New Church Life March/April 2016 | Page 26

new church life: march/april 2016 Of course, that is the real purpose of His resurrection; that by maintaining a state of spiritual order and equilibrium He creates a sphere in which each of us is free to do what we think is best. He has fought with the hells and brought them under control so that they cannot infest our minds unless we specifically invite them to. He has taught us by word and example what kind of life we ought to live. He has provided us with every tool and opportunity that we might need. And then He patiently waits, as a friend, to see what we will do. Let us resolve, then, to live according to His principles, to be kind toward one another, to think about other people’s feelings before we act or speak, to do everything we can to use the things which He has taken such great care to provide for us. Amen. The Rev. James P. Cooper retired last year as pastor of the Olivet New Church in Toronto, Canada, where he was also regional pastor for Canada and Secretary for the General Council of the Clergy. He had previously served in Bryn Athyn; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Durban, South Africa; and the Washington New Church in Mitchellville, Maryland. He and his wife, Karen (Jorgenson), live in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. Contact: [email protected] 128