Castleton Grafton Pastoral Charge

Greetings to members, adherents, and friends of Castleton and Grafton United Churches

If you are as long in the tooth as I, you may recall a May Pole being used to celebrate May Day, May 1, still celebrated in Europe. It transitioned to International workers Day and will be marked this year by the Occupy movement.

It is in part the renewing of nature that invigorates us this time of year, but the Easter story is fully about a new spirit and new hope, and daring to venture forward to build new community, as the despondent disciples were reinvented to transform the world. We as with many of the churches around us are doing some soul searching to dream our future. It has surely always been that way, but at least in our country and time we don’t have to be making decisions for our future in the midst of oppression and war, as many churches in the past and elsewhere have had to. Easter invites us to enable our decisions and dreams to be more than pragmatic or logical, but faithful and hopeful.

The season of Easter invites us in all aspects of our lives to enable it to be a season of new beginnings, of hope, of dreaming of what might be. There's no shortage of difficult news out there of health issues, or job loss, or worry, or family and world transitions; so may the Easter spirit translate energy and new spirit into whatever you are going through right now, as we pray for those in various traumas in all too many places of our world. When our own burdens feel like they hold us down, may our times of worship connect us with that higher power and lift us to broader vistas.

May God Bless,

Rev. David Lander

Message from the Minister
	Greetings to members, adherents, and friends of Castleton and Grafton United Churches If you are as long in the tooth as I, you may recall a May Pole being used to celebrate May Day, May 1, still celebrated in Europe. It transitioned to International workers Day and will be marked this year by the Occupy movement. It is in part the renewing of nature that invigorates us this time of year, but the Easter story is fully about a new spirit and new hope, and daring to venture forward to build new community, as the despondent disciples were reinvented to transform the world. We as with many of the churches around us are doing some soul searching to dream our future. It has surely always been that way, but at least in our country and time we don’t have to be making decisions for our future in the midst of oppression and war, as many churches in the past and elsewhere have had to. Easter invites us to enable our decisions and dreams to be more than pragmatic or logical, but faithful and hopeful. The season of Easter invites us in all aspects of our lives to enable it to be a season of new beginnings, of hope, of dreaming of what might be. There's no shortage of difficult news out there of health issues, or job loss, or worry, or family and world transitions; so may the Easter spirit translate energy and new spirit into whatever you are going through right now, as we pray for those in various traumas in all too many places of our world. When our own burdens feel like they hold us down, may our times of worship connect us with that higher power and lift us to broader vistas. May God Bless, Rev. David Lander
Biography - Rev. David Lander (B.A., M. Div.) David grew up on a farm at Gore’s Landing Ontario & received his M.Div. from Queen’s University in 1970. He ministered in Manitoba 3 years with the United Church, Austin Sidney Charge and 10 years team ministry with the United Church, Carman Larger Pastoral Charge. After 3 years with an 8 point Presbyterian charge at Taumarunui New Zealand, he was 12 ½ years with UC Carlisle Kilbride in Hamilton Conference and three years with Queensville Sharon-Hope in the United Church Toronto Conference before coming to Fairlawn Avenue United Church in 2003. Along the way there has been involvement chairing three Presbyteries and various other presbytery and conference leaderships, supervising nine student interns, expanding a couple of church buildings, amalgamations, prison chaplaincy, various social and justice passions. David retired from Fairlawn Avenue United Church in June 2010 and returned home to the Bewdley area. The Castleton Grafton Pastoral Charge is pleased that Rev. Lander is acting as our supply minister for the Pastoral Charge beginning July 1st for a six month term. We extend a warm welcome!
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