Sermon Overview
Today we join with churches across Canada and the United States to grieve racism put upon
black individuals and communities and to posture ourselves as learners of God’s ways of justice
and to move towards God’s call to be “doers” of justice.
Micah 6:8:
God has told you, o mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
Today we welcome with thanksgiving, Joanna Loepp Thiessen, a former youth of The Gathering
Church. Joanna is an active learner of doing justice and brings to us some of her learnings and
thoughts as to how we might develop in doing justice.
Reflection Questions:
1. Joanna suggested that one way to begin the journey to being people of justice is to search
our hearts, minds and actions to see what thoughts of bias, racism or fears we hold.
Consider sitting with a piece of paper and a pen, and with this in mind,
Pray
Psalm 139:23,24
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Listen to what our Loving God brings to your mind. Take to lament and repent.
2. In today’s message, we are invited to posture ourselves as learners. What two
meaningful or challenging things will you take with you from today’s message?
3. Today’s benediction was written by Bishop Staccato Powell, a black follower of Jesus.
“I urge you to trust God, love like Jesus and be transformed in the
renewing of our collective heart and mind. For the sake of Christ Jesus
who died for our life, let us not be hearers of the Word only, but faithful,
persistent, builders of God's Kingdom on earth. I plead with you not to rest
until justice rolls down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
As Scripture invites us to be “doers of justice” so that it will roll down like water,
consider an action you can take to increase justice in our community. Share this with a
friend as an encouragement that together, as people of faith, we can join in creating that
hoped-for mighty stream of righteousness.
Later this week we will email Joanna’s list of recommended readings.
