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While “Valentine” was a common name in the early Church, two figures are specifically remembered on February 14: Valentine of Rome (martyred in 269) and Valentine of Terni (martyred in 273). Numerous legends surround them, including stories of secret marriages performed for soldiers forbidden to wed, and the healing of a blind girl (a miracle that reportedly led her entire family to convert to Christianity). Though we know little about the true historical figures, we continue to celebrate the day in remembrance of the early martyrs who bore the name.

Personally, I miss the simplicity of exchanging good wishes with classmates. We can choose to see these simple gestures as spiritual acts today. A card can bring warmth to someone who is alone, while sharing a tray of cookies becomes a way of sharing food with a neighbour. This is, after all, what we do as Christians: we gather for the Eucharist to share the bread of life. By extending that same spirit, we can warm the coldest month of the year with generosity, reaching beyond our immediate families to the wider community around us.

Perhaps this year, we can take a page out of our childhood books and ignore the pressure of grand romantic displays. Instead, try sending a friend a card just to let them know that you’re thinking of them. It’s a nice way to bring cheer and warmth to what can be a very cold, frosty month here in Atlantic Canada.

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One thing I know has contributed to this hiatus of sorts is I’ve let go of the habit. I used to write something—anything—every day. I stopped doing that almost a year ago now: a mistake, for sure. But I’ve had no reason to pick it back up. And I’ve been finding it increasingly distressing. Writing isn’t just an exercise for me, it is part of my spiritual practice. It is part of who, as I understand it, God made me to be. To not write feels like a betrayal of my soul.

So why can’t I just do it? Why am I not drawn to my pen and paper the way others are drawn to their pianos or prayer books? I am left to conclude, though not necessarily accept, that this season must mean something important for me in my relationship with God. I must be meant to learn something from these feelings of untetheredness, adriftness, of absence. I must be meant to do some sort of reflection on the integrity of my spiritual life and how, when I don’t feel connected to God, God is still connected to me. I am sure I am meant to cling to God ever more closely in my own time of spiritual lack. I am confident in all those things. I am confident that in hindsight there will be a lesson in this sunset of the soul, but I’ve never had perfect vision in the moment.

So right now, all that reflection and clinging and trust will have to wait. Right now I am still sitting in the discontent and the lament. God will need to feel far away for a little while longer, while I work up the courage to say I’ve had enough and it’s time for God to come back. Until then, I suppose I will pray in the way we all know how, on my knees at the side of my bed, asking God to remember me, remember us all, when we come into God’s Kingdom.

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We organized dinner shows and invited special guests who had been affiliated over the years. Even the then Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada joined the group on one special occasion in recognition of its significance.

At the end of the year, and as a grand finale, under our organizer Shirley Glynn we decided, as a part of the Christmas activities, to host a tea party “befitting a king.” After all, despite the commercialization of Christmas in the secular world, Advent is still all about the greatest king that ever lived.

As a gesture of good will and fellowship, we decided to extend invitations outside our own parish family.

Now we never aspired for it to continue for sixteen consecutive years, but because of the enthusiasm and positive response of that outreach, something was created that would last. As a result, the festivity known as the “Holly Tea” was born, and reborn each year ever since.

HOLLY TEA

H. is for Holly Tea, an event celebrated each year,
O. Is you good friends our entertainment to share,
L. Stands for laughter we’re so glad you all came,
L. Again for longevity, sixteen years to proclaim.
Y. Each year is special, with the tradition secure.

T. Is together as we greet you at the door.
E. As Each year approaches enquiries start coming through
A. It’s always an event we look forward to do—for a chat and a mug up, with fellowship too.

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

H. Is for Holly Tea, some like Earl Grey the best,
O. Canon Jotie says his Old English Breakfast outshines all the rest.
L. Is for lemon, an extra flavour to squeeze,
L. Again, strong or weak, whatever you please.
Y. You’re free to dunk a raisin bun in your tea. It’s bound to taste better, I’m sure you’ll agree.

T. Stands for Tetley, that’s been served here today.
E. Most everyone sticks to the old brands anyway,
A. As long as you stir some sugar and milk, I’m sure you’ll enjoy every mouthful you drink.

Happy are the people Whose God is the law. Psalm 144: 15

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One particular gathering stands out in my memory. The topic that day was poetry, specifically the form known as Haiku. This Japanese art form follows a simple structure: three lines of verse arranged in a pattern of 5-7-5 syllables. After introducing Haiku to the group, I offered them a gentle challenge. They were invited to try writing their own Haiku poem and, if they wished, to share it with the group the following week.

I remember leaving that session unsure whether anyone would take up the invitation. But my prayers were met—and surpassed—the next time we gathered. Several residents had written poems and were eager to share them. The experience was rich in every sense. I could see that those who had participated glowed with a deep sense of accomplishment. In that moment, it felt as though God had opened a door that many had not known was still there. I was reminded that creativity does not diminish with age, and that the Spirit continues to stir gifts within us long after the world assumes they have faded.

This brief reflection may inspire you to try your own hand at writing Haiku poetry. I encourage you to do so. You may wish to focus on a particular theme: hope, grace, struggle, love, or simply on the small details of a single day. You might also incorporate prayer into your writing. For example:

“God of the ages, open the eyes of my heart, I pray. Help me to recognize your goodness in the world this day, and by your Spirit, guide my writing as I give you glory.”

In small, quiet acts of creativity, we may discover that God is still speaking… and that we are still being invited to listen.

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After the lighting of the first candle in the Advent wreath, and with prayers and praise, we decorated our Jesse tree with loads of knitted items, with more to be added in the coming weeks. Our prayer shawls were blessed and will be distributed to residents of Corner Brook Long Term Care.

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Over the span of the last several months, our parish has been commemorating this special anniversary milestone of the consecration of St. Andrew’s Church. Starting the celebration this past May, was St. Andrew’s Gospel concert. St. Andrew’s was filled to the brim with celebration from the joyful singing of the congregation and music from a wide variety of performers and musical instruments. Youth and adult performers, including clergy from the parish, gave gifts of music ministry. If words could attempt to describe the energy when the full band night capped the evening with a highly energetic rendition of “I’ll Fly Away,” they would perhaps be closest using the words divine spiritual force, as the sense of unity and connection between all under her roof was almost tangible, and most certainly unmistakeable. There is a reason the Parish of Upper Island Cove is known for her music ministry. Furthermore, on November 9th, St. Andrew’s Church hosted a memorial hymn sing with music provided by St. Andrew’s parishioners, The Rev’d Aubrey Young, and members of St. Peter’s Church Choir. On November 23rd, Bishop Sam Rose joined parishioners and special friends of the parish to celebrate St. Andrew’s Patronal Festival, the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, and the 120th Anniversary of St. Andrew’s Church. During this commemoration service, an extraordinary thing took place. Bishop Sam presented The Rev’d Aubrey Young with his licence as the new Rector of the Parish of Upper Island Cove. Sure, one can say Rev’d Aubrey receiving his rector’s licence during the Patronal Feast of St. Andrew’s service is remarkable. What makes this occurrence truly striking however, is that Rev’d Aubrey was presented with his rector’s licence during the Feast of St. Andrew service, in St. Andrew’s Church during her 120th anniversary service, and it is the very church which his great-grandfather, carpenter John Thomas Jones, built in 1904. Churches are named after saints to honour them and provide spiritual guidance to the communities of faith that serve them. Churches, like the people that do God’s work in them and on behalf them, serve the community. St. Andrew’s Church, of the British Colony Newfoundland, served people and held a memorial service in 1914 for relatives who had perished in the S.S. Southern Cross sealing disaster. She served the people of Bryant’s Cove through the Great Depression, brought refuge during the horrors of two world wars and stability both during Confederation and the collapse of the Cod Fishery. St. Andrew’s Church of Bryant’s Cove is still serving 120 years later. Somewhere, behind the first church building in a garden is said to be the location of the first St. Andrew’s Church, built in 1855; the remains of her foundation lay and remain still, a part of the one foundation that is St. Andrew’s Church today. More than one literal foundation, her strong foundation is built on the type of faith that grows strong by serving as the hymn The Church’s One Foundation states, “mid toil and tribulation” of life.

Mentioned briefly are the people who serve the church like the church serves its people. The Parish of Upper Island Cove is blessed by the many people who give generous gifts of their time to faithfully serve the parish and her communities. One such person is C.L.B. member, Captain Don Sharpe of #4547 Upper Island Cove Company. This November, the Parish of Upper Island Cove commemorated Captain Don Sharpe on #4547 on his 50th anniversary of C.L.B. service. Current and former C.L.B. comrades from across the Brigade, and clergy who served as company chaplains, Bishop Sam, and many family members and friends formed a congregation of 180 strong to celebrate during a C.L.B. church service, with fellowship social to follow. In true C.L.B. style, it came complete with a vibrant singing of “Johnny Appleseed” as the Grace before the meal.

One very special guest in attendance was Capt. Sharpe’s mother Mrs. Sharpe, who at 96 years young made a choice 50 years ago to enrol her 11-year-old son in the C.L.B. Like Bishop Sam remarked during his sermon that day, and as Mrs. Sharpe and Capt. Sharpe would agree, saying “yes” to the C.L.B. was one of the best choices that he ever made.

Finally, to wrap a busy November, the Parish of Upper Island Cove: North Shore Wildfire Faith in Action Project came to a close with strong support of monetary donations given graciously from the Parish of Upper Island Cove itself and her two churches, many parishioners, the Upper Island Cove Volunteer Fire Department, The C.L.B., J.A., children of the Sunday School and our friends from Holy Redeemer Anglican Church in Spaniard’s Bay. All money donated was given to one family with two young children who lost their home and all belongings during the North Shore wildfires this past summer. The children of the parish remain a shining inspiration of service by their compassionate actions of loving your neighbour. The money raised by the youth groups went towards the repurchasing of loved and lost items of the children’s they enjoyed doing with their family. The children’s artwork created on their “thinking of you cards” especially came from the heart. The money they gave came from their families, the gifts purchased on behalf of them, but their cards, the children who made them and their efforts remain the heart of this mission work, and embodies the universal one foundation of the church itself: love.

The saints whose names are chosen for churches are carefully selected as reflections of the histories, traditions, a church’s location. Saints and their lives can serve as unique spiritual inspiration, inviting parishioners to embody their teachings and enter divine relationship with them as faithful followers of Jesus Christ and his teachings. St. Andrew and St. Peter are seafaring saints, fishermen and brothers in faith turned “fishers of men.” They were Jesus’ first apostles—the first to follow—bringing people along the journey of transformation through Christ. Together and to conclude, let it be read in prayer that the Parish of Upper Island Cove, through divine inspiration and communion of St. Andrew and St. Peter, continues to stand for and compassionately serve the one foundation that is, the Church in all her forms, within church buildings themselves and within the hearts and minds of all her followers.

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The joke went something like this:

Little Johnny and his younger brother, little Stevie, were up to their antics and then some for young boys. Their father, with his patience running thin, approached his parish priest and asked if he could talk to them to improve their behavior.

The parish priest obliged the father’s request and met with the boys at the church following worship on a Sunday morning. The priest looked at the boys and said, “Where is God?”

With that, little Johnny left the church, running as fast as he could, followed by little Stevie. When little Stevie finally caught up to little Johnny at home in his bedroom, little Stevie asked, “Why did you run away?”

Little Johnny replied, “They’ve lost God and they’re blaming us!”

No, God is not lost, but rather God is found. God is found in human form in the babe of Bethlehem, born in the poorest of places, yet the greatest of kings. The time from when the last of the prophets spoke to the time when Jesus was presented in the temple was 400 years. People may certainly have thought that God just might have been lost. Yet when we least expect God to show up in our lives, that is the very moment that not only does God show up but God acts, and in a very mighty and a very powerful way! God uses a child to get our attention: God has come into our presence. I like how biblical scholars transliterate the verse of John 1:14 when it is said that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The word that can be used is tabernacle or pitched a tent: taken up residence among us. God is far from lost: God is found.

If you think you cannot find God, I give to you the words of a contemporary Christian song, written by Michael W. Smith:

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord

Open the eyes of my heart

I want to see You

I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up

Shinin’ in the light of Your glory

Pour out Your power and love

As we sing holy, holy, holy.

This light of glory, shining out, is the very thing that the aged Simeon, holds in his arms in human form, the form of a baby. So may these lyrics, become our prayer to have our eyes opened, so that not only can we see God, but may we sing: “holy, holy, holy.” If you are looking for God, God is not lost, God is found, just open your eyes to see God with his tent pitched in our neighbourhood.

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