The Risen Lord

Jesus Christ is risen today, hallelujah!
Our triumphant holy day, hallelujah!
Who did once upon the cross, hallelujah!
Suffer to redeem our loss, hallelujah!

Hymn 155 Voices United
Words & Music: Lyra Davidica 1708

Easter Service

We were blessed with a truly joyous Easter celebration at today's service.

Here are a couple of photos by Harris Cox:

The Aurora Bells

Children singing "Everybody Gets Some"

Easter Greeting from Dr. Martin Rumscheidt

Dr. Martin Rumscheidt was with us at Whitehorse United during Bev's sabbatical, leading worship services and engaging us in workshops.  He sends this Easter greeting from his home in New England:

My Dear Friends, Beloved Sisters and Brothers.

Peace be with you from the One who raised Jesus from the dead; may the grace which is beyond what we may grasp bless you. I miss you! I miss you a lot! I miss you every day! When is Bev's next study leave?

On this Easter Sunday my thoughts are with you especially as I join in the Hallelujahs we raise to God today. With you - in your singing and speaking, in your listening to the music Barry, Derek and the choir offer to God, in your hearing of the Scriptures and the sermon - I rejoice in the good but mysterious news of the Risen One. And I accompany you - albeit in spirit and not, however much I wished it, in body - on your walk with Jesus and with one another in the ministry to which you have been called in Whitehorse, in the beautiful valley of the Yukon River, below Grey Mountain, and among God's beloved First Nations peoples. In spirit, take me with you.

I want to thank you once again for all the gifts you gave me, the opportunities you offered me, and for the stunning beauty of your countryside in which you wrapped it all up. I also thank you for allowing me to venture into your high schools and your college, the side trips to CBC North and the Whitehorse papers. I derived really deep satisfaction in working with you in our workshops; my old professor's heart leapt with joy over the opportunity to be engaged in those intense conversations we had together around the table and how you challenged me. It was wonderful and truly unique.

So, as I greet you fondly from my heart, let me conclude with my question earlier: When is Bev's next study leave? Or does she have to leave at all so that I may return rejoicing?

As aye and indeed affectionately,

Martin

ps: Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

Good Friday

O Sacred Head Sore Wounded

O sacred head sore wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
now scornfully surrounded with thorns thine only crown;
how art thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn;
how does that visage languish, which once was bright as morn.

Thy grief and bitter passion were all for sinners' gain,
mine, mine was the transgression, but thine the cruel pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Saviour, turn not from me thy face;
but look on me with favour, and grant to me thy grace.

What language shall I borrow to thank thee dearest friend,
for this thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever, and, should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never, outlive my love to thee.

Be near when I am dying, O show thy cross to me,
and for my succour flying, come, Lord, to set me free.
These eyes, new faith receiving, from thee shall not remove,
for all who die believing, die safely through thy love.

Voices United #145
Words: Paul Geerhardt 1656, translated by James Waldell Alexander 1830
Music: Hans Leo Hassler 1601, Harmony by Johann Sebastian Bach 1729

Hooray !!! Bev Is Back.

Dateline: Whitehorse, Yukon - March 30, 2014

The Reverend Beverly C.S. Brazier returned to Whitehorse today after a (too long, but well-earned) three months sabbatical.

A welcoming committee (pretty much everyone who could come) greeted her as she stepped off the plane. There were cheers, and singing from the Hallelujah Chorus. Folks were there with hats, balloons, and a big 'Welcome Home' banner.

She was surprised, but delighted.

WELCOME BACK, BEV!

Sunday, March 8, 2015

What a wonderful service this morning, led by Beth Roberts and Jennifer Moorlag. The choir's anthem was Mozart's 'Ave Verum Corpus' and Barry Kitchen's postlude was a lovely piece by Bach.

Here are some links for the audio recordings:
 Anthem by the Choir
 Sermon by Jennifer
 Postlude  by Barry

And a couple of photos:

Beth Roberts during 'Learning Together'

Jennifer delivering the Sermon

King James Bible - 400 Years

This year is the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Translation of the Bible from the Hebrew language, to Greek, and then to English has a very interesting history. For many years it was illegal to translate the Bible from the Latin, an offence punishable by death.

Today, of course, the Bible is available to us in a variety of English versions and we forget the struggle and sacrifice it took to bring us the King James Version.

Here's the King James Version time line:

1380 The first hand-written English manuscript of the Bible is produced by John Wycliffe. He translated it from the Latin. There was such opposition to Wycliffe's work within the church that his remains were exhumed, burned and scattered in the river.

1407 The English Parliament passes a law prohibiting English Bibles.

1440 Around this date Johannes Gutenburg invented the printing press and by 1500 presses were in operation throughout Western Europe.

1525 William Tyndale, an English scholar and translator who became a leading figure in Protestant reformism completes his translation of the New Testament.

1529 Martin Luther publishes his German translation of the New Testament.

1535 Myles Coverdale completes Tyndale's translation and publishes the so-called Coverdale Bible, the first complete English Bible in print.

1536 Tyndale, after a year in prison, is tried for heresy, choked and impaled on a stake. His last words were, "God, open the King of England's eyes."

1537 King Henry VIII gives permission for English Bibles to be bought and sold in England.

1539 Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Cantebury, and a leader in the English Reformation, produces the Great Bible, which is distributed to every church, chained to the pulpit, and readers are provided for the illiterate.

1543 The English Parliament passes a law forbidding any English translation other than the Great Bible of Cranmer.

1555 Cranmer is burned at the stake.

1568 The Bishop's Bible is produced, a revision of the Great Bible, inder the order of Elizabeth I.

1575-1576 The Geneva Bible is printed in England, the work of English refugees from 'Mary Queen of Scots' persecutions who had fled to Geneva. This is the so-called 'breeches Bible" because they said God sewed fig leaf breeches for Adam and Eve. Verses were added for the first time, and this is the first translation based solely on the original Greek and Hebrew texts.

1603 Elizabeth I dies, James VI of Scotland becomes King James I of England.

1611 The King James Version of the Bible is printed. 54 scholars, working in teams checking each others' work, used all widely accepted English translations as well as all available original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. They printed the Apocrypha as a separate section. The stated goal is "not to make a bad version good, but to make a good one better."

2011 All Whitehorse United Church people read their Bibles with thanksgiving and awe.

Posted by Bev and Hank