The Common Area
Obeying rules
Have you ever written a learning plan? Maybe a work Development document? What about a financial budget? If we find it beneficial to write these types of documents for school, work, and finances, then why not write one for our spiritual life? Continue reading
White chocolate ice cream and biblical interpretation
What about children hearing a bible story for the first time? What is interpretation to a child? Like adults, they use their senses. Continue reading
Tomato aspic and walking the uncomfortable road
How often do we want the presence of Jesus in our lives to take the form of a mere houseguest? We want Jesus to be polite and grateful, a person who smiles and tells us that everything is lovely, even if it is not. Continue reading
Let’s face it. No one had to show up this morning.
No one had to show up this morning.
Our society does not demand that any of them be here this morning. It doesn’t even demand that you be here this morning. There are lots of other good things to do. There are many other places to be fulfilled; other churches, temples, charity runs and nature walks to name a few. There is sleep. There are yummy eggs benedict and fun purple rubber ducks. Continue reading
Gossip: the Traditional Method of Church Communication?
I found myself asking these questions a number of years ago, after visiting a parishioner that the prayer team reported to have been rushed away in an ambulance just days before. “I was not,” she clarified, annoyed, “and perhaps the gossip team should consider minding its own business.” Continue reading
United in Christ? United in faith? Unionized?
As reported by the London Free Press, “a group of United Church ministers has teamed up with Canada’s largest private-sector union to create Unifaith, the nation’s first union for clergy.” Continue reading
A Moment in Time
I find myself wondering about our desire to cling to everything from ideas to interpretations, language to liturgy, style to song. The Church is no stranger to moments in time. Continue reading
Manning, Wikileaks, and baptism: transparency and being who you are
What tools and methods of communication call you most naturally to live out your baptismal covenant? How do you seek truth and transparency in what you do and what you say? Is it more difficult online than offline? And finally, are we willing to tell the truth (especially about who we are in Christ) when we might pay a heavy price? Continue reading
Looking back–Relationships are relationships, part 2: of classic rock and motorcycles
Driving a British vehicle more than 40 years old has its challenges: spark plugs get fouled up. Bolts fall off while I’m driving. Fuses blow. I leave puddles of oil in parking lots. But it has its advantages: I’m driving a piece of history. Continue reading
Learning from Maxwell House
Words like marketing make some people uncomfortable. But so do words like evangelism. In the end, both refer to the presentation or offer of something from one person to another. Continue reading
