^rd

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:1-2 ESV)

In this Psalm of ascent we find a word of challenge, a word of comfort and a reminder.  The challenge and comfort are one and the same; our best efforts amount to vanity, unless the Lord makes them profitable.

Our most clever devices cannot provide our needs, so the Psalmist reminds us that a house built by human strength is built in vain.  Our strongest forces will not be enough to protect us, so the Psalmist reminds us that human vigilance guards in vain.  Here we come to terms with a challenge to our deluded self-sufficiency.

At the same time, there is implied in these verses the potential for the Lord building and protecting.  Otherwise why would the Psalmist mention the possibility?  Here we see comfort.  It... continued

That’s the central message of Lent.

May I tell you a story?  3 or 4 years ago I resolved to give up coffee for Lent.  If you know my coffee consumption you will marvel at the sacrifice or stupidity of such a decision.  Well, the first three days were filled with blinding headaches.  At one point I even considered checking myself into the Betty Ford Clinic.  So, after several days and valiant effort, I gave up.

Here’s the point.  Lenten fasting shows my relative frailty.  In other words, I can’t even give up coffee for 40 days; how could I ever hope to save my own eternal soul?

I need a Saviour to rescue me from the natural end of my rebellious life.  I need a Saviour who has conquered death.  Lent prepares me to celebrate Jesus, who defeated my final foe; suffering a bloody cross in my place and leaving behind an empty tomb, thus robbing the grave of its sting.

I need the Holy Spirit to displace my sinful, self-destructive, offensive behaviours with new desires.  I need nothing less than the power of the living God to reshape and reform my affections, causing me to desire holiness and... continued

February 17th, 2008 was an unprecedented moment in our 160 year history.

Four years have passed since we voted to leave our former diocese joining the Anglican Network in Canada.  If you were there you will remember that it was not so much a vote for structural change as it was a vote for faithfulness; to the scriptures and to the Lord.

And so here we are now.  The legal dispute has been resolved through negotiated settlement and we are building a new church building.

This anniversary is a point from which we look back marveling at the Lord’s faithfulness and look forward trusting in His provision.

Looking back – Ebenezer

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us.” 1 Samuel 7:12 ESV

Looking forward – Rehoboth

And [Isaac] moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” Genesis 26:22 ESV

Today I will meditate on these two words: Ebenezer and Rehoboth.... continued