Ancient Words – Isaiah 43: 18-21
Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old. 19 I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.
There is something both exciting and unsettling about beginnings. We look ahead with hope, imagining what might be possible, while carrying with us the memories, traditions, and relationships that have shaped who we are. We know what we are leaving behind, at least in part. What lies ahead is less certain.
Today, as we gather as Harbour United Church, we stand at just such a moment. While the three congregations, Fort Massey, St. Andrew’s, and St. Matthew’s, each with their own history and sacred stories, formally became one congregation on July 1st, today we are marking that moment in worship. We bring with us generations of worship, service, friendship, laughter, tears, and prayer. These are not small things. They are part of who we are. So, when we hear the words from Isaiah, “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old,” we might wonder whether we are being asked to leave our past behind. I don’t think that is what these words mean for us today. The people who first heard these words were living through a time of upheaval and uncertainty, longing for a future beyond the circumstances they knew. God was reminding them that their story was not over. The God who had been faithful in the past was still at work, doing something new. “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?” Notice that God does not say, “I did something new.” God says, “I am about to do a new thing.” The story is still unfolding. God is not finished with us yet.
And then comes this remarkable image: “I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Wilderness and desert are places where the familiar landmarks disappear, where the path forward may be difficult to see, and where we may wonder how we will find our way. Perhaps there are moments when our newly amalgamated congregation feels a little like that. We are learning new ways of being together. We are discovering how to honour different traditions, build new relationships, and discern what ministry will look like in this new chapter. We will not have every answer today. We do not need to. God promises not that the journey will be effortless, but that a way can be made where none seems possible. Even in unfamiliar territory, there is the possibility of life, growth, and renewal. Even in the desert, water can flow. We do not have to erase where we have come from in order to become something new. We can honour our histories without being confined by them. We can treasure our traditions while remaining open to possibilities we have not yet imagined. Becoming one congregation will happen in the days and months ahead, in the conversations we shar, the kindness we offer, the differences we learn to navigate, and the new ministries we discover together.
The new thing God is doing will not be accomplished by a name alone, or by a few leaders working on behalf of everyone else. It will take all of us, bringing our different gifts, listening to one another, and trusting that we belong to something larger than ourselves. The prophet reminds us that God formed a people to re God’s praise. We are not simply coming together for our own sake. We are being shaped into a community that can offer hope, practise compassion, seek justice, and make God’s love visible in Halifax and beyond.
So let us remember with gratitude. Let us meet this moment with patience and courage. And let us look toward the future with hearts open to the unexpected. The waters may be unfamiliar. The journey may take us places we have not anticipated. But we do not travel alone. God is still making a way in the wilderness. God is still bringing rivers into the desert. And the story of Harbour United Church is only beginning.
Thanks be to God for the challenge and the opportunity.
October 18, 2026 – Celebrating and Covenanting Harbour United Church
