Ponderings from Pastor Pamela's Pen
By Rev. Pamela Fitkin
Thanks so much for allowing me to attend Assembly 2026 as a delegate. It was a special weekend for sure and here's why. First, it is a home-going for me. I saw so many folks that I love from churches I have previously served. Secondly, I got to hang out with “best friend” colleagues. Thirdly, this year Torie became an official Junior Leader. She has attended Assembly since she was 7 months old. Watching her grow into a leader is very special. So many people would stop and ask, “When did she become a teen? I remember when…”. She had a ball too and because she was a leader, all of her food and accommodations were paid for by CBOQ.
This year the theme was; “And then they prayed”. That is taken from Acts. In fact, the whole assembly was based on the prayers from Acts. If you look at chapters 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 20, 21, and 28 you will find the key moments of prayer in Acts. The First Century church were praying people!
On Wednesday (Pastors' Day) I was honoured to be asked to pray in front of my peers in a session called “Lament Prayers”. On Friday I was asked to open the Annual Meeting with prayer (I was nervous) and on Saturday I was asked to be on a panel about Prayer Joys and Struggles, where I discussed our recent beautiful Prayer Walk, here at the church.
Assembly 2026 was one of the most holiest Assemblies I can remember and I shared that feedback with our Regional Minister, Carl Walters. It was a beautiful time. Thanks….
Below is the prayer I wrote and spoke at Pastors' Day. May praying the names of God bring you joy!
YAHWEH ELOHIM, “LORD God” creator of our souls, we tremble before you in reverent fear. You are so big and powerful, almighty and everlasting. You are KADOSH, the “Holy One” and yet, you come to us, feeble minded, unjust, and wretched ones. Your magnificence is displayed in the way you approach us as PALET, “Deliverer” offering to be our stronghold, the rocky summit where we can take shelter.
You are the shield and horn (Psalm 18) where we take shelter, even in the muck of our sin and filth you reach out your hand and whisper Yesha, I am the saviour. We need saving. We need your refuge. Our anger, lust, jealousy and arrogance threatens to kill us. The weight of fear, revenge and pride piles on. But in a small breeze of life we hear you.
We see you and we fall to the ground embarrassed by your holiness and our uncleanliness and we say, as Peter cried out, “depart from me I am sinful”. But you say to us, “you are loved, you are strong”. You say, “I Am” and you are Abba, Yahweh Heseed, the God who forgives. We cry out again and again “Immanuel, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. And so we raise our heads and look upon your son in his resurrected glory and we begin again with words of praise.
You are the God of mercy, God of Hope, God of redemption and we reach out to touch the hem of your garment knowing you will heal us. Thank you. Thank you for healing, grace, mercy, and your love. You are the Selichah, the God who forgives. Selichah, selichah, selichah, amen.
Blessings and love,
Pastor Pamela
