September 2021, Canon Stephanie Douglas asked the congregation of St. Paul on-the-Hill, Pickering to remember a time when God met a significant need in their lives. Parishioner Bonnie Thomson was prompted to remember the time she got a job after being told there were no jobs in her field. She felt an upwelling of joy and love for God who had intervened, and she began to wonder if others in the congregation had stories of similar experiences.
Ms. Thomson imagined what might happen if everyone gathered to share their stories. She imagined the sheer magnitude of what God had done, and the outpouring of joy that would result. Since COVID-19 wouldn’t allow such a gathering, Ms. Thomson began to wonder if there was another way to tell the stories of God’s work in the parishioners’ lives.
Praise from the People of St. Paul’s on-the-Hill brings together 27 stories from the parishioners of St. Paul. Each story is unique. Some, such as “Testimony of an A/V Tech,” are set in the fabric of life at St. Paul. Others, for example “Love on a Leash,” tell of unexpected light in dark times of loneliness, disintegration of the familiar or bereavement. “God’s Reassurance” remembers the return of hope and the sustaining presence of God during the hardships of a financial reversal. Several recount the loving, nurturing companionship of God during a lifetime of ups and downs. All show how a relationship with God has been strengthened.
Praise from the People of St. Paul’s on-the-Hill is available in paperback ($10) and as an ebook ($3.85). It can be found by searching amazon.ca for St. Paul’s on-the-Hill.
We must not stand idly by