Canadian Methodist Church

06/04/2026

05/26/2026

A message from Bishop Leah:

The God Who Loves So Much He Has on Mismatched Shoes

Earlier this week, I had a very early morning Zoom call. Not wanting to turn on the light and disturb Stan, I reached for my sandals in the dark and walked across the house to my office.

It was not until two Zoom calls later that I looked down and realized I had on mismatched shoes.

I laughed and laughed.

Honestly, it seemed about right for the pace of my schedule these days.

But since then, I have been thinking about a painting I have never seen but once heard Pastor Jim Moore describe. It is a painting of the prodigal son returning home. The son is still a long way off, but the father has already seen him. And there he is, running down the road to meet his boy.

In the painting, the father’s sandals do not match.

Overcome with love, in such a hurry to reach his son, the father simply threw on whatever shoes were closest and ran. He did not stop to worry about appearances. He did not pause to make sure everything looked proper. He was too full of love to care that his shoes did not match.

Jesus tells us that this is what the Father is like.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.”
—Luke 15:20

My mismatched shoes this week reminded me of my Father’s love for me.

When my prodigal heart wanders, when I prioritize the wrong things, when my soul gets distracted by the urgent instead of anchored in the holy, the Father does not wait coldly at the door. He does not stand at a distance rehearsing my failures. He runs toward me with compassion.

He runs without abandon.
He runs before I have the speech just right.
He runs before I have fully cleaned myself up.
He runs because I am His.

And every time I turn back toward Him, I discover again that grace has already come running down the road to meet me.

That is the love of the Father.

A love so eager.
A love so merciful.
A love so full of joy at the return of His child that He just might come running in mismatched shoes.

05/26/2026

At Noon on Wed May 27th in the Library Basement

05/25/2026

Today we pause to remember those who gave their lives in service to others. With gratitude and humility, we honor the men and women whose sacrifice has made it possible for us to live in freedom and peace. May their memory be a reminder of the cost of courage—and may we never take it for granted.

05/21/2026

The God of the universe delights in His people and rejoices over them with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17 says "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”