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Seven years ago today, we welcomed Bishop Bruce to celebrate a Confirmation Service at which 24 people dedicated their lives to following Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, renewing and confirming the vows made on their behalf at baptism. This was my first Confirmation service as Rector of the Parishes of New Carlisle and Chaleur Bay, and holds a special place in my heart. 

It being the Feast of St. Michael's and All Angels, the Scripture Reading was taken from the Revelation of St. John; the scene depicting the Blessed Archangel Michael defeating the dragon. Bishop Bruce preached a powerful sermon, calling the confirmands to confront the "dragons" in their own lives and in our society, naming some of the particular evils that we face such as bullying, racism, and other forms of prejudice. 

Seven years later, a very biblically important number, I would like to take a moment to encourage those confirmands, and any others who happen to be reading these words. The world has, in the past seven years, become a more difficult place, but you are not alone. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, all those who have walked the walk of faith before us, and by all the blessed angels and archangels. Above all we can turn to Jesus, the heir of all things and ruler of the Universe, the only begotten Son of God. 

As the author of the letter to the Hebrews says, "In these last days God has spoken to us by His Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he also made the Universe." We are blessed to live in a time when God has spoken to us so directly, meeting us in the very midst of our lives, so that no matter where you are, and no matter what you are going through, you can always turn to Christ and draw strength for the challenges that you face today. 

Blessings to one and all. 

Your servant in Christ, 

the Reverend Joshua Paetkau