Remembrance Sunday at Sherwood Park United Church, Sunday, November 9 at 10 am

All are welcome to join us on Sunday. This week we have Major(retired) Rev. Larry Wright as our guest service leader and speaker. The service starts at 10 am. There will be coffee served after the service.

Here is a bit of what Rev. Wright will be speaking on.

Next Tuesday in Canada is Remembrance Day, and on Sunday I will be leading Worship at Sherwood Park.  I am a retired United Church minister and Canadian Armed Forces Chaplain.  When asked to describe the present and historic relationship between the United Church and the military, one might best say, “It’s complicated.”  The United Church has in its roots an inherent pacifism, we follow one whom we call the Prince of Peace.  We proclaim that violence is not the answer.  But we also call for an end to injustice and oppression. 

My sermon for Sunday is entitled “My Battle-Shield.”  It was the name of small devotional booklet provided by the Chaplaincy Committee of the United Church to members of the military who identified as United Church.  That committee no longer exists, and the booklet hasn’t been published for years.  I have a copy from 1953.  For the scripture readings I have chosen Ephesians 6: 10-17 and John 15: 9-13.  In Ephesians, Paul describes the preparation for the fight against the evil of this world in terms of a soldier arming for battle.  And in John, Jesus speaks of that love that will lay down its life.

In our struggles and battles against the injustices and oppression of this world, how far does our commitment extend?

Major (retired) Rev. Larry Wright