Author name: Kevin Derksen

Relating to God as to Creation Scriptures: Proverbs 8:1-3, 22-31, Mark 1:4-12 This summer for our family vacation we took a road trip out east to the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec.  This is the large chunk of coastal land along the south shore of the St. Lawrence river as it opens up into the Atlantic. 

Poetry and Praise Scripture Collage: Words in the Word In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The Word was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through this Word, and apart from this Word not one thing came into being. 

Creative Crafts Scripture: Exodus 35:30-36:7 When we began our summer worship talking about creativity a few weeks ago, we started with the astonishing creativity of God in imagining and speaking into existence all the weird and wonderful parts of the world around us.  And then further, we named that we ourselves who are made

Scripture: Genesis 1-2:3 When I think of creativity, I think of the craft cupboard in the dining room of our house.  My particular children are frequent and heavy crafters.  Inspiration strikes often, and when it does the table is instantly scattered with paper, markers, glue sticks, crayons, ribbon, googly eyes, pipe cleaners and stickers. 

Scripture: Psalm 67, Matthew 5:1-12 As a pastor, I have shared and offered many blessings over the years.  Blessings for food, blessings for health and encouragement, blessings for travellers, blessings for students, blessings for teachers, blessings for a marriage, blessings for children, blessings for the passage from life to death.  When in doubt,

Hope Scripture: John 20:24-29 Last Sunday, our guest speaker Susan Schwartzentruber from Shalom Counselling made a comment that has stuck with me ever since.  In talking about what makes for resilience, she suggested that resilient people know that “bad things happen.”  In other words, part of developing resilience involves accepting the reality of pain