This is the third in a series of articles written by a number of Community of Christ Evangelists in Canada East Mission. We are pleased to offer the stories of these highly respected ministers for your reading. It is our hope that their stories of faith will bring a blessing to your life. This post is from Evangelist Carson Imeson of Windsor, Ontario.
Serving as an Evangelist for the past 20 years has
allowed me to experience and become more aware of the love God has for each one
of us. It is a love that goes beyond judgment.
It is a love that recognizes the good in all of us. It has been my
experience that in being a minister of blessing, I too receive the
blessing.
Last year I attended the McGowan’s Lake
Reunion near Ottawa, Canada
and met Sean Pigeon, who is blind. He is an Elder in the Community of Christ
and even being physically blind has brought rich ministry to so many over the
years. He received the sacrament of administration after the closing service
and as we stood there alone, he asked if I would take him down the rocky
terrain to his trailer. I said I would be glad to, but I have never led a blind
person. What is required of me? He suggested that I make available to him my
right elbow so he could touch it and to walk and he would follow. We arrived
safely at his trailer and as I walked away, I was filled with God’s presence
reminding me that in my blindness and uncertainty from time to time, all I need
to do is reach out and touch the hem of Jesus’ garment and follow. This was the
day that a blind person allowed me to see with new eyes what ministry is all about.
I received a new meaning to the words “recovering sight to the blind”. It is
through service that we are healed.
I have always been
touched by the parable of the prodigal son. Even though the son had taken his
inheritance and wasted it all with riotous living, the father continued to look
down the road for his son’s safe return. And when he saw him at the bend of the
road, he ran to meet him, had compassion and embraced him without judgment. We
too are called to be sensitive to the broken-hearted, accept the sinner without
judgment and let the oppressed free.
I have had the opportunity over the years to help out in
soup kitchens in the City of Detroit.
Along with others, we prepared the lunch and the reward for this labor was in
the serving. As the homeless lined up you could see the joy on their face. When
I would put a sandwich and a bowl of soup on their tray they were filled with
gratitude. There was no complaining. Their faces were filled with smiles of
thankfulness and it was expressed in the words THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU. I was
blessed that day.
I wonder at times why we have the poor, the sick, the
vulnerable, and marginalized among us. The oppressed have brought a new
understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Evangelist Carson Imeson
Canadian Eastern Mission
Windsor Congregation
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I agree that God loves us all, and that too many of us turn our heads to the poor, sick, and marginalized. However, I also believe that those of us preaching God's word must ensure to be personally living it. This means that not only do we focus on being truthful, honest, compassionate, and honourable -- but that we follow all rules - whether that means reporting all of our taxable income to Revenue Canada, or returning the incorrect amount of change if a cashier made a mistake -- it is shameful to place ourselves above sinners when we sin ourselves.
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