Groundbreaking for Concordia Academy and Kingswood Academy Daycare

It has been a long time in coming, but finally on Sunday, September 21st, 2008, the construction of the joint facilities of the Concordia Academy of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and of Kingswood Academy Daycare was set up to be built on the solid foundation of Christ and His Word as the ground was broken in the name of the Triune God.

From as far away as Charlottown (PEI), the congregation assembled at Good Shepherd with friends and guests at the usual time of 11AM, at which time we confessed our sins and received the Word of Forgiveness which Christ won for us on the cross. Many hymns and spiritual songs ancient and modern followed, including the great "Gloria In Excelcis Deo", "Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us", and the Old Testament "Sanctus" (or "Holy, Holy, Holy"), all arranged with Bible passages and prayers in a beautiful, Christ-centered and historic pattern that teaches us about the ways of God with mankind. Center-stage, so to speak, were readings from the Holy Scriptures and the preaching of the Gospel of Christ crucified and risen for us by our guest Rev. Allen Maleske, president of Lutheran Church-Canada's East District. President Maleske based his sermon on Ephesians 2:19-22 with the theme "Building for Eternity." Finally, the culmination of the Lord's Divine Service to us came as He assured us of our forgiveness, life, and salvation through the body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Finally, the moment so many of us had been waiting for: instead of the familiar closing benediction, the congregation and our many special guests processed in a glad parade right out the door while singing the beautiful hymn, "The Church's One Foundation", with the crucifix, the Good Shepherd banner, and our pastors leading the way. Our procession went down the hill where we all met up again just outside where the front door of our new School and Daycare facility will soon be found, by the grace of God. The Rite of Groundbreaking was then followed, leading us to begin the spiritual as well as physical construction of this house of learning and caring with the reading of Psalm 127 and of our Lord's parable of the man who built his house on the rock from Luke 6:47-49. Then Pastor Milette led the whole assembly in turning over the first little mound of grassy earth in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit, followed by President Maleske and members of our School Steering Committee and of our Church Council, and then everyone was invited to join in also - including the little children, of course!

After everyone had had an opportunity to participate, including our friends from the Kingswood Academy Daycare staff, we concluded the groundbreaking with the Lord's Prayer as He Himself taught us to pray, prayers for our School & Daycare and for the Holy Gospel, that it might bring about great joy and strength as it is taught and shared here, and finally the New Testament Benediction.
 

Afterward, all our guests were invited to share with members in a plentiful good old-fashioned "potluck" meal, reflecting many of the varied tastes and backgrounds of our congregation: from lasagna to boeuf bourgignon, from sushi to Korean beef and noodle dishes, topped off with a beautiful "Unless the Lord Builds the House" (Ps 127:1a) cake. Wow! And Yum!

Many thanks to everyone who helped make this historic day a memorable one for all who participated and for all who will benefit from our Concordia Academy and Kingswood Academy Daycare in months and years to come. Most of all, all thanks and praise be to our God, Father, + Son and Holy Spirit, who has given us such forgiven and renewed hearts through our Lord Jesus Chirst that we should put our trust in Him as we look for ways to serve our neighbour in mind, body, and soul!
 

By the continued grace of God, we look forward to the blessing of the cornerstone in the coming months. We hope you can join us!

+ Peace be with you, through Christ our Saviour!

Noah's 2 by 2 Adventure

To start off our Sunday School Rally Weekend, on Saturday, September 6, 2008, Good Shepherd hosted a one-day Bible Adventure Day. The children were small, the Word of God was big, and hearts lept for joy under the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

Everyone was invited!




After building an Ark, Pastor read the story of Noah from a Bible Story Book, "Noah's 2 by 2 Adventure!" Boy where the children surprised when the "water" suddenly appeared around them too!


"Rise, and shine, and give God the glory, glory" )(the "arky arky" song) helped us all to recognize God's grace in giving Noah and his family and all the creatures an Ark and a Promise, but more still in giving us His Son Jesus Christ as the redeemer of sinners and the promise of everlasting life!


Can you guess what animal this child is imitating? Can you imitate it too? (They sure know a lot of amazing animals...)




A bit of colouring at the beginning got them in the mood for contemplating rainbows and other wonders and signs of God's grace, past and present, and His unending faithfulness...


... while a craft bag for a little gift new testament helped build an association they can take home between God's rescuing work for Noah from the great flood through the Ark and His rescuing work for us all from the consequence of sin through Baptism by which God clothes us with Christ (Gal 3:27) and saves us (I Peter 3:21)!













Two verses were taught that day:

• Psalm 56:4, "In God I trust" (first God teaches his faithfulness so we have a ground of faith) "I will not be afraid!" (then faith, built on the Solid Rock and anchored in His Promises, rescues, comforts, and preserves us for Jesus' sake!)
• Mark 16:16a, "Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved." (see below)

So where is Jesus in the story of Noah's Ark?
(a little help for parents who weren't there)

• Christ is in "the extras": did you know that, of the "clean animals", God sent Noah not 2 but 7 pairs of each (Gen 7:2-3)? Why so many more of some than others? Some of the clean animals were supplied to Noah by God so he would be able to give a sacrifice of thanksgiving (Gen 8:20-22); similarly and moreso, Christ is sent from our Father in Heaven to be the only sacrifice that pays for the sin of the whole world! (1 John 2:2)
• Christ is in "the rainbow": the rainbow that was a sign and promise given to the believers God had rescued through the Ark, that God's wrath would never again flood the world with water (Gen 9:12-16) was and remains only a partial rainbow, and only partially preserves the world; similarly and moreso, later on, the Bible tells of Christ, who is Himself THE Sign and Promise given to all believers, and that God's full wrath against sin has been poured out on + Jesus Christ rather than us. After His Death, His Resurrection, and His Ascension, He is seen with a rainbow over + His head (Rev 10:1) as He mediates between earth and heaven!
• Christ is in "the ark": the ark was the place God prepared through His Word for those who trusted in Him for rescue and life (Gen 6:11-22); similarly and moreso, the "ark" of the Church (not the building, the flock of God's sheep gathered around the Good Shepherd) is the place God has prepared through His Word too, for those who trust Him for rescue from sin, death, and the devil, and for life everlasting for Jesus' sake (see Matt 14:22ff). That's why the inside of church building are historically called "the nave" (which means "ship", cf. navigate)!
• Christ is in the "the water and the word": the same water that destroyed and scrubbed the world clean of evil was the same water that lifted up and carried the ark along safely to the place God had prepared for His children again to live and flourish; similarly and moreso, in Holy Baptism the same water that puts our sinfulness to death by repentance through the power of the Word (Matt 28:18-20) also raises us up with Christ to a new life by faith (Rom 6:4).

Many thanks to all our volunteers, but especially all glory be to God alone!


Our next Bible Adventure day is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 25th, 2008, featuring another great rescue story from the Old Testament, Moses, just in time for Reformation Sunday (Oct 26). Please call for information or to pre-register!


+ Peace be with you, through Christ our Saviour!