Rev. Takouhi’s Reflection – Fall 2022 – September 15, 2022

Dearly Beloved, World leaders are celebrated with so much fanfare when they leave this physical world, I felt compelled that we need to dedicate this reflection to a loving leader, colleague and an example of a servant-leader, Rev. Seeley. Every September, I reflect on new beginnings. As the new academic year begins, Mother Nature reminds us that change is in the air with the cooler weather and prepares us for winter. I take my vacations mostly in fall, bringing me new and refreshing outlook to life, as we attempt to hibernate through the coming months of winter. However, this time … Read more

Vacation Time – August 28, 2022

Dear Grace United Church, Summer has come and almost gone in a blink of an eye. It is mind-boggling to see how fast these days are going by. Many people take time off to rejuvenate and restore their energy in the summertime, but for a minister, summer is one of the busiest seasons of the year. There is Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and then there is Summer, filled with weddings and funerals. As summertime is winding down, my family and I are just getting started to slow down and spend some time together, to rest and play. Therefore, I will … Read more

Unexpected Blessings – July 31, 2022

“We Make Plans, God Laughs”                        Yiddish Proverb Have you heard the above saying? I had not heard it until I arrived in Canada, at the age of nineteen in 1986. However, in my childhood I have always heard my mother say, “God Willing” – before or after any plans she would share with others. Picking up on that, I have used that expression always, until one day in early 2000’s, at Northlea United Church (where I got married), in Chomedey, Quebec, someone stopped me and said, “Takouhi, God wills for us to enjoy the plans we set in our lives … Read more

Rev. Takouhi’s Reflection… Summer 2022 Newsletter – June 8, 2022

“Do Not Let Your Circumstances Take Away the Joy of God’s Blessings” Dear Grace United Church, I do not know what is going on in your life right at this moment, or what is waiting for each of us this summer season. However, the Spirit is leading me to share what I have been learning still today about God’s Blessings and life’s circumstances. Most of you know that I attended the Festival of Homiletics in Denver, Colo., which took place the week of May 16. This was the event’s first in-person gathering since 2019, which also offered virtual participation. At … Read more

“For Such a Time as This…” Esther 4:14 – May 28, 2022

Dear E.O.O.R.C. Family, On this Mother’s Day, May 8, 2022, I cannot help but think of the amazing Mothering God who is a stunning Parent to all of life. Today, I am trying my best to write to you words that are more than a report, but a reflection on my life story so far, which is but one part of God’s Sacred Story. Every time I hear the words report, reflection, motion, proposal, etc., I get nervous beyond my belief. Where do I begin? Yes, as a minister I write sermons/reflections each week, but there is always that weekly … Read more

Study Leave – God’s Provision – May 15, 2022

Dear Grace United Church, Spring has sprung, and winter coats and shoes are put away. The time has come to open up our hearts and minds to the great outdoors and the Universe, to be recharged and rejuvenated, to make this world a better place. There is an annual conference that takes place in the United States, which I have attended since 2013, called Festival of Homiletics – in other words, Festival of Preaching – Yes, who would want to attend a festival of preaching and listen to 4-5 sermons and lectures per day? I would, yours truly! Why, you … Read more

Invitation to EOORC Virtual Gathering – May 6, 2022

Dear E.O.O.R.C. Family,  Life seems to be at a standstill, yet the days are zooming by.   Our last in-person gathering (Feb. 2020) seems to be a distant memory, but yet it feels like it was yesterday. On April 9, when I went back to Glen Cairn United Church in Kanata, the memories of Feb. 2020 flooded my heart and eyes, as these two-plus years have been difficult.   I am reminded of Ancient Israel, going round and round in the desert attempting to get to the Promised Land – they did because God always brings us through. Sometimes what we need … Read more

Imperfect Beings Living Through the Perfect Love of God – May 1, 2022

Why bother to become a Full Member at a Community of Faith? There are many things in life that make us wonder. So, imagine how many more questions people have about Spirituality, Religion, and being part of a Community of Faith. By no means does a minister have all the answers, but sometimes a minister can offer explanations to help us find our way. Today, I invite you to think how your home address is essential to your everyday life; and how it is the place that you connect with your immediate family, and also how friends and extended family … Read more

Easter 2022 – Low Week/Sunday Note

Dear Grace United Church, What a joy it is to be journeying with you. God has truly blessed us amid this pandemic. As you all know, the life of a minister is a constant balancing act between the joys and the concerns of the Community of Faith they serve, the world we all live in, and their own personal life. I have been blessed and still am, to be serving congregations that understand the hardships of being a minister and offer a reprieve following the high seasons of the church, Advent/Christmas and Lent. Preparing weekly worship with meaningful sermons is … Read more

Rev. Takouhi’s Reflection… Easter 2022

Dear Grace United Church,   We have made a full circle once again and arrived at the most beautiful time of the year – Spring!  Spring is not only a time that lifts our spirits with the beautiful symphony that the birds offer us, with the honking of the geese, but also gives us a feast to our eyes and senses with the blossoming of colourful flowers and scents that wake us up from a slumber.   Easter Sunday is celebrated on the first Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon, which is the first full moon of Spring. This year, April 17 will be Easter … Read more

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