Posts from 2025 (Page 2)

Posts from 2025 (Page 2)

How He Found God

This was found in a scrapbook given to me by Nancy Green, compiled by her mother and grandmother. Nancy thought I might find something useful and interesting in it to share with everyone. Here is an example of    how music can sometimes do what mere words can’t.  More than a hundred years ago, a young man in England, who belonged to a pious family but was himself far from God, was to find God by strange means. He had…

Stained Glass Window Shattered

Did anyone happen to see the article that appeared in the Toronto Star on October 4, 2025, under the above headline, announcing the appointment of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury? Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, was chosen as the Church of England’s spiritual leader; her appointment will be made official in a formal ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral in January. What a milestone for a five-hundred-year-old church dominated by a male hierarchy that, in England, ordained its first female priests…

Guest Minister Won Hwang – Sept 14

Won Hwang has served as a pastor for 23 years, ministering to toddlers, children, youth, and adults with words and sacraments, pastoral care, and discipleship programming. He is passionate about teaching the Bible with biblical, creative, and fun programs. This passion led him to pursue biblical studies through Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and the doctoral programs. He published Raffle Nextgen’s Bible Learning series on Nehemiah and the 10 commandments. Ordained in 2006 by the Presbyterian Church in Korea,…

November 1, 2025 – Minister’s Message

 By coincidence, I ran into the worship service of our renting congregation, the United Church of God (UCG), right here in our sanctuary. It was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and I noticed the many cars parked outside. Out of curiosity, I stepped in and was able to witness their service firsthand. Now, here’s a fun fact: I actually happened to be born on Yom Kippur according to the Jewish calendar! Perhaps that means I should have an extra…

Good King Wenceslas – Who Was He?

Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,When a poor man came in sight gath’ring winter fuel. “Hither, page, and stand by me if thou know’st it, tellingYonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?”“Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain,Right against the forest fence by Saint Agnes’ fountain.” “Bring me bread and…

October 5, 2025 – Minister’s Message

Hallelujah! What a joyful day at Graceview! We celebrated the baptism of our new members, witnessing God’s amazing grace and the transforming power of faith in Jesus Christ. It was truly moving to see lives renewed and hearts opened to eternal salvation. Afterward, our potluck fellowship lunch brought everyone together with an abundance of dishes from many cultures — a delicious reminder of the love and unity we share as one family in Christ. I thank God for orchestrating such a beautiful day of…

Grand Slam Ham

LooneyspoonsJanet and Gretel Podleski If I am serving ham at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any other occasion, this is the way I do it. If a  holiday meal features both turkey and ham, the ham is always most popular and disappears before the turkey does.  Preheat oven to 350°. Slice ham into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange in a 9 x 13” baking dish. Combine jam, vinegar, mustard, orange zest, and allspice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat…

Halloween,Then and Now

Facebook, that ultimate time-waster, is known for all kinds of crazy stories, memes, political rants, recipes (which often feature  a perfectly good chicken breast or pork chop  smothered in brown sugar, cheese, or other calorie-laden ingredients), etc. etc. etc. The other day on Facebook I ran across the following statement: “Thanksgiving, Halloween, or Christmas – one of these holidays must go. Which one?” Clickbait that I couldn’t resist.  For me, it was a no-brainer – I could definitely do without…

Charles Wesley – more prodigious than Wordsworth!  

 One of my favourite hymns in our Book of Praise, which unfortunately we very rarely sing, is And Can it Be That I Should Gain, by Charles Wesley. We sing many of Wesley’s hymns, and I have often wondered just who he was, that he seemed to be able to provide a hymn for every occasion. Our Book of Praise contains 19 of them. The Methodist hymn book Hymns and Psalms contains 150.  I had a vague idea that he…

Prayer for Home and Family 

This is one of my favourite prayers. As I read it, I picture a family, father, mother, several children, and perhaps grandparents, sitting around a table in reverent attitude as one of their members thanks and beseeches God in this perfect prayer of thanksgiving and intercession. It would be equally suitable for our church family as we assemble each Sunday for worship.  Lord, behold our family here assembled. We thank thee for this place in which we dwell; for the…

Bits and Bytes at Graceview 

Have you ever thought about how dependent we have become on computer technology that we once shunned as totally unnecessary? About how the Presbyterian church managed to get along just fine for five hundred years, without screens or microphones or live streamed services? Or, for that matter, about how most of us now walk around with a computer in our pockets that is a million times more powerful than the room-sized computer proudly owned by York University in the sixties…