What Is Involved In????

Retirement Planning

There are so many things to plan for when retiring that it makes one's head spin. Jill and I have already started gathering packing boxes and separating what stays, what goes and what comes with us! As I am writing this little blog I look across my office an at old “wardrobe box that we used to transport our belongings when we first moved here. Already the box is half filled. However, it is filled with throw away items that are not coming with us! We have already looked into the best means of transporting our belongings from Bermuda to Florida. It looks like there are two possibilities both of which include air cargo. One possibility is to go through Miami and up to Orlando. The other possibility is to go through New Jersey and down to Leesburg. Cost will play a determining factor as to which one we will choose.

However, the big item of concern with regard to our move to the US is health insurance. I am certain that we have all heard horror stories of how expensive health-care can be in the States. While Jill and I are in good health it is an absolute necessity to have some form of health insurance. I have looked at several possibilities and the cost varies. The one that I am giving very serious consideration to is the one that I would like to tell you about.

Christian Healthcare Ministries has been in existence now for 30 years plus. U.S. Health insurance under the Obama administration allows for CHM having factored it in as a “grandfather clause.” CHM is a Christian ministry and is open to people no matter where they live and no matter what their age. There are three levels of coverage; Gold, Silver and Bronze. The cost per month goes from $45, $85 to $150 per person. For an additional package called “Brother's Keeper” your coverage can be increased. Jill and I estimate that the Gold Package for both of us along with “Brother's Keeper” will cost us approximately $325 a month. Who is allowed to join and what are the restrictions?

To be CHM members, participating adults must be Christians living by biblical principles, including abstaining from the use of tobacco and the illegal use of drugs (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), following biblical teaching on the use of alcohol, and attending group worship regularly if health permits (Hebrews 10:25). There are no restrictions based on age, weight, geographic location or health history.

CHM is something that those who are planning a possible move to the US or those in the US who are looking for a more affordable program should check out. Their address on the web is:

http://www.chministries.org/whocanbeamember.aspx

Your Pastor & Friend,

John Fraser

THROW IT OUT OR-

SAVE IT

Well, just yesterday I started to houseclean! I am referring to my office at the manse. Why was I housecleaning? I was housecleaning because in two and a half months Jill and I will be leaving Bermuda. Where the past six years went I will never know. I will be retiring the end of July and providing our US Green Cards will arrive before that date we will be moving to our house in Florida by mid July! HOWEVER, prior to the move there is the packing and prior to the packing there is the sorting through of all of one's belonging. You have heard it said I'm certain that, “you never know how much you have until you move!” Well, I started this Saturday past to sort through all of my belongings in my home office. I keep a file for almost everything and I went through almost everything. “Should I throw this out or should I save it?” I went through letters, through sermons, looked at books, cds and dvds. I decided that for some items it had to be a time to go but for other items I just didn't have the heart to throw them out. It's a difficult decision what to keep and what not to keep. Sometimes it is not just difficult it is painful. Then there are those decisions that are easy to make; “I can't throw this picture out that my daughter drew for me of our dog Gypsy even though Gypsy hasn't been with us for a long long time and even though our little girl just got married three months ago!” Neither could I throw out a birthday card that our oldest daughter sent me a few years ago reminding me of our family vacations when we were all so young. Then there was the special picture that our daughter in California drew for me of a bright sun which shone so beautiful from the heaven's above reminding me of Bermuda! I did make a start and at the moment as I look around my office I see three little piles of keep these, throw these out and put these in the yard sale! When I finish with my office in the house then I have to start all over again with my office at the church. When I finish with my office at the church then I have to come back to the house and go through my closet, the basement and the yard beyond! When will it ever stop? It will only stop when we reach our house in Florida and then I will have to decide where will I put everything.

We all have to make decisions in life and some will be easier to make then others. Jill and I have reached a major milestone in our life (my retirement) and it only seems like yesterday that I started out in the little three point charge in Nova Scotia. I know that once we reach our new home in Florida that one of my major projects after I unpack and find a place for everything will be to pick up on the writing of my book. I started my book some time ago and when it is complete I will be certain to let you know! Thank the good Lord that He always has something for us to do!

Your Pastor & Friend,

John Fraser

Christ Has Risen

Easter Sunday

April 5, 2015

In the early days of the church believers in Jesus would greet each other with the words.

“He has Risen!”

The other believer would reply,

“He has risen indeed!”

Sadly, almost 2000 years later we celebrate the greatest miracle in the history of the world by saying, “Happy Easter.”

Why do we believe in the Resurrection?

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith is a foolish fantasy. However, if the resurrection of Christ did occur, it confirms His life, message, and atoning work. It is the basis of our hope of life beyond the grave. Christ is alive, and the evidence is overwhelming. Here are some of the reasons we can be so sure.

1. Jesus predicted His resurrection (Matt 16:21)
   
   From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
2. The Old Testament prophesied it (Psalm 16:10)
   
   For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow your Holy One to see corruption.
3. The tomb was empty and the grave clothes vacant. if those who opposed Christ wished to silence His disciples, all they had to do was produce a body, but they could not (John 20:3-9).
   
   So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

4. Many people saw the resurrected Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.


5. The lives of the disciples were radically transformed. (Acts 4:33)

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 
 
6. People today testify that the power of the risen Christ has transformed their lives. We know that Jesus is alive not only because of the historical and biblical evidence but also because He has miraculously touched our lives. 

Leader says: HE HAS RISEN

The People Say: HE HAS RISEN INDEED

Lord Give Me More

Patience! Where would we be without the gift of patience? Have you ever prayed, “Lord give me the patience of Job?” When we think of Job from the Bible we recall a man who was tested in many ways. Satan believed that Job would forsake God if he were stripped of his health and wealth. God believed that Job would remain faithful to Him even if he were to loose everything. Job was put to the test and often in this life you will find that we are put to the test as well. Job embarked on a loosing streak in his life. He lost his wealth in the form of cattle. He went from being the Bill Gates of his day as far as wealth was concerned to being one who was on the verge of applying for social assistance. Then, he lost his family who were wiped out in a violent storm. If that weren't enough to discourage him Job's health began to suffer as well. His body was clothed in sores and the only comfort in all of his distress came from friends. It's nice to have friends but Job's friends weren't really of any help. Then there was Job's wife surely she would be able to lift him out of his pain. What was her advice? “Job, why don't you just curse God and die?” Small comfort she was! Job refused to blame God for any of his problems. He told his friends and any who were close enough to listen that God will always be in control of life and that God had the right to alter life as God saw fit. Job believed that man never had the right to debate God's wisdom. Through life's conflicts Job remained faithful to God and we are told in Job 42:12 that; “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning.”

We are all tested in life's journey. Sometimes our tests are minor and at other times they are major. We are even tested at times by those who are closest to us. In my 39 years in ministry I have been tested many times. I have complained; “this is not fair God I'm one of your servants why should this happen to me?” It makes no difference who we are (Job was a man precious in God's sight) our faith will be tested. SO, when you pray; “God give me more patience, always remember that the only way for you to know if God has given you more patience is to present you with another test! Remember Job who was tested, who remained faithful and who was blessed for his faithfulness. Through all your trials look up and not down and then move forward not backward.

Your pastor & friend,

John Fraser

Have you ever?

Had your finger prints taken lately? In 2013 while Jill and I were crossing the border from Canada into the US we were stopped by custom officers. I reported in a previous blog our experience. It was the first time I ever had my finger prints taken! The officer doing the prints paid me a compliment after doing a “palm print” saying; “that was very good, most people have a problem doing it correctly the first time.” I'm not certain if I thanked her for the compliment or not! Maybe it was because I was so good at it that I had no problems being finger printed again just a couple of weeks ago! Once again Jill was with me and had her prints taken as well!

So what was the occasion? No, we were not accused of any crime. This time we requested the prints and had to pay a $100 each for them! We are in the midst of our Green Card application which will allow us a permanent residency in the US. The papers and forms that we have to submit are endless; birth certificates (the long forms not the short ones), marriage licenses (a problem for Jill and I as we were married in Quebec which requires banns and does not issue a license). We need to supply the birth place of each of our parents, our daughters names and their place of birth etc. etc. We also have to have a medical exam which includes a chest x-ray. Now we come to the request for a police certificate for any place where we lived for three years or more! The police check from Canada must be made through the RCMP. When I contacted the RCMP they told me that because I was out of country and could not drop into their office for a form that we must have our finger prints taken here in Bermuda and forward them to Canada. Following receipt of our prints a check would be made based on our prints and not our names. I was informed that this was the more thorough check of the two! The prints were taken the fees were paid and very shortly we will be forwarding them to Canada to a “private company” who will digitize the prints and forward them to the RCMP. The RCMP and the company digitizing the prints each have their fee. Canada is taken care of and now we must apply for a police check from Bermuda. No problem with that as we were able to go into their office and pick up a form after paying a further $100 each! But we are not through yet because there is still the Bahamas! I have a very good friend there who went to the local police station and asked on my behalf what I had to do to get a police certificate. All that was required was to write them a letter, tell them why I needed a certificate, send them a certified copy of our passports and “oh yes” send them a certified copy of our finger prints! No mention of a fee as yet but I know that it will come. SO, if you are ever required to give your finger prints come to me and I will show you exactly how to do it for a fee of course!

Your Friendly Pastor,

John

TIME FLIES OR DOES IT?

TIME FLIES OR DOES IT?

   Do you remember as a child saying; "I wish Christmas would get here." Perhaps you expressed the sentiment; "I wish summer vacation would come." Maybe you were anxious for the arrival of your birthday; "I wish my birthday was tomorrow." What we are really expressing in all three requests is the frustration that time is passing ever so slowly. Sometimes we use to say, "I'm bored there is nothing to do I wish it was tomorrow!" One thing I remember growing up (among many other things of course) was that we never said to our mom, "I'm bored there is nothing to do." If we ever said that in hearing distance of our mom she always had a standard reply; "There is a big woodpile in the back yard that has to go into the basement before winter." Time always seems to pass quickly when you are busy doing something. On the other hand time seems to drag by when we are sitting down twiddling our thumbs. The reality is that the passing of time never changes. It takes as long for an hour, a day, a month or a year to go by when we were 12 years old as it does when we are in our retirement years.
   One of the big reasons that women dread the retirement of their husband is that with nothing to do he will forever be in the house following her around asking endless questions. "What are you doing?" Can I help?" "Is there anything you would like me to do?" "What's for dinner?" She is bombarded with so many questions that she can't get her work done! So what is the solution for the couple when the husband is about to retire? "Guys, we have to keep busy." If  we don't keep busy doing something when we retire than we will find ourselves as frustrated as we were when we were 12 years old complaining that we were bored. Perhaps the ideal solution would be to get rid of oil, gas and electric heat and go back to wood stoves and coal furnaces. Why is this the ideal solution? When we are bored and following our wife around the house she could always turn to us and say; "Dear! there is a big woodpile in the backyard that needs to go into the basement before winter." Think of how busy we will keep ourselves by stacking wood, splitting kindling, stocking the furnace and carrying out the ashes!
Have a great day!
Your friend Pastor John
  

The Empty Nest Syndrom

We All Go Through It

   All parents that is! The Lord blessed Jill and I with three beautiful daughters. You remember the TV program, My Three Sons?" Well, we were blessed with, "Our Three Daughters." We went through the stages of raising children that all parents go through. You remember those stages; the troublesome twos, the frustrating threes and on and on and on! Having girls we also went through the boyfriends calling and I told our girls that I wanted to meet everyone of them and I did! I had each of our girls come to me while in school saying; "daaaad." I would say; "Stop right there and tell me how much you want." They always promised to pay me back and I will be a rich man when they do. I remember when our oldest daughter went to university. We dropped her off on campus and after saying good-bye we proceeded to return home. Jill protested saying; "We can't leave her there." I consoled her  with words like; "Honey, we have to we've already paid the tuition." Actually I'm just kidding because silently I shed tears as well. Shortly thereafter it was time for our second daughter and our third daughter to leave for university as well and the parting was just as tough. The house was really quiet when they left but there were lots of phone calls home and of course weekend visits.
   University days passed by rather quickly and it was shortly thereafter that I became suspicious of certain guys they were keeping company with. I asked the regular fatherly questions like; "How long is his hair?" "Does he wear ear rings?" "Any tattoos?" "Does he go to church?" I mean I was concerned! Well, the day came when the first daughter said that her boyfriend was going to speak to me about asking for her hand in marriage. YES, each of my son-in-laws actually spoke with me about marrying one of my daughters isn't that great? Now, when I knew that they were going to come and speak with me I asked each of my daughters in turn the same question, "is he nervous?" My daughters replied "yes, please be very gentle." I told each of them in turn; "Don't say anything to him that would lessen his fears I want him to be nervous." In one way I was just joking but in another way I was deadly serious. You see, my daughters (next to my wife) are thee most important people in the world to me. Here was some guy who was going to step into my life and become to her the most important man in her life. It wasn't that I feared loosing their love because I was always assured of their love it was well, "you know this other man." I don't think that I gave any of them a hard time and I am so pleased to hear them calling me, "dad."
   Actually, as I write this only two of them refer to me as dad. Why is this? Well it's due to the fact that our third daughter will not be married until Friday of this coming week! The day after tomorrow Jill and I are leaving for Vancouver where the wedding is to take place on the 9th of January. I was blessed to be able to conduct the weddings of our first two daughters and this Friday I will again have the opportunity of conducting the wedding service for our youngest daughter. In retirement Jill and I will be able to visit our oldest daughter just outside of Chatham Ontario, then there is the middle daughter who lives in Berkeley California and our youngest, well we will have to travel to a place called Rose Prairie in northern BC to visit her.
  The house is truly empty now. This past Christmas Jill and I celebrated by ourselves. BUT, the good Lord willing next Christmas the whole family will be coming to spend Christmas with Jill and I in our new home in Florida! The grand kids are coming as well (all five of them and maybe another one or two)! So you see the house will not be empty for long! This Christmas there was Jill and I around the table next Christmas the way I see it we should have eight adults and five children at least!
I am so proud of each of my daughters and Jill and I consider ourelves to be truly blessed.

Your Friend,
Rev. John