As we watched the terrible tragedy of Tim Bosma's death unfold, Heidi DeJong, Pastor of Westside Fellowship CRC in Kingston had an idea. “A lot of us wish we could be with our brothers and sisters in Ancaster this Sunday,” she wrote. “We are inviting you all to...set aside a moment of solidarity in your services this Sunday. They will be singing ‘In Christ Alone’ at Ancaster CRC. And so will we. Please consider this opportunity to grieve and worship with them in solidarity.”
As her idea gained momentum through social media, many people indicated that they would participate. In churches across North America, at the All Ontario Youth Convention, at classis meetings, at Calvin Theological Seminary, at family gatherings – as far away as Indonesia and Belgium (led by our own Hilary) – “299 churches and groups, with membership of about 97,000 people, sang with voice and heart that our hope is In Christ Alone.” from The Banner's Facebook page.
Peter Schuurman, who attended the prayer service for Tim Bosma soon after his disappearance, talks about the impact Tim’s murder and the subsequent discovery of his body has had on our greater community: “One thing that has distinguished this unfolding drama from the start has been the constant murmur of prayers. Petitions, lament, complaint, gratitude and more petitions. The outcome was far from what those who prayed pleaded for, and yet many people continue to trust and rest in the hope that God will make amends in time for the pain of this nightmare.” from www.crcna.org
Last week Pastor Peter gave us permission to grieve difficult circumstances. He also said that if we choose to trust in God and glorify Him “the joy of the Lord will be our strength”. In Psalm 63 David proclaims that God will deal justly with life’s “victimizers” - if not in this life, then certainly in the next. This is not always easy to understand or believe. If you need help with working through this, our prayer partners are ready to pray with you after the service. If you haven’t heard Pastor Peter’s powerful sermon, check it out at hopefellowship.ca.
As we move forward and continue on with our busy lives, as new tragedies and news items turn our eyes and thoughts elsewhere, let’s not forget to continue those prayers for the Bosma family, and let’s continue to trust in God, knowing “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28), even when we can’t see how or why.
- Evelyn
Peter Schuurman, who attended the prayer service for Tim Bosma soon after his disappearance, talks about the impact Tim’s murder and the subsequent discovery of his body has had on our greater community: “One thing that has distinguished this unfolding drama from the start has been the constant murmur of prayers. Petitions, lament, complaint, gratitude and more petitions. The outcome was far from what those who prayed pleaded for, and yet many people continue to trust and rest in the hope that God will make amends in time for the pain of this nightmare.” from www.crcna.org
Last week Pastor Peter gave us permission to grieve difficult circumstances. He also said that if we choose to trust in God and glorify Him “the joy of the Lord will be our strength”. In Psalm 63 David proclaims that God will deal justly with life’s “victimizers” - if not in this life, then certainly in the next. This is not always easy to understand or believe. If you need help with working through this, our prayer partners are ready to pray with you after the service. If you haven’t heard Pastor Peter’s powerful sermon, check it out at hopefellowship.ca.
As we move forward and continue on with our busy lives, as new tragedies and news items turn our eyes and thoughts elsewhere, let’s not forget to continue those prayers for the Bosma family, and let’s continue to trust in God, knowing “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28), even when we can’t see how or why.
- Evelyn
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