Shelburne United Church

10/18/2026

As news breaks of an emerging tragedy at the Canadian Forces Base and town of Wainwright, Alberta, we pray for all affected.

God bring your comfort
To the injured and the grieving
To the frightened and the traumatized
To those who are responding
To all who are lending their aid
God bring your healing
To a community in pain
May they feel the compassion of the country
this day and in the days ahead.
O God bring your comfort and healing.
Amen.

[Photo: LumiNola / iStock]

09/23/2026

We prove our love for God by how we treat the people He loves.

And, inconveniently, God loves all the people we don’t.

People we disagree with.
People who frustrate us.
People we don’t understand.
People we might even consider enemies.

“Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” — 1 John 4:21

And Jesus didn’t stop with brothers and sisters.

He said:
“Love your enemies.”
— Matthew 5:44

There goes the loophole.

Because God didn’t wait until you were lovable before loving you.

Grace wasn’t given to you as a reward for getting everything right.

And Jesus didn’t say:
Love people when they deserve it.
Love people when they agree with you.
Love people when they vote correctly.
Love people only when it's easy.

He said:
“Love one another as I have loved you.” — John 13:34

As I have loved you.
That’s the standard.

And no, love doesn’t mean agreement.

It doesn’t mean pretending harmful behavior is harmless.

It doesn’t require abandoning wisdom, truth, boundaries, or accountability.

But it does mean the person standing across from you never stops being someone made in the image of God.

Jesus said the world would recognize His disciples by love.

Not our cross necklaces.
Not our voting record.
Not our church attendance.
Not how loudly we hate others' sin.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
— John 13:35

So maybe the question isn’t simply:

Do I believe the right things about God?

Maybe it’s also:

Can people see what I believe about God by the way I treat them?

Because Scripture doesn’t merely say God has love.

It says:
“God is love.”
— 1 John 4:8

And if our Christianity makes us better at identifying enemies than loving them, we should probably ask whether Jesus is still the One teaching us how to be a Christian.

We may have enemies.
But Jesus never gave us permission to stop loving them.

After all, God has loved us through some pretty unlovable moments.

Following Jesus means learning to do the same.

09/21/2026

Something is ending and something is still here. May you make room for both, in a world where Everything Happens.

09/03/2026

Loving God,
parent and companion to us all,
hold the precious children and young people in your loving care
as they begin a new school year.

Nurture in them a sense of wonder.
Keep their curiosity alive,
their imaginations wide,
and their hearts open to the joy of discovering something new.

May the spark of creativity, possibility, and adventure
continue to burn brightly within them.
Give them courage to ask questions,
freedom to dream,
and confidence to become who they are meant to be.

Surround them with people who see their worth
and meet them with kindness, patience, and respect.
Protect them from harm,
from cruelty and fear,
and from words and ideas that diminish the dignity of others.

And may they be a source of kindness, courage, and welcome to those around them.

Bless them as they learn and grow,
as they make friends, face challenges,
discover their gifts, and find their own light.

May they shine in the ways that are uniquely theirs—
and may every child be surrounded by the love, care,
and hope they need to flourish.

Amen

08/22/2026

Please join us this evening at the Shelburne County Museum as artist and lecturer Stephanie Rayner shares her journey with The Boat of Eternal Return. Light refreshments will be served.

08/17/2026

I saw a stranger today.
I put food for him
in the eating-place
And drink
in the drinking-place
And music
in the listening-place.

In the Holy name
of the Trinity
He blessed myself
and my family.

And the lark said in her warble
Often, often, often
Goes Christ
in the stranger’s guise.

O, oft and oft and oft,
Goes Christ
in the stranger’s guise.

— The Celtic Rune of Hospitality
Photo by Beth Maxwell Boyle

07/18/2026

Franciscan Month - Day 9
Pray for someone who annoys you

St. Francis knew that the greatest battles are won within our own hearts. Every irritation is an invitation: will we choose resentment, or will we choose love?

The person who annoys you may never know the struggle you have with them. But God does. And He can use that struggle to transform your heart.

Instead of replaying their words or actions in your mind, whisper a simple prayer: "Lord, bless them. Give them peace. Draw them closer to You. And change my heart too."

Prayer doesn't always change the other person first. Often, it changes us. It softens anger, weakens pride, and makes room for mercy.

St. Francis didn't wait until people were easy to love. He chose to love because Christ loved him first.

Today, pray for the person who annoys you. It may become the holiest prayer you pray all day.

07/14/2026

07/11/2026

The bill has resulted in hearings denied for refugee claimants across Canada, who now face removal to countries where they may be at risk of persecution, violence, or imprisonment.